Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.52

[1] In the very beginning of the next summer, the Boeotians took Heracleia, miserably afflicted, into their own hands, and put Hegesippidas, a Lacedaemonian, out of it for his evil government. They took it because they feared lest, whilst the Lacedaemonians were troubled about Peloponnesus, it should have been taken in by the Athenians. Nevertheless the Lacedaemonians were offended with them for doing it.

[2] The same summer Alcibiades, the son of Clinias, being general of the Athenians, by the practice of the Argives and their confederates, went into Peloponnesus, and having with him a few men at arms and archers of Athens and some of the confederates which he took up there as he passed through the country with his army, both ordered such affairs by the way concerning the league as was fit; and coming to the Patreans, persuaded them to build their walls down to the seaside, and purposed to raise another wall himself towards Rhium in Achaia. But the Corinthians, Sicyonians, and such others as this wall would have prejudiced came forth and hindered him.

[1] After the battle Heraclea was so terribly reduced that in the first days of the summer following the Boeotians occupied the place and sent away the Lacedaemonian Agesippidas for misgovernment, fearing that the town might be taken by the Athenians while the Lacedaemonians were distracted with the affairs of Peloponnese . The Lacedaemonians, nevertheless, were offended with them for what they had done.

[2] The same summer Alcibiades, son of Clinias, now one of the generals at Athens , in concert with the Argives and the allies, went into Peloponnese with a few Athenian heavy infantry and archers, and some of the allies in those parts whom he took up as he passed, and with this army marched here and there through Peloponnese , and settled various matters connected with the alliance, and among other things induced the Patrians to carry their walls down to the sea, intending himself also to build a fort near the Achaean Rhium. However, the Corinthians and Sicyonians, and all others who would have suffered by its being built, came up and hindered him.

¹ Im folgenden Sommer, gleich zu Anfang, übernahmen
die Böoter Heraklea, das durch diese Niederlage sehr herabgekommen
war, und schickten den Lakedämonier Hegesippidas, weil er sein
Befehlshaöeramt schlecht verwaltet hatte, weg. Sie übernahmen den
Platz aber deßhalb, weil sie bei der gefährdeten Stellung der
Lakedämonier im Peloponnes befürchteten, die Athener möchten ihn
vorweg nehmen. Gleichwohl nahmen ihnen die Lakedämonier dieß
übel auf.

Im selben Sommer kam auch Alkibiades, des Kleinias Sohn,
Feldherr der Athener, unterstützt von den Argivern und den
Bundesgenossen, mit einer geringen Zahl Athenischer Schwerbewaffneten
und Bogenschützen, wozu er noch von den dortigen Bundesgenossen
einige Mannschaft nahm, in den Peloponnes und traf, indem er
denselben durchzog, die nöthigen Einrichtungen in Betreff des
Waffenbundes und überredete auch die Paträer, ihre Mauern bis an's Meer
hinab zu verlängern. Auch hatte er selbst den Plan zu einer neuen
Festung am Achaischen Rhion; allein die Korinther und Sikyonier
und wem sonst die Befestigung zum Schaden gereicht hätte, eilten
herbei und verhinderten dieselbe.

LII. Dès le commencement de l’été suivant, les Béotiens, voyant Héraclée affaiblie et ruinée par cette défaite, l’occupèrent et en chassèrent le Lacédémonien Hégésippidas, sous prétexte d'incapacité : ils mirent la main sur cette ville, dans la crainte que les Athéniens ^{1 2} ne profitassent, pour s’en emparer, de l’occupation que donnaient aux Lacédémoniens les troubles du Péloponnèse. Les Lacédémoniens n’en furent pas moins irrités contre eux. Le même été, Alcibiade, fils de Clinias, général des Athéniens, secondé par les Argiens et leurs alliés, pénétra dans le Péloponnèse avec un petit nombre d’hoplites et d’archers athéniens. Il prit à sa suite quelques alliés du pays, régla avec eux tout ce qui intéressait les contrées alliées, traversa le Péloponnèse avec son armée et persuada aux habitants de Patras de pousser leurs murs jusqu’à la mer. Il songeait lui-même à élever d’autres fortifications à Rhiond’Achaïe; mais les Corinthiens, les Sicconiens et tous ceux que cet établissement eût incommodés, accoururent et s’y opposèrent.

Dès le commencement de l’été suivant ¹ , les Béotiens, voyant l’état fâcheux où ce combat avait réduit Héraclée, prirent en mains l’administration de cette ville, et renvoyèrent, pour abus de pouvoir, le gouverneur lacédémonien Hégésip-pidas. Ce qui les y détermina, ce Çut la crainte que les Athéniens ne s’emparassent d’Héraclée à la faveur des embarras du Péloponèse. Les Lacédémoniens ne leur en gardèrent pas moins rancune.

Le même été, Alcibiade fils de Clinias, général athénien, secondé par les Argiens et leurs alliés, pénétra dans le Péloponèse avec un petit nombre d’hoplites et d’archers athéniens. Il prit avec lui un renfort d’alliés du pays, régla tout ce qui concernait l’alliance, traversa le Péloponèse avec une armée, et persuada aux Patréens de construire des murs jusqu'à la mer ² . Il avait aussi le projet d’élever un fort sur le Rhion d’Achaîe, mais les Corinthiens , les Sicyoniens et tous ceux à qui cette construction portait ombrage, s’y opposèrent les armes à la main.

[1] At the very beginning of the following ¹ summer, as Heracleia was in a grievous plight after the battle, the Boeotians took possession of it and dismissed Hegesippidas, the Lacedaemonian, for misgovernment. They occupied the place through fear that, while the Lacedaemonians were disturbed about matters in the Peloponnesus, the Athenians might

[2] take it; the Lacedaemonians, however, were angry at them for this.
  During the same summer Alcibiades son of Cleinias, who was then a general of the Athenians, acting in concert with the Argives and their allies went into the Peloponnesus with a few Athenian hoplites and bowmen, and taking with him some of the allies from that region helped to settle matters pertaining to the alliance as he passed through the Peloponnesus with his army; coming to Patrae he persuaded the inhabitants to carry their walls down to the sea, and intended himself to build another fort at the Achaean Rhium. ² But the Corinthians, Sicyonians, and all those to whom the fortification of Rhium would have been a menace, went in force and prevented it.

[1] At the very commencement of the following summer, the Boeotians seized on Heraclea, when it was miserably reduced after the battle, and sent away Hegesippidas the Lacedaemonian, on the charge of governing it ill. They occupied the place through fear that, while the Lacedaemonians were distracted with the affairs of the Peloponnese, the Athenians might take it. The Lacedaemonians, however, were offended with them for what they had done.

[2] The same summer, Alcibiades son of Clinias, being one of the generals at Athens, having the co-operation of the Argives and the allies, went into the Peloponnese with a few Athenian heavy-armed and bowmen; and taking with him some of the allies in those parts, both proceeded to settle in concert with them other matters connected with the alliance, marching about the Peloponnese with his troops, and persuaded the Patreans to carry their walls down to the sea; intending also himself to build a fort beside the Achaean Rhium. But the Corinthians and Sicyonians, and all to whose injury it would have been built, came against him, and prevented his doing it.

[1] Insequentis autem aestatis initio statim Heracleam, quod post proelium graviter infestaretur, Boeoti in fidem receperunt, et Hegesippidam Lacedaemonium ut perperam res illas administrantem expulerunt. Hanc autem urbem receperunt veriti, ne Lacedaemoniis Peloponnesi tumultu turbatis, Athenienses eam occuparent. Lacedaemonii tamen ipsis erant irati.

[2] Eadem aestate Alcibiades Cliniae filius, Atheniensium dux, Argivis ac sociis, eum adjuvantibus, in Peloponnesum profectus, cum paucis gravis armaturae militibus Atheniensibus et sagittariis, et sociis, quos illinc assumpserat, tum alia quae ad societatem pertinebant, constituebat, per mediam Peloponnesum cum copiis iter faciens, tum etiam Patrensibus persuasit, ut muros ad mare usque perducerent, et ipse alteram munitionem Rhium Achaicum versus exstruere in animo habebat. Sed Corinthii et Sicyonii et alii, quibus hi muri exstructi damnum daturi erant, auxilio accurrentes impediverunt.

Appena cominciata la nuova estate i Beozii, i quali temevano che gli Ateniesi, giovandosi del turbamento dei Lacedemoni nel Peloponneso, non prendessero Eraclea che dopo la battaglia andava malamente a perdersi, si portarono essi subito ad occuparla , e cacciaronne Egesippida lacedemone pel suo cattivo governo. Gò non pertanto i Lacedemoni l’ebbero a male. E nella estate medesima, Alcibiade di Clinia, allora generale d’Atene, seguito dagli Argivi e loro alleati entrò nel Peloponneso con pochi soldati gravi ateniesi e arcieri ; e con alcuni alleati presi di li; e traversandolo coll’esercito acconciò le altre cose riguardanti all’alleanza, e persuase i cittadini di Patra a tirare un muro sino al mare, intanto che pensava di edificane un altro egli stesso a Rio acaico. Ma i Corintii e i Sicionesi e gli altri, in danno de’quali tornava quel fabbricato, vi accorsero e glielo impedirono.