Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.61

[1] After this, the Athenians coming in with the aid of one thousand men of arms and three hundred horse under the conduct of Laches and Nicostratus, the Argives (for they were afraid for all this to break the truce with the Lacedaemonians) willed them to be gone again; and when they desired to treat, would not present them to the people till such time as the Mantineans and Eleians, who were not yet gone, forced them unto it by their importunity.

[2] Then the Athenians, in the presence of Alcibiades, that was ambassador there, spake unto the Argives and their confederates, saying that the truce was unduly made without the assent of the rest of their confederates, and that now (for they were come time enough) they ought to fall again to the war;

[3] and did by their words so prevail with the confederates that they all, save the Argives, presently marched against Orchomenus of Arcadia.

[4] And these, though satisfied, stayed behind at first, but afterwards they also went, and sitting down before Orchomenus, jointly besieged and assaulted the same, desiring to take it in as well for other causes as chiefly for that the hostages which the Arcadians had given to the Lacedaemonians were there in custody.

[5] The Orchomenians, fearing the weakness of their walls, and the greatness of the army, and lest they should perish before any relief could arrive, yielded up the town on conditions to be received into the league, give hostages for themselves, and to surrender the hostages held there by the Lacedaemonians into the hands of the Mantineans.

[1] After this arrived a thousand Athenian heavy infantry and three hundred horse, under the command of Laches and Nicostratus; whom the Argives, being nevertheless loth to break the truce with the Lacedaemonians, begged to depart, and refused to bring before the people, to whom they had a communication to make, until compelled to do so by the entreaties of the Mantineans and Eleans, who were still at Argos .

[2] The Athenians, by the mouth of Alcibiades their ambassador there present, told the Argives and the allies that they had no right to make a truce at all without the consent of their fellow-confederates, and now that the Athenians had arrived so opportunely the war ought to be resumed.

[3] These arguments proving successful with the allies, they immediately marched upon Orchomenos , all except the Argives, who, although they had consented like the rest, stayed behind at first, but eventually joined the others.

[4] They now all sat down and besieged Orchomenos , and made assaults upon it; one of their reasons for desiring to gain this place being that hostages from Arcadia had been lodged there by the Lacedaemonians.

[5] The Orchomenians, alarmed at the weakness of their wall and the numbers of the enemy, and at the risk they ran of perishing before relief arrived, capitulated upon condition of joining the league, of giving hostages of their own to the Mantineans, and giving up those lodged with them by the Lacedaemonians.

Als danach auch aus Athen ein Zuzug von Tausend
Geharnischten und drei Hundert Reitern unter Führung des Laches und
Nikostratos ershcien, trugen die Argiver gleichwohl Bedenken, den
Waffenstillstand mit den Lakedämoniern zu, brechen, und hießen jene
wieder abziehen. Auch ließen sie sie nicht vor die Volksversammlung,
wo jene ihre Sache vertreten wollten, bis die Mantineer und Eleer
— denn diese waren noch anwesend — sie durch ihr Drängen dazu
zwangen. Da sagten nun die Athener, bei denen Alkibiades als
Gesandter war, vor den Argivern und ihren Bundesgenossen, es sei
-Unrecht einen Waffenstillstand ohne die andern Verbündeten auch
nur abzuschließen, und jetzt, wo sie selbst zu so gelegener Zeit
erschienen seien, müsse man erst recht zum Kriege greisen. Mit solchen
Worten überredeten sie die Bundesgenossen und marschirten sogleich
Alle, mit Ausnahme der Argiver, gegen das Arkadische Orchomenos;
denn obgleich sich auch diese hatten umstimmen lassen, so blieben sie
doch Anfangs zurück; später indessen rückten auch sie nach. Nun
setzten sie sich Alle insgesammt um Orchomenos und belagerten und
bekannten die Stadt, denn sie hatten sowohl andere Gründe den
Platz zu gewinnen, als auch weil die Arkadischen Geißeln hier von
den Lakedämoniern waren untergebracht worden. Die Orchomenier
nun fürchteten bei der Schwäche ihrer Mauern und der großen Zahl
der Angreifer, und da auch Niemand ihnen zu Hülfe kam, sie möchten
noch zuvor unterliegen, und ergaben sich deßhalb unter der Bedingung,
daß sie in den Bund aufgenommen würden, für sich selbst Geißeln an
die Mantineer stellten und die auslieferten, welche die Lakedämonier
bei ihnen in Verwahrung gegeben hatten.

LXI. Après ces événements, il arriva d’Athènes mille hoplites et trois cents cavaliers, commandés par Lachés et Nicostratos. Les Argiens craignant, malgré tout ¹ , de rompre la trêve avec les Lacédémoniens, les engagèrent à se retirer. Ils ne les introduisirent même ^{2 3 4} devant le peuple, avec qui les Athéniens demandaient à négocier, que contraints par les prières des Mantinéens et des Argiens, qui étaient encore présents. Alcibiade était à Argos à titre d’ambassadeur; il déclara, au nom des Athéniens, en présence des Argiens et des alliés, que la trêve n’avait pu être légalement conclue sans l’assentiment des autres alliés; que dès lors il fallait sur-le-champ, puisqu’ils arrivaient à temps, commencer la guerre. Les confédérés goûtèrent ces raisons, et tous, à l’exception des Argiens, se portèrent sur Orchomène d’Arcadie. Les Argiens, quoique tout aussi convaincus que les autres, restèrent d’abord en arrière, mais ils rejoignirent ensuite. Tous ensemble allèrent camper devant Orchomène, y mirent le siége et donnèrent plusieurs assauts. A tous les motifs qu’ils avaient de s’en rendre maîtres s’ajoutait la présence des otages d’Arcadie, que les Lacédémoniens y avaient déposés. Les Orchoméniens, inquiets de la faiblesse de leurs remparts et du nombre des ennemis, ne voyant, d’ailleurs, personne leur venir en aide, craignirent de succomber avant d’être secourus : ils capitulèrent à la condition d’entrer dans l’alliance et de remettre aux Mantinéens des otages d’Orchomène, indépendamment de ceux que les Lacédémoniens leur avaient confiés.

Là-dessus il arriva d’Athènes un renfort de mille hoplites et de trois cents cavaliers, commandés par Lâchés et Nicos-tratos. Les Argiens, qui craignaient de rompre la trêve conclue avec Lacédémone, les invitèrent à repartir ; et quoique les Athé-niéns demandassent à parler au peuple, ils refusèrent de leur donner audience. A la fin cependant ils y furent forcés par les instances des Mantinéens et desËléens, qui étaient encore à Argos. Les Athéniens, par l’organe d’Alcibiade leur ambassadeur, soutinrent, en présence des Argiens et de leurs alliés, que l’on avait eu tort de conclure une convention sans lu participation des confédérés, et qu’il fallait profiter de leur arrivée pour entamer les hostilités. Les alliés prêtèrent l'oreille à cet avis; et tous, à l’exception des Argiens, marchèrent aussitôt contre Orchomène d’Arcadie. Les Argiens, tout en partageant l’opinion générale, restèrent néanmoins en arrière et ne rejoignirent que plus tard. Ainsi réunis, ils allèrent mettre le siège devant Orchomène et donnèrent plusieurs assauts. Leur intention était d’attirer à eux cette ville et surtout de délivrer les otages arcadiens que les Lacédémoniens y avaient déposés. Les Orchoméniens, a)armés de la faiblesse de leurs murailles et du nombre des assaillants , ne se voyant d’ailleurs aucunement secourus, craignirent de succomber. Ils capitulèrent donc sous condition d’entrer dans l’alliance , de donner eux-mêmes des otages aux Mantinéens et de livrer ceux que les Lacédémoniens leur avaient confiés.

[1] After this, when Athenian reinforcements arrived, consisting of one thousand hoplites and three hundred cavalry, under the command of Laches and Nicostratus, the Argives—for they shrunk in spite of all from breaking off the truce with the Lacedaemonians—bade them go away, and would not comply with their wish to be brought before the people for negotiations, until the Mantineans and Eleans, who were still present, constrained them by their entreaties to do so.

[2] The Athenians, then, through Alcibiades, who was present as ambassador, protested before the Argives and their allies that it was not right even to have made the truce without the consent of the rest of the allies, and now, since they themselves were present opportunely, they ought to resume the war.

[3] Having persuaded the allies by their arguments, all of them except the Argives proceeded at once against Orchomenus in Arcadia; the Argives, though convinced, remained behind at first, then later came on too.

[4] Taking post before Orchomenus, they all proceeded to besiege it and to make assaults, being especially desirous of getting possession of it because hostages from Arcadia were deposited there by the Lacedaemonians.

[5] But the Orchomenians, fearing the weakness of the wall and the number of the enemy, and being apprehensive lest they might perish before relief came, capitulated on condition that they should be received as allies, should give hostages for themselves to the Mantineans, and should deliver up those whom the Lacedaemonians had deposited with them.

[1] After this, when the Athenian succours arrived, consisting of a thousand heavy-armed and three hundred cavalry, commanded by Laches and Nicostratus, the Argives being loath, notwithstanding their arrival, to break the truce with the Lacedaemonians, commanded them to go back, though they wished to make a communication to them, and did not grant them a public audience, until the Mantineans and Eleans, (for they were still there,) by their entreaties, constrained them to do so.

[2] The Athenians then—Alcibiades being sent as ambassador—spoke before the Argives and their allies to this effect; that it was not right for the truce ¹ even to have been made, without the consent of the other allies; and that now, since their force had come so seasonably, they ought to proceed to hostilities.

[3] And having persuaded the allies by their arguments, they immediately marched against Orchomenus, all but the Argives, who, though persuaded to the measure, still stayed behind at first; afterwards, however, they also went.

[4] Thus they all sat down before Orchomenus, and besieged it, and made assaults upon it; being for other reasons desirous to get possession of it, and especially as some hostages from Arcadia were deposited there by the Lacedaemonians.

[5] The Orchomenians, alarmed at the weakness of their wall and the number of the hostile forces, and fearing, since no succours had arrived, that they might perish before they did, surrendered on condition of joining the confederacy, giving hostages of their own to the Mantineans, and delivering up those whom the Lacedaemonians had deposited with them.

[1] Postea vero quum Atheniensium auxilio iis venissent mille gravis armaturae milites·et trecenti equites, quibus Laches et Nicostratus praeerant, Argivi (nihilominus enim hedera cum Lacedaemoniis inita rumpere non audebant) ipsos abire jubebant, nec cum populo agere volentes produxerunt, priusquam Manlinei et Elei (adhuc enim aderant) precibus extorserunt.

[2] Athenienses autem praesente Alcibiade legato apud Argivos eorumque socios haec dixerunt, nec recte foedera sine ceteris sociis facta esse, et nunc (se enim opportune adesse) bellum suscipiendum esse.

[3] Et quum hac oratione rem sociis persuasissent, confestim omnes adversus Orchomenum Arcadicum contendebant praeter Argivos; hi enim quamvis et ipsis persuasum esset, tamen primo remanebant, deinde postea et ipsi iverunt.

[4] Castrisque ad Orchomenum positis universi obsidebant, et oppugnabant, in suam potestatem redigere cupientes quum aliis de causis, tum vero, quod Arcadum obsides illic erant a Lacedaemoniis depositi.

[5] Orchomenii vero, quod et murorum infirmitatem et hostilis exercitus multitudinem metuerent, et quum nemo opem ipsis ferret, ne prius perirent, deditionem ea conditione fecerunt, ut in societatem reciperentur, obsidesque et ex suorum numero darent Mantineis, et illos etiam traderent, quos Lacedaemonii deposuissent.

Dopo di che essendo arrivato il rinforzo ateniese di mille soldati gravi e di trecento cavalli sotto il comando di Lachete e Nicostrato, gli Argivi, che contuttociò non avean voglia di rompere la tregua co’Lacedemoni, li pregavano a ritornarsene, e non li presentavano al popolo col quale e’ bramavano di negoziare, finché non vi furono astretti dalle istanze de’ Mantineesi e degli Elei che tuttora si trovavano in Argo. Allora gli Ateniesi, presente Alcibiade loro legato, dissero agli Argivi ed ai confederati : « Che siccome le tregue non erano state fatte rettamente senza il consenso degli altri alleati, cosi ora essendo essi opportunamente arrivati, bisognava intraprendere la guerra ». Persuasi gli alleati da queste parole tosto marciavano tutti verso Orcomeno dell’Arcadia, tranne gli Argivi, iquali sebbene persuasi di ciò, da primo restarono indietro ; ma poi finalmente vi andarono aneli’essi. Piantato il campo ad Orcomeno tutti d’accordo l'assediavano ; e vi davano assalti, desiderosi d’impadronirsene principalmente perchè vi erano gli statichi di Arcadia, lasciativi dai La ce demoni« E gli Orcomem, tra per la debolezza delle muri e per la moltitudine di quell’oste temendo di doversi vedei perdati prima che alcuno li soccorresse, capitolarono c condizione di esser compresi nella lega , e di consegnane per istatichi alcuni di loro , e di rendere ai Mantineesi quelli depositativi da9 Lacedemoni.