Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.63

[1] The Lacedaemonians, after their return from Argos with their four months' truce, severely questioned Agis for that, upon so fair an opportunity as they never had before, he subdued not Argos to the state; for so many and so good confederates would hardly be gotten together again at one time.

[2] But when also the news came of the taking of Orchomenus, then was their indignation much greater; and they presently resolved, contrary to their own custom, in their passion, to raze his house, and fine him in the sum of ten thousand drachmes.

[3] But he besought them that they would do neither of these things yet, and promised that, leading out the army again, he would by some valiant action cancel those accusations; or, if not, they might proceed afterwards to do with him whatsoever they thought good.

[4] So they forbore both the fine and the razing of his house, but made a decree for that present, such as had never been before, that ten Spartans should be elected and joined with him as councillors, without whom it should not be lawful for him to lead the army into the field.

[1] Meanwhile the Lacedaemonians, upon their return from Argos after concluding the four months' truce, vehemently blamed Agis for not having subdued Argos , after an opportunity such as they thought they had never had before; for it was no easy matter to bring so many and so good allies together.

[2] But when the news arrived of the capture of Orchomenos , they became more angry than ever, and, departing from all precedent, in the heat of the moment had almost decided to raze his house, and to fine him ten thousand drachmae.

[3] Agis however entreated them to do none of these things, promising to atone for his fault by good service in the field, failing which they might then do to him whatever they pleased;

[4] and they accordingly abstained from razing his house or fining him as they had threatened to do, and now made a law, hitherto unknown at Lacedaemon , attaching to him ten Spartans as counsellors, without whose consent he should have no power to lead an army out of the city.

Die Lakedämonier aber,'als sie nach Abschluß des
viermonatlichen Waffenstillstandes von Argos abgezogen waren, zürnten
sehr auf Agis, daß er ihnen Argos nicht unterworfen habe, obwohl
die Gelegenheit so günstig gewesen sei wie^ früher niemals; denn es
sei nicht leicht, Tso viele und so treffliche Bundesgenossen'wieder
zusammenzubekommen^ Als nun aber auch noch die Einnahme von
Orchömenos gemeldet wurde, so erzürnten sie sich noch mehr und
beschlossen in ihrer Erbitterung gegen ihre Gewohnheit allsogleich
man solle des Agis Haus niederreißen -und ihn um Hundert Tausend
Drachmen 48) tsrafen. Doch wandte er durch seine Bitten noch ab,
daß eins oder das-andere geschah, indem er verhieß, durch eine tapfere
That im Feldzug die'Schuld wieder gut zu machen; wenn aber nicht,
so könnten sie dann thun, was sie wollten. Darauf hin nun schoben
jene die Geldstrafe und das Niederreißen seines Hauses aus, machten
aber bei-diesem Anlasse ein Gesetz, wies es früher bei ihnen nie
gegolten hatte: sie wählten.ihm nämlich zehn Spartiatische Männer
zu Beiräthen, ohne deren Gutheißen er nicht die Besugniß"haben
sollte, ein Heer aus'der Stadt zu führen.

LXIII. Les Lacédémoniens, depuis qu’ils avaient quitté Argos, après la conclusion de la trêve de quatre mois, accusaient amèrement Agis de n’avoir pas profité, pour soumettre cette place, de la plus belle occasion qui se fût jamais offerte, à ce qu’ils croyaient : car c’était chose rare que d’avoir réunis sous la main des alliés aussi nombreux et de si belles troupes. Mais l’indignation fut bien plus grande encore, quand on apprit la prise d’Orchomène. Dans le premier mouvement de colère, ils décidèrent sur-le-champ, contrairement à leurs habitudes ¹ , que la maison d’Agis serait rasée et qu’il payerait une amende de cent mille drachmes. Il les supplia de n’en rien faire, promettant que, dans la première campagne, il rachèterait par quelque action d’éclat ce qu’on lui imputait; sinon ils feraient alors ce qu’ils jugeraient à propos. Ils ajournèrent l’amende et la démolition; mais ils rendirent en cette circonstance une loi sans précédents chez eux : ils lui nommèrent un conseil de dix Spartiates, sans l'avis desquels il lui était interdit de faire aucune expédition.

Cependant les Lacédémoniens, après leur retraite d’Argo-s et la conclusion de la trêve de quatre mois, munnnraient tout haut contre Agis, qui avait laissé échapper une occasion , unique jusqu’alors, de leur soumettre cette ville ; car il n’était pas facile de réunir une autre fois un si grand nombre de braves alliés. La prise d’Orchomène mit le comble à leur fureur. Obéissant, contre leur coutume, à leur premier mouvement , ils parlaient de raser sa maison et de le condamner à cent mille drachmes d’amende ¹ . Il les conjura de n’en rien faire, assurant qu’à la première .campagne il rachèterait ces reproches par une action d’éclat ; autrement, ils agiraient à leur fantaisie. Les Lacédémoniens ajournèrent l’amende et la démolition; mais ils rendirent alors une loi nouvelle : ce fut d’élire un conseil de Spartiates, sans l’assentiment desquels il ne serait pas maître d’évacuer le territoire ennemi ² .

[1] But the Lacedaemonians, on their return from Argos after making the four months' truce, blamed Agis severely for not subduing Argos, when, in their judgment, the happy opportunity was such as had never been offered before; for it was not an easy matter to get together allies so many and so good.

[2] But when the tidings came about the capture of Orchomenus also, they were far more angry, and in their wrath, contrary to their habit, at once resolved to raze his house and to fine him in the sum of ten thousand drachmas. ¹

[3] But he besought them to do none of these things, promising that he would wipe out the charges by some brave deed when he took the field again; if not, they might then do what they wished.

[4] So they refrained from the fine and the razing of his house, but for the present enacted a law which had no precedent among them; for they chose ten of the Spartiates as counsellors ² for him without whose consent it was not lawful for him to lead an army out of the city.

[1] As for the Lacedaemonians, when they had returned from Argos after concluding the four months' truce, they blamed Agis exceedingly for not having brought Argos into subjection to them, when there was so fine an opportunity as they thought had never before presented itself; for it was no easy thing to find so many and such allies collected together.

[2] But when tidings also came of the capture of Orchomenus, they were far more enraged, and under the influence of anger resolved immediately (contrary to their general habit) that they ought to demolish his house, and fine him ten thousand drachmas.

[3] But he besought them to do none of these things; for he would atone for his faults by good service when he next took the field, or they might then do to him whatever they pleased.

[4] Accordingly, they abstained from the fine and the demolition of his house, but passed a law at that time which had never before existed amongst them; for they chose ten Spartans to act as counsellors with him, without whose consent he should have no power to lead an army out of the city.

[1] Lacedaemonii vero postea quam ex agro Argivo redierunt initis in quatuor menses foederibus, Agin vehementer incusabant, quod Argos in suam potestatem non redegisset, quum occasio tam idonea sese ipsis obtulisset, quantam nunquam ante sibi oblatam putarent; tot enim talesque socios unum in locum congregatos reperire non facile esse.

[2] Quum autem etiam duntius de Orchomeno capto allatus esset, tunc vero multo vehementius indignabantur et prae ira agebant protinus praeter suum morem et de ipsius domo diruenda et de ipso centum millibus drachmam multando.

[3] Ille vero deprecabatur, ne quid horum facerent; se enim expeditione suscepta, bono aliquo facinore crimina sibi objecta diluturum, aut alioqui tunc facerent, quicquid vellent.

[4] Illi vero a multa quidem irroganda, et ab aedibus diruendis abstinuerunt, legem vero in praesenti tulerunt, qua; nunquam ante apud eos fuerat; decem enim viros Spartanos elegerunt, quos ipsi consiliarios addiderunt, sine quibus ei exercitum ex urbe abducere non liceret

Ma i Lacedemoni tornati da Argo, dopo la tregua fatta per quattro meni, attribuivano in gran delitto ad Agide il non aver loro sottomessa Argo in una occasione si bella, che prima stimavano non essersi mai presentata ; poiché non era facile mettere insieme tanti e tanto valorosi confederati, E quando poi udirono della presa di Orcomeno, allora maggiormente esacerbaronsi gli animi, e tosto deliberarono per la rabbia (cosa contraria alla loro indole) doversi spianare la casa di Agide , e multarlo in centomila dramme. Pregavali Agide a non far nulla di questo, che in un’altra spedizione egli avrebbe con qualche bel fatto emendato quel fallo ; od altrimenti lo trattassero allora come volevano. Ritirarono i Lacedemoni la condanna della multa e della casa, e di presente posero una legge non mai prima stata tra loro , colla quale gli aggiunsero a consiglieri dieci cittadini di Sparta, senza i quali e’ non poteva condurre l’esercito fuori di città.