Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.64

[1] In the meantime came news from their side in Tegea that, unless they came presently with aid, the Tegeans would revolt to the Argives and their confederates, and that they wanted little of being revolted already.

[2] Upon this, the Lacedaemonians with speed levied all their forces, both of themselves and their Helotes, in such number as they had never done before,

[3] and marched unto Oresteium in Maenalia, and appointed the Arcadians, such as were of their league, to assemble and follow them at the heels to Tegea. The Lacedaemonians, being come entire to Oresteium, from thence sent back the sixth part of their army, in which they put both the youngest and the eldest sort, for the custody of the city, and with the rest marched on to Tegea; and not long after arrived also their confederates of Arcadia.

[4] They also sent to Corinth, and to the Boeotians, Phoceans, and Locrians to come with their aids with all speed to Mantineia. But these had too short a warning; nor was it easy for them, unless they came all together and stayed for one another, to come through the enemy's country, which lay between and barred them of passage. Nevertheless, they made what haste they could.

[5] And the Lacedaemonians, taking with them their Arcadian confederates present, entered into the territory of Mantineia, and pitching their camp by the temple of Hercules, wasted the territory about.

[1] At this juncture arrived word from their friends in Tegea that unless they speedily appeared, Tegea would go over from them to the Argives and their allies, if it had not gone over already.

[2] Upon this news a force marched out from Lacedaemon , of the Spartans and Helots and all their people, and that instantly and upon a scale never before witnessed.

[3] Advancing to Orestheum in Maenalia, they directed the Arcadians in their league to follow close after them to Tegea , and going on themselves as far as Orestheum, from thence sent back the sixth part of the Spartans, consisting of the oldest and youngest men, to guard their homes, and with the rest of their army arrived at Tegea ; where their Arcadian allies soon after joined them.

[4] Meanwhile they sent to Corinth , to the Boeotians, the Phocians, and Locrians, with orders to come up as quickly as possible to Mantinea . These had but short notice; and it was not easy except all together, and after waiting for each other, to pass through the enemy's country, which lay right across and blocked up the line of communication. Nevertheless they made what haste they could.

[5] Meanwhile the Lacedaemonians with the Arcadian allies that had joined them, entered the territory of Mantinea , and encamping near the temple of Heracles began to plunder the country.

Da kam ihnen nun Botschaft von ihren Freunden in Tegea,
wenn sie nicht schleunigst erschienen, so werde Tegea zu den Argivern
und deren Bundesgenossen übergehen, ja es sei fast schon so gut wie
übergegangen. Nun fand in Uebereile ein Hülfszug der Lakedämonier
Statt/mit gesammter Macht, sowohl von ihnen selbst als von den
Heloten, wie früher nie'einer geschehen war. Sie marschirten aber
gegen das Orestheion in der Mänalischen Landschaft und ließen ihren
Arkadischen Bundesgenossen ansagen, sie sollten sich sammeln und
ihnen auf dem Fuße nach gegen Tegea ziehen. Sie selbst, als sie ^{1 2 3 4}
mit gesammter Macht bis zum Orestheion gekommen waren, entließen
von hier aus den sechsten Theil ihrer Truppen nach Hause, darunter
die Aeltesten und die Jüngsten, um die Heimat zu bewachen; mit dem
übrigen Heere rückten sie nach Tegea. Nicht lange danach erschienen
auch die Arkadischen Bundesgenossen. Auch sandten sie Botschaft
nach Korinth und zu den Böotern und Phokiern und Lokrern, mit
der Aufforderung, schleunig gegen Mantinea zu Hülfe zu ziehen. Doch
kam diesen der Befehl zu plötzlich, und überdieß war es nicht leicht,
das feindliche Gebiet zu durchziehen, wenn sie sich nicht erst
sammelten und. auf einander warteten, denn dasselbe erstreckte sich in der
ganzen Länge zwischen ihnen und den Lakedämoniern; gleichwohl
beeilten sie sich möglichst. Die Lakedämonier indessen zogen die
anwesenden Arkadischen Bundesgenossen an sich und machten einen
Einfall in das Gebiet von Mantinea. Leim Herakleion schlugen sie ein
Lager und verwüsteten das Land.

LXIV. Cependant les Lacédémoniens reçurent avis de leurs partisans à Tégée que, s’ils ne se hâtaient d’arriver, cette ville allait faire défection pour passer aux Argiens et à leurs alliés; que cette défection était imminente. Aussitôt ils s’y portèrent en masse, eux et ¹ les Hilotes, avéc une célérité jusqu'alors sans exemple. Ils se dirigèrent vers Oresthion de Ménalie, et avertirent ceux des Arcadiens qui étaient leurs alliés de se réunir et de marcher sur leurs pas à Tégée. Eux-mêmes s’avancèrent jusqu’à Oresthion avec toutes leurs forces : de là ils renvoyèrent chez eux le sixième de leur monde, particulièrement les vieillards et les hommes les plus jeunes, pour garder le pays. Le reste arriva à Tégée, et fut rejoint peu après par les alliés d’Arcadie. Ils envoyèrent aussi à Corinthe, chez les Béotiens, les Phocéens et les Locriens, pour les inviter à se porter au plus vite sur Mantinée. Cet avis prit les alliés à l’improviste; il ne leur était pas facile, d’un autre côté, de traverser isolément et sans s’attendre mutuellement le pays ennemi, qui leur barrait le chemin. Cependant ils firent diligence. Quant aux Lacédémoniens, ils prirent avec eux leurs alliés d’Arcadie qui déjà avaient rejoint, envahirent le territoire de Mantinée, et, campés près du temple d’Hercule, ils ravagèrent le pays.

Sur ces entrefaites, ils sont avertis par leurs amis de Tégée que, s’ils n’arrivent promptement, cette ville passera dans l’alliance des Argiens, et que sa défection est imminente. A l’instant les Lacédémoniens et les Hilotes en masse prirent les armes et se portèrent, avec une célérité jusqu’alors sans exemple, sur Oresthéon en Ménalie ¹ . Ordre fut donné aux alliés d’Arcadie de les suivre à Tégée. Arrivés à Oresthéon avec toutes leurs forces, les Lacédémoniens en congédièrent la sixième partie, savoir les plus vieux et les plus jeunes, qu’ils laissèrent à la garde du pays; le reste gagna Tégée, où il fut bientôt rejoint par les Arcadiens alliés. Ils firent aussi demander à Corinthe, en Béotie , en Phocide et en Locride, renvoi de prompts secours à Mantinée. Le délai était bref, et il n’était pas facile aux alliés de traverser isolément, sans s’attendre les uns les autres, le territoire ennemi qui leur fermait le chemin ; cependant ils firent diligence. Quant aux Lacédémoniens, ils prirent avec eux les Arcadiens présents et envahirent le territoire de Mantinée. Ils campèrent près du temple d’Hercule et ravagèrent le pays.

[1] Meanwhile word came from their friends ¹ in Tegea that, unless they should come quickly, Tegea would go over to the Argives and their allies, and already had all but done so.

[2] Whereupon succour was sent, both of the Lacedaemonians themselves and of the Helots, in full force, promptly and on such a scale as never before.

[3] These advanced to Orestheum in Maenalia, and gave orders to their allies among the Arcadians to get together and come close upon their heels to Tegea. After going, all together, as far as the Orestheum, they sent home from there a sixth part of their force—in which were included the older and younger men—to keep guard at home, and with the remainder of their army reached Tegea, where not long afterwards the allies from Arcadia arrived. They sent also to Corinth and to the Boeotians, Phocians and Locrians, bidding them bring aid in all haste to Mantinea.

[4] But to some this was a sudden call, and it was not easy for them, except in a body and after waiting for one another, to go through the enemy's country; for that closed the way, lying just between. Nevertheless they hurried on.

[5] But the Lacedaemonians, taking up the allies of the Arcadians that were present, invaded Mantinea, and encamping at the sanctuary of Heracles proceeded to ravage the country.

[1] Meanwhile intelligence reached them from their friends in Tegea, that unless they came there quickly, Tegea would go over from them to the Argives and their allies, and that it had all but done so.

[2] Upon this then succour was given them by the Lacedaemonians and their helots in full force, with vigour, and in such a way as had never been done before.

[3] They advanced to Orestheum, in the Maenalian territory; and commanded those of the Arcadians who were their allies to muster and march close after them to Tegea; while they themselves, after coming all of them as far as Orestheum, from that place sent back home the sixth part of their force, in which were included those who were too old or too young for foreign service, to protect their property at home, and with the remainder of their army arrived at Tegea, where their allies from Arcadia joined them not long after. They also sent to the Corinthians.

[4] Boeotians, Phocians, and Locrians, with orders to reinforce them as quickly as possible at Mantinea. But to these the notice was short, and it was not easy, except in a body, and after waiting for each other, to cross the enemy's territory; for it closed up the communication, lying just in the way of it: however, they made all haste notwithstanding.

[5] The Lacedaemonians, meanwhile, taking with them their Arcadian allies who had joined them, invaded the territory of Mantinea, and having encamped near the temple of Hercules, laid waste the land.

[1] Interea vero nuntius ab amicis Tegeatis ad ipsos allatus est, nisi eeleriter adessent, Tegeam ab iis ad Argivos eorumque socios defecturam, et propemodum jam defecisse.

[2] Tunc vero Lacedaemonii tam ipsi quam He-lotes, cum universis copiis alacriter et ut numquam ante, opem Tegeatis tulerunt.

[3] Iverunt autem ad Orestheum Maenaliae; et Arcadibus quidem suis sociis praeceperunt, ut congregati se Tegeam subsequerentur, ipsi vero quum universi ad Orestheum usque profecti essent, et illinc sextam suarum copiarum partem domum remisissent, in qua parte seniores ac juniores erant, ut res domesticas tuerentur, cum reliquis copiis Tegeam pervenerunt. Nec multo post sodi ab Arcadibus missi aderant.

[4] Miserunt autem etiam Corinthum, et ad Bmolos et Phocenses et Locros, imperantes , ut celeriter ad Mantineam auxilio venirent. Sed his quidem et res subito aeddebat, et facile non erat copiis non conjunctis et se invicem praestolantibus agrum hostilem transire; nam hic in medio situs transitum prsdudebat; nihilo tamen minus ire properabant.

[5] Lacedaemonii vero assumptis Arcadibus sociis, qui aderant, irruptionem in agrum Mantinicum fecerunt, castrisque ad Herculis tem-pium positis agrum vastabant.

In questo viene loro avviso da parte de'suoi fautori di Tegea che s’ e’ non si portassero colà prontamente , quella città si recherebbe dalla parte degli Argivi ? loro alleati, e che la ribellione era poco meno che seguita. Allora vi traggono a stormo Lacedemoni ed Ilotft con inusitata prestezza. Marciavano per Orestio della Menalia ; e facevano intendere agli Arcadi della lega di riunirsi e venire sulle orme loro a Tegea : e intanto giunti essi tutti ad Orestio, rimandarono di là a casa la sesta parte di loro genti composta dei più vecchi e de' troppo giovani , i quali presidiassero la città ; e con le altre giungono a Tegea, ove poco dopo comparvero gli alleati di Arcadia. Spediscono altresì ai Corintii, ai Beozii, ai Forni ed ai Locrii, ordinando di accorrere sollecitamente a Mantinea. I quali con tuttoché procurassero di affrettarsi , nondimeno la cosa camminava lentamente , perchè non essendo riuniti ed aspettandosi l' un l’altro, si mostrava difficile il traversare il territorio nemico che tagliava loro di mezzo la strada. Ed i Lacedemoni, presi seco gli alleati di Arcadia che erano arrivati, entrarono in su quel di Mantinea : ed accampatisi presso al tempio di Ercole davano il guasto alla campagna.