Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.66

[1] The next day, the Argives and their confederates put themselves into such order as, if occasion served, they meant to fight in; and the Lacedaemonians returning from the water to the temple of Hercules, the same place where they had formerly encamped, perceived the enemies to be all of them in order of battle hard by them, come down already from the hill.

[2] Certainly the Lacedaemonians were more affrighted at this time than ever they had been to their remembrance before. For the time they had to prepare themselves was exceedingly short; and such was their diligence that every man fell immediately into his own rank, Agis, the king, commanding all according to the law.

[3] For whilst the king hath the army in the field, all things are commanded by him; and he signifieth what is to be done to the polemarchi, they to the lochagi, these to the pentecontateres, and these again to the enomotarchi, who lastly make it known, every one to his own enomotia.

[4] In this manner, when they would have anything to be done, their commands pass through the army and are quickly executed. For almost all the Lacedaemonian army, save a very few, are captains of captains; and the care of what is to be put in execution lieth upon many.

[1] The next day the Argives and their allies formed in the order in which they meant to fight, if they chanced to encounter the enemy; and the Lacedaemonians returning from the water to their old encampment by the temple of Heracles, suddenly saw their adversaries close in front of them, all in complete order, and advanced from the hill.

[2] A shock like that of the present moment the Lacedaemonians do not ever remember to have experienced: there was scant time for preparation, as they instantly and hastily fell into their ranks, Agis, their king, directing everything, agreeably to the law.

[3] For when a king is in the field all commands proceed from him: he gives the word to the Polemarchs; they to the Lochages; these to the Pentecostyes; these again to the Enomotarchs, and these last to the Enomoties.

[4] In short all orders required pass in the same way and quickly reach the troops; as almost the whole Lacedaemonian army, save for a small part, consists of officers under officers, and the care of what is to be done falls upon many.

Am folgenden Tag stellten sich die Argiver und ihre
Verbündeten wieder in Ordnung auf, um jenen eine Schlacht-zu liefern,
wenn sie auf sie stoßen sollten; die Lakedämonier aber marschirten
von dem Wasser wieder nach ihrem alten Lager beim Herakleion, als
sie plötzlich der Feinde ansichtig wurden, die vom Hügel her sich
genähert hatten und alle schon in Schlachtlinie standen. Damals nun
geriethen die Lakedämonier in die größte Bestürzung, deren sie sich
erinnern, denn in kürzester Frist mußten sie-ihre Anstalten treffen.
Und sogleich stellten sie sich,in aller Eile in ihre hergebrachte
Schlachtordnung, so wie Agis, der König, Alles dem Gebrauche gemäß
anordnete. Denn wenn der König im,Felde anführt, gehen alle
Verfehle ivon ihm aus: er sagt, was geschehen soll, den Unterfeldherrn
(Polemarchen),.die den Obristen (Lochagen), die den Hauptleuten
(Pentekonteren), die den Rottenweibeln (Enomotarchen) und diese
endlich den Rotten (Enomotien) -Und auch
mündliche°Anweisangen, wenn solche nöthig befunden werden, machen denselben Weg
und kommen schnell an die Truppe; denn das Heer der Lakedämonier
besteht fast ganz aus'Befehlshabern.über andere Befehlshaber, so
daß die Sorge um das, was geschehen soll, sehr Vielen am Herzen
liegt.

LXVI. Le lendemain, les Argiens et leurs alliés se rangèrent dans l’ordre où ils devaient combattre, si l’occasion s’en présentait. Les Lacédémoniens, en re- ¹ venant des eaux pour reprendre leur position au temple d’Hercule, aperçurent tout à coup toute l’armée ennemie descendue de la colline et déjà rangée en bataille. A cet instant, les Lacédémoniens furent frappés d’une panique comme ils ne se rappelaient pas en avoir jamais éprouvé; car il leur fallut faire précipitammant leurs dispositions et prendre aussitôt leurs rangs en toute hâte. Agis, leur roi, donnait tous les ordres, conformément à la loi; car, lorsque le roi commande, tout émane de lui ² :il donne personnellement ses instructions aux polémarques ³ ; ceux-ci aux lochages; les lochages aux pentécontères, qui les transmettent aux énomotarques et ces derniers à l’énomotie. Tous les ordres qu’il peut y avoir à donner suivent cette voie et sont rapidement transmis; car telle est l’organisation de l’armée lacédémonienne, que chaque homme, ou peu s’en faut, commande à d’autres commandants placés sous lui, ce qui étend à un grand nombre de personnes la responsabilité de l’exécution.

Le lendemain, les Argiens et leurs alliés se mirent dans l’ordre où ils devaient combattre, s’ils en trouvaient l’occasion. Les Lacédémoniens revenaient des bords de l’eau et regagnaient leur position de la veille près du temple d’Hercule, lorsqu’ils aperçurent à courte distance toute l’armée ennemie en ligne devant eux. Jamais, de mémoire d’homme, les Lacédémoniens n'avaient eu si vive alerte ; il n’y avait pas un instant à perdre. Ils prirent leurs rangs en toute hâte, le roi Agis donnant ordre à tout. Ainsi le veut la loi ; lorsque le roi est à l’armée, tout est soumis à son commandement. Il dicte lui-même ses injonctions aux polémarques; ceux-ci les transmettent aux lochages, les lochages aux pentécontères, ceux-ci aux énomotarques, etces derniers à l’énomotie ¹ . Tous les ordres du roi suivent cette marche et parviennent avec rapidité ; car l’armée lacédémonienne, à peu d’exbeptions près, ne contient que des commandants de commandants, ce qui étend à un plus grand nombre la responsabilité de l’exécution.

[1] On the next day the Argives and their allies drew up in the order in which they intended to fight if they fell in with the enemy; and the Lacedaemonians, going away from the stream and back to their old camp at the sanctuary of Heracles, suddenly saw the enemy close at hand, all by that time in order of battle and occupying an advanced position away from the hill.

[2] Never had the Lacedaemonians, as far back as they remembered, been in such consternation as on this occasion. Their preparation had to be made on short notice; and at once in haste they fell into their own array, king Agis directing each movement as the law prescribed.

[3] For when a king leads all orders are given by him: he himself gives the necessary order to the polemarchs, ¹ they to the commanders of battalions, these to the captains of companies, these again to the commanders of platoons, and these to the platoons.

[4] So the special orders, if they wish to give any, proceed in the same way, and reach their destination quickly; for almost the whole army of the Lacedaemonians consists of officers over officers, and the responsibility for the execution of orders devolves upon many.

[1] The next day the Argives and their allies formed their line as they intended to engage, should they fall in with their opponents; and the Lacedaemonians, on going back again from the water to the temple of Hercules, into their old encampment, see the enemy at a short distance from them, all by this time in order of battle, and advanced from the hill.

[2] The Lacedaemonians, then, were on this occasion in the greatest consternation they had ever experienced within their memory. For their preparations had to be made on a short notice; and immediately they fell into their ranks in a hurry, Agis, their king, giving all orders, according to their law.

[3] For when a king is at the head of an army, all commands are given by him; and he communicates to the polemarchs what is to be done, they to the lochagi, those to the penteconters, these again to the enomotarchs, and these to their enomoty;

[4] and thus their orders, whatever they wish to be done, pass in the same manner, and quickly reach the troops; for pretty nearly all the army of the Lacedaemonians, a small portion excepted, are officers over officers; and to attend to what is going on is a duty incumbent on many.

[1] Postero autem die et Argivi eorumque socii aciem ita instruxerunt, ut pugnaturi erant, si in hostem incidissent, et Lacedaemonii, dum ab aqua rursus ad Herculis templum in eadem castra revertuntur, adversarios bre\i intervallo omnes jam in acie stantes, et a colle progressos conspiciunt.

[2] Tunc igitur Lacedaemonii re repentina adeo perculsi sunt, ut nunquam ante, quod ipsi meminissent. Nam perexiguum temporis spatium iis ad aciem instruendam dabatur, et prae festinatione in suum quique ordinem confestim se recipiebant, Agide omnia praeeunte, ut lex jubet.

[3] Quum enim rex exercitum ducit, omnia ab illo incipiunt, et Polemarchis quidem ipse indicat ea, quae sunt facienda, hi vero Lochagis, illi vero Penteconte-ribus, rursus vero hi Enomotarchis, et hi Enomotiae.

[4] Et imperia, si quid reges fieri velint, eodem ordine progrediuntur, citoque per exercitum permeant; nam propemo-dum totus Lacedaemoniorum exercitus, exceptis paucis, sunt duces ducum, et rerum gerendarum cura ad multos pertinet.

Il dì seguente gli Argivi e gli alleati si misero in quella ordinanza che doveano tenere nella battaglia se l'occasione si presentasse ; e i Lacedemoni nel tornare dalla corrente verso il tempio di Ercole al medesimo accampamento , scorgono a poca distanza i nemici già tntti in ordine e molto dilungati dal colle. Non si ricordavano di essersi mai trovati tanto sbigottiti, come lo furono allora ; avendo poco tempo per prepararsi, e dovendo subito in tanta fretta prendere il loro posto secondo gli ordini dati minutamente dal re Agide in forza della legge, la quale portava che quando il re conduce da sè l’esercito, tutto è comandato da lui , ed egli dichiara l’occorrente ai colonnelli , questi ai capitani, essi ai tenenti, questi ai sergenti, ed eglino alla compagnia. In questo modo passano speditamente gli ordini di ciò che vogliono i re ; perciocché nell’esercito dei Lacedemoni, tutti sono ( tranne pochi ) comandanti di altri comandanti, e la cura della esecuzione spetta a molti.