Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.69

[1] Now when they were ready to join, the commanders made their hortatives, every one to those that were under his own command. To the Mantineans it was said that they were to fight for their territory, and concerning their liberty and servitude; that the former might not be taken from them, and that they might not again taste of the latter. The Argives were admonished that whereas anciently they had the leading of Peloponnesus, and in it an equal share, they should not now suffer themselves to be deprived of it for ever; and that withal, they should now revenge the many injuries of a city, their neighbour and enemy. To the Athenians, it was remembered how honourable a thing it would be for them, in company of so many and good confederates, to be inferior to none of them; and that if they had once vanquished the Lacedaemonians in Peloponnesus, their own dominion would become both the more assured and the larger by it; and that no other would invade their territory hereafter.

[2] Thus much was said to the Argives and their confederates. But the Lacedaemonians encouraged one another both of themselves and also by the manner of their discipline in the war, taking encouragement, being valiant men, by the commemoration of what they already knew; as being well acquainted that a long actual experience conferred more to their safety than any short verbal exhortation, though never so well delivered.

[1] The armies being now on the eve of engaging, each contingent received some words of encouragement from its own commander. The Mantineans were reminded that they were going to fight for their country and to avoid returning to the experience of servitude after having tasted that of empire; the Argives, that they would contend for their ancient supremacy, to regain their once equal share of Peloponnese of which they had been so long deprived, and to punish an enemy and a neighbor for a thousand wrongs; the Athenians, of the glory of gaining the honors of the day with so many and brave allies in arms, and that a victory over the Lacedaemonians in Peloponnese would cement and extend their empire, and would besides preserve Attica from all invasions in future.

[2] These were the incitements addressed to the Argives and their allies. The Lacedaemonians meanwhile, man to man, and with their war-songs in the ranks, exhorted each brave comrade to remember what he had learnt before; well aware that the long training of action was of more saving virtue than any brief verbal exhortation, though never so well delivered.

Als es nun bereits zum Zusammenstoß kommen sollte, ¹
wurde jegliche Abtheilung von ihren eigenen Feldherrn auf folgende,
Weise ermuntert. Den Mantineern sagten sie, daß sie für das
Vaterland kämpften, und es handle sich jetzt darum, ob sie die Herrschaft
über Andere behalten oder selbst in die Knechtschaft fallen wollten;
jene, die sie bereits genossen, sollten sie sich nicht entreißen lassen,,
diese aber nie mehr vershcmecken wollen; — die Argiver wurden
er-mahnt, sie dürften nicht dulden, daß sie ihrer alten Herrschaft über
den Peloponnes und dann des gleichen Einflusses mit den
Lakedämoniern ganz und gar beraubt würden, und sie sollten jetzt auch an
feindlich gesinnten und ihre Stadt so nahe bedrohenden Männern
für viele Beleidigungen Rache nehmen. Den Athenern sagten sie,
wie ruhmvoll es sei, mit zahlreichen und tapferen Bundesgenossen in
einer Reihe, zu fechten und hinter Keinem zurückzustehen;
wenn.siemitten im Peloponnes die Lakedämonier besiegt hätten, so würden
sie ihre Herrschaft stärken und erweitern, und es werde dann künftig!
Keiner mehr in ihr Land einfallen. Den Argivern nun und ihren
Bundesgenossen wurde Solcherlei zur Ermuthignng gesagt; die
Lakedämonier aber ermunterten Einer den Andern selbst, und mit den
kriegerischen Gesängen, die sie unter sich lernen, ermähnten sie
eingedenk zu sein, daß sie tapfere Männer seien, wohl wissend, daß, wo/
die Entscheidung schon so nahe steht, lange Uebung der That eher
Rettung gewähre als Wortermunterung in zierlicher Rede

LXIX. Au moment où l’on allait s’aborder, les généraux firent, chacun de leur côté, les exhortations suivantes à leurs soldats : aux Mantinéens ils dirent qu’ils allaient combattre pour la patrie, que l’indépendance et la servitude étaient en cause; qu’il s’agissait pour eux de ne pas être dépouillés de l’une après en avoir eux joui, et de ne pas retomber dans l’autre; aux Argiens, ils rappelaient leur antique suprématie, l'égalité de pouvoir ¹ dont ils avaient joui autrefois dans le Péloponnèse et dont ils ne devaient pas se laisser dépouiller à jamais, les nombreux griefs qu’ils avaient ^{2 3} à venger sur un peuple tout à la fois leur voisin et leur ennemi; aux Athéniens, qu’il était beau, en combattant avec des alliés nombreux et braves, de ne le céder à personne; que, vainqueurs des Lacédémoniens dans le Péloponnèse, ils affermiraient et agrandiraient leur empire, et qu’ils n’auraient plus à craindre désormais qu’aucun autre ennemi n’envahît leur territoire. Telles furent les exhortations adressées aux Argiens et à leurs alliés.

Les Lacédémoniens s’encourageaient entre eux; chacun, au bruit des chants guerriers, s’excitait lui-même en rappelant ses souvenirs et la conscience de sa propre valeur ⁴ ; car ils savaient que l’expérience, fruit de longs efforts, fait plus pour le succès qu’une exhortation brillante, mais fugitive.

Quelques instants avant la rencontre, les généraux des deux armées exhortèrent leurs soldats. Aux Mantinéens ils rappelèrent qu’ils allaient combattre pour la patrie, comme aussi pour l’empire ou pour l’esclavage ; qu’il s'agissait pour eux de conserver la jouissance de l’un et de ne pas retomber dansl’autre. Aux Argiens, qu’ils devaient reprendre leur ancienne suprématie, reconquérir la possession, jadis égale, du Pélopo-nèse, et tirer vengeance de voisins mal intentionnés. Aux Athéniens, qu’ils étaient glorieux, en combattant au milieu de tant et de si braves alliés, de ne le céder à personne en vaillance; qu’une fois vainqueurs des Lacédémoniens dans le Péloponèse, ils étendraient, ils affermiraient leur domination, et n’auraient plus à redouter d’invasion étrangère. Telles furent les exhortations adressées aux Argiens et à leurs alliés. Les Lacédémoniens, en hommes de courage, s’excitaient individuellement et tous ensemble, par des chants guerriers ¹ , à se souvenir de l’instruction qu’ils avaient reçue. Ils savaient qu’un long exercice pratique est un meilleur garant de la victoire que des exhortations orales, toujours fugitives, quelque éloquentes qu’elles soient.

[1] When they were on the point of engaging, exhortations were made to the several contingents by their own generals to the following effect: The Mantineans were reminded that the battle would be for fatherland, and, moreover, for dominion or servitude—that they should not be deprived of the one after having made trial of it, and should not again experience the other; the Argives, that the contest would be both for their ancient hegemony ¹ and for their old equality of influence ² in the Peloponnese, that they must not brook being deprived of it forever, and at the same time must avenge themselves for many wrongs on men who were enemies and near neighbours at that; the Athenians, that it was glorious, contending along with many and brave allies, to be inferior to none, and that if they should conquer the Lacedaemonians in the Peloponnese they would have a greater empire and hold it more securely, and no one would ever invade their country again.

[2] Such were the admonitions addressed to the Argives and their allies; the Lacedaemonians, however, exhorted one another man by man, using also their war-songs-as brave men to remember what they had learned, knowing that long-continued actual practice meant more for their salvation than any brief admonition, however well spoken.

[1] When they were now on the point of engaging, the following admonitions were then severally addressed to them by their own generals. To the Mantineans, that the battle would be fought for their country, and to decide on the question of empire and slavery-that they might not be deprived of the former after tasting it, and might avoid again tasting the latter. To the Argives, that they would fight for their original supremacy, and not to brook being for ever deprived of their former equal share of the Peloponnese; and at the same time to avenge themselves on men who were their enemies, and near ones too, for many acts of injustice. To the Athenians, that fighting as they were in concert with many brave allies, it was a glorious thing for them to show themselves inferior to none; and that by defeating the Lacedaemonians in the Peloponnese, they would enjoy their empire more securely, and to a greater extent, while no one else would ever march against their country.

[2] To the Argives and their allies such were the admonitions that were addressed. The Lacedaemonians, on the other hand, both individually amongst themselves, and with their national war-songs, exhorted one another, as brave men, to remember what they had learned before; knowing that actual training for a long time previous was of more benefit than a brief verbal exhortation, however well expressed.

[1] Quum autem acies jamjain essent concursurae, tunc vero singulorum duces adhortationibus talibus apud suos utebantur, apud Mantineos quidem, proelium commissum iri et pro patria, simul et pro principatu et pro servitute, illo quidem, cujus periculum ante fecissent, ne spoliarentur, hanc vero ne rursus experirentur; apud Argivos vero, et pro pristino principatu, et pro pari dignitate, quam in Peloponneso quondam obtinuissent, ne se his per omnia privari paterentur, simul etiam ut hostes, eosque finitimos, pro multis injuriis ulciscerentur; apud Athenienses vero, pulchrum esse, cum mullis ac fortibus sociis certamen subeuntes in proelio nullis virtute cedere, et si Lacedaemonios in Peloponneso vicissent, se suum imperium et magis stabilituros et amplificaturos, nec ullum alium posthac io suum agrum venturum.

[2] Atque Argivis quidem eoruro-que sociis tales cohortationes propositae sunt; Lacedaemonii vero, pro se quique separatim et per militares cantus inter se ipsos ut inter fortes viros mutua adhortatione utebantur, ut quae cognita haberent, reminiscerentur, scientes rerum ipsarum diuturnum studium ad salutem parandam plus valere , quam verborum brevi tempore pulchre dictam cohortationem.

Ma poiché già stavano per azzuffarsi, allora le genti di ciascun Comune erano rincorate in questo modo dai loro capitani. Dicevano ai Mantineesi che combatterebbero per la patria, e del dominio insieme e della:.schiavitù; per non venire spogliati di quello dopo averne provato i vantaggi, e per non trovarsi a sperimentar questa nuovamente : agli Argivi che si trattava del loro antico principato, e della uguaglianza sociale goduta una volta da essi nel Peloponneso ; che non soffrissero di vedertela tolta per sempre, e vendicassero le molte ingiurie ricevute da pòpoli nemici e confinanti : agli Ateniesi, che siccome pugnavano insieme con molti evalorosi alleati però non dovevano mostrarsi da meno di chicchefibsse; che vincendo i Lacedemoni nel Peloponneso renderebbero maggiore e pii fermo l’impero, nè mai più alcun altro invaderebbe le lóro terre. Tali erano gl’ incoraggiamenti dati agli Argivi e agli alleati. Dall’altra parte i Lacedemoni , ora l’un Faitro da per sè, ora colle canzoni militari, usavano a sprone di lor valenzia la ricordanza delle gesta di che erano testimoni a sè .stessi : sapendo esser più profittevole a salvezza il lungo esercizio nelle cose di guerra, che non le brevi esortazioni abbellite dalle parole.