Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Theodor Braun (Translator), 5.72

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Unglücklihcerweise aber weigerten sich Aristokles und
HipponoidaS, dem Befehl nachzukommen, weil sie ihn zu spät,
als sie bereits ins Gefecht verwickelt gewesen, erhalten hätten,
was ihnen freilich später als Feigheit ausgelegt wurde und
ihre Verbannung aus Sparta zur Folge hatte. Inzwischen
waren jedoch die Feinde schon vorgedrungen, und die Skiriten
konnten seinem, ihnen beim Ausbleiben der beiden Lochen er
teilten Befehle, in ihre alte Stellung zurückzukehren, nicht mehr
zeitig genug ausführen, um die dort entstandene Lücke zu
schließen. So schlecht aber die Lakedämonier mit ihren taktischen
Bewegungen gefahren waren, so glänzend bewiesen sie nun, daß
sie trotzdem durch Tapferkeit zu siegen verstanden. Nachdem
sie mit dem Feinde handgemein geworden waren, schlug zwar
dessen aus den Mantineern bestehender rechter Flügel ihre
Skiriten und Vrasidas-Leute in die Flucht, und die Mantineer
mit ihren Verbündeten und den tausend auserlesenen Argeiern
drangen in die nicht wieder geschlossene Lücke-ein, umringten
die Lakedämonier, machten sie nieder und trieben sie in wilder
Flucht bis zu ihren Fuhrwerken, wo sie noch eine Anzahl der
dort zur Bedeckung gebliebenen älteren Krieger erschlugen.
Hier also wurden die Lakedämonier besiegt. Mit dem übrigen
Heere aber, insbesondere der Mitte, wo König Agis mit seiner
Leibwache, den sogenannten dreihundert Rittern, sich befand,
warfen sie sich auf die alten Argeier, die fünf Lochen, wie sie
hießen, und deren Bundesgenossen auS Kleonai und Orneai
und die ihnen hier gegenüberstehenden Athener und schlugen
sie in die Flucht, wobei die meisten es gar nicht zum Hand
gemenge kommen ließen, sondern beim Angriff der Lakedämonier
gleich die Flucht ergriffen und dabei zum Teil von den Gegnern
noch überholt und unter die Füße getreten wurden.

History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides. Theodor Braun (Translator). Leipzig. 1917.

Current edition First1KGreek

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs (German) (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.)

Editions (1)

Ἱστορίαι Perseus (Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).) — 5.72.1 focus

[1] ξυνέβη οὖν αὐτῷ ἅτε ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἐφόδῳ καὶ ἐξ ὀλίγου παραγγείλαντι τόν τε Ἀριστοκλέα καὶ τὸν Ἱππονοΐδαν μὴ ᾽θελῆσαι παρελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὸ αἰτίαμα ὕστερον φεύγειν ἐκ Σπάρτης δόξαντας μαλακισθῆναι, καὶ τοὺς πολεμίους φθάσαι τῇ προσμείξει, καὶ κελεύσαντος αὐτοῦ, ἐπὶ τοὺς Σκιρίτας ὡς οὐ παρῆλθον οἱ λόχοι, πάλιν αὖ σφίσι προσμεῖξαι, μὴ δυνηθῆναι ἔτι μηδὲ τούτους ξυγκλῇσαι.

[2] ἀλλὰ μάλιστα δὴ κατὰ πάντα τῇ ἐμπειρίᾳ Λακεδαιμόνιοι ἐλασσωθέντες τότε τῇ ἀνδρείᾳ ἔδειξαν οὐχ ἧσσον περιγενόμενοι.

[3] ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν χερσὶν ἐγίγνοντο τοῖς ἐναντίοις, τὸ μὲν τῶν Μαντινέων δεξιὸν τρέπει αὐτῶν τοὺς Σκιρίτας καὶ τοὺς Βρασιδείους, καὶ ἐσπεσόντες οἱ Μαντινῆς καὶ οἱ ξύμμαχοι αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν Ἀργείων οἱ χίλιοι λογάδες κατὰ τὸ διάκενον καὶ οὐ ξυγκλῃσθὲν τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους διέφθειρον καὶ κυκλωσάμενοι ἔτρεψαν καὶ ἐξέωσαν ἐς τὰς ἁμάξας καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῶν ἐπιτεταγμένων ἀπέκτεινάν τινας.

[4] καὶ ταύτῃ μὲν ἡσσῶντο οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι· τῷ δὲ ἄλλῳ στρατοπέδῳ καὶ μάλιστα τῷ μέσῳ, ᾗπερ ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἆγις ἦν καὶ περὶ αὐτὸν οἱ τριακόσιοι ἱππῆς καλούμενοι, προσπεσόντες τῶν [τε] Ἀργείων τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις καὶ πέντε λόχοις ὠνομασμένοις καὶ Κλεωναίοις καὶ Ὀρνεάταις καὶ Ἀθηναίων τοῖς παρατεταγμένοις, ἔτρεψαν οὐδὲ ἐς χεῖρας τοὺς πολλοὺς ὑπομείναντας, ἀλλ’ ὡς ἐπῇσαν οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι εὐθὺς ἐνδόντας καὶ ἔστιν οὓς καὶ καταπατηθέντας τοῦ μὴ φθῆναι τὴν ἐγκατάληψιν.

Translations (9)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 5.72.1 focus

[1] But it happened (for he commanded it in the very onset and on the sudden) both that Aristocles and Hipponoidas refused to go to the place commanded (for which they were afterwards banished Sparta, as thought to have disobeyed out of cowardice), and that the enemy had in the meantime also charged; and when those which he commanded to go to the place of the Sciritae went not, they could no more reunite themselves nor close again the empty space.

[2] But the Lacedaemonians, though they had the worst at this time in every point for skill, yet in valour they manifestly showed themselves superior.

[3] For after the fight was once begun, notwithstanding that the right wing of the Mantineans did put to flight the Sciritae and Brasideians, and that the Mantineans together with their confederates and those thousand chosen men of Argos, falling upon them in flank by the breach not yet closed up, killed many of the Lacedaemonians, and put to flight and chased them to their carriages, slaying also certain of the elder sort left there for a guard, so as in this part the Lacedaemonians were overcome, yet with the rest of the army, and especially the middle battle where Agis was himself, and those which are called the three hundred horsemen about him, they charged upon the eldest of the Argives, and upon those which are named the five cohorts, and upon the Cleonaeans and Orneates, and certain Athenians arranged amongst them, and put them all to flight;

[4] in such sort as many of them never struck stroke, but as soon as the Lacedaemonians charged gave ground presently, and some for fear to be overtaken were trodden under foot.

History of the Peloponnesian War Perseus (Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Crawley, Richard, translator. London and Toronto: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd.; New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1914.) — 5.72.1 focus

[1] However, as he gave these orders in the moment of the onset, and at short notice, it so happened that Aristocles and Hipponoidas would not move over, for which offence they were afterwards banished from Sparta , as having been guilty of cowardice; and the enemy meanwhile closed before the Sciritae (whom Agis on seeing that the two companies did not move over ordered to return to their place) had time to fill up the breach in question.

[2] Now it was, however, that the Lacedaemonians, utterly worsted in respect of skill, showed themselves as superior in point of courage.

[3] As soon as they came to close quarters with the enemy, the Mantinean right broke their Sciritae and Brasideans, and bursting in with their allies and the thousand picked Argives into the unclosed breach in their line cut up and surrounded the Lacedaemonians, and drove them in full rout to the wagons, slaying some of the older men on guard there.

[4] But the Lacedaemonians, worsted in this part of the field, with the rest of their army, and especially the center, where the three hundred knights, as they are called, fought round King Agis, fell on the older men of the Argives and the five companies so named, and on the Cleonaeans, the Orneans, and the Athenians next them, and instantly routed them; the greater number not even waiting to strike a blow, but giving way the moment that they came on, some even being trodden under foot, in their fear of being overtaken by their assailants.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 5.72 focus

Nun geschah es aber, daß Aristokles und Hipponoi'das,
weil der Befehl mitten im Anmärshce und so ganz plötzlich gegeben
wurde, sich weigerten, nach der andern Seite zu ziehen, weßhalb sie
auch später angeklagt und aus Sparta verbannt wurden, weil man
es ihnen als Feigheit auslegte. Da also die beiden Abtheilungen
dem Befehle, sich auf die Skiriten hinzuziehen, nicht gehorchten, so
fand der Anprall der Feinde eher Statt, als die Skiriten wieder an
die Andern anrücken und die ganze Schlachtlinie sich wieder
zusammenschließen konnte. Aber wie sehr nun auch nach aller
Kriegserfahrung die Lakedämonier im Nachtheil waren, so zeigten sie jetzt doch,
daß sie auch durch bloße Tapferkeit zu siegen wußten. Als sie
nämlich mit den Gegnern handgemein geworden waren, so schlug der
rechte Flügel der Mantineer auf ihrer Seite die Skiriten und die
Soldaten des Brasidas, und die Mantineer mit ihren Bundesgenossen
und die Kerntruppen der Tausend Argiver drangen in die ungeschlos- ¹
sene Lücke, hieben in die Lakedämonier ein, umringten sie und trieben,
sie fliehend bis zu den Wagen, wo sie auch einige der dort
aufgestellten älteren Soldaten tödteten. Auf dieser Seite also wurden die
Lakedämonier geschlagen; bei den übrigen Heerestheilen aber und
besonders in der Mitte der Stellung, wo der König Agis und um ihn
die sogenannten drei Hundert Ritter tsanden, griffen sie die älteren
Argivischen Truppen und die sogenannten fünf Schaaren und
die Kleonäer und Orneaten an, und was von den Athenern bei jenen
stand, und trieben sie in die Flucht, so daß die Meisten nicht einmal
Stand hielten, bis es zum Handgemenge kam, sondern wie nur die
Lakedämonier anrückten, sogleich Fersengeld gaben und Einige sogar
niedergetreten wurden, weil sie sich dem Anprall der Feinde nicht
rechtzeitig entziehen konnten.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 5.72 focus

LXXII. Mais il arriva que, cet ordre étant donné à l’improviste et pendant la charge, Aristoclès et Hipponoïdas refusèrent d’avancer. — Ils furent plus tard, pour ce fait, exilés de Sparte, comme coupables de lâcheté. — Il s’ensuivit que les ennemis attaquèrent ¹² avant le mouvement terminé; et quoique Agis, en l’absence des lochos qui devaient soutenir les scirites, eût donné ordre à ces derniers de se replier sur la droite, il ne leur fut plus possible de rejoindre et de fermer la ligne. Mais si, dans cette occasion, les Lacédémoniens furent vaincus en habileté à tous égards, ils se montrèrent d’autant supérieurs par le courage. L’action engagée, les scirites et les soldats de Brasidas furent enfoncés par l’aile droite des Mantinéens. Ceux-ci se jetèrent, avec leurs alliés et les mille Argiens d’élite, dans l’intervalle resté vide; ils écrasèrent les Lacédémoniens³, les cernèrent, les mirent en fuite, les poursuivirent jusqu’à leurs chariots⁴ et tuèrent quelquesuns des vieillards préposés à la garde des bagages. De ce côté les Lacédémoniens eurent le dessous. Mais le reste de l’armée, et surtout le centre où se trouvait Agis avec les cavaliers nommés les trois cents, se précipita sur les vieilles troupes d’Argos, surnommées les cinq lochos, sur les Cléoniens, les Ornéates et les Athéniens rangés près d’eux, et mirent tout en fuite. La plupart n’attendirent même pas le choc de l’ennemi, et cédèrent aussitôt qu’ils virent approcher les Lacédémoniens, au point que quelques-uns furent foulés aux pieds par les leurs, tant était grand l’empressement à s’échapper.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 5.72 focus

Mais l’ordre ayant été donné avec précipitation et an moment de la rencontre, Aristoelès et Hipponoïdas refusèrent d’obéir; ce qui plus tard lès fit exiler de Sparte comme coupables de lâcheté. Aussi les ennemis eurent-ils le temps de commencer l’attaque; et, lorsque Agis, voyant que lès deux bataillons ne se portaient pas vers les Scirites, eut rappelé ces derniers à leurposte, il ne leur fut plus possible de le reprendre ni de combler le vide. Mais si, en cette occasion, les Lacédé-moniens se montrèrent à tous égards inférieurs en tactique, ils se relevèrent par leur valeur. Quand le combat fut engagé, l'aile droite où étaient les Mantinéens culbuta lès· Scirites et tes soldats de Brasidas ; puis les Mantinéens, leurs alliés et les raille Argiens d’élite, se jetant dans la brèche, défirent les Lacédémoniens, les enveloppèrent, les mirent en déroute, et Le» poussèrent jusqu’à leurs chariots, où ils tuèrent quelques-uns des vétérans préposés à la garde des bagages. Sur ce point, les Lacédémoniens eurent donc¹ le dessous ; mais le reste de leur armée, et surtout le centre où était le roi Agis avec le corps dit des trois cents cavaliers, chargea les vétérans d'Argos, ou ce qu’on appelait les cinq bataillons, ainsi que les Cléonéens, les Ornéates et les Athéniens rangés près d’eux. Tons ces gens furent mis en fuite ; la plupart n’attendirent pas même le choc des Lacédémoniens, et plièrent dès leur approche. Quelques-uns furent foulés aux pieds, pour n’avoir pu éviter le mouvement enveloppant de Pennemi.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides, Vol. 1-4. Smith, Charles Foster, translator. London and Cambridge, MA: Heinemann and Harvard University Press, 1919-1923.) — 5.72.1 focus

[1] It turned out, then, as he gave this order at the very moment of the attack and on a sudden, that Aristocles and Hipponoïdas refused to move over—for which offence they were afterwards exiled from Sparta, as they were considered to have acted as cowards; and that the enemy were too quick for him in coming to close quarters; and then, when the companies did not move over to replace the Sciritae, and he gave orders to the Sciritae to join the main body again, even these were now no longer able to close up the line.

[2] Yet in the most striking way the Lacedaemonians, although they were in all respects proved inferior in point of tactical skill, did on this occasion show that they were none the less superior in courage.

[3] For when they came to close quarters with the foe, the right wing of the Mantineans routed, it is true, the Sciritae and the Brasideans, and then the Mantineans and their allies and the thousand picked men of the Argives, rushing into the gap that had not been closed, played havoc with the Lacedaemonians; for they surrounded and put them to rout, and drove them in among the wagons, slaying some of the older men stationed there.

[4] In this quarter, then, the Lacedaemonians were worsted; but in the rest of the army, and especially in the centre, where King Agis was, and about him the three hundred who were called knights,¹ they fell upon the older men of the Argives, the so-called five companies, and upon the Cleonaeans, the Orneates, and those of the Athenians that were arrayed with them, and routed them. Most of the enemy did not even wait to come to blows, but when the Lacedaemonians came on gave way at once, some of them being trodden underfoot in their effort to get out of the way before being hemmed in by the Lacedaemonians.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides. The history of the Peloponnesian War, Volume 1-2. Dale, Henry, translator. London: Heinemann and Henry G. Bohn, 1851-1852.) — 5.72.1 focus

[1] Now as he gave these orders at the very moment of the charge, and on a sudden, the consequence was, that Aristocles and Hipponoidas would not move on, (they were for this offence afterwards banished from Sparta, being thought to have shown cowardice,) and that so the enemy closed with them before any thing could be done; and moreover, that when he ordered the Sciritae to rejoin their comrades, since the lochi did not move on to their support, neither could these now fill up the line.

[2] But when the Lacedaemonians were most decidedly and in every respect beaten in point of skill, at that very time ¹ they proved themselves no less superior in point of courage.

[3] For when they had come to close quarters with their opponents, though the right wing of the Mantineans broke their Sciritan and Brasidean corps, and the Mantineans and their allies, with the thousand picked men of the Argives, rushing in through the open and unclosed part of the line, cut up the Lacedaemonians, having surrounded and broken them, and drove them to the baggage waggons, and killed some of the veterans who were posted as a guard over them:

[4] though in this part of the field, I say, the Lacedaemonians were worsted, yet with the rest of their forces, and especially the centre, where was King Agis, and around him the three hundred horsemen, ² as they are called, they fell on the veterans of the Argives, and what are named the five lochi, with the Cleonaeans, the Orneans, and those of the Athenians who were posted next to them, and put them to flight; the majority not having even waited to close with them, but having, on the approach of the Lacedaemonians, immediately given way, and some of them having been even trodden under foot, ³ in their hurry to avoid being anticipated and overtaken.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 5.72.1 focus

[1] Accidit autem ipsi, quippe quod in ipso concursu ac repente haec imperasset, ut Aristocles et Hipponoidas eo transire nollent, sed etiam liac ipsa de causa postea Sparta pellerentur, quia per ignaviam hoc admisisse videbantur, et ut hosteS manus ocius consererent, et ut, postquam tum, quum jusserat, lochi ad Sciritas non accesserunt, deinde fleri non amplius posset, ut illi reversi se rursus cum reliqua acie conjungerent, aut haec disjunctos ordines coartarent.

[2] Sed Lacedaemonii, quamvis omnibus in rebus tunc peritia longe inferiores fuissent, nihilominus virtute sua se Superiores fuisse demonstrarunt.

[3] Nam ubi cum hostibus ad manus venerunt, dextrum quidem Manli-neorum cornu in fugam vertit ipsorum Sciritas ac Brasidianos, et quum irrupissent Mantinei eorumque socii, et illi mille Argivorum delecti, ibi ubi acies interrupta et non coartata erat, Lacedaemonios caedebant, eosque circumdatos in fugam verterunt, et ad plaustra repulerunt, et aliquot de senioribus, qui post aciem instructi erant, interfecerunt.

[4] Atque hac quidem in parte Lacedaemonii inferiores erant; reliquo autem exercitu, et praecipue medio, ubi rex Agis erat, et circa eum illi trecenti, qui equites vocantur, impetu facto in Argivorum seniores locbosque quinque legitimos et in Cleonaeos et Omeatas et Atheniensium eos, qui juxta illos in acie collocati erant, in fugam verterunt, ita ut eorum plerique ne ad manus quidem venire ausi fuerint, sed simul atque Lacedaemonii in eos invaserunt, statim cesserint, et nonnulli etiam conculcati sint, quominus ab hostibus ocius deprehensi interciperentur.

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 5.72 focus

Dato egli quest’ordine repentinamente nel momento stesso delFaffronto, trovossi al caso che nè /\ristocle nè Ipponoida vollero venire avanti ; onde furono appresso per questa causa banditi da Sparta con la taccia di averla fatta da codardi. Avvenne inoltre che il nemico fu il primo a menar le mani ; e non essendo venute avanti quelle squadriglie, sebbene Agide ordinasse agli Sciriti di ricongiungersi con esse, questi non poterono eseguir l’ordine nè chiudere in mezzo il nemico. Nonostante fu daddovero in tal giornata principalmente che i Lacedemoni, quantunque inferiori in tutto ciò che è perizia del mestiere, si mostrarono nulladimeno superiori in coraggio. Conciossiachè venuti appena alle mani col nemico, l’ala destri de’Mantineesi caccia in fuga i loro Scinti e brasidiani ; ed i Mantineesi con gli alleati e co’ mille scelti degli Argivi , piombando nello spazio suddetto non ancora ripieno trucidavano i Lacedemoni ; e circondatili li sbarattavano, egli incalzavano fino ai carriaggi, ove uccidevano alcuni dei più vecchi schierativi a guardia. Certamente su questo punto ave vano la peggio i Lacedemoni; nel resto però dell’esercito, e specialmente nel mezzo, ove era il re Agide, con intorno a sé la cavalleria chiamata dei trecento, avendo assaltati i più vecchi degli Argivi e le cosi dette cinque squadriglie , ed i Cleonesi e gli Orneati e gli Ateniesi schierati presso a loro , li misero in volta ; talché i più nemmeno aspettarono di venire alle mani ; ma vistisi venire addosso i Lacedemoni subito cederono; ed alcuni eziandio rimasero calpestati, per essere stati sorpresi prima di poter fuggire.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.72

Theodor Braun (Translator)

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