Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 6.104

[1] Whilst this passed, Gylippus of Lacedaemon and the Corinthian galleys were already at Leucas, purposing with all speed to go over into Sicily. But when terrible reports came unto them from all hands, agreeing in an untruth, that Syracuse was already quite enclosed, Gylippus had hope of Sicily no longer; but desiring to assure Italy, he and Pythen, a Corinthian, with two Laconic and two Corinthian galleys, with all speed crossed the Ionic sea to Tarentum; and the Corinthians were to man ten galleys of their own, two of Leucas, and three of Ambracia, and come after. Gylippus went first from Tarentum to Thurii, as ambassador, by his father's right, who was free of the city of Tarentum;

[2] but not winning them to his side, he put out again, and sailed along the coast of Italy. Passing by the Terinaean gulf, he was put from the shore by a wind which in that quarter bloweth strongly against the north, and driven into the main sea; and after another extreme tempest brought in again into Tarentum, where he drew up such of his galleys as had been hurt by the weather and repaired them.

[3] Nicias, hearing that he came, contemned the small number of his galleys, as also the Thurians had before, supposing them furnished as for piracy, and appointed no watch for them yet.

[1] Meanwhile the Lacedaemonian, Gylippus, and the ships from Corinth were now off Leucas , intent upon going with all haste to the relief of Sicily . The reports that reached them being of an alarming kind, and all agreeing in the falsehood that Syracuse was already completely invested, Gylippus abandoned all hope of Sicily , and wishing to save Italy , rapidly crossed the Ionian Sea to Tarentum with the Corinthian, Pythen, two Laconian, and two Corinthian vessels, leaving the Corinthians to follow him after manning, in addition to their own ten, two Leucadian and two Ambraciot ships.

[2] From Tarentum Gylippus first went on an embassy to Thurii , and claimed anew the rights of citizenship which his father had enjoyed; failing to bring over the townspeople, he weighed anchor and coasted along Italy . Opposite the Terinaean gulf he was caught by the wind which blows violently and steadily from the north in that quarter, and was carried out to sea; and after experiencing very rough weather, remade Tarentum , where he hauled ashore and refitted such of his ships as had suffered most from the tempest.

[3] Nicias heard of his approach, but, like the Thurians, despised the scanty number of his ships, and set down piracy as the only probable object of the voyage, and so took no precautions for the present.

Um diese Zeit waren Gylippos, der Lakedämonier, und
die von Korinth ausgelaufenen Schiffe bereits in Leukas und
dachten, Sieilien so rasch'als möglich zu Hülfe zu kommen. Da aber
so schlimme Nachrichten zu ihnen kamen, die zwar falsch waren, aber
immer auf dasselbe hinausliefen, daß nämlich Syrakus bereits
gänzlich eingeschlossen sei, so ließ Gylippos alle Hoffnung auf Sieilien
fahren und dachte nur daran, wenigstens Italien zu retten, weßhalb
er und der Korinther Python mit zwei Leukadischen und zwei
Korinthischen Schissen so rasch als möglich über den Ionischen
Meerbusen segelten, während die Korinther, die zu ihren zehn eigenen
Fahrzeugen noch zwei Leukadische und drei Amprakiotische bemannt
hatten, später nachfahren sollten.Gylippos schickte von Tarent aus
zuerst Botschaft nach Thuria, indem er sie an das Bürgerrecht
erinnerte, welches sein Vater bei ihnen genossen er konnte sie jedoch
nicht gewinnen und schiffte deßhalb weiter an der Küste hin um
Italien herum. Unterwegs wurde er im Terinäischen Busen von einem ^{1 2 3 4}
Sturm überfallen, welcher in dieser Gegend mit großer Heftigkeit
ständig aus Norden weht, und in'S offene Meer hinaus verschlagen,
und nachdem er auf das Heftigste herumgeshclendert worden war,
lief er wieder in den Hasen von Tarent ein, wo er die Schiffe, die
vom Sturm gelitten hatten, an's Land zog und ausbesserte. Nikias
erfuhr zwar, daß er heransegele, aber er verachtete die geringe Zahl
seiner Schiffe, wie auch die Thurier gethan; denn er glaubte, sie seien
mehr in der Art von Seeräubern gerüstet ausgefahren, und ergriff
ihretwegen keine Vorsichtsmaßregeln.

CIV. Cependant le Lacédémonien Gylippos et les vaisseaux partis de Corinthe étaient déjà arrivés à Leucade, se portant en toute hâte au secours de la Sicile. Mais comme il ne leur parvenait que de mauvaises nouvelles, et que toutes également fausses s’accordaient à représenter Syracuse comme déjà entièrement investie, Gylippos, n’ayant plus d’espoir pour la Sicile, résolut du moins de préserver l’ltalie. De concert avec le Corinthien Pythès, il traversa en toute hâte le golfe d’Ionie, se dirigeant vers Tarente, avec deux vaisseaux lacédémoniens et deux de Corinthe. Les Corinthiens, outre dix vaisseaux qui leur appartenaient, en avaient équipé deux de Leucade et trois d’Ambracie, avec lesquels ils devaient plus tard prendre la mer. De Tarente, Gylippos se rendit à Thurium pour y négocier, en se réclamant du droit de cité qu’y avait autrefois obtenu son père ¹ . Mais, n’ayant pu gagner les habitants, il reprit la mer et longea l’ltalie. Assailli, à la hauteur du golfe de Térina ² , par uh ^{3 4} vent du nord qui souffle avec fureur en cet endroit, il fut entraîné au large, et, après avoir essuyé une violente tempête, revint aborder à Tarente, où il tira à sec pour les réparer ceux de ses vaisseaux qui avaient souffert de la tourmente. Nicias, informé qu’il était en mer, n’eut que du mépris pour le petit nombre de ses vaisseaux; — on avait éprouvé le même sentiment à Thurium : — il ne vit guère là qu’un armement de pirates et ne prit encore aucune précaution.

Cependant· le Lacédémonien Gylippe et les vaisseaux partis avec lui de Corinthe étaient déjà dans les eaux de Leucade, et faisaient diligence pour gagner la Sicile. Les nouvelles qu’ils recevaient étaient alarmantes, quoique toutes égalemént controuvées; elles s’accordaient à représenter Syracuse comme investie en son entier. N’ayant donc plus d’espoir pour la Sicile, mais voulant au moins préserver l’Italie, Gylippe et le Corinthien Pythen, avec deux vaisseaux lacédémoniens et deux de Corinthe, traversèrent en grande hâte le golfe Ionien, le cap sur Tarente. Indépendamment de ces vaisseaux, les Corinthiens en avaient armé dix des leurs, deux de Leucade et trois d’Ambracie, qui devaient suivre plus tard. De Tarente, Gylippe se rendit d’abord, en qualité d’ambassadeur, chez les Thuriens, en s’autorisant de l’ancienne bourgeoisie de son père ¹ ; mais, n’ayant pu les persuader, il se rembarqua et côtoya ritalie. Par le travers du golfe Térinéen ² , il fut assailli par un vent du nord, qui souffle avec impétuosité dans ces parages, et qui l’emporta en pleine mer. Après avoir longtemps lutté contre la tempête, il regagna Tarente, où il tira ses vaisseaux à sec et répara ses avaries. Instruit de son approche, Nicias méprisa le petit nombre de ses bâtiments, comme avaient fait les Thuriens ; et, le croyant simplement armé en course, il ne prit contre lui aucune précaution.

[1] Meanwhile Gylippus the Lacedaemonian and the ships from Corinth ¹ were already at Leucas, proposing to bring aid to Sicily in all haste. As the reports that were coming to them were alarming and all to the same false purport, that Syracuse had already been completely walled off, Gylippus no longer had any hope of Sicily, but wishing to save Italy, he himself and Pythen the Corinthian, with two Laconian vessels and two Corinthian, crossed the Ionian gulf to Tarentum as quickly as possible; while the Corinthians, after manning, in addition to their own ten, two Leucadian and three Ambracian ships, were to sail later.

[2] From Tarentum, Gylippus, after first going on a mission to Thuria, on account of his father having been once a citizen there, ² and failing to win them over, weighed anchor and sailed along the coast of Italy. Caught by a wind, which settling in the north blows violently in that region, he was carried out to sea, and then after a most violent storm again reached Tarentum; and there hauling ashore all of his ships that had suffered from the storm he set to repairing them.

[3] But Nicias, although he heard that he was sailing up, despised the small number of his ships, just as the Thurians had done, and thinking they were coming equipped rather as privateers than as men-of-war, he took as yet no precautions.

[1] In the mean time, Gylippus, the Lacedaemonian, and the ships from Corinth, were now off Leucas, wishing to come to the aid of Sicily with all speed. When therefore tidings were carried to them of an alarming nature, and all concurring in the same falsehood, namely, that Syracuse was by this time entirely circumvallated, Gylippus had no longer any hope of Sicily; but wishing to save Italy, he himself, and Pythen the Corinthian, with two Laconian and two Corinthian ships, crossed the Ionian Sea as quickly as possible to Tarentum; while the Corinthians having manned, in addition to their own ten, two Leucadian and three Ambracian vessels, were to sail after them.

[2] Gylippus, then, having first gone on an embassy from Tarentum to Thuria, on the ground of his father's having formerly been presented with the franchise there, and not being able to bring them over, weighed anchor, and coasted along Italy. Having been caught, when opposite the Terinaean gulf, by a wind which in this quarter blows violently and steadily from the north, he was carried out to sea, and after enduring exceedingly foul weather, again made Tarentum, and there drew up and refitted such of his ships as had suffered from the tempest.

[3] Nicias on hearing of his approach, despised the number of his ships, (as had been the feeling of the Thurians also,) and thought that they were sailing more like a piratical armament than any thing else; and so at present he took no precautions against him.

[1] Interea vero Gylippus Lacedremonius, et naves Co- rinthiacae Leucadem jam appulerant unanimo, ul quam celerrime in Siciliam ad opem ferendam trajicerent. Quum autem atroces nuntii iis afferrentur, omnesque in eumdeni modum ementiti, Syracusas jam omnino circumvallatas esse, Gylippus Siciliae quidem nullam spem amplius liabebat, Italiam vero conservare cupiens, ipse et Pythen Corinthius cum duabus Laconicis navibus totidemque Corinthiacis quam velocissime transmisso Ionico Tarentum pervenerunt; Corinthii vero praeter suas decem duabus Leucadiis et tribus Ampraciotkis instructis, postea navigare constituerant.

[2] Et Gylippus quidem Tarento primum in agrum Thurium ut legatus profectus, et renovato civitatis jure, quod |»ater ejus quondam illic habuerat, quum cos sibi socios adjungere non posset, solvens illinc Italiae oram legebat, et pnqte sinum Terinaeum abreptus a vetito, qui hac in parte |wo-rumpit vehemens et constanter ut boreas spirans, in alluiu defertur, et rursus acerrima tempestate jactatus Tarentum appellit, et naves, quotquot tempestate quassatae erant, subductas reficiebat.

[3] Nicias vero quum eum adventare au-disset, navium paucitatem contempsit, quod et Thurii fecerant, et credebat eos magis praedonum ritu instructos navigare, neque custodiam ullam adhuc adhibebat.

Frattanto Gilippo lacedemone e le navi di Corinto erano già nelle acque di Leucade con animo dì recar pronto soccorso in Sicilia. E perchè spesseggiavano ad essi le cattive novelle e tutte false in questo stesso che già Siracusa era al tutto cinta da muro, Gilippo non avea più veruna speranza di salvar la Sicilia. Se non che volendo conservare l' Italia, egli e Pitene corintio con due navi laconiche e due corintie tragittarono l' Ionio colla massima sollecitudine, e vennero a Taranto. ICorintii poi armate due navileucadie e tre ambraciote , oltre le loro dieci, dovevano mettersi in mare più tardi. Gilippo prima di tutto da Taranto andò come ambasciatore a Turio, stante il dritto di cittadinanza godutavi una volta dal padre. E non avendo potuto recare a sè gli animi degli abitanti, parti di là e andava radendo la costa d’Italia ; quando nel golfo Terineo sorpreso dal vento che alzandosi verso tramontana vi soffia impetuosamente, è trasportato in alto mare; donde, sbalzato da grandissima tempesta torna ad approdare a Taranto; e tirate in sull’asciutto quelle navi che avcan sofferto nella burrasca le rabberciava. JNicia avuto liugua che Gilippo era in corso, non facea nissun conto della pochezza di quelle navi (e il simigliante fecero i Turii) e gli parve che navigasse con apparecchio, anzi che no corsalesco , e però non se ne prendeva nissuna guardia.