Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 6.56

[1] This Harmodius therefore that denied his suit, he disgraced as he before intended. For when some had warned a sister of his, a virgin, to be present to carry a little basket in a procession, they rejected her again when she came and said that they had never warned her at all, as holding her unworthy the honour.

[2] This was taken heavily by Harmodius; but Aristogeiton, for his sake, was far more exasperated than he. Whereupon, with the rest of the conspirators, he made all things ready for the execution of the design. Only they were to stay the time of the holiday called the Great Panathenaea, upon which day only such citizens as lead the procession might, without suspicion, be armed in good number. And they were to begin the fact themselves; but the rest were to help them against the halberdiers.

[3] Now the conspirators, for their better security, were not many; for they hoped that such also as were not privy to it, if they saw it once undertaken, being upon this occasion armed, would assist in the recovery of their own liberty.

[1] To return to Harmodius; Hipparchus having been repulsed in his solicitations insulted him as he had resolved, by first inviting a sister of his, a young girl, to come and bear a basket in a certain procession, and then rejecting her, on the plea that she had never been invited at all owing to her unworthiness.

[2] If Harmodius was indignant at this, Aristogiton for his sake now became more exasperated than ever; and having arranged everything with those who were to join them in the enterprise, they only waited for the great feast of the Panathenaea, the sole day upon which the citizens forming part of the procession could meet together in arms without suspicion. Aristogiton and Harmodius were to begin, but were to be supported immediately by their accomplices against the bodyguard.

[3] The conspirators were not many, for better security, besides which they hoped that those not in the plot would be carried away by the example of a few daring spirits, and use the arms in their hands to recover their liberty.

Dem Harmodios also, der ihn als Versucher abgewiesen,
that er wirklich einen Schimpf an, wie er sich vorgenommen hatte.
Er ließ nämlich dessen Schwester, eine Jungfrau, auffordern zu
erscheinen, um bei einem Festaufzug einen Korb zu tragen ^), und sie
dann zurückweisen mit den Worten, man habe ja von vorn herein
nicht um sie geschickt, da sie dessen nicht würdig sei. Harmodios
nun fühlte sich dadurch sehr gekränkt, noch viel heißer aber entbrannte
um seinetwillen der Zorn des Aristogeiton. Und bereits hatten sie
alles Uebrige im Bund mit denen veranstaltet, welche mit Hand an's
Werk legen sollten, und warteten nur noch auf das Fest der großen
Panathenäen ^), als den einzigen Tag, an welchem sie keinen
Verdacht erregen würden, da hier die Bürger, welche den Festzug
geleiteten, bewaffnet und in Masse ershcienen. Es war abgeredet, daß sie
selbst den Anfang machen, die Andern aber dann sogleich zu ihrer ^{1 2}
Unterstützung über die Lanzentrabanten herfallen sollten. Der ³
Sicherheit wegen war die Zahl der Mitverschworenen nicht sehr groß,
denn sie hofften, daß auch die, welche Nichts um die Sache wußten,
bewaffnet, wie sie wären, allsogleich voll Freudigkeit zur Befreiung
der Stadt mithandeln würden, wenn auch eine noch so geringe Zahl
das erste Wagniß unternähme.

LVI. Hipparque donc, voyant ses avances repoussées par Harmodius, lui fit, comme il en avait formé le dessein, un cruel outrage. On invita sa jeune soeur à porter la corbeille ¹ dans une solennité, puis on la chassa en prétextant qu’on ne l’avait pas même invitée, vu son indignité. Harmodius supporta impatiemment cet affront, et Aristogiton en fut encore plus indigné à cause de lui. Ils arrêtèrent toutes leurs mesures avec leurs complices et attendirent les grandes panathénées, le seul jour où les citoyens qui devaient former le cortège pussent se rassembler en armes sans donner lieu au soupçon. Ils devaient eux-mêmes porter les premiers coups, et les autres conjurés leur venir aussitôt en aide contre les gardes. Du reste, ils avaient peu de complices, pour plus dè sûreté; ils espéraient que, quelque peu nombreux qu’ils fussent au début, ceuxlà mêmes qui n’étaient pas prévenus voudraient, ayant les armes à la main, concourir à leur propre affranchissement.

Hippar^ue, voyant donc sa poursuite repoussée par Harmodios, exécuta son projet de lui faire un sanglant outrage. Harmodios avait une jeune sœur : oh la fit venir pour porter la corbeille dans une cérémonie, puis on la chassa en disant qu’on ne l’avait pas invitée à un honneur dont elle était indigne. Harmodios fut mortellement blessé de eet affront, et Aristogiton le ressentit plus vivement encore à cause de lui. Déjà iis avaient tout concerté avec leurs complices. Ils n’attendaient plus que les grandes Panathénées, seul jour où les citoyens pouvaient, sans éveiller de soupçon, se rassembler en armes pour le cortège. Eux-mêmes devaient porter les premiers conps, et les autres conjurés prendre immédiatement leur défense contre les satellites. Pour plus de sûreté, fis n’avaient initié que peu de gens au complot, dans l’espérance qu’il suffirait de l’audace d’un petit nombre, pour qu’à l’instant ceux même qui n’étaient pas prévenus, se trouvant en armes, se joignissent à eux pour reconquérir leur liberté.

[1] So, then, when Harmodius had repulsed his suit, Hipparchus insulted him, as he intended. For after summoning a maiden-sister of his to serve as a basket-bearer ¹ in some procession, they rejected her, declaring they had never summoned her at all, because she was unworthy.

[2] As Harmodius was indignant at this, Aristogeiton for his sake was far more exasperated. And now the details had been arranged by them with those who were to take part in the execution of their scheme; but they were waiting for the great Panathenaea, for on that day only it excited no suspicion for the citizens who were to take part in the procession to be assembled in arms. They were themselves to begin the attack, but the others were to join them at once in dealing with the bodyguard. The conspirators were not many, for better security;

[3] for they hoped that, if ever so few made the bold attempt, at once even those who were not before privy to it, having arms in their hands, would be inclined to bear a part in winning their own freedom.

[1] So then, when Harmodius had resisted his solicitation, he insulted him, as he intended. For after summoning a sister of his, a young girl, to come and bear a basket in a certain procession, they rejected her when she came, saying that they had not summoned her at all, as she was ¹ not worthy of the honour.

[2] Harmodius being very indignant at this, Aristogiton also was, for his sake, much more exasperated than ever. And now all their other arrangements had been made with those who were to join them in taking the business in hand; but they were waiting for the great Panathenaic festival, on which day alone it was not considered a suspicious circumstance that those of the citizens who had conducted the procession should meet together in arms; and they were themselves to begin, but the rest immediately to join in aiding them against the body-guards. The conspirators were not numerous, for security's sake;

[3] for they hoped that if any number whatever dared to make the attempt, even those who were not before privy to it would be willing at the moment, inasmuch as they had arms in their hands, to join in effecting their own freedom.

[1] Harmodium igitur, quod sibi eum solicitanli ntf rem gerere noluisset, ut in animo habebat, contumelia affecit; sororem enim ejus virginem quum ad gestandum in pompa quadam canistrum venire jussissent, abegerunt,dicentes, se ne principio quidem ei denuntiasse, quod digna non esset.

[2] Quum autem Harmodius aegre ferret, propter ipsum et Aristogito multo magis irritatus est. Atque celeras quidem res constituerant cum iis, qui facinus simul aggressuri erant, sed exspectabant magna Panathenaea, quo uno die extra suspicionem erat, cives eos, qui pompam prosequebantur, in armis frequentes esse; et debebant ipsi quidem inceptare facinus, statim vero illi simul opem ferre adversus satellites.

[3] Erant autem non multi conjurati, ut res tutius gereretur; sperabant enim, illos etiam, qui prius ignorabant, quamvis pauci facinus ausi essent, e vestigio qui quidem arma haberent, lubenter se ipsos in libertatem pariter asserturos.

Ipparco adunque, siccome aveva inanimo, fece oltraggio ad Armodio, che non aveva aderito alle sue instigazioni, in questo modo. Invitarono ima sorella di luya venire a portare la cestella in una tal pompa, e poi la discacciarono dicendo non averla mai invitata siccome quella che n'era indegna ; lo che dispiacque forte ad Armodio, e pia di lui ne restò esacerbato Aristogitone per l’amore che gli aveva. E già avevano essi ordinato co? loro complici ogni altra cosa spettante al fatto ; se non che aspettavano ie grandi feste Panatenee, nel qual giorno solo la riunione de’cittadini armati ad accompagnare la pompa non dava materia di sospetto. Armodio ed Aristogitone doveano dar la mossa, e gli altri si sarebbero subito uniti ad aiutarli, per difenderli dai satelliti. Kè i congiurati erano molti per riguardo alla propria sicurezza, imperocché speravano che anche gli altri i quali non erano a parte della congiura, trovandosi armati, al più piccolo romore si sarebbero subito uniti cupidamente a mettersi in libertà.