Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 6.79

[1] "Perhaps, upon fear, you mean to deal evenly between us both and allege your league with the Athenians. You made no league against your friends, but against your enemies, in case any should invade you; and by it you are also tied to aid the Athenians when others wrong them; but not when, as now, they wrong their neighbour. For even the Rhegians, who are also Chalcideans, refuse to help them in replanting the Leontines, though these also be Chalcideans.

[2] And then it were a hard case if they, suspecting a bad action under a fair justification, are wise without a reason; and you, upon pretence of reason, should aid your natural enemies and help them that most hate you to destroy your more natural kindred. "But this is no justice;

[3] to fight with them is justice, and not to stand in fear of their preparation. Which, if we hold together, is not terrible, but is, if contrarily (which they endeavour) we be disunited. For neither when they came against us, being none but ourselves, and had the upperhand in battle, could they yet effect their purpose; but quickly went their ways.

[1] Fear perhaps will make you study to do right both by us and by the invaders, and plead that you have an alliance with the Athenians. But you made that alliance, not against your friends, but against the enemies that might attack you, and to help the Athenians when they were wronged by others, not when as now they are wronging their neighbours.

[2] Even the Rhegians, Chalcidians though they be, refuse to help to restore the Chalcidian Leontines; and it would be strange if, while they suspect the gist of this fine pretence and are wise without reason, you, with every reason on your side, should yet choose to assist your natural enemies, and should join with their direst foes in undoing those whom nature has made your own kinsfolk.

[3] This is not to do right; but you should help us without fear of their armament, which has no terrors if we hold together, but only if we let them succeed in their endeavours to separate us; since even after attacking us by ourselves and being victorious in battle, they had to go off without effecting their purpose.

„Vielleicht denkt ihr aber die Gerechtigkeit zum
Deckmantel der Furchtsamkeit zu machen und weder für uns, noch für unsere
Angreifer Partei zu nehmen, indem ihr vorschützt, suns gegenüber^
durch eure Bundesgenossenschaft mit den Athenern gebunden zu sein.
Aber diese könnet ihr doch wohl nicht zum Nachtheil eurer Freunde
geschlossen haben, sondern nur für den Fall, daß Einer euch angreift,
oder um den Athenern zu Hilfe zu kommen, wenn sie angegriffen
werden, und nicht, wie es jetzt der Fall ist, selber Andere ungerechter
Weise angreifen. Haben doch nicht einmal die Rheginer, trotzdem
sie Chalkidier sind, mithelfen wollen, um die Leontiner in ihre Stadt
zurückzuführen, die doch auch Chalkidier sind! Und es stünde doch
sehr schlimm, wenn jene hinter dem schönklingenden RechtSvorwand
den Kern der Sache herausgesunden hätten, ohne in diesem Fall
besonders zur Klugheit aufgefordert zu sein, während ihr eine scheinbare
AuSrede vorbringt, um euren natürlichen Feinden Hilfe zu leisten und
die durch noch engere Bande der Natur mit euch Verwandten im
Bunde mit ihren erbittertsten Feinden zu vernichten: Aber das stimmt
keineswegs mit der Gerechtigkeit, vielmehr solltet ihr uns beistehen. ¹
und die Rüstung jener nicht fürchten. Denn dieselbe ist keineswegs >
furchtbar, wenn wir Alle zusammenstehen, sondern nur eben dann,
wenn wir umgekehrt zwiespältig handeln, und das ist'S grade, worauf
jene mit allem Eifer hinarbeiten. Haben sie doch nicht einmal uns
allein gegenüber ausgerichtet, was sie gewollt haben, obgleich sie uns
in einer Schlacht besiegt, sondern mußten rasch wieder abziehen."

LXXIX. « Peut-être, par crainte, voudrez-vous garder une juste neutralité entre nous et nos agresseurs, sous prétexte que vous avez un traité d’alliance avec les Athéniens : mais cette alliance, ce n’est pas contre vos amis que vous l’avez faite, c’est contre les ennemis qui pourraient vous assaillir. Vous vous êtes engagés à secourir les Athéniens injustement attaques par d’autres, mais non à les soutenir lorsque eux-mêmes attaquent autrui, comme ils le font maintenant. Voyez les Rhégiens : quoique Chalcidéens, ils ne veulent pas rétablir les Léontins, Chalcidéens comme eux; et il est vraiment étrange que ce soient eux qui, suspectant les beaux sentiments dont les Athéniens couvrent leurs actes, montrent une réserve que n’autorise aucun prétexte, tandis que yous prétendez, vous, sur un prétexte spécieux, aider vos adversaires naturels, et, pour perdre ceux qui vous tiennent de bien plus près encore ¹ , vous unir à leurs plus cruels ennemis. Celan’est point juste; vous devez, au contraire, nous venir en aide, sans craindre l’appareil de leurs forces; car il ² n’a rien de redoutable, si nous sommes tous unis; il le deviendra par une division à laquelle tendent tous leurs efforts. Ce qui le prouve, c’est que, lors même qu’ils s’attaquaient à nous seuls, ils n’ont pu, quoique vainqueurs dans un combat, réaliser leurs projets, et ont fait une retraite précipitée.

« Peut-être, par excès de circonspection, voudriez-vous ménager tout à la fois nous et nos agresseurs, à cause de l’alliance qui vous unit avec Athènes. Cette alliance, vous l’avez contractée, non pas contre vos amis, mais contre les ennemis qui pourraient vous menacer. Vous vous êtes engagés à secourir les Athéniens lorsqu’ils seraient attaqués, et non lorsqu’ils commettraient des agressions injustes. Voyez les Rhé-giens : quoiqueChalcidéens de race, ils refusent de concourir à la restauration des Léontins, Chalcidéens comme eux. Il serait étrange que ce peuple tînt pour suspects les beaux semblants dont se parant les Athéniens, et montrât une sagesse inconséquente en apparence, tandis que vous iriez, sous un prétexte spécieux, favoriser vos ennemis naturels et causer la ruine de ros meilleurs amis en vous joignant à leurs implacables adversaires. Ce serait le comble de l’iniquité. Vous devez plutôt nous secourir contre les Athéniens, sans redouter les forces qu’ils déploient Si nous sommes unis, ces forces sont peu redoutables ; elles ne sauraient le devenir que si nous nous divisions comme ils Je désirent; et la preuve, c!est que, dans l’attaque dirigée contre nous seuls, ils n'ont pu, malgré un premier avantage, en venir à leurs fins, mais qu’ils sont repartis à la hâte. Si donc nous serrons nos rangs, il n’y a pas de raison pour désespérer. Réunissons-nous dans une alliance commune. Le moment est d’autant mieux choisi que nous attendons le secours de Péloponésiens, bien supérieurs aux Athéniens dans l’art militaire.

[1] "But through timidity, perhaps, you will make much of the point of right as between us and the invaders, alleging that you have an alliance with the Athenians. That alliance, however, you made, not against your friends, but in the event of any of your enemies attacking you; and you were to aid the Athenians only when they were wronged ¹ by others, and not when, as now, they are themselves wronging their neighbours.

[2] Why, not even the Rhegians, themselves Chalcidians, are willing to help to restore the Leontines who are Chalcidians. And it is monstrous if they, suspicious of what this fine plea of right really means in practice, are unreasonably prudent, ² while you, on a speciously reasonable pretext, desire to aid those who by nature are your enemies, and in concert with your bitterest foes to ruin those who by a still closer tie of nature are your kinsmen. ³ Nay, that is not right;

[3] but it is right to aid us and not be afraid of their armament. For if we all stand together, it is not formidable. The only danger is—and this is just what they are eager for—that we may stand opposed to each other; for not even when they came against us alone and proved superior in battle did they effect what they wished, but quickly went away.

[1] "But through cowardice, perhaps, you will study what is just, both towards us and towards the invaders, and allege that there is an alliance between you and the Athenians. Yes, but you did not conclude that to the injury of your friends, but in case any of your enemies might attack you; and to assist the Athenians, surely, when they were wronged by others, and not when they were themselves wronging their neighbours, as they are now.

[2] For not even do the Rhegians, although of Chalcidian extraction, consent to join in the reinstatement of the Chalcidian Leontines. And it is a strange thing if they, suspecting the real meaning of this fine pretence, are wise without any reason to offer for their conduct, while you, with a ¹ reasonable plea to urge, choose to assist your natural enemies, and, in concert with your bitterest foes, to ruin men who are still more your natural connexions. Nay, that is not just;

[3] but rather, to assist us, and not to be afraid of their armament. For it is not formidable, if we all take our stand together; but only if, on the contrary, we are separated from each other, which they are so anxious to effect: since even when they came against us alone, and were victorious in battle, they did not achieve what they wished, but quickly went away again.

[1] «Fortasse vere propter Ignaviam et erga nos ei erga adventantes hostes aequitatem coletis, dicentes, societatem esse vobis cum Atheniensibus; quam proferto non adversus amicos contraxistis, sed adversus hostes, si quis contra vos veniat, et Atheniensibus vero ut succurratis, quoties ab aliis injuriam accipiant, non autem quoties ipsi, ut nunc, injuriam aliis faciant,

[2] quando quidem ne Rhegim quidem Chalcidenses Leontinos Chalcidenses in suas sedes una cum illis restituere volunt. Et sane indignum est, si illi quidem factum ipsum, quod honestae petitionis specie velatur, suspectum habentes praeter id,quod rationi consentaneum videtur, sapiunt, vos vero causa vendibili illos quidem, qui natura suat hostes, juvare vultis, eos vero, qui vel multo magis natura sunt cognati, una cum inimicissimis funditus perdere.

[3] Atqui Iioc minime aequum, sed repellere eos nec apparatum coram formidare; nec enim; si conjungamur omnes, est formidabilis, sed si, id quod isti efficere student, contra disjungamur, siquidem quamvis antra nos solos venerint et pro dio superiores discesserint, tamen non peregerant quae cupiebant, sed celeriter abierunt.

« Ma voi forse spinti da timidità pretenderete di rispettar la giustizia dicendo d’essere in alleanza con gli Ateniesi, la quale faceste non a pregiudizio degli amici, ina per difesa contro a’nemici se alcun vi assalisse, e per soccorrere (credo io) gli Ateniesi, quando da altri fossero offesi, non quando eglino offendessero altrui; dappoiché nemmeno i Regini che son Calcidesi vogliono dar loro Ciano a rimettere in patria i Leontini anch’essi Calcidesi.

E orribil cosa mi sembra che laddove i Regini, sospettando di questo fatto onestato con belle giustificazioni, osano prudenza che sembra irragionevole, voi all’ incontro nonostante un motivo ragionevolissimo vogliate aiutare gli Ateniesi che vi sono avversi per natura, e rovinare quelli che anche più naturalmente vi appartengono, d’accordo co’nostri mortali nemici. Ma ciò non è giusto. Dovete invece soccorrer noi, e non temer le forze loro che formidabili non sono ove tutti stiamo uniti, e che tali diventano ove al contyario ci dividiamo, com’essi agognano. Ed invero benché venissero contro noi soli e vincessero la battaglia, non eseguiron l’intento, ma si ritirarono in furia.