Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 7.19

[1] The next spring, in the very beginning, earlier than ever before, the Lacedaemonians and their confederates entered with their army into Attica, under the command of Agis, the son of Archidamus, their king. And first they wasted the champagne country, and then went in hand with the wall at Deceleia, dividing the work amongst the army, according to their cities.

[2] This Deceleia is from the city of Athens at the most but one hundred and twenty furlongs, and about as much or a little more from Boeotia. This fort they made in the plain, and in the most opportune place that could be to annoy the Athenians, and in sight of the city.

[3] Now the Peloponnesians and their confederates in Attica went on with their fortification. They in Peloponnesus sent away their ships with the men of arms about the same time into Sicily, of which the Lacedaemonians, out of the best of their Helotes and men made newly free, sent in the whole six hundred, and Eccritus, a Spartan, for commander; and the Boeotians three hundred, under the conduct of 19enon and Nicon, Thebans, and Hegesander, a Thespian.

[4] And these set forth first, and put to sea at Taenarus in Laconia. After them a little, the Corinthians sent away five hundred more, part from the city itself of Corinth and part mercenary Arcadians, and Alexarchus, a Corinthian, for captain. The Sicyonians also sent two hundred with them that went from Corinth, and Sargeus, a Sicyonian, for captain.

[5] Now the twenty-five Corinthian galleys that were manned in winter lay opposite to the twenty galleys of Athens which were at Naupactus till such time as the men of arms in the ships from Peloponnesus might get away; for which purpose they were also set out at first, that the Athenians might not have their minds upon these ships so much as upon the galleys.

[1] In the first days of the spring following, at an earlier period than usual, the Lacedaemonians and their allies invaded Attica , under the command of Agis, son of Archidamus, king of the Lacedaemonians. They began by devastating the parts bordering upon the plain, and next proceeded to fortify Decelea, dividing the work among the different cities.

[2] Decelea is about thirteen or fourteen miles from the city of Athens , and the same distance or not much further from Boeotia ; and the fort was meant to annoy the plain and the richest parts of the country, being in sight of Athens .

[3] While the Peloponnesians and their allies in Attica were engaged in the work of fortification, their countrymen at home sent off, at about the same time, the heavy infantry in the merchant vessels to Sicily ; the Lacedaemonians furnishing a picked force of Helots and Neodamodes ‘or freedmen), six hundred heavy infantry in all, under the command of Eccritus, a Spartan; and the Boeotians three hundred heavy infantry, commanded by two Thebans, Xenon and Nicon, and by Hegesander, a Thespian.

[4] These were among the first to put out into the open sea, starting from Taenarus in Laconia . Not long after their departure the Corinthians sent off a force of five hundred heavy infantry, consisting partly of men from Corinth itself, and partly of Arcadian mercenaries, placed under the command of Alexarchus, a Corinthian. The Sicyonians also sent off two hundred heavy infantry at the same time as the Corinthians, under the command of Sargeus, a Sicyonian.

[5] Meantime the five-and-twenty vessels manned by Corinth during the winter, lay confronting the twenty Athenian ships at Naupactus until the heavy infantry in the merchantmen were fairly on their way from Peloponnese ; thus fulfilling the object for which they had been manned originally, which was to divert the attention of the Athenians from the merchantmen to the galleys.

Sogleich als der folgende Frühling begann, fielen die
Lakedämonier und ihre Bundesgenossen, so früh sie nur konnten, in
Attika ein. Anführer war Agis, des Archidamos Sohn, König der
Lakedämonier. Und zuerst verwüsteten sie das ebene Land und gingen
dann an die Befestigung von Dekeleia, indem sie die Arbeit unter
die einzelnen Städte vertheilten. Dekeleia ist aber von Athen selbst
etwa hundert und zwanzig Stadien (gegen drei Meilen) entfernt, und
ungefähr eben so weit oder doch nicht viel weiter von der Böotischen
Gränze. Es war aber die Festung aus der Ebene selbst, und zwar
in der fruchtbarsten Gegend erbaut worden und bis nach Athen hin
sichtbar. Die Peloponnesier in Attika also sammt ihren
Bundesgenossen arbeiteten an dieser Festung, die im Peloponnes aber
schickten um dieselbe Zeit auf Lastschiffen die Schwerbewaffneten nach
Sieilien. Die Lakedämonier hatten hiezu von den Heloten und
Neubürgern die Tüchtigsten ausgewählt, von beiden zusammen gegen
sechshundert Schwerbewaffnete, unter dem Befehl des Spartaners
EkkritoS, die Böoter aber dreihundert Schwerbewaffnete, welche die
Thebaner Xenon und Nikon und der Thespier HegesandroS
anführten. Diese nun gingen zuerst ab, und zwar stachen sie in See von
Tänaron in Lakonien aus. Nicht lange nach diesem schickten die
Korinther fünfhundert Schwerbewaffnete ab, zum Theil aus Korinth ¹
selbst genommen, zum Theil aus Arkadischem Volk gemiethet, und,
gaben ihnen den Korinther Alexarchos zum Anführer.- Zugleich mit
den Korinthern hatten aber auch die Sikyonier ^") zweihundert
Schwerbewaffnete abgeschickt, unter den Befehlen des Sikyoniers Sargeus;
die fünf und zwanzig Korinthischen Schiffe aber, die schon im Winter
bemannt worden waren, ankerten gegenüber den zwanzig attischen
bei Naupaktos, bis jene Schwerbewaffneten auf den Lastschiffen vom
Peloponnes abgefahren waren, wie es denn ja auch von vornherein
die Absicht ihrer Bemannung gewesen war, die Aufmerksamkeit der
Athener von den Lastschiffen ab auf diese Kriegsschiffe zu lenken.

XIX. Dès le commencement du printemps suivant ¹ , les Lacédémoniens et leurs alliés firent, de très-bonne heure, une invasion dans l’Attique, sous le commandement d’Agis, fils d’Archidamos, roi des Lacédémoniens. Après avoir d’abord ravagé la plaine, ils se mirent à fortifier Décélie et attribuèrent aux troupes de chaque ville une portion du travail. Décélie n’est qu’à cent vingt stades d’Athènes, et à la même distance, ou un peu plus, de la Béotie. Les fortifications furent élevées dans une position qui commandait la plaine et la partie la plus riche du pays, afin de nuire à l’ennemi; on pouvait les apercevoir d’Athènes. Pendant que les Péloponnésiens qui étaient dans l’Altique fortifiaient Décélie, de concert avec leurs alliés, ceux qui étaient restés dans le Péloponnèse envoyèrent sur des transports des hoplites en Sicile : les Lacédémoniens choisirent l’élite des Hilotes et des Néodamodes et en formèrent un corps de six cents hoplites, sous le commandement du Spartiate Eccritos; les Béotiens fournirent trois cents hoplites commandés par Xénon et Nicon, l’un et l’autre de Thèbes, et par Hégésandros de Thespies. Ces troupes formèrent un premier convoi qui prit la mer à Ténare, en Laconie. Peu de temps après les Corinthiens expédièrent, sous la conduite d’Alexarchos de Corinthe, cinq cents hoplites, tant Corinthiens qu’Arcadiens mercenaires; les Sicyoniens leur adjoignirent deux cents hoplites sous les ordres de Sargée de Sicyone, Les vingt-cinq vaisseaux de Corinthe équipés pendant l'hiver croisaient en vue des vingt bâtiments athé- ² niens de Naupacte, attendant que ces hoplites embarqués sur des bâtiments de charge eussent quitté le Péloponnèse; car c’était là précisément le but dans lequel on les avait équipés d’abord, afin que l’attention des Athéniens se portât plutôt sur les trirèmes que sur les transports.

Dès les premiers jours du printemps ¹ , les Lacédémoniens et leurs alliés entrèrent en Attique sous la conduite dn roi Agis fils d’Archidamos. Ils ravagèrent d'abord la plaine; puis ils se mirent à fortifier Décélie, en répartissant le travail entre les contingents de chaque nation. Décélie est à cent vingt stades d’Athènes et à la même distance, ou un peu plus, de la Béotie. De cette position culminante, on dominait la plaine et la partie la plus fertile du pays, de manière à y faire tout le mal possible. Les fortifications se voyaient d’Athènes même.

Pendant que les Lacédémoniens et leurs alliés travaillaient à cette construction , les Péloponésiens embarquaient des hoplites sur des transports et les expédiaient en Sicile. Lacédémone avait désigné à cet effet l'élite des Hilotes et des Néoda-modes ² , au nombre de six cents en tout, avec le Spartiate Eccritos pour chef. Les Béotiens avaient fourni trois cents hoplites, commandés par les Thébains Xénon et Nicon et par le Thespien Hégésandros. Ce premier convoi mit à la voile de Ténare en Laconie ; il fut suivi de près par un second, composé de cinq cents hoplites corinthiens et arcadiens mercenaires , commandés par le Corinthien Alexarçhos, et auxquels les Sicyoniens adjoignirent deux cents hoplites sous les ordres de Sargéus. Les vingt-cinq vaisseaux de Corinthe, équipés pendant l’hiver, tenaient en échec les vingt trirèmes athéniennes de Naupacte, en attendant que les transports chargés d’hoplites eussent quitté le Péloponèse. C’est dans ce but qu'on les avait armés, afin que les Athéniens s’occupassent moins des transports que des vaisseaux de guerre.

[1] At the very beginning of the next spring, ¹ earlier than ever before, the Lacedaemonians and their allies invaded Attica, under the command of Agis son of Archidamus, king of the Lacedaemonians. And at first they ravaged the plain of Attica and then proceeded to fortify Deceleia, ² apportioning the work to the several allied states.

[2] Deceleia is distant from the city of Athens about one hundred and twenty stadia, and about the same distance, or not much more, from Boeotia. The purpose of the fort they were building was to dominate the plain and the most fertile parts of the country, with a view to devastating them, and it was visible as far as the city of Athens.

[3] And while the Peloponnesians in Attica and their allies were building this fort, those in the Peloponnesus were at the same time despatching the hoplites in merchant-ships to Sicily, the Lacedaemonians having picked out the best of the Helots and Neodamodes, ³ of both together about six hundred hoplites, with Eccritus the Spartan as commander, and the Boeotians having selected three hundred hoplites, in command of whom were Xenon and Nicon, both Thebans, and Hegesander, a Thespian.

[4] Now these set out in the first contingent from Taenarus in Laconia and made for the open sea; and following them, but not long afterwards, the Corinthians sent out five hundred hoplites, some from Corinth itself, others being Arcadians whom they had taken on for hire, appointing in command of them Alexarchus, a Corinthian. The Sicyonians also despatched at the same time as the Corinthians two hundred hoplites under the command of Sargeus, a Sicyonian.

[5] Meanwhile the twenty-five Corinthian ships, which had been manned during the winter, lay opposite the twenty Athenian ships at Naupactus, until their hoplites in the merchant-ships had got well on their voyage from the Peloponnesus; it was for this purpose, indeed, that they had been manned in the first place—that the Athenians might not give their attention so much to the merchant-ships as to the triremes.

[1] The following spring, at its very commencement, the Lacedaemonians and their allies made a very early incursion into Attica, under the command of Agis son of Archidamus, king of the Lacedaemonians. In the first place, then, they ravaged the parts of the country about the plain, and then proceeded to fortify Decelea, dividing the work amongst the contingents of the different states.

[2] The place is distant from the city of Athens about a hundred and twenty stades, and about the same, or not much more, from Boeotia. Now the fortress was raised for the annoyance of the plain and the richest parts of the country, being visible as far as Athens.

[3] Thus, then, the Peloponnesians in Attica, and their allies, were engaged with their building. Those in the Peloponnese, about the same time, were sending off their heavy-armed troops to Sicily in the merchantmen, the Lacedaemonians having picked for the purpose the best of the Helots and Neodamodes, amounting both together to seven hundred, with Eccritus, a Spartan, in command of them, and the Boeotians, three hundred heavy-armed, under the command of Xeno and Nico. Thebans, and Hegesander, a Thespian.

[4] These started amongst the first from Taenarus, in Laconia, and put out into the open sea. Not long after them, the Corinthians despatched five hundred heavy-armed, some from Corinth itself, and some hired from Arcadia besides, having appointed Alexarchus, a Corinthian, to the command of them. The Sicyonians also sent off, at the same time with the Corinthians, two hundred heavy-armed under the command of Sargeus, a Sicyonian.

[5] In the mean time the five and twenty ships of the Corinthians, which had been manned in the winter, were stationed in opposition to the twenty Athenian vessels at Naupactus, till they had got these heavy-armed on board the merchantmen out to sea: for which purpose, indeed, they had been originally manned, that the Athenians might not attend to the merchantmen so much as to the triremes.

[1] Veris autem insequentis statim initio maturrime Lacedaemonii sociique irruptionem in Atticam fecerunt; praeerat vero Agis, Archidami filius, Lacedaemoniorum rex. Ac primo quidem agri planitiem rireomjnceiitein vastarunt, deinde vero Deceleam monire crcpenmt, operr inter civitates partito.

[2] Abest autem Decelea ab Athenis circiter centum ac viginti stadiis, ttntumdem vero etiam, nec multo plus a Boeotia. Haec autem munitio Atbesas ^ usque conspicua contra planitiem et regionis partes optimas ad maleficia exercenda exstruebatur.

[3] Atque Peloponnesii quidem ac socii, qui in Attica erant, hanc mumtio-nem exstruebant; qui vero in Peloponneso erant, mittebant circa idem tempus navibus onerariis gravis armaturae milites in Siciliam, quum Lacedaemonii quidem praestantiam-mos servorum ac libertorum in civitatem nuper adscripto-ruro ex utrisque promisce sexcentos gravis armatam» milites delegissent et Eccritnm ducem Spartanum, Bmoti vero trecentos gravis armaturae milites, quibus praeerant Xeno et Nico Thebani et Hegesander Thespiensis.

[4] Jsti igitur primi fere a Taenaro Laconiae profecti fin altum vela fecerant; post hos autem Corinthii non multo post miserunt quingentos gravis armaturae milites, alios quidem ex fpsa Corintho, alios praeterea ex Arcadibus mercede condoctos, et Alexarcbum Corinthium, quem iis ducem praefecerant. Miserunt vero Sicyonii quoque cum Corinthiis ducentos gravis armaturae milites, quibuspraeerat Sargeus Sicyonius.

[5] Illae autem quinque et viginti Corinthiorum naves, qua» per hiemem instructae erant, e regione viginti Atticarum navium, quae ad Naupactum stabant, in statione erant, donec isti gravis armaturae milites navibus onerariis es Peloponneso profecti essent; cujus etiam rei causa et initio erant instructae, ne Athenienses ad onerarias naves potius, quam ad triremes animum adverterent.

Al comincia mento della seguente primavera i Lacedemoni e gli alleati guidati da Agide di Archidamo, re dei Lacedemoni, prestissimo invasero l’Attica. E primieramente guastarono il territorio per la pianura ; dipoi spartendo il lavoro città per città, presero a munire Decelia che è distante da Atene circa centoventi stadii, e non molto più che altrettanto dalla Beozia. Questa munizione visibile sino dalla città d’Atene si costruiva nel piano, e nei luoghi più acconci di quel paese per farvi guasto. I Peloponnesi adunque e gli alleati che erano nell’Attica lavoravano alle fortificazioni , e gli altri rimasti nel Peloponneso spedivano circa il medesimo tempo le soldatesche gravi in Sicilia sulle navi da carico. Le quali, fatto vela daTenaro della Laconia, presero l’alto con a bordo secento di grave armatura , parte Iloti de’ migliori scelti da’ Lacedemoni, parte ascritti di recente alla cittadinanza, sotto il comando di Eccrito spartano; e con trecento Beozii pur di grave armatura capitanati da Xenone e Ni con e tebani, e da Egesandro tespiese. E dietro ad essi non molto dopo i Corintii ne mandarono cinquecento di grave milizia parte propio di Corinto, parte presi a soldo dagli Arcadi, sotto la condotta di Alessarco corintio ; e insieme con essi dugento soldati gravi inviarono i Sicionii, de’quali era duce Sargeo di Sicione. Le venticinque navi poi dei Corintii armate già nell’inverno stavano in osservazione contro le venti ateniesi che erano in Naupatto ;Gno a che non fossero partite dal Peloponneso (ciò che loro premeva) le milizie gravi sulle navi da carico ; ed appunto a quest’oggetto le avevano da prima equipaggiate, affinchè gli Ateniesi non tanto avessero ^animo alle navi da carico, quanto alle triremi.