Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 7.28

[1] And their provision, which formerly they used to bring in from Euboea by Oropus the shortest way, through Deceleia by land, they were now forced to fetch in by sea at great cost about the promontory of Sunium. And whatsoever the city was wont to be served withal from without, it now wanted, and instead of a city was become as it were a fort.

[2] And the Athenians, watching on the battlements of the wall, in the day time by turns, but in the night, both winter and summer, all at once (except the horsemen), part at the walls and part at the arms, were quite tired.

[3] But that which pressed them most was that they had two wars at once. And yet their obstinacy was so great as no man would have believed till now they saw it. For being besieged at home from the fortification of the Peloponnesians, no man would have imagined that they should not only not have recalled their army out of Sicily, but have also besieged Syracuse there, a city of itself no less than Athens; and therein so much have exceeded the expectation of the rest of the Grecians both in power and courage (who in the beginning of this war conceived that if the Peloponnesians invaded their territory, some of them, that they might hold out two years, others three, no man more), as that in the seventeenth year after they were first invaded they should have undertaken an expedition into Sicily, and being every way weakened already by the former war, have undergone another, not inferior to that which they had before with the Peloponnesians.

[4] Now their treasure being by these wars and by the detriment sustained from Deceleia and other great expenses that came upon them at a very low ebb, about this time they imposed on such as were under their dominion a twentieth part of all goods passing by sea for a tribute, by this means to improve their comings in. For their expenses were not now as before, but so much greater by how much the war was greater, and their revenue besides cut off.

[1] Besides, the transport of provisions from Euboea , which had before been carried on so much more quickly over land by Decelea from Oropus, was now effected at great cost by sea round Sunium; everything the city required had to be imported from abroad, and instead of a city it became a fortress.

[2] Summer and winter the Athenians were worn out by having to keep guard on the fortifications, during the day by turns, by night all together, the cavalry excepted, at the different military posts or upon the wall.

[3] But what most oppressed them was that they had two wars at once, and had thus reached a pitch of frenzy which no one would have believed possible if he had heard of it before it had come to pass. For could any one have imagined that even when besieged by the Peloponnesians entrenched in Attica , they would still, instead of withdrawing from Sicily , stay on there besieging in like manner Syracuse , a town (taken as a town) in no way inferior to Athens , or would so thoroughly upset the Hellenic estimate of their strength and audacity, as to give the spectacle of a people which, at the beginning of the war, some thought might hold out one year, some two, none more than three, if the Peloponnesians invaded their country, now seventeen years after the first invasion, after having already suffered from all the evils of war, going to Sicily and undertaking a new war nothing inferior to that which they already had with the Peloponnesians?

[4] These causes, the great losses from Decelea, and the other heavy charges that fell upon them, produced their financial embarrassment; and it was at this time that they imposed upon their subjects, instead of the tribute, the tax of a twentieth upon all imports and exports by sea, which they thought would bring them in more money; their expenditure being now not the same as at first, but having grown with the war while their revenues decayed.

Die Zufuhr an Lebensmitteln aus Euböa, welche früher
von Oropos aus zu Land über Dekeleia stattgefunden hatte, ging
jetzt auf kostspielige Weise zur See um Sunion herum, und an allen
Gegenständen der Zufuhr litt Athen Mangel, und aus einer Stadt
war es jetzt zu einem Waffenplatz geworden. Denn während des
Tags lösten sich die Bürger in der Bewachung der Basteien ab, des
Nachts aber waren Alle, nur die Reiter ausgenommen, theils auf
den Sammelplätzen, theils ans der Mauer, und Winters und
Sommers war die Anstrengung gleich groß. Am meisten aber kamen sie
in'S Gedränge, weil sie zwei Kriege zu gleicher Zeit zu führen hatten,
und sie zeigten dabei eine wetteifernde Ausdauer, an die vorher so
leicht Keiner geglaubt hätte, wenn er davon hätte erzählen hören.
Denn obgleich sie selbst wie durch eine Einschließung von Seiten der
Peloponnesier bedrängt wurden, so ließen sie doch nicht von Sieilien
ab, sondern belagerten dort aus gleiche Weise Syrakus, eine Stadt,
die für sich allein nicht geringer ist, als Athen, und um so
unerwarteter zeigten sie den Hellenen eine so große Macht und Kühnheit, als
beim Beginn des Krieges die Einen geglaubt hatten, wenn die
Peloponnesier in Attika einfielen, so würden es die Athener höchstens
ein Jahr lang aushalten, Andere zwei Jahre, Keiner aber hatte ihnen
mehr als drei Jahre gegeben. Nun aber waren sie im siebzehnten
Jahre nach dem ersten Einfall gegen Sieilien ausgefahren, und
obgleich durch den Krieg schon in jeder Art geschwächt, hatten sie damit
einen neuen Krieg auf sich genommen, der keineswegs geringer
anzuschlagen war, als der frühere Peloponnesische. Dafür gingen ihnen
aber auch bei ihrer damaligen Bedrangniß durch Dekeleia und bei
ihrem sonstigen großen Auswand die Geldmittel aus, und sie legten
um diese Zeit ihren Unterthanen, anstatt des früheren Beitrags, den
zwanzigsten Theil aller Aus- und Einfuhr zur See als Steuer auf'^), ^{1 2 3}
indem sie so ihre Einnahmen zu vermehren glaubten. Denn die
Ausgaben waren nicht mehr dieselben, wie früher, sondern um so höher
b gestiegen, als der Krieg an Ausdehnung gewonnen und die Einkünfte
abgenommen hatten.

XXVIII. D’un autre côté, l’importation des vivres venant d’Eubée, qui, d’Oropos, avait lieu autrefois plus promptement par terre, en traversant Décélie, dut se faire à grands frais par mer, en doublant Sunium. La même privation se faisait sentir pour tous les objets importés du dehors; ce n’était plus une ville, c’était une forteresse. Le jour, les citoyens montaient la garde à tour de rôle sur les remparts; la nuit, tous étaient de service à la fois, à l’exception des cavaliers, les uns à la garde des postes, les autres aux murailles; ils n’avaient de repos ni l’hiver ni l’été. Mais ce qui les accablait par-dessus tout, c’était d’avoir deux guerres à soutenir en même temps. Leur opiniâtreté était montée à un point tel que qui l’eût prédite avant l’évé- nement n’aurait rencontré qu’incrédulité. Comment imaginer, en effet, que, tenus assiégés par les fortifications que les Péloponnésiens avaient élevées chez eux, ils n’aient pas cependant abandonné la Sicile; que, bloqués eux-mêmes, ils soient restés à bloquer Syracuse, ville aussi grande qu’Athènes; qu’ils dussent enfin surprendre la Grèce par cet incroyable prodige de puissance et d’audace! eux dont la résistance ne devait pas se prolonger, à ce qu’on croyait au commencement de la guerre, au delà d’un an suivant les uns, deux au plus, trois peut-être suivant d’autres, mais jamais au delà, une fois que leur pays serait envahi par les Péloponnésiens, et qui pourtant, dix-sept ans après lapremière invasion, lorsque déjà la guerre avait consumé toutes leurs ressources, avaient envahi la Sicile et entrepris une nouvelle guerre qui ne le cédait en rien à celle qu’ils avaient déjà à soutenir contre le Péloponnèse! Aussi se trouvèrent-ils alors, par suite du mal considérable que leur faisait Décélie et de l’immense surcroît de dépense qui venait s’y ajouter, complètement à bout de ressources. Au tribut payé par leurs sujets, ils substituèrent alors un droit du vingtième sur tous les transports maritimes, dans l’espoir que cet impôt serait plus productif. Les dépenses n’étaient pas restées stationnâmes; elles s’étaient considérablement accrues, en raison même du développement de la guerre; les revenus, au contraire, avaient été dépérissant.

D’autre part, le transport des denrées alimentaires fournies par l’Eubée, qui précédemment avait lieu par voie de terre, en suivant la route directe par Oropos et Décélie, dut s'effectuer à grands frais parjner, en doublant le cap Sunion. Athènes tirait absolument tout du dehors ; ce n’était plus une ville, c’était une place de guerre. Le jour, les citoyens à tour de rôle faisaient la garde des créneaux ; la nuit, tous à la fois, hormis les cavaliers , étaient de service, les uns près des armes, les autres sur les remparts. Ces fatigues n’étaient interrompues ni l’été ni l’hiver.

Ce qui mettait le comble à la détresse, c’était d’avoir deux guerres sur les bras. Néanmoins, à cette époque, Athènes déploya une énergie qui auparavant eût semblé incroyable. Presque assiégée par les Péloponésiens, au lieu de rappeler ses soldats de Sicile, elle assiégeait Syracuse, ville qui le disputait avec elle en grandeur. Au début delà guerre, on avait calculé que les Athéniens ne résisteraient qu’une, deux ou tout au plus trois années aux invasions des Péloponésiens ; et voici qu’ils étonnaient les Grecs par un prodigieux déploiement de puissance et d’audace, portant leurs armes en Sicile dix-sept ans après la première invasion de leur pays. Bien qu’à bout de ressources, ils entreprenaient une guerre non moindre que celle des Péloponésiens. Qu’on y joigne les pertes occasionnées par l’occupation de Décélie, les frais qui allaient toujours croissant, et l’on se fera une idée du délabrement des finances. Ce fut alors qu’au tribut payé par les sujets, ils substituèrent un droit du vingtième sur toute espèce de provenances maritimes ¹ , dans l’espoir que cet impôt serait plus productif. Les dépenses n’étaient plus les mêmes qu’autrefois ; elles grandissaient avec la guerre, tandis que les revenus disparaissaient.

[1] There was this further disadvantage: the bringing in of provisions from Euboea, which had formerly been managed more expeditiously by way of Oropus overland through Deceleia, now became expensive, the route being by sea round Sunium. Everything alike which the city needed had to be imported, and Athens ceased to be a city and became a garrisoned fortress.

[2] For the Athenians had to keep guard at the battlements, during the day by relays, but at night everybody except the cavalry, some doing duty at the watch-posts, others upon the wall, both summer and winter, and so suffered great hardships. But what weighed most heavily upon them was that they had two wars on their hands at the same time;

[3] and yet they had been brought to such a pitch of determination as no one would have credited before it happened, if he had heard of it. That they, who were themselves being besieged by the Peloponnesians by means of a fortress in their country, should not even thus abandon Sicily, but should in turn be there besieging Syracuse in the same manner, a city which taken by itself is not smaller than the city of Athens; and that they should have caused the Hellenic world to make so amazing a miscalculation of their power and daring —inasmuch as at the beginning of the war some thought that they could hold out one year, others two years, others longer but never more than three years, if the Peloponnesians should invade their country—that in the seventeenth year after the first invasion of Attica they should have gone to Sicily, when already war-worn in all respects, and should have undertaken another war no whit less serious than that which was already being waged with the Peloponnesus—this, I say, was incredible.

[4] For all these reasons, and because at that time Deceleia was doing them much injury and the general expenses which were accruing were very great, they became crippled in the matter of money; and it was at this time that they imposed upon their subjects, instead of a tribute, a duty of five per cent. on all commodities imported or exported by sea, thinking that in this way they should derive more revenue. For their expenses were not on the same scale as before, but had become far heavier, in proportion as the war had become greater, and their revenues were steadily failing.

[1] The conveyance also of provisions from Euboea, which was before effected more quickly by land from Oropus, through Decelea, was now carried on with great expense by sea, round Sunium. Indeed the city required every thing alike to be imported; and instead of being a city, it was reduced to a garrison.

[2] For the Athenians were harassed by keeping guard on the fortifications, in succession by day, and all of them (excepting the cavalry) by night—some being on duty where the arms were piled, and others on the walls—both summer and winter alike. But what pressed hardest on them was, that they were engaged in two wars at once, and had arrived at such a pitch of obstinate animosity as no one would have believed, if he had heard it before it actually occurred.

[3] For that even when besieged by the Peloponnesians from the fortress in their country, they should not even then have withdrawn from Sicily, but have proceeded, in their turn, to besiege Syracuse in the same manner, a city not less than Athens, considered by itself; and that they should have exhibited to the Greeks so unexpected a display of power and daring, that whereas, in the beginning of the war, some of them thought they might hold out one year, some two, some even three, but no one longer, if the Peloponnesians should invade their country, they now, in the seventeenth year after the first invasion, went to Sicily, when distressed by hostilities in every way, and entered upon another war besides, not less important than that which they already had with the Peloponnese, ¹ [who, I say, would have believed this before it actually took place?] It was owing to these things, then, to the great injury which Decelea inflicted on them, and the other great expenses which befell them, that they were reduced to straits for want of money;

[4] and it was at this time that they imposed on their subjects the tax of ² the twentieth on all sea-borne commodities, instead of the tribute, thinking that thus a larger amount of money would be raised by them. For their expenses were not on the same scale as before, but much greater; inasmuch as the war also was greater, while their revenues were being destroyed.

[1] Et commeatus ex Euboea subvectio quum prius ex Oropo itinere terrestri per Deceleam brevior esset, dica Sunium itinere maritimo magnis sumptibus fiebat, et necesse erat omnibus pariter rebus advecticiis civitas uteretur, et quae prius urbs erat, tunc in castellum commutata est.

[2] Athenienses enim, quod ioterdiu quidem excnbias ad murorum pinnas per vices agerent, noctu vero et universi, praeter equites, partim quidem in statione, ubi arma in promptu habebant, partim vero supra muros aestate pariter et hieme excubias agerent, laboribus conficiebantur.

[3] Sed illud potissimum eos premebat, quod duo bella simul sustinebant, atque pervicaciam induebant talem, quam haud fadle, antequam aeddit, quisquam si audiret, credidiseet. Nam eos a Peloponnesiis munitione circumsessos tamen ’ ne sic quidem ex Sidlia decedere, sed illic eodem modo vicissim obsidere Syracusas, orbem ipsam per se Athenis non minorem, adeoque Graecorum opinionem fefellisse, quam liujus belli initio de ipsorum potentia et audacia conceperant, quando alii quidem annum, alii biennium, alii tribus certe annis nullo modo dialius eos bellum toleraturos potabant, si Peloponnesii irruptionem in ipsorum agrum fecissent, nt anno dedmo septimo post primam irruptionem in Siciliam proficiscerentur, bello jam prorsos attriti, et alteram bellum praeterea susciperent non levius priore, qood a Peloponnesiis instabat fid vero nemo credidisset.)

[4] Propter quae tunc etiam et detrimentis multis, quae a Decelea accipiebant, et rdiqnis sumptibus, qui magni iis accidebant, ad maximam pecuniae inopiam redacti sunt Et per id tempus tributi loco vicesimam mercium, quae mari vehebantur,, populis imperio suo subjectis imperarunt, sperantes, m majorem pecuniae vim liac ratione confecturos. Nam impensae quidem, non quales ante, sed longe majores fiebant, quo etiam majus bellum eiistebat; reditus vero peribant.

Inoltre il trasporto dei viveri che prima da Oropo traversando Decelia, era per terra più sollecito, riusciva assai dispendioso per mare dovendosi girar Sunio; e la città era mancante affatto di tutte le cose che vengono di fuori, e piuttosto che città era diventata una fortezza. Imperciocché gli Ateniesi di giorno facevano a vicenda la guardia su gli spaldi, e la notte tutti, eccetto la cavalleria, erano in fazione, chi ai corpi di guardia, chi sulle mura; onde erano travagliati di state e di verno. Principalmente poi gli opprimeva l’aver due guerre ad un tempo: ed eran venuti a tal pertinacia che chi l’avesse sentita raccontare senza vederla in fatto, non l’avrebbe creduta. Ed invero che altro potea dirsi se non pertinacia il non voler partire di Sicilia mentre erano assediati dalle fortificazioni dei Peloponnesi, e lo stringere per egual modo con altro assedio Siracusa, città di per sè sola non inferiore ad Atene, e l’aver fatto maravigliare i Greci delle loro forze e del loro ardire (in quanto che al cominciamento della guerra alcuni credevano che gli Ateniesi avrebbero potuto resistere un anno, qualora i Peloponnesi invadessero il loro territorio, altri dicevano due, altri tre al più, e nissuno un maggior tempo), a tal segno che diciassett’anni dopo la prima invasione andarono in Sicilia logorati ornai iu tutto dalla guerra ; e per giunta un’altra ne impresero nou minore di quella che già avevano col Pelopouneso ? E per ciò, e pei gravi disastri che soffrivano da Decclia, e per le altre grandi spese eli e occorrevano, trovaronsi scarsi di denaro; ed in questo tempo , in luogo del tributo, tassarono i loro sudditi della vigesima parte delle merci che venissero per mare, sperando che cosi accrescerebbero l’entrate del comune. Imperciocché le spese non eran più le stesse di prima, ma eran diventate assai maggiori, perché maggiore era la guerra; e l’entrate venivano mancando.