Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 7.31

[1] Demosthenes, going from Corcyra after his fortifying in Laconia, found a ship lying in Pheia of Elis, and in her certain men of arms of Corinth, ready to go into Sicily. The ship he sunk; but the men escaped, and afterwards, getting another ship, went on in their voyage.

[2] After this, Demosthenes, being about Zacynthus and Cephallenia, took aboard their men of arms and sent to Naupactus for the Messenians. From thence he crossed over to the continent of Acarnania, to Alyzea and Anactorium, which belonged to the Athenians.

[3] Whilst he was in these parts, he met with Eurymedon out of Sicily, that had been sent in winter unto the army with commodities, who told him amongst other things how he had heard by the way after he was at sea that the Syracusians had won Plemmyrium.

[4] Conon also, the captain of Naupactus, came to them and related that the twenty-five galleys of Corinth that lay before Naupactus would not give over war and yet delayed to fight, and therefore desired to have some galleys sent him, as being unable with his eighteen to give battle to twenty-five of the enemy.

[5] Whereupon Demosthenes and Eurymedon sent ten galleys more to those at Naupactus, the nimblest of the whole fleet, by Conon himself, and went themselves about furnishing of what belonged to the army. Of whom Eurymedon went to Corcyra, and having appointed them there to man fifteen galleys, levied men of arms; for now giving over his course to Athens, he joined with Demosthenes, as having been elected with him in the charge of general; and Demosthenes took up slingers and darters in the parts about Acarnania.

[1] While Mycalessus thus experienced a calamity, for its extent, as lamentable as any that happened in the war, Demosthenes, whom we left sailing to Corcyra , after the building of the fort in Laconia , found a merchantman lying at Rhea in Elis , in which the Corinthian heavy infantry were to cross to Sicily . The ship he destroyed, but the men escaped, and subsequently got another in which they pursued their voyage.

[2] After this, arriving at Zacynthus and Cephallenia, he took a body of heavy infantry on board, and sending for some of the Messenians from Naupactus , crossed over to the opposite coast of Acarnania , to Alyzia , and to Anactorium which was held by the Athenians.

[3] While he was in these parts he was met by Eurymedon returning from Sicily , where he had been sent, as has been mentioned, during the winter, with the money for the army, who told him the news, and also that he had heard, while at sea, that the Syracusans had taken Plemmyrium.

[4] Here, also, Conon came to them, the commander at Naupactus , with news that the twenty-five Corinthian ships stationed opposite to him, far from giving over the war, were meditating an engagement; and he therefore begged them to send him some ships, as his own eighteen were not a match for the enemy's twenty-five.

[5] Demosthenes and Eurymedon, accordingly, sent ten of their best sailors with Conon to reinforce the squadron at Naupactus , and meanwhile prepared for the muster of their forces; Eurymedon, who was now the colleague of Demosthenes, and had turned back in consequence of his appointment, sailing to Corcyra to tell them to man fifteen ships and to enlist heavy infantry; while Demosthenes raised slingers and darters from the parts about Acarnania .

Demotshenes nun, der damals, nach Anlegung der
Verfchanzung auf Lakonischem Gebiet, nach Kerkyra unter Segel ging,
zerstörte unterwegs ein bei Pheia in EliS vor Anker liegendes
Lastschiff, auf welchem die Korinthischen Schwerbewaffneten nach Sieilien
übersetzen wollten; die Mannschaft aber, die entkommen war, fand
später ein anderes Schiff und ging mit diesem in See. Danach kam ¹
Demotshenes nach ZakynthoS und Kephallenia und nahm daselbst
Schwerbewaffnete auf und schickte auch um Zuzug zu den Messeniern
in Naupaktos und ging in eigener Person nach dem
gegenüberliegenden Festland von Akarnanien, nach Alyzia und Anaktorion, welches
die Athener selbst besetzt hielten. Während er sich noch in diesen
Gegenden aufhielt, traf er mit Eurymedon zusammen, der wieder auf
der Heimfahrt von Sieilien begriffen war, wohin man ihn damals
im Winter mit einem Geldtransport an das Heer geschickt hatte. Der
meldete ihm, was sonst vorgegangen war, und daß er aus der See
erfahren habe, Plemmyrion sei von den Syrakusanern genommen.
Dann kam zu ihnen auch Konon, der zu Naupaktos befehligte, und
meldete, daß die fünf und zwanzig Korinthischen Schiffe, die ihnen
gegenüber vor Anker lägen, immer noch kriegerische Absichten zeigten
und'eine Seeschlacht vorbereiteten. Er forderte sie nun auf, ihm
Schiffe zu Hilfe zu schicken, da seine achtzehn nicht im Stande seien,
den Seekampf gegen die fünf und zwanzig feindlichen aufzunehmen.
Demotshenes und Eurymedon schickten deßhalb dem Konon die zehn
besten Segler aus ihren eigenen Geshcwadern nach Naupaktos zu
Hilfe. Sie selber aber beschäftigten sich mit der Sammlung von
KriegSmannschaft, und zwar ging Eurymedon nach Kerkyra und
befahl den Kerkyräern fünfzehn Schiffe zu bemannen, während er selber
Schwerbewaffnete sammelte — er theilte sich nämlich seit seiner
Rückkehr mit Demosthenes in den Oberbefehl, wie ihm dieß ja durch die
Wahl zugefallen war; Demosthenes aber brachte aus den
Akarnanischen Gegenden Schleuderer und Wurfspeerträger zusammen.

XXXI. Démosthènes, qui avait fait voile pour Corcyre en quittant le fort élevé sur la côte de Laconie, trouva à l’ancre, àPhia en Élide, un bâtiment de charge destiné à transporter en Sicile les hoplites de Corinthe. Il le brisa; mais les troupes s’échappèrent, se procurèrent plus tard un autre bâtiment et mirent en mer. Démosthènes toucha ensuite à Zacynthe et à Céphallénie, y prit des hoplites, et manda des Messéniens de ¹ Naupacte. De là il passa sur le continent, en face de ces îles, à Alyzia et à Anoctorion. places d’Acarnanie occupées par les Athéniens. Il fut rencontré dans ces parages par Eurymédon qui revenait de Sicile, où il avait été envoyé l'hiver porter de l’argent à l’armée. Eurymédon lui annonça, entres autres choses, qu’il avait appris, étant déjà en mer, la prise de Plemmyrion par les Syracusains. Conon, qui commandait à Naupacte, vint de son côté les trouver et leur dit que les vingt-cinq vaisseaux corinthiens qui croisaient devant lui ne discontinuaient pas les hostilités, et se disposaient à livrer un combat. Il réclamait d’eux des vaisseaux, vu l’impossibilité de tenir tête avec ses dix-huit bâtiments aux vingt-cinq de l’ennemi. Démosthènes et Eurymédon firent partir, avec Conon, pour renforcer la flotte de Naupacte, dix de leurs vaisseaux pris parmi ceux qui se comportaient le mieux à la mer. Ils s’occupèrent, de leur côté, du rassemblement des troupes : Eurymédon fit voile pourCorcyre, y donna l’ordre d’équiper quinze vaisseaux, et leva des hoplites. Car il partageait, dès lors, le commandement avec Démosthènes, et avait repris la route de Sicile à la nouvelle de son élection. Démosthènes rassembla, dans les parages de l’Acarnanie, des frondeurs et des archers.

Démosthène, après l’achèvement du fort construit en Laconie, fit tvoile pour Corcyre. En passant à Phéa en Élidé. il y trouva à l’ancre un vaisseau de charge, destiné à transporter en Sicile des hoplites corinthiens. Le vaisseau fut coulé; mais les hommes s’échappèrent, et plus tard continuèrent leur ' route sur un autre bâtiment Démosthène toucha ensuite à Zacynthe et à Céphallénie, y prit des hoplites et en demanda aux Mêsséniens de Naupacte. De là il passa sur la côte de l’Acar-nanie, à Alyzia et à Anactorion, que les Athéniens occupaient.

Il était dans ces parages, lorsqu’il rencontra Eurymédon, revenant de Sicile où il avait été envoyé pendant Thiver pour porter des fonds à l’armée ¹ . Ce général lui annonça, entre autres nouvelles, qu’étant déjà en mer il avait su la prise du Plem-myrion par les Syracusains. Gonon, qui commandait à Naupacte, vint trouver les deux généraux, et leur dit que les vingt-cinq vaisseaux corinthiens, en croisière devant cette ville, ne discontinuaient pas les hostilités, et se disposaient à livrer un combat. Il insista pour qu’on lui prêtât quelques navires, les dix-huit qu’il avait sous la main ne pouvant tenir tête aux vingt-cinq de l’ennemi. Démosthène et Eurymédon lui donnèrent dix de leurs bâtiments les plus agiles, afin de renforcer la station de Naupacte ; eux-mêmes s’occupèrent à lever des troupes. Eurymédon, qui avait rebroussé chemin en apprenant son élection comme collègue de Démosthène, se rendit à Gorcyre pour y équiper quinze vaisseaux et y enrôler des hoplites, tandis que Démosthène rassemblait en Acamanie des frondeurs et des gens de trait.

[1] At this time Demosthenes had finished building the fort in Laconia and was on his way to Corcyra; ¹ at Pheia ² in Elis he found lying at anchor a merchant-ship in which the Corinthian hoplites ³ were about to be carried across to Sicily, and destroyed it; but the crew and the hoplites, having escaped, afterwards found another vessel, and continued their voyage.

[2] After this Demosthenes arrived at Zacynthus and Cephallenia, where he took on board some hoplites and sent to the Messenians of Naupactus for others; he then crossed over to the opposite mainland of Acarnania, ⁴ to the ports of Alyzeia and Anactorium, which the Athenians held.

[3] While he was attending to these matters, he was met by Eurymedon, who was returning from Sicily, whither he had been sent during the preceding winter ⁵ with the money for the army; and he reported, among other things, that when he was already on his return voyage he had heard of the capture of Plemmyrium by the Syracusans.

[4] These two were joined by Conon, ⁶ who was in command at Naupactus and brought word that the twenty-five Corinthian ships ⁷ which were lying at anchor opposite them did not abandon their hostile attitude, but were intending to fight. He therefore begged them to send him some ships, on the ground that his own eighteen ships were too few to contend against the twenty-five of the enemy.

[5] Accordingly Demosthenes and Eurymedon sent with Conon ten ships, the best sailers of all their fleet, to reinforce the ships at Naupactus. They then directed their own attention to the preparations for collecting troops for the expedition, Eurymedon sailing to Corcyra, where he made levies of hoplites and directed the Corcyraeans to man fifteen ships—he was now exercising the joint command with Demosthenes, to which he had been elected, and turned his face again toward Sicily—while Demosthenes gathered slingers and javelin-men from the region of Acarnania.

[1] Now Demosthenes being at that time on his voyage for Corcyra, after he had built the fortifications on the side of Laconia, fell in with a merchant vessel anchored at Phea in the Elean territory, in which the Corinthian heavy-armed were to cross over to Sicily;

[2] and he destroyed the ship itself, but the men escaped from it, and having subsequently got another, proceeded on their voyage. After this, having come to Zacynthus and Cephallenia, he took on board a body of heavy-armed, sent for some of the Messenians from Naupactus, and then crossed over to the opposite coast of Acarnania, on the continent, to Alyzia and Anactorium, which the Athenians had in their own hands.

[3] While he was in these parts, he was met by Eurymedon returning from Sicily; who had been sent out with treasure at the time that has been mentioned, during the winter, and told him, amongst other tidings, that he had heard, when already on his voyage, that Plemyrium had been taken by the Syracusans.

[4] Conon, too, who was in command at Naupactus, came to them, with information that the five and twenty Corinthian ships stationed opposite to ¹ the Athenian squadron did not give up hostilities, but were prepared for an engagement.

[5] He begged them therefore to send him some ships, as his own eighteen were not competent to fight the enemy's five and twenty. Accordingly Demosthenes and Eurymedon sent with Conon the ten best sailers of all they had, to join those at Naupactus. They themselves at the same time made preparations for the muster of their forces, Eurymedon sailing to Corcyra, urging them to man fifteen ships, and enlisting heavy-armed troops, (for he now shared. the command with Demosthenes, and had turned back again, in consequence of his election,) and Demosthenes raising slingers and dart-men from the parts about Acarnania.

[1] Demosthenes vero tunc vectus ad Corcyram post illam munitionem in agro Laconico fartam, onerariam navem

Phiae Eleorum in statione positam [nactus], in qua gravis armaturae milites Corinthii in Siciliam erant trajecturi, ipsam quidem corrupit, viri vero elapsi, et mox aliam nacti trauv miserunt.

[2] Et postea Demosthenes io Zacynthum profectus et in Cephalleniam, et illinc gravis armaturae milites assumpsit, et Messenios Naupacto arcessivit, atque in oppositam Acarnaniae continentem trajecit, et Alyziam et Anactorium, quod ipsi Athenienses tenebant

[3] Versanti autem ei circa haec loca occurrit Eurymedon, ex Sicilia remeans, qui hieme, ut praedixi, cum pecunia, quam ad exercitum ferebat, missus erat, et nuntiat quum reliqua, tum etiam, se jam in ipso navigationis cursu audisse Plemyrium a Syracusanis receptum.

[4] Praeterea advenit etiam Cono ad eos, qui Naupacto praeerat, nuntians, quinque illas et viginti Corinthiorum naves, quae in statione sibi opposita stabant, neque bello desistere et proelium navale commissuras esse; quare eos naves ad se mittere jubebat, quod suae duodeviginti impares essent ad confligendum cum hostium quinque j et viginti navibus.

[5] Demosthenes igitur et Eurymedon decem velocissimas ex iis, quas ipsi habebant, cum Conone miserunt ad illas, quae Naupacti erant; ipsi vero m copiis cogendis versabantur; atque Eurymedon quidem in Corcyram profectus jussit ipsos instruere quindecim naves, et gravis armaturae milites legebat (jam enim una cum Demoslltene imperium gerebat reversus, quemadmodum etiam delectus erat), Demosthenes vero ex locis, quae circum Acarnaniam erant, funditores et jaculatores cogebat.

In quel tempo Demostene, dopo la costruzione del forte della Laconia partendo per Corfù, incontra a Fia degli Elei una nave da carico che stava all’ancora, con a bordo i soldati gravi de’Corintii che aveano a tragittare in Sicilia, e la fracassa : ma le persone scamparono, e trovata poi un’altra nave proseguirono il corso. Quindi arrivato egli a Zacinto ed a Cefallenia prese seco i soldati di grave armatura, fece venire da Naupatto alcuni Messenii, e passato in terraferma di faccia all’Acarnania venne ad Àlizia e ad

Auactorio occupato dagli Ateniesi. E mentre era in questi luoghi gli viene incontro Eurimedonte di ritorno dalla Sicilia , ove nell’ inverno era stato mandato a portar denari all’esercito , come dicemmo, e gli dà conto tra l’altre della presa di Plemmirio eseguita dai Siracusani, e da lui intesa durante la sua navigazione. Giunge poi da loro Conone comandante a Naupatto, annunziando come le venticinque navi dei Corintii che contr’essi stavano alle vedette, non solo non desistevano dalla guerra, ma erano auzi in proemio di venire a battaglia, e però li pregava a spedirvi altre navi, stante che le loro diciotto non erano sufficienti a combattere le venticinque corinlie. Il perchè Demostene ed Eurimedonte spediscono con Conone dieci navi delle più veloci che seco avevano , le quali doveano aggiungersi a quelle di Naupatto ; e davano ordine a fare l’accolta delle genti. E per questo Eurimedonte (che vollato indietro il cammino esercitava ornai con Demostene il comando al quale era sialo elelio) navigò a Corfù, ordinando ai Corfuotti di armare quindici navi ed arruolare soldati gravi ; e Demostene adunava frombolieri e saettatori dai dintorni dell’Acarnania.