Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 7.32

[1] The ambassadors of the Syracusians, which after the taking of Plemmyrium had been sent unto the cities about, having now obtained and levied an army amongst them, were conducting the same to Syracuse. But Nicias, upon intelligence thereof, sent unto such cities of the Siculi as had the passages and were their confederates, the Centoripines, Halicyaeans, and others, not to suffer the enemy to go by, but to unite themselves and stop them, for that they would not so much as offer to pass any other way, seeing the Agrigentines had already denied them.

[2] When the Sicilians were marching, the Siculi, as the Athenians had desired them, put themselves in ambush in three several places, and setting upon them unawares and on a sudden, slew about eight hundred of them, and all the ambassadors save only one, a Corinthian, which conducted the rest that escaped, being about fifteen hundred, to Syracuse.

[1] Meanwhile the envoys, already mentioned, who had gone from Syracuse to the cities after the capture of Plemmyrium, had succeeded in their mission, and were about to bring the army that they had collected, when Nicias got scent of it, and sent to the Centoripae and Alicyaeans and other of the friendly Sicels, who held the passes, not to let the enemy through, but to combine to prevent their passing, there being no other way by which they could even attempt it, as the Agrigentines would not give them a passage through their country.

[2] Agreeably to this request the Sicels laid a triple ambuscade for the Siceliots upon their march, and attacking them suddenly, while off their guard, killed about eight hundred of them and all the envoys, the Corinthian only excepted, by whom fifteen hundred who escaped were conducted to Syracuse .

Die Gesandten der Syrakusaner nun, welche damals nach
der Einnahme von Plemmyrion in die einzelnen Städte abgegangen
waren, hatten solche zum Beitritt bewogen und waren eben im
Begriff, die so gesammelten Truppen nach Syrakus zu führen, als
Nikias davon noch rechtzeitig Kunde erhielt und Boten abordnete an
die Sikuler; welche die Pässe besetzt hielten und den Athenern
verbündet waren, die Kentoriper nämlich und Alikyäer und Andere, daß
sie die Feinde nicht durchlassen, sondern sich zusammenthun und ihnen
die Pässe verlegen sollten; denn einen andern Weg einzuschlagen,
würden diese nicht einmal versuchen, da die Akragantiner den
Durchzug durch ihr Land überhaupt nicht gestatteten. Während nun jene
auf dem Marsch waren, legten ihnen die Sikuler, wie die Athener sie ¹
gebeten, einen (dreifachen) Hinterhalt, fielen plötzlich über die
Unbehutsamen her und erschlugen ihrer gegen achthundert und dabei auch
sämmtliche Gesandte, mit Ausnahme des Korinthischen, der dann auch
die Entkommenen, ungefähr fünfzehn hundert an der Zahl, nach
Syrakus brachte.

XXXII. Les députés, envoyés par les Syracusains aux villes de Sicile, après la prise de Plemmyrion, avaient réussi dans leur mission, et se disposaient à ramener les troupes qu’fis avaient réunies. Nicias, prévenu à l’avance, manda aux Sicèles alliés, Centoripes, Alicyéens et autres, dont ils devaient traverser le pays, de ne pas laisser passer ces forces ennemies, et de se concerter pour leur barrer la route. — Il n’y avait pas pour eux d’autre chemin, les Agrigentins refusant le passage sur leur territoire. — Déjà les Siciliens étaient en marche. Les Sicèles, sur cet avis des Athéniens, dressèrent trois embuscades, fondirent sur eux à l’improviste, les surprirent et leur tuèrent huit cents hommes. Tous les députés périrent, à l’exception d’un seul qui était de Corinthe. Il rassembla ceux qui avaient échappé, au nombre de quinze cents, et les amena à Syracuse.

Les députés que les Syracusains avaient envoyés en tournée après la prise du Plemmyrion, avaient réussi dans leur mission et se disposaient à amener les renforts qu’ils avaient recueillis. Nicias, prévenu à temps, fit dire aux Sicules alliés, dont ces renforts devaient traverser le pays, savoir aux Gentoripes, aux Alicyéens et à d’autres, de ne pas leur donner passage, mais de se réunir pour les arrêter. Toute autre route leur était fermée, car les Agrigentins ne leur permettaient pas de traverser leur pays. Sur cet avis de Nicias, les Sicujes dressèrent une triple embuscade aux Grecs de Sicile déjà en marche, fondirent sur eux à l’improviste, et leur tuèrent près de huit cents hommes, parmi lesquels tous les députés, à l’exception d’un seul, le Corinthien. Celui-ci recueillit les fuyards, au nombre de quinze cents, et les conduisit à Syracuse.

[1] Meanwhile the envoys, who after the capture of Plemmyrium had gone from Syracuse to visit the cities of Sicily, ¹ had succeeded in their mission, and having raised a body of troops were about to bring them home, when, Nicias, hearing of this in time, sent word to the Sicels ² who were allies of the Athenians and controlled the territory through which the troops would have to pass—and these were the Centoripes, ³ Alicyaeans and others—that they should not allow the enemy to pass, but should get together and prevent their coming through; they would not, he said, attempt it by any other route, since the Agrigentines had refused to give them passage through their territory.

[2] And when the Siceliots were already on the march, the Sicels did as the Athenians requested, and setting an ambush and falling suddenly upon the Siceliots while they were off their guard, destroyed about eight hundred of them and all the envoys except one, the Corinthian; and he conducted those who made their escape, about fifteen hundred in number, to Syracuse.

[1] As for the ambassadors who had gone at the time mentioned-after the taking of Plemyrium-from Syracuse to the cities, they had prevailed on them to join their side, and had raised and were just about to lead off the force, when Nicias, receiving early intelligence of it, sent to those of the Sicels who held the passes, and were in alliance with the Athenians, namely, the Centotripes, Alicyaeans, and some others, to beg them not to give free passage to the enemy, but to unite together and prevent their marching through their country, since there was no other by which they would attempt to do so, as the Acragantines would not grant them a passage through theirs.

[2] When therefore the Siceliots were even on their march, the Sicels, in compliance with the request of the Athenians, laid an ambuscade for them in three different places, and falling upon them while off their guard and without any notice, killed about eight hundred of them, with all the ambassadors except one, namely, the Corinthian, who led to Syracuse those that had escaped, to the number of fifteen hundred.

[1] At Syracusanorum legati, qui, ut praedixi, post Plemyrium expugnatum civitates adierant, quum quod petebant, iis persuasissent, et copias, qnas collegerant, Syracusas essent ducturi, Nicias, quum rem praesensisset, mittit^d illos Siculos, qui transitum tenebant et sibi socii erant, Centoripas et Alicyaeos et alios, ne hostibus iter praebeant sed congregati prohibeant; alia enim via eos transire ne conaturos quidem; Agrigentini enim iter iis per suum agrum non dabant.

[2] Quum autem Sicilienses jani in via essent, Siculi, quemadmodum ab Atheniensibus orabantur, [Iribus in locis] insidiae collocarunt, et illos incau tos et ex improviso aggressi ad octingentos fermt occiderunt, omnesque legatos, praeter unum Corinthium; hic vero eos, qui elapsi sunt, ad mille et quingentos Syracusas deduxit.

Ma poiché i legati de’ Siracusani andati dopo la presa di Plemmirio alle diverse città, le ebbero persuase; e poiché già erano sul punto di condur via l' esercito radunatovi , Nicia che ciò avea presentito spedisce ai Siculi padroni dei passi ed agli alleati Centoripii ed Alicicei e agli altri, acciò non lasciassero traversare i nemici, ma riunitisi insieme contrastassero loro il passaggio , che per altra via nemmeno lo tenterebbero , da che gli Agrigentini avean ad essi disdetto di trapassare pel loro territorio. E già i Siciliani eraao in cammino, quando i Siculi che a petizione degli Ateniesi aveano teso loro una triplice imboscata, assaltarono all’ improvviso gl’incauti f ne uccisero da ottocento e tutti i legati, salvo quello di Corinto, che condusse a Siracusa quei che la scamparono, i quali furono intorno di ìnille cinquecento.