Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 7.56

[1] The Syracusians went presently about the haven without fear and meditated how to shut up the same that the Athenians might not steal away without their knowledge, though they would.

[2] For now they studied not only how to save themselves, but how to hinder the safety of the Athenians. For the Syracusians conceived, not untruly, that their own strength was at this present the greater, and that if they could vanquish the Athenians and their confederates both by sea and land, it would be a mastery of great honour to them amongst the rest of the Grecians. For all the rest of Greece should be one part freed by it, and the other part out of fear of subjection hereafter; for it would be impossible for the Athenians, with the remainder of their strength, to sustain the war that would be made upon them afterwards. And they, being reputed the authors of it, should be had in admiration, not only with all men now living, but also with posterity.

[3] And to say truth, it was a worthy mastery, both for the causes shewn and also for that they became victors not of the Athenians only but many others, their confederates; nor again they themselves alone but their confederates also, having been in joint command with the Corinthians and Lacedaemonians, and both exposed their city to the first hazard, and of the business by sea performed the greatest part themselves.

[4] The greatest number of nations, except the general roll of those which in this war adhered to Athens and Lacedaemon, were together at this one city.

[1] Meanwhile the Syracusans immediately began to sail freely along the harbor, and determined to close up its mouth, so that the Athenians might not be able to steal out in future, even if they wished.

[2] Indeed, the Syracusans no longer thought only of saving themselves, but also how to hinder the escape of the enemy; thinking, and thinking rightly, that they were now much the strongest, and that to conquer the Athenians and their allies by land and sea would win them great glory in Hellas . The rest of the Hellenes would thus immediately be either freed or released from apprehension, as the remaining forces of Athens would be henceforth unable to sustain the war that would be waged against her; while they, the Syracusans, would be regarded as the authors of this deliverance, and would be held in high admiration, not only with all men now living but also with posterity.

[3] Nor were these the only considerations that gave dignity to the struggle. They would thus conquer not only the Athenians but also their numerous allies, and conquer not alone, but with their companions-in-arms, commanding side by side with the Corinthians and Lacedaemonians, having offered their city to stand in the van of danger, and having been in a great measure the pioneers of naval success.

[4] Indeed, there were never so many peoples assembled before a single city, if we except the grand total gathered together in this war under Athens and Lacedaemon .

Die Syrakusaner aber segelten von da an ganz furchtlos
am Hasen vorbei und beabsichtigten, dessen Mündung zu.verschließen,
damit die Athener, auch wenn sie wollten, nicht äunbemerkt herauS- ¹
fahren konnten. Denn von jetzt an richteten sie ihre Gedanken schon >
nicht mehr blos auf die eigene Rettung, sondern dachten auch jenen
das Entkommen zu verhindern, und ganz richtig meinten sie, daß es
nach der jetzigen Lage der Dinge, mit ihnen viel besser stehe; als mit
den Athenern, und wenn sie diese sammt ihren Bundesgenossen zu
Land und zu Wasser besiegen könnten, so, werde vor den Hellenen aus
diesem Kampfe großer Ruhm auf-sie fallen. Denn die übrigen
Hellenen würden dann zum Theil sogleich sich frei machen, theils-der
Furcht ledig werden; denn waS dann-noch, übrig bliebe von der Macht
der Athener, werde nicht mehr im Stande, sein, noch weiteren Krieg
zu bestehen. Und sie selbst, dachten sie, als die Urheber von diesen
Dingen, würden in großer Bewunderung stehen bei den andern
Menschen und den Künftigen Und in der That war der Kamps aus
diesen Gründen ein würdiger, und nicht bloß deßhalb, sondern auch,
weil sie nicht allein die Athener besiegten, sondern auch die andern
zahlreichen Bundesgenossen derselben, und auch hier wiederum nicht
selbstsüchtig für sich handelten, sondern in Gemeinschaft mit ihren
Bundesgenossen, so daß sie an der Korinther.und. Lakedämonier Seite
Führer jd^r Hellenen wurden und im. Vorkampf für dieselben ihr
eigenes Staatswesen daranwagten und dabei auch in ihrem Seewesen
ein gutes Stück vorwärts kamen. Denn zum Kampfe gegen diese
Eine Stadt wären zahlreiche Völkerschaften zusammengetreten,
--ganz abgesehen dabei von der Gesammtmasse derjenigen, welche sich
in diesem Kriege an den.Staat der Athener, oder den der
Lakedämonier anschlössen. ,

LVI. De ce moment les Syracusains purent librement parcourir le port, et résolurent d’en fermer l’entrée, pour qu’il ne fût plus possible aux Athéniens d’en sortir à leur insu, quand bien même ils le voudraient. Car déjà ce n’était plus seulement à se sauver euxmêmes qu’ils donnaient leurs soins, ils voulaient interdire à l’ennemi toute voie de salut. Ils croyaient, ce qui était vrai, que déjà les faits accomplis leur assuraient une grande supériorité; que s’ils parvevenaient à vaincre les Athéniens et leurs alliés sur terre et sur mer, ce serait pour eux une glorieuse recommandation auprès des Grecs; que les autres nations helléniques seraient par cela seul affranchies, celles-ci de l’esclavage, celles-là de la crainte, les Athéniens, se trouvant dès lors hors d’état de soutenir, avec ce qui leur resterait de forces, la guerre qu’on leur ferait; qu’eux-mêmes enfin, regardés comme les auteurs de ce bienfait, seraient un objet d’admiration pour leurs contemporains et pour l’avenir. Certes, à ce point de vue et à d’autres égards encore, c’était une lutte glorieuse; ce n’était pas seulement des Athéniens qu’ils triomphaient, mais aussi d’un grand nombre d’alliés d’Athènes; de leur côté, ils n’étaient point restés isolés, mais avaient vu un grand nombre de peuples se ranger autour d’eux; ils avaient partagé le commandement avec les Corinthiens et les Lacédémoniens, exposé leur ville aux premiers périls, et grandement accru leur importance maritime. En effet, à part le rassemblement général qui dans cette guerre se fit à Athènes et à Lacédémone, jamais une seule ville n’avait vu pareil concours de peuples.

Dès ce moment, les Syracusains circulèrent librement dans le port; ils songeaient même à en fermer l’entrée, afin que les Athéniens ne pussent pas s’échapper à leur insu. Ce n’était déjà plus de leur propre conservation qu’ils s’occupaient: ils aspiraient à empêcher celle de leurs adversaires. Ils se disaient, non sans raison, que, dans l’état actuel des choses, h supériorité leur était largement acquise ; que s'ils venaient à bout de vaincre les Athéniens sur terre et sur mer, ce triomphe les couvrirait de gloire aux yeux de la Grèce entière, dont les peuples seraient aussitôt délivrés, ceux-ci du joug, ceux-là, de la crainte ; que les Athéniens, avec le restant de leurs forces, seraient hors d'état de soutenir la guerre ; tandis que les Syracusains, auteurs de cette révolution, exciteraient l’admiration des contemporains et de la postérité. A tous égards, la lutte était bien glorieuse; mais ce n’était pas tout : ils allaient triompher non-seulement des Athéniens, mais encore de leurs alliés, non moins nombreux que ceux de Syracuse, partager le commandement avec les Corinthiens et les Lacédémoniens; enfin, en s’exposant les premiers, donner la plus grande extension à leur marine.

[1] The Syracusans, on the other hand, began at once to sail fearlessly about the harbour and determined to close up the entrance to it, in order that the Athenians might no longer be able, even if they wished, to sail out unobserved.

[2] For the Syracusans were no longer concerned with merely saving themselves, but also with preventing the Athenians from being saved, thinking, as indeed was the case, that in the present circumstances their own position was much superior, and that if they could defeat the Athenians and their allies both by land and by sea the achievement would appear a glorious one for them in the eyes of the Hellenes. All the other Hellenes, they reflected, would immediately be either liberated from subjection or relieved from fear, since the military forces that would remain to the Athenians would not be strong enough to sustain the war that would afterwards be brought against them; and they themselves, being regarded as the authors of all this, would be greatly admired not only by the world at large but also by posterity.

[3] And indeed the struggle was a worthy one, both in these respects and because they were showing themselves superior, not to the Athenians only, but to their numerous allies as well, and that too not standing alone but associated with the friends who had come to their aid, thus taking their place as leaders along with the Corinthians and Lacedaemonians, having also given their own city to bear the brunt of the danger and taken a great step forward in sea-power.

[4] Indeed, a larger number of nations than ever before had gathered together at this one city, if one except the vast throng of those who in this war rallied to the support of the city of Athens and the city of the Lacedaemonians.

[1] The Syracusans, on the other hand, immediately began to sail without fear along the harbour, and determined to close up its mouth, that the Athenians might not in future sail out, even if they wished it, unobserved by them.

[2] For they were no longer attending to their own preservation merely, but also to the prevention of the enemy's escape; thinking (as was the fact) that with their present resources their own cause was decidedly the stronger; and that if they could conquer the Athenians and their allies both by land and sea, the victory would appear a glorious one for them in the eyes of the Greeks. For of the rest of the Greeks some in that case were straight way liberated, and others released from fear, (as the remaining power of the Athenians would no longer be able to bear the war that would afterwards be waged against them;) while they themselves also, being regarded as the authors of this, would be greatly admired, both by the rest of the world, and by posterity.

[3] And the contest was indeed worth encountering, both on these grounds, and because they were winning the victory, not only over the Athenians, but over the other numerous allies also; and, again, not winning it by themselves, but also in company with those who had joined in assisting them; having taken the lead, too, with the Corinthians and Lacedaemonians, and given their own city to stand the first brunt of the danger, and paved the way, in great measure, for their naval success.

[4] For the greatest number of nations met together at this single city, excepting the whole sum of the confederates assembled, during the war, at the city of Athens or of Lacedaemon.

[1] At Syracusani statim portum praevehebantur intrepide et ejus ostium claudere cogitabant, ne Athenienses jam, etiam si vellent, clam iis exire possent.

[2] Nec enim jam id modo, ut ipsi salvi essent, curae habebant, sed etiam ut illos salutem sibi parere impedirent, existimantes, id quod res erat, et pro praesenti rerum suarum statu longe superiores suas vires esse, et si Athenienses sociosquc et terra et mari superare possent, praeclarum sibi certamen boc apud Graecos visum iri; nam et ceteros Graecos confestim partim servitute, partim metu liberatum iri (reliquam enim Alheniensiurti potentiam nequaquam amplius satis virium habituram ad sustinendum bellum, quod iis postea inferretur), se autem, quod horum auctores fuisse viderentur, et apud ceteros mortales et apud posteros magnae admirationi futuros.

[3] £t profecto dignum erat gloria certamen illud quum his de causis, tum etiam, quod non solum Athenienses vincebant, sed etiam multos alios eorum socios, neque rursus ipsi tantum, sed etiam una cum illis, qui auxilio iis venerant, quum et duces extilissent cum Corinthiis et Lacedaemoniis et suam urbem in propugnandi pericula objecissent, et rem navalem multum promovissent.

[4] Etenim plurimae gentes ad hanc unam urbem tunc confluxerant, nulla quidem eorum ratione deducta, qui omnino in hoc bello vel Atheniensium vel ad Lacedaemoniorum urbem convenerant.

All’opposto i Siracusani scorrevano subito francamente lunghesso il porto, e pensavano di serrarne rimboccatura , acciocché gli Ateniesi, quand'anche il volessero, non potessero uscirne furtivamente. Nè solo si davano premura di procacciar salvezza a sè stessi, ma anche di impedirla al nemico ; avvisando, come era vero, le loro cose essere al presente in miglior grado di quelle degli avversari ; e se potessero vincere gli Ateniesi co’ loro alleati per terra e per mare, dover ilare di sè glorioso spettacolo a tutti i Greci, i quali parte tostamente sarebbero messi in libertà, parte disciolti dal timore. Conciossiachè la Repubblica ateniese con le forze che le restavano non più sarebbe in seguito sufficiente a reggere al fascio di una seconda guerra che le fosse portata addosso ; laddove essi reputati autori di questo , avrebbero fatto maravigliar molto di sè gli altri popoli ed i posteri. E lasciando stare di ciò, era inoltre glorioso quel certame, perchè non solo avrebbero vinto gli Ateniesi, ma anche molti altri de’ loro confederati, non già essi da sè soli ma con gli altri che li aveano soccorsi, e si sarebbero fatti duci de’ Lacedemoni e de’Corintii, ed arebbero esposta innanzi al pericolo la propria città, ed avanzata la loro flotta ad alto grado di potenza. E certo moltissime furono le genti concorse a questa unica città, e solo meno numerose di tutta insieme l’altra moltitudine , che in questa guerra si accolse dalla parte di Atene e di Sparta.