Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 7.63

[1] "Which you remembering, must therefore fight it out to the utmost and not suffer yourselves to be beaten back unto the shore;

[2] but when galley to galley shall once be fallen close, never think any cause worthy to make you part unless you have first beaten off the men of arms of the enemy from their decks. And this I speak to you rather that are the men of arms than to the mariners, inasmuch as that part belongeth rather unto you that fight above;

[3] and in you it lieth even yet to achieve the victory for the most part with the landmen. Now for the mariners, I advise, and withal beseech them, not to be too much daunted with the losses past, having now both a greater number of galleys and greater forces upon the decks. Think it a pleasure worth preserving that being taken, by your knowledge of the language and imitation of our fashions, for Athenians (though you be not so), you are not only admired for it through all Greece, but also partake of our dominion in matter of profit no less than ourselves, and for awfulness to the nations subject and protection from injury, more.

[4] You therefore that alone participate freely of our dominion cannot with any justice betray the same. In despite therefore of the Corinthians, whom you have often vanquished, and of the Sicilians, who as long as our fleet was at the best durst never so much as stand us, repel them; and make it appear that your knowledge, even with weakness and loss, is better than the strength of another with fortune.

[1] You must remember this and fight on as long as you can, and must not let yourselves be driven ashore, but once alongside must make up your minds not to part company until you have swept the heavy infantry from the enemy's deck.

[2] I say this more for the heavy infantry than for the seamen, as it is more the business of the men on deck; and our land forces are even now on the whole the strongest.

[3] The sailors I advise, and at the same time implore, not to be too much daunted by their misfortunes, now that we have our decks better armed and a greater number of vessels. Bear in mind how well worth preserving is the pleasure felt by those of you who through your knowledge of our language and imitation of our manners were always considered Athenians, even though not so in reality, and as such were honored throughout Hellas , and had your full share of the advantages of our empire, and more than your share in the respect of our subjects and in protection from ill treatment.

[4] You, therefore, with whom alone we freely share our empire, we now justly require not to betray that empire in its extremity, and in scorn of Corinthians, whom you have often conquered, and of Siceliots, none of whom so much as presumed to stand against us when our navy was in its prime, we ask you to repel them, and to show that even in sickness and disaster your skill is more than a match for the fortune and vigor of any other.

.Daran müßt ihr denken und nicht ablassen vom Kampf
mit der äußersten Anstrengung eurer Kraft, und euch.nicht an's Land
drängen lassen, sondern wenn Schiff mit Schiff zusammengestoßen
ist, dürft ihr euch nicht eher dazu verstehen, es loszulassen, als bis
ihr vom feindlichen Verdeck die Schwerbewaffneten hinabgestürzt habt.
Und das sage ich unseren Schwerbewaffneten nicht weniger als der
Schiffsmannschaft, zumal ja.das auch mehr die Arbeit der vom
Verdeck herab Kämpfenden ist; es soll uns also auch hier zu Theil
werden, daß wir im Kampf meist mit den Landtruppen siegen. Dem
Schiffsvolk aber rufe ich zugleich zu und bitte es, unserer Schlappen
wegen nicht gar zu sehr den Muth zu verlieren, zumal wir ja jetzt
auch auf den Verdecken bessere Borkehrungen und die größere
Schiffszahl haben. Ihr aber,.die ihr bis jetzt für Athener gehalten wurdet,
ohne es zu sein, die ihr euch unserer Sprache bedientet und unsere
Sitten nachahmtet und dafür bewundert wurdet in ganz Hellas, die
ihr von unserer Herrschaft hinsichtlich eures Nutzens den gleichen
Vortheil hattet, und deßgleichen auch hinsichtlich des gefürchteten
Ansehens bei den Unterthanen und der Sicherstellung bei jeder
Beleidigung, bedenket wohl, wie sehr es der Anstrengung würdig ist,
euch den Genuß jener Vorzüge zu wahren. Als solche, die allein als
Freie an unserer Herrschaft theilnehmen, dürfet ihr gerechter Weise
sie nicht verrathen; verachtet vielmehr die Korinther, die ihr so ost
besiegt habt, wie die Sikelioten, von denen, so lange unsere Seemacht
blühte, auch nicht Einer es nur gewagt hätte, sich uns gegenüber zu
stellen. Treibet sie ab und zeiget, daß trotz Schwächung und
Mißgeschick eure Geschicklichkeit der vom Glück gehobenen Stärke Anderer
überlegen ist."

LXIII. « Songez à ce danger et combattez à outrance, sans vous laisser acculer au rivage; tombez sur l’ennemi, vaisseaux contre vaisseaux, et ne lâchez pas prise avant d’avoir exterminé sur le pont tous les hoplites. Cette recommandation s’adresse aux hoplites plus encore qu’aux matelots, puisque cela regarde principalement ceux qui sont sur le tillac, et que c’est surtout l’infanterie qui peut maintenant nous donner la supériorité. Quant aux matelots, je les exhorte à ne pas se laisser trop abattre par leurs malheurs, je les en conjure même, maintenant que nous avons sur les ponts de meilleures dispositions avec des vaisseaux plus nombreux. Et vous aussi, songez à votre existence si douce, si digne d’être sauvée de la ruine, vous qui, réputés Athéniens ¹ , sans l’être réellement, faisiez l’admi- ² ration de la Grèce, par la connaissance de notre langue et l'imitation de nos moeurs, qui participiez autant que nous aux avantages de notre domination, plus que nous-mêmes aux garanties que vous y trouviez contre toute offense, et à la sécurité que donnait la terreur imprimée à nos sujets. Seuls, vous vous êtes librement associés à notre empire; vous ne sauriez, sans injustice, le trahir aujourd’hui. Pleins de mépris pour les Corinthiens, que vous avez souvent vaincus, pour les Siciliens dont nul n’a osé tenir devant vous tant que notre marine était florissante, fondez sur eux, et montrez-leur que, même après vos désastres et malgré votre affaiblissement, votre science l’emporte encore sur la témérité qui a réussi à d’autres.

a Que cette pensée vous excite à combattre vaillamment, sans songer à regagner la terre. Quand vous aurez accosté un bâtiment, né lâchez prise qu’après avoir balayé le tiliae ennemi. Cette recommandation s’adresse aux soldats encore plus qu’aux matelots, car c’est aux hommes placés sur les ponts qu’appartient surtout cette tâche ; c’est sur eux que reposent principalement nos espérances de victoire. Quant aux matelots, je les exhorte et les conjure tout à la fois de ne pas se laisser abattre par leurs revers, maintenant que nos vaisseaux sont plus nombreux et nos dispositions meilleures.

« Et vous, alliés, qui, sans être Athéniens de naissance, partagez notre langage, nos mœurs, et obtenez comme nous le respect de la Grèce; vous qui jouissiez de notre empire autant, si ce n’est plus que nous, qui lui devez les égards de nos sujets et votre propre sécurité, songez combien cette ppsition mérite d’être conservée. Seuls vous avez trouvé la liberté en participant à notre empire; il serait donc injuste de le trahir aujourd’hui. Pleins de mépris pour ces Corinthiens que vous avez tant de fois battus, pour ces Siciliens dont nul n’eût osé nous regarder en face aux beaux jours de notre marine, repoussez-les courageusement, et prouvez-leur que, malgré nos revers et notre faiblesse, notre habileté l’emporte sur leur force heureuse.

[1] "Remembering these things, you must fight to the last with all your strength and not allow yourselves to be driven ashore, but when ship collides with ship be resolved never to separate until you have swept into the sea the hoplites on the enemy's decks.

[2] And these things I urge upon the hoplites not less than upon the sailors, inasmuch as such work belongs rather to those on deck; and, besides, we still have the better of the enemy in most points with our land-force.

[3] As for the sailors, I exhort them, and at the same time I even implore them, not to be overmuch dismayed by our calamities, since the forces we now have on the decks are better and our ships more numerous; and I would have you—those of you that is who have hitherto been accounted Athenians without being so ¹ —reflect how well worth preserving is the proud feeling that because of your knowledge of our language and your imitation of our ways you have been admired through. out Hellas, and in point of advantage have had no less a share in our empire than ourselves, while as regards the fear you inspired in our subjects and the freedom from injury you enjoyed you have had a much greater share.

[4] Do you, therefore, who alone are partners with us in our empire as free men, be just and do not utterly betray it; but with scorn both for the Corinthians, whom you have frequently beaten, and for the Siceliots, not one of whom, when our navy was at its best, ever presumed even to stand up against us, ward them off; and show that even amid weakness and misfortune your skill is more than a match for the strength and good fortune of your opponents.

[1] "Remembering this, then, you must fight on as long as you can, and not be driven to land, but determine, when one ship has closed with another, not to separate before you have swept off the soldiers from your enemy's deck.

[2] And this exhortation I offer to the soldiers not less than to the sailors, inasmuch as this work belongs more to those upon deck. And we have still even now a general superiority with our troops.

[3] On the other hand, I advise the seamen, and entreat them too at the same time, not to be too much dismayed by their misfortunes, as we have now superior resources on our decks, and a larger number of ships. Consider, too, how well worth preserving is that pleasure enjoyed by those of you, who, being hitherto considered as Athenians, even though you are not, from your knowledge of our language and your imitation of our customs, were respected through Greece, and enjoyed no less a share of our empire as regarded the benefits you derived from it, and a far greater share as regards being feared by our subjects, and being secured from injuries.

[4] Since then you alone, as free men, share our empire with us, abstain, as just men, from now utterly betraying it. And with contempt for Corinthians, whom you have often conquered, and for Siceliots, none of whom presumed, while our fleet was in fine condition, so much as to stand up against us, repel them, and show that, even when attended by weakness and misfortunes, your skill is superior to the fortunate strength of any others.

[1] « Quorum vos memores oportet totis viribus certamen inire, nec ad eam propelli, sed quum navis cum nai i confligere coeperit, non prius permittere vobis ut ab hoste dirimamini, quam de hostili tabulato milites deturbantis.

[2] Atque ad haec non minus milites, quam nautas adhortor, quo magis eorum, qui desuper pugnant, hoc oflicium est; adest autem nobis nunc quoque facultas, ut magis peditatu victoriam consequamur.

[3] Nautas vero adhortor, et simul obsecro, ne propter clades acceptas animo nimis·consternato sitis, quum et flrmiorem apparatum ex tabulatis nunc habeatis, et naves plures, et ut diligenter apud animos vestros consideretis, quam operae pretium sit illam voluptatem conservare, quotquot de vobis antea Athenienses habili, quamvis non essetis, et ob nostrae linguae peritiam et ob institutorum imitationem in Graecia suspiciebamini, et imperii nostri, quod utilitatem quidem attinet, non minus, quod vero metum apud subjectos et injuriarum immunitatem, multo etiam magis participes eratis.

[4] Itaque quum soli libere socii sitis imperii nostri, merito nunc illud ne prodatis, et contemptis Corinthiis, quos saepe superastis, et Siciliensibus, quorum nullus, quamdiu nostra classis vigebat, nobis resistere est ausus, propulsate eos et ostendite vel in imbecillitate et calamitatibus vestram peritiam aliorum robore, quod secunda fortuna utitur, potentiorem esse.

« Le quali cose considerando , fa d’uopo che persistiate combattendo con tutta la virilità dell’animo , nè vi lasciale ributtar sulla spiaggia ; anzi quando siate venuti all’abbordaggio, abbiale per viltà il separarvi prima d’aver traboccati giù dalla coverta nemica i soldati gravi. Avvertimento eli’ io porgo ai combattenti più che ai nocchieri, in quanto che questa è opera piuttosto di quelli che pugnano di sul palco della nave. In voi pure, o soldati da terra, consiste anche adesso la maggior parte della vittoria. Ed io esorto e prego insieme voi marinari a non sbigottirvi troppo per le sofferte sciagure, ora che avete miglior apparato sulle coverte ; e voi che senza essere Ateniesi siete reputati tali sì per la perizia del nostro linguaggio, sì per l’imilazione delle maniere, voi, dico, scongiuro a considerare quanto sia da esser conservata quella gjioia che sentivate dall’essere l’ammirazione della Grecia, e dal partecipare non meno di noi del nostro imperio rispetto ai vantaggi di esso, non tanto per il terrore che incutevate ai nostri vassalli, quanto perchè eravate al coperto dalle loro offese. Laonde se voi soli siete liberamente a parte del nostro imperio, è ben giusto che non dobbiate ora tradirlo. Che anzi dispregiando i Corintii cui più volte vinceste , ed i Siciliani dei quali nissuno mentre fioriva la nostra flotta osò nemmeno di starci a fronte, respingeteli ; e mostrate loro che a dispetto della debolezza e delle disgrazie, il saper vostro è maggiore della forza altrui sull’ali della fortuna.