Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.10

[1] In the meantime the Isthmian games were celebrating, and the Athenians (for they had word sent them of it) came and saw; and the business of the Chians grew more apparent. After they went thence, they took order presently that the fleet might not pass from Cenchreiae undiscovered.

[2] And after the holidays were over, the Corinthians put to sea for Chios under the conduct of Alcamenes. And the Athenians at first with equal number came up to them and endeavoured to draw them out into the main sea; but seeing the Peloponnesians followed not far, but turned another way, the Athenians went also from them. For the seven galleys of Chios, which were part of this number, they durst not trust.

[3] But afterwards having manned thirty-seven others, they gave chase to the enemy by the shore and drave them into Peiraeus in the territory of Corinth (this Peiraeus is a desert haven, and the utmost upon the confines of Epidauria). One galley that was far from land the Peloponnesians lost;

[4] the rest they brought together into the haven. But the Athenians charging them by sea with their galleys, and withal setting their men a-land, mightily troubled and disordered them, brake their galleys upon the shore, and slew Alcamenes, their commander. And some they lost of their own.

[1] In the meantime the Isthmian games took place, and the Athenians, who had been also invited, went to attend them, and now seeing more clearly into the designs of the Chians, as soon as they returned to Athens took measures to prevent the fleet putting out from Cenchreae without their knowledge.

[2] After the festival the Peloponnesians set sail with twenty-one ships for Chios , under the command of Alcamenes. The Athenians first sailed against them with an equal number, drawing off towards the open sea. The enemy, however, turning back before he had followed them far, the Athenians returned also, not trusting the seven Chian ships which formed part of their number,

[3] and afterwards manned thirty-seven vessels in all and chased him on his passage along shore into Spiraeum, a desert Corinthian port on the edge of the Epidaurian frontier. After losing one ship out at sea, the Peloponnesians got the rest together and brought them to anchor.

[4] The Athenians now attacked not only from the sea with their fleet, but also disembarked upon the coast; and melee ensued of the most confused and violent kind, in which the Athenians disabled most of the enemy's vessels and killed Alcamenes their commander, losing also a few of their own men.

Unterdessen wurden die Jsthmischen Spiele gefeiert, und
auch die Athener — wie sie denn dazu geladen waren — schickten
ihre Festgesandtschaft und erfuhren hier noch mehr um die Pläne der
Chier. Sobald sie nun wieder nach Hause zurückgekehrt waren,
rüsteten sie allsogleich, damit die Schiffe nicht unbemerkt von ihnen
aus Kenchreä auSlaufen könnten. Diese aber steuerten nach dem
Feste, einundzwanzig Segel stark, wirklich in See gen Chios, unter
dem Oberbefehl des Alkamenes. Die Athener nun hielten Anfangs
mit der gleichen Anzahl von Schiffen nahe auf sie zu und zogen sich ^{1 2}
dann mehr in die offene See hinausDa aber die Peloponnesier
nicht weit folgten, sondern wieder gegen die Küste abfielen, so kehrten
auch die Athener nach Haus zurück. Sie hatten nämlich auch jene
sieben Schiffe der Chier in ihrer Zahl einbegriffen, denen sie nicht
trauten. Als sie dann aber andere sieben,^und dreißig^ Schiffe
bemannt hatten, verfolgten sie wieder jene, die an der Küste.
Hinsegelten, und trieben sie gegen Piräon auf Korinthischem Gebiet Es
ist dieß ein verlassener Hafen und der letzte gegen das Epidaurische
Gebiet hin. Eins ihrer Schiffe verloren die Peloponnesier noch auf
hoher See, die andern aber vereinigten sie und bargen sie vor Anker.
Da aber die Athener mit ihren Schiffen von der See her sie
bedrängten und zugleich auch an's Land stiegen, so entstand großer
Lärm und Verwirrung, und die Athener beschädigten dabei die
Mehrzahl der feindlichen Schiffe am Lande und tödteten auch den
AlkameneS. Auch von ihnen selbst fielen einige. ' . ^

X. Cependant le temps des jeux Isthmiques arriva, et les Athéniens, chez qui ils avaient été proclamés ¹ , y assistèrent. Là, leurs présomptions sur l'affaire de Chio se confirmèrent, et, à leur retour, ils prirent sur-lechamp des mesures pour que la flotte ne pût, à leur insu, partir de Cenchrées. Après la fête, cette flotte, forte de vingt et un vaisseaux, mit à la voile pour Chio, sous le commandement d’Alcaménès. Les Athéniens s’avancèrent d’abord à leur rencontre avec un nombre égal de vaisseaux, et, une fois en vue, filèrent au large; mais les Péloponnésiens renoncèrent bientôt à les suivre pour revenir en arrière. Les Athéniens se retirèrent de leur côté; car au nombre de leurs bâtiments se trouvaient les sept vaisseaux de Chio, qui leur inspiraient peu de confiance. Ils équipèrent plus tard ² une nouvelle flotte de trente-sept voiles, rencontrèrent celle des ennemis qui rangeait la côte et lui donnèrent la chasse jusqu’à Piréos, port désert de la Corinthie, sur l’extrême frontière de l’Épidaurie. Les Péloponnésiens perdirent un vaisseau au large et rallièrent les autres dans le port; mais les Athéniens les yattaquèrent du côté de la mer avec leurs vaisseaux, par terre avec des troupes de débarquement, et jetèrent parmi eux le désordre et la confusion; ils endommagèrent la plupart des vaisseaux sur le rivage et tuèrent Alcaménès qui les commandait. Eux-mêmes perdirent quelques hommes.

Sur ces entrefaites, eurent lieu les jeux Isthmiques. Les Athéniens y assistèrent, car ils y avaient été invites. Us eurent donc toute facilité pour éclaircir leurs doutes relativement à Chios ; aussi, dès leur retour, s’empressèrent-ils de prendre leurs mesures pour que la flotte ne pût leur cacher son départ de Cenchrées.

Les Péloponésiens, après la fête, mirent en mer pour Chios avec vingt-un vaisseaux commandés par Alcaménès. Les Athéniens marchèrent à eux avec un pareil nombre de bâtiments et cherchèrent d’abord à les attirer en pleine mer; mais, comme les Péloponésiens, loin de les suivre, rebroussèrent chemin, les Athéniens se retirèrent également. Ils n’étaient pas sans défiance à l’égard des sept vaisseaux de Chios qu'ils avaient avec eux. Plus tard, ils équipèrent une nouvelle escadre de trente-sept voiles, atteignirent la flotte ennemie qui longeait la côte,et lui donnèrent la chasse jusqu’à Piréos, port désert, appartenant aux Corinthiens et situé sur la lisière de l'Ëpidaurie ¹ · Les Péloponésiens perdirent un vaisseau surpris au large ; mais ils rallièrent les autres et jetèrent l’ancre. Les Athéniens les attaquèrent par mer avec leurs vaisseaux et par terre avec des troupes de débarquement, les mirent dans le plus grand désordre, endommagèrent la plupart des bâtiments sur le rivage et tuèrent le commandant Alcaménès ; eux-mêmes perdirent quelques hommes.

[1] In the meantime the Isthmian Games were celebrated, and the Athenians, since the truce had been proclaimed, ¹ sent deputies to them; and so the designs of the Chians became more manifest to them. And when they returned they immediately made arrangements that the ships should not set sail from Cenchreiae without their knowledge.

[2] But the Peloponnesians, after the festival, put to sea for Chios with twenty-one ships under the command of Alcamenes. And the Athenians at first sailed up to them with an equal number of ships, and tried to draw them out into the open sea. But when the Peloponnesians did not follow them very far but turned back, the Athenians also withdrew; for they had the seven Chian ships in the ranks of their fleet and did not consider them trustworthy.

[3] But they afterwards manned additional ships, bringing their number up to thirty-seven, and then pursued the enemy as they sailed along the coast, until they put in at Peiraeum in Corinthian territory. This is a deserted port, the last toward the borders of Epidauria. The Peloponnesians lost one ship out at sea, but brought the rest together and cast anchor.

[4] And now, when the Athenians attacked them, both by sea with their fleet and on land, having put men ashore, there was great confusion and disorder; and most of the Peloponnesian ships were disabled by the Athenians on the beach and their commander Alcamenes was slain. And some Athenians also were killed.

[1] In the mean time the Isthmian games were being celebrated, and the Athenians (the sacred truce having been proclaimed) went to attend them; and thus the designs of the Chians became more evident to them. When they returned, they immediately took measures that the fleet might not put out from Cenchrea unobserved by them.

[2] After the festival the Peloponnesians set sail for Chios with one and twenty ships under the command of Alcamenes; and the Athenians, having at first advanced against them with an equal number, then began to retreat towards the open sea. When the enemy did not follow them far, but drew back, the Athenians likewise returned; for they had the seven Chian vessels in the number of those with them, and did not consider them trustworthy.

[3] Afterwards, having manned others, so as to make in all thirty-seven, while the enemy were coasting along, they chased them into Piraeus, in the Corinthian territory. This is a desert port, on the extreme borders of Epidaurus. The Peloponnesians lost one ship out at sea, but collected the rest, and brought them to anchor.

[4] And now, when the Athenians both attacked them by sea with their ships, and had landed on the shore, there was a great disorder and confusion; and the Athenians severely damaged most of their ships on the beach, and killed Alcamenes their commander; whilst some also fell on their own side.

[1] Interea vero Isthmici ludi committebantur, et Athe-1 ienses (indictae enim erant iis induciae) sacram legationem eo mittebant, et ita Chiorum consilia malto manifestius de* prehenderunt Et postquam illinc discesserunt, confestim eese praeparabant, ut se fallere non possent naves, si ex Cenchreis proficiscerentur.

[2] Illi vero post ludos vela faciebant cum una et viginti navibus Chium versus, quibus praeerat Alcamenes. Et Athenienses, quum initio totidem navibus adversus eos processissent, in altum se subducebant. Quum autem longe provectos Peloponnesii sequi noluissent, sed retro cessissent, Athenienses quoque recesserunt; nam septem Chiorum naves, quas in eo numero secum habebant, nequaquam fideles existimabant,

[3] sed postea aliis septem et triginta instructis, eos terram legentes persecuti sunt ad Piraeum agri Corinthii; est autem portus desertus, et extremus ad agri Epidaurid confinia situs, atque unam navem Peloponnesii in alto amiserunt, ceteras vero contractas in portu statuunt

[4] Et quum Athenienses et a mari navibus eos adorti essent, et in terram descendissent, ingens tumultus ac perturbatio incessit, et plerasque naves Athenienses in terra laceraverunt, et Alcamenem ducem interfecerunt; et ipsorum quoque nonnulli obierunt.

In questo si celebrarono le feste istmiche; e siccome erano state promulgate, vi assistettero anche gli Ateniesi ; e così meglio si chiarirono dei disegni de’Chii. Tornati a casa disponevano subito le cose in modo che la flotta corintia non potesse partir da Cencrea furtivamente ; ma i Corintii, passata la festa, fecero vela con ventuna nave per alla volta di Chio sotto la condotta di Alcamene. Gli Ateniesi, che erano già venuti ad incontrarli con altrettante navi, volevano tirarli all’alto ; se non che seguitati solo per breve spazio dai Peloponnesi, che poi giraron di bordo, dovettero anch’essi ritirarsi, perchè non si fidavano delle sette navi chie che erano tra le loro. Dipoi armate altre trentasette navi , ed avanzandosi piaggia piaggia, inseguivano il nemico (ino a Pireo del territorio corintio , che è un porto deserto e l’ultimo che si trovi nei confini del territorio epidauriese. Vi perderOno i Peloponnesi tuia nave che avea preso il largo ; e con l?altre riunite entrarono nel porlo. Quivi assaliti colle navi dagli Ateniesi che sbarcarono anche a terra , trovaronsi in grande e disordinato tumulto ; ebbero la maggior parte delle navi fracassate da quelli che erano scesi a terra, e vi rimase morto il loro ammiraglio Alcamene. Pochi furon quelli che perirono dalla parte degli Ateniesi.