Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.15

[1] This news of Chios was quickly brought to the Athenians, who, conceiving themselves to be now beset with great and evident danger, and that the rest of the confederates, seeing so great a city to revolt, would be no longer quiet, in this their present fear decreed that those thousand talents, which through all this war they had affected to keep untouched, forthwith abrogating the punishment ordained for such as spake or gave their suffrages to stir it, should now be used, and therewith galleys not a few manned. They decreed also to send thither out of hand, under the command of Strombichides, the son of Diotimus, eight galleys of the number of those that besieged the enemy at Peiraeus; the which, having forsaken their charge to give chase to the galleys that went with Chalcideus, and not able to overtake them, were now returned; and shortly after also to send Thrasycles to help them with twelve galleys more, which also had departed from the same guard upon the enemy.

[2] And those seven galleys of Chios, which likewise kept watch at Peiraeus with the rest, they fetched from thence, and gave the bondmen that served in them their liberty, and the chains to those that were free. And instead of all those galleys that kept guard upon the galleys of the Peloponnesians, they made ready other with all speed in their places, besides thirty more, which they intended to furnish out afterwards. Great was their diligence; and nothing was of light importance that they went about for the recovery of Chios.

[1] While the revolted places were all engaged in fortifying and preparing for the war, news of Chios speedily reached Athens . The Athenians thought the danger by which they were now menaced great and unmistakable, and that the rest of their allies would not consent to keep quiet after the secession of the greatest of their number. In the consternation of the moment they at once took off the penalty attaching to whoever proposed or put to the vote a proposal for using the thousand talents which they had jealously avoided touching throughout the whole war, and voted to employ them to man a large number of ships, and to send off at once under Strombichides, son of Diotimus, the eight vessels, forming part of the blockading fleet at Spiraeum, which had left the blockade and had returned after pursuing and failing to overtake the vessels with Chalcideus. These were to be followed shortly afterwards by twelve more under Thrasycles, also taken from the blockade.

[2] They also recalled the seven Chian vessels, forming part of their squadron blockading the fleet in Spiraeum, and giving the slaves on board their liberty, put the freemen in confinement, and speedily manned and sent out ten fresh ships to blockade the Peloponnesians in the place of all those that had departed, and decided to man thirty more. Zeal was not wanting, and no effort was spared to send relief to Chios .

Nach Athen aber kam rasch Botschaft wegen Chios. Da
sie nun die Gefahr für groß und bereits sehr dringend erkannten, und
glauben mußten, daß nach dem Abfall der größten Stadt auch die
übrigen Bundesgenossen sich nicht ruhig verhalten würden, so hoben
sie in ihrer augenblicklichen Bestürzung allsogleich die Strafen auf,
welche dem angedroht waren, der davon reden und dafür stimmen
würde, jene tausend Talente anzugreifen, welche sie während der
Dauer des ganzen Kriegs nicht zu berühren gewünscht hatten "),
und faßten danach den Beschluß, dieses Geld anzugreifen und eine
große Zahl von Schiffen zu bemannen. Von denen, welche bei
Piräon vor Anker lagen, wollten sie die acht, welche sich von der
Bewachungsflotte getrennt und die Schiffe unter Chalkideus verfolgt
hatten, aber wieder zurückgekehrt waren, nachdem sie jene nicht
getroffen, sofort absenden — es befehligte dieselben aber
Strombichides, des Diotimos Sohn — und nicht lange danach sollten zwölf
andere unter Thrasikles zu ihrer Verstärkung folgen, welche gleichfalls
die Aufstellung bei Piräon verlassen mußten. Die sieben Schiffe der
Chier aber, welche daselbst mit den übrigen die der Feinde eingeschlos­ ¹
sen hielten, führten sie gleichfalls weg und setzten die Sklaven auf ²
denselben in Freiheit, die Freien-aber legten sie in Ketten. Zum
Ersatz für'äll diese abgegangenen Schiffe bemannten sie rasch andere
und schickten sie - zur weiteren Einschließung der Peloponnesier
dorthin, und beabsichtigten, noch weitere dreißig zu bemannen.- Und
groß war ihr Eifer und in keinem Stuck waren ihre Rüstungen zum
Auszug gegen Chios unbedeutend.

XV. A Athènes, on connut bientôt la défection de Chio. Les Athéniens, jugeant dés lors le péril aussi grave que manifeste, persuadés d’ailleurs que leurs autres alliés ne voudraient pas rester en repos après la défection du plus puissant d’entre eux, abrogèrent aussitôt, dans le premier moment d’effroi, les peines portées contre ceux qui proposeraient ou appuieraient la proposition de faire usage des mille talents qu’ils désiraient laisser en réserve pendant toute la guerre. Ils décrétèrent l’emploi de cet argent et l’armement d’un grand nombre de vaisseaux : huit bâtiments de la station de Piréos, qui avaient abandonné la croisière sous le commandement de Strombichidès, fils de Diotimos, à la recherche de Chalcidéus, et qui étaient re- venus après une poursuite infructueuse, reçurent ordre d’appareiller pour Chio. Ils devaient être soutenus peu après par Thrasyclès, avec douze autres bâtiments, détachés également de la flotte de blocus. On rappela les sept vaisseaux de Chio qui concouraient à assiéger Piréos; les esclaves qui les montaient furent déclarés libres, et les hommes libres mis aux fers. On équipa en toute hâte et on expédia d’autres vaisseaux pour remplacer dans le blocus de la flotte péloponnésienne tous ceux qui en avaient été retirés; enfin on songea à l’armement de trente nouveaux bâtiments. L’ardeur était extrême, et tout dans les mesures contre Chio s’organisait sur un large plan.

A Athènes on eut bientôt la nouvelle de la défection de Chios. Dès lors les Athéniens jugèrent le péril aussi grave que manifeste, et ne doutèrent pas que les autres alliés ne fussent disposés aussi à se soulever après la révolte d’une ville si considérable. Dans le premier moment d’effroi, ils levèrent les peines portées contre quiconque ferait ou mettrait aux voix la proposition de toucher aux mille talents qu’ils tenaient à garder en réserve durant toute la guerre ¹ . Ils décidèrent d’en disposer pour l’armement d une flotte nombreuse. Huit vaisseaux qui, sous le commandement de Strombichidès fils de Diotimos, avaient été détachés de l’escadre de Piréos à la poursuite de la flotte de Chalcidéus et qui étaient revenus sans l’avoir atteinte, eurent ordre de se rendre immédiatement à Chios. Ils furent bientôt suivis par douze autres, commandés par Thrasyclès et pareillement détachés de la croisière. On rappela les sept vaisseaux chiotes qui participaient au blocus de Piréos ; les esclaves qui les montaient furent affranchis, et les hommes libres mis aux fers. En remplacement de tous les vaisseaux distraits du blocus, on se hâta d’en équiper d’aiitres et de les faire partir. On songeait même à en armer trente nouveaux. L’ardeur était extrême, et Ton ne prenait contre Chios que des mesures énergiques.

[1] News of the revolt of Chios came quickly to Athens, and they felt that the danger which encompassed them was by now great and manifest, and that the rest of their allies would not be inclined to keep quiet when the greatest state of all had seceded. And so they took up the question of the fund of a thousand talents, ¹ which during the whole war they had jealously refrained from touching, and under the influence of their consternation immediately rescinded the penalties which had been imposed upon any speaker who should propose to touch this money, or any presiding officer who should put such a proposal to a vote, and then voted to use this fund and man a considerable number of ships. They also voted that of the ships which were employed in the blockade at Peiraeum there should be sent at once the eight that, leaving guard-duty, had gone in pursuit of the fleet under Chalcideus, but after failing to overtake it had returned to their post—the commander of these eight being Strombichides son of Diotimus—and that soon afterwards twelve others under Thrasycles should leave the blockade and go to the rescue.

[2] As for the seven Chian ships that were assisting them in the blockade of the vessels at Peiraeum, they withdrew them, freeing the slaves aboard them and putting the freemen in fetters. And in place of all the ships that had gone away they speedily manned others and sent them to continue the blockade of the Peloponnesians, and it was their intention to man thirty more. Great indeed was their ardour, and there was nothing trivial in their efforts to send out reinforcements against Chios.

[1] News of the revolt of Chios quickly reached Athens, and considering that the danger which had now encompassed them was great and evident, and that the rest of the allies would not remain quiet when the most important state had changed sides; with regard to the thousand talents which throughout the whole war they had earnestly desired not to meddle with, they immediately rescinded, in consequence of their dismay, the penalties attaching to any one who proposed to use them, or put such a proposal to the vote; and passed a decree for taking them, and manning a large number of ships; while of those that were keeping watch at Piraeus they at once sent off the eight which had left the blockade, and after pursuing those with Chalcideus and not overtaking them, had returned, (their commander was Strombichides son of Diotimus,) and resolved that twelve more, under Thrasycles, should also leave the post of observation, and reinforce them shortly afterwards.

[2] They also removed the seven Chian vessels, which joined them in the blockade of Piraeus; and liberated the slaves who were on board of them, while the freemen they put in bonds. In the place of all the ships that had departed they speedily manned others, and sent them to observe the Peloponnesians, resolving at the same time to man thirty more. So great was their ardour; and no trivial measure was undertaken with regard to the forces they sent to Chios.

[1] Athenas autem celeriter de Chio nuntius pervenit; et existimantes, magnum jam ac manifestum periculum se circumstare, neque ceteros socios ultra quieturos post maximae.civitatis defectionem, et illa mille talenta, quae per totum belli tempus intacta esse cupiebant, confeslim abrogata lege, quae prenas proponebat ei, qui vel de his tangendis legem rogasset vel in suffragium misisset, ob praesentem terrorem placuit movere, navesque non paucas instruere et illarum navium, quae ad Piraeum excubabant, octo quidem statim mittere, quae relicta custodia eas, quas Chalcideus secum ducebat, insecutae, nec assecutae, redie· rant, (his autem praeerat Strombichides, Diotimi filius), et contra non multo post alias duodecim ad opem ferendam mittere duce Thrasycle, quae et ipsae stationem reliquerunt.

[2] Atque Chiorum septem naves, quae cum iis Piraeo inclusas obsidebant, abduxerunt, et servos quidem, qui in eis erant, libertate donarunt, liberos vero in vincula conjecerunt. Alteras autem in locum earum omnium, quae disces serant, ad obsidendam Peloponnesiorum classem celeriter instructas miserunt, et alias triginta armare in animo habebant. Atque magna erat animorum alacritas, et nihil parvum moliebantur, ut ad Chium recuperandam adessent

Le novelle di Chio recate prestamente ad Atene dierono a pensare a’cittadini, che grande veramente e manifesto era il pericolo onde trovavansi cinti, e che gli altri alleati non vorrebbono starsene dopo la ribellione di città poderosissima. E mossi dal presente sbigottimento decretarono che i mille talenti ( i quali aveano bramato che rimanessero intatti finché durasse la guerra ) fossero messi in uso, levando tosto le multe imposte a chi di ciò ragionasse o desse il suo voto; e che si armassero non poche navi, e se ne spedissero subito otto di quelle che stavano in osservazione a Pireo. Le quali infatti condotte da Strombichide di Diotimo abbandonarono la guardia di Pireo , per dar la caccia alla flottiglia di Calcideo : e non avendola potuta raggiungere, erano ritornate ai/a loro stazione. Non molto dopo ne spedirono in soccorso altre dodici capitanateda Trnsicle, che s’erano anch’csse ritirate dal blocco della flotta nemica. Inoltre fatte tornare indietro le sette navi de’Chii state con loro all’assedio di Pireo, diedero la libertà ai servi che su quelle si trovavano, e misero a’ ferri i liberi : allestirono prestamente r spedirono altre navi in iscambio di quelle che erano andate a bloccare i Peloponnesi, e pensavano di equipaggiarne altre trenta. Insomma molto era l’ardore degli animi, e non poco l’apparecchio che allestivano contro Chio.