Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.33

[1] Whereupon Astyochus, taking with him five galleys of Corinth, a sixth of Megara, one of Hermione, and those of Laconia which he brought with him, went towards Miletus to his charge, mightily threatening the Chians, in case they should need him, not to help them.

[2] When he was come to Corycus in Erythraea, he stayed there. And the Athenians from Samos lay on the other side of the point, the one not knowing that the other was so near.

[3] Astyochus, upon a letter sent him from Pedaritus, signifying that there were come certain Erythraean captives dismissed from Samos with design to betray Erythrae, went presently back to Erythrae; so little he missed of falling into the hands of the Athenians.

[4] Pedaritus also went over to him; and having narrowly enquired touching these seeming traitors, and found that the whole matter was but a pretence which the men had used for their escape from Samos, they acquitted them, and departed one to Chios, the other, as he was going before, towards Miletus.

[1] Upon this Astyochus took five Corinthian and one Megarian vessel, with another from Hermione , and the ships which had come with him from Laconia , and set sail for Miletus to assume his command as admiral; after telling the Chians with many threats that he would certainly not come and help them if they should be in need.

[2] At Corycus in the Erythraeid he brought to for the night; the Athenian armament sailing from Samos against Chios being only separated from him by a hill, upon the other side of which it brought to; so that neither perceived the other.

[3] But a letter arriving in the night from Pedaritus to say that some liberated Erythraean prisoners had come from Samos to betray Erythrae, Astyochus at once put back to Erythrae, and so just escaped falling in with the Athenians.

[4] Here Pedaritus sailed over to join him; and after inquiry into the pretended treachery, finding that the whole story had been made up to procure the escape of the men from Samos , they acquitted them of the charge, and sailed away, Pedaritus to Chios and Astyochus to Miletus , as he had intended.

So nahm also Astyochos die fünf Korinthischen Schiffe
und dazu ein sechstes aus Megara und ein HermionischeS zu den
Lakonischen, die er selbst mitgebracht hatte, und fuhr nach Milet ab, um
daselbst das Flottenkommando zu übernehmen, indem er gegen die
Chier viele Drohungen auSstieß, daß er ihnen, gewiß, nicht helfen
werde, wenn sie ihn einmalbrauchten. BeimIorgebirge Korykos aus
dem Gebiet von Erythrä ging er an's^Land, um da die Nacht
zuzubringen. Die Athener von Samos aber, welche auf der Fahrt gegen
ChioS begriffen waren, gingen mit ihrer Macht auf der andern Seite
vor Anker, so daß nur der Berg zwischen ihnen lag. Sie merkten
aber gegenseitig Nichts von einander. Als nun bei Anbruch der Nacht
von Pedaritos ein Schreiben kam, daß kriegsgefangene erythräische
Männer von Samos nach Erythrä zurückgekommen seien, von den ^{1 2}
Athenern zu dem Zweck abgeschickt, ihnen ihre Vaterstadt durch Ver­ ³
rath in die Hände zu liefern, so ging Astyochos sogleich wieder unter
Segel nach Erythrä, und es fehlte nur wenig, so wäre er aus die
Athener gestoßen. ES kam nun auch Pedaritos von Chios zu ihm
herüber gefahren, und sie untersuchten die Sache wegen des
angeblichen VerrathS, fanden aber, daß die Männer daS Alles nur zum
listigen Vorwand genommen hatten, um nur von Samos
wegzukommen, und so sprachen sie dieselben von dem Verdacht frei und fuhren
wieder ab, der Eine nach Chios zurück, der Andere nach Milet, wie er
beabsichtigt hatte.

XXXIII. Astyochos prit les cinq vaisseaux de Corinthe, un de Mégare, un d’Hermione, avec les navires laconiens qu’il avait amenés, et fit voile pour Milet, afin d’y prendre le commandement de la flotte. En partant, il protesta, avec force menaces, que, si Chio avait besoin de secours, il ne lui en donnerait pas. Il toucha à Corycos, dans l’Érythrée, et y passa la nuit. Les Athéniens qui traversaient de Samos à Chio avec leur armée mouillaient au même lieu pour la nuit et n’étaient séparés de l’ennemi que par une colline; mais on ne s’aperçut ni d’un côté ni de l’autre. Averti la nuit par une lettre de Pédaritos que des prisonniers érythréens, relâchés à Samos avec mission de livrer leur patrie, venaient d’y arriver, Astyochos se hâta de retourner à Érythres. Il ne dut qu’à cela de ne pas tomber au milieu des Athéniens. Pédaritos vint le rejoin- ^{1 2 3} dre à Érythres; mais, enquête faite, ils trouvèrent que cette prétendue, conspiration n’était qu’un prétexte mis en avant par les prisonniers pour s’évader de Samos, et les déchargèrent de toute accusation. Pédaritos repartit pour Chio, et Astyochos pour Milet, sa première destination.

Astyochos prit avec lui les cinq vaisseaux de Corinthe, un de Mégare, un d’Hermione, indépendamment de ceux qu'il avait amenés de Laconie, et cingla vers Milet, où il devait se saisir du commandement de la flotte. En partant, il se répandit en menaces contre les Chiotes, et protesta que, si jamais ils avaient besoin de secours, ils ne devaient pas compter sur lui pour leur en fournir. Il toucha à Corycos, sur le territoire d^rythres, et y passa la nuit. Les Athéniens, partis de Samos pour aller attaquer Chios avec toutes leurs forces, vinrent jeter l’ancre au même lieu, mais derrière une éminence qui leur masquait la vue de l’ennemi ; en sorte que ni les uns ni les autres ne s’aperçurent. Pendant la nuit, il vint une lettre de Pédaritos annonçant que dès Ërythréens, prisonniers à Samos et relâchés dans un but de trahison, venaient d’arriver à Érythres. Sur cet avis, Astyochos reprit aussitôt la mer pour retourner dans cette ville. A cela tint qu’il n’allât donner au milieu des Athéniens. Pédaritos étant venu le rejoindre, l’enquête qu’ils firent ensemble prouva que cette prétendue conspiration n’était qu’un prétexte inventé par ces gens pour s'échapper de Samos; aussi furent-ils libérés. Pédaritos repartit pour Chios et Astyochos pour Milet, sa destination primitive.

[1] Astyochus therefore took the five Corinthian ships, a sixth from Megara, one from Hermione, and those which he himself had brought with him from Laconia, ¹ and sailed for Miletus in order to take over the office of admiral, with many threats against the Chians, and pledging himself not to aid them if they should have any need of him.

[2] Touching at Corycus in the territory of Erythrae, he spent the night there. And the Athenian fleet from Samos, which was on its way to Chios with the troops, also came to anchor there at the other side of the town, a hill intervening, so that neither fleet had seen the other.

[3] But Astyochus received during the night a letter from Pedaritus saying that some Erythraean prisoners that had been set at liberty had arrived at Erythrae from Samos for the purpose of betraying it; he therefore immediately set sail again for Erythrae, and thus narrowly escaped falling in with the Athenians.

[4] Pedaritus also crossed over and joined him at Erythrae; and they, having investigated the charges against those who were supposed to be intending to betray the town, when they found that the whole story had been given out only to effect the men's escape from Samos, acquitted them and sailed away, Pedaritus to Chios, and Astyochus to Miletus, as he had originally intended.

[1] He, therefore, taking the five of the Corinthians, a sixth from Megara, one from Hermione, and those of the Lacedaemonians which he had come with, sailed for Miletus, to take the command as admiral, after many threats to the Chians that assuredly he would not come to their aid, should they be in any need of it.

[2] Having touched at Corycus, in the Erythraean country, he staid there the night. The Athenians also, on their passage from Samos to Chios with their troops, were only parted from them by being on the other side of a hill; and so they brought to for the night, and escaped each other's notice.

[3] On the arrival of a letter from Pedaritus in the night, to say that some Erythraean prisoners, after being set at liberty, had come from Samos to Erythraea for the purpose of betraying it, Astyochus immediately weighed anchor again for Erythraea: within so little was he of falling in with the Athenians.

[4] Pedaritus also sailed across to join him; and having investigated the case of the men who were thought to be traitors, when they found that the whole story had been made up in order to effect the escape of the men from Samos, they acquitted them of the charge, and sailed away, one to Chios, the other to Miletus, as he had intended.

[1] Ille vero assumptis quinque Corinthiacis navibus et sexta Megarica et una Hermionica et Laconicis illis, quas ipse secum duxerat, Miletum ad suam nauarchiam abiit, multa Cbiis minatus, se vero nunquam iis opem esse laturum , si qua indigerent.

[2] Quum autem ad Corycum orae Erythraeae appulisset, illic stationem habuit. Athenienses vero, qui cum copiis ex Samo in Chium navigabant, ipsi quoque ad alteram collis partem appulerant, quo ab hoste dirimebantur, et alteri alteros latebant.

[3] Quum autem allatae essent litterae a Pedarito, quosdam Erythraeos captivos ex Samo dimissos Erythras ad moliendam proditionem venisse,confestim AstyochusErythras est revectus, et tam prope abiuit, quin incideret in Athenienses.

[4] Trajecit autem etiam Pedaritus ad eum, et habita quaestione de iis, qui proditionem moliri videbantur, ubi compertum habuerunt, rem totam a captivis, qui ad Samum detinebantur, suae salutis causa confictam esse, illis crimine liberatis, alter in Chium rediit, alter Miletum profectus est, quemadmodum destinarat.

Laonde Astioco pigliando le cinque navi de’Corintii, e per sesta una megarese, più una ermionida, e quelle laconiche colle quali era venuto, s’indirizzò a Mileto al suo ammiragliato, non senza aver prima minacciato molto i Chii, che di fermo non gli avrebbe soccorsi quando ne avessero bisogno ; ed approdato a Corico delP Eritrea vi si pose a campo. L’armata ateniese, che partita da Samo veleggiava sopra Chio , erasi fermata dal lato opposto del promontorio che impedì alle due flotte di vedersi scambievolmente. Ma venuta una lettera di Pedarito, la quale diceva che alcuni prigionieri eretriesi lasciati in libertà andavano da Samo ad Eritra per ordirvi un tradimento, Astioco navigò subito di bel nuovo ad Eritra ; e così poco mancò chè non s’ incontrasse negli Ateniesi. Tragittò da lui anche Pedarito, e si misero insieme a fare il processo degl’ imputati di tradimento : poi trovato che ciò era un pretesto di coloro per uscir salvi da Samo, gli dichiararono sciolti dall’accusa, e partirono. Pedarito andò a Chio , ed Astioco a Mi leto, siccome avea determinato.