Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.40

[1] The Chians and Pedaritus about the same time, notwithstanding [their former repulse, and] that Astyochus was still backward, sent messengers to him, desiring him to come with his whole fleet to help them, being besieged, and not to suffer the greatest of their confederate cities in all Ionia to be thus shut up by sea and ravaged by land, as it was.

[2] For the Chians having many slaves, more than any one state except that of the Lacedaemonians, whom for their offences they the more ungently punished because of their number, many of them, as soon as the Athenians appeared to be settled in their fortifications, ran over presently to them; and were they, that knowing the territory so well, did it the greatest spoil.

[3] Therefore the Chians said he must help them whilst there was hope and possibility to do it, Delphinium being still in fortifying and unfurnished, and greater fences being in making both about their camp and fleet. Astyochus, though he meant it not before, because he would have made good his threats, yet when he saw the confederates were willing, he was bent to have relieved them.

[1] Meanwhile the Chians and Pedaritus, undeterred by the backwardness of Astyochus, went on sending messengers pressing him to come with all the fleet to assist them against their besiegers, and not to leave the greatest of the allied states in Ionia to be shut up by sea and overrun and pillaged by land.

[2] There were more slaves at Chios than in any one other city except Lacedaemon , and being also by reason of their numbers punished more rigorously when they offended, most of them when they saw the Athenian armament firmly established in the island with a fortified position, immediately deserted to the enemy, and through their knowledge of the country did the greatest mischief.

[3] The Chians therefore urged upon Astyochus that it was his duty to assist them, while there was still a hope and a possibility of stopping the enemy's progress, while Delphinium was still in process of fortification and unfinished, and before the completion of a higher rampart which was being added to protect the camp and fleet of their besiegers. Astyochus now saw that the allies also wished it and prepared to go, in spite of his intention to the contrary owing to the threat already referred to.

Die Chier aber und Pedaritos schickten um dieselbe Zeit,
obgleich AstyochoS sich so unwillig zeigte, trotzdem Boten an ihn und
verlangten, er solle ihnen in ihrer Einschließung mit sämmtlichen
Schiffen zu Hilfe kommen und nicht unthätig zusehen, wie die größte
der bnndeSgenössifchen Städte in Jonien vom Meere abgeschnitten
und zu Lande durch Raub und Plünderung geschädigt würde. Die
Sklaven der Chier nämlich, die dort in sehr großer Zahl und nach
Lakedämon vielleicht in der größten Zahl vorhanden sind und zugleich
wegen ihrer Menge für alle Vergehungen sehr streng bestraft werden,
waren größtentheils allsogleich zu den Athenern übergelaufen, als
de ren Macht sich in einer starken Verschanzung festgesetzt hatte, und da ¹
sie die Landesgelegenheit sehr gut kannten, so fügten sie den Chiern
den größten Schaden zu. Dem Astyochos also ließen die Chier sagen,
er müsse ihnen zu Hilfe kommen, so lange noch Hoffnung und die
Möglichkeit vorhanden sei, die Athener an der Befestigung von
Delphinion, die noch nicht vollendet war,- zu hindern, und während die
Feinde auch mit den größeren Schanzen um ihr Feld- und
Schiffslager noch nicht fertig geworden wären. Astyochos nun, obgleich er
wegen feiner damaligen Drohung eigentlich nicht sehr willig war,
schickte sich doch an, ihnen zu Hilfe zu kommen, weil er auch die
Bundesgenossen dafür gestimmt sah.

XL. Vers le même temps, les habitants de Chio et Pédaritos ne cessaient d’envoyer des messages à Astyochos, malgré son mauvais vouloir, pour le prier de venir avec toute la flotte au secours de la ville assiégée, et de ne pas tolérer que la plus importante des villes alliées de l’Ionie vît la mer fermée à ses vaisseaux et son territoire livré au brigandage. Comme Chio possédait un grand nombre d’esclaves, plus même qu’aucune autre ville, Lacédémone seule exceptée, on avait dû, par le fait même de leur multitude, punir leurs fautes avec une grande rigueur; aussi, dès qu’ils virent l’armée athénienne solidement établie et retranchée, ils désertèrent en foule de son côté, et, grâce à leur connaissance des lieux, firent un mal immense. Les habitants de Chio signifièrent donc à Astyochos qu’il était urgent, pendant qu’on en avait encore l’espoir et les moyens, de s’opposer à ce que l’ennemi terminât les fortifications encore inachevées de Delphinion. Ils ajoutaient que la construction d’un nouveau retranchement plus considérable, enveloppant le camp et la flotte, nécessitait une prompte intervention de sa part. Astyochos, quoique mal disposé, d’après ses précédentes menaces, se mit cependant en mesure de les secourir, lorsqu’il vit les alliés témoigner de leur côté beaucoup d’ardeur.

Cependant les Chiotes et Pédaritos , nonobstant le mauvais vouloir d’Astyochos, lui envoyaient message sur message pour le presser de venir avec toute sa flotte au secours de leur ville assiégée, et de ne pas souffrir que la plus importante des cités alliées en Ionie fût bloquée par mer et infestée par terre. Aucune ville, celle de Lacédémone exceptée, ne possédait plus d’esclaves que Chios ; leur multitude nécessitait à leur égard un système de répression scvèrc ¹ . Aussi, dès qu’ils virent l’armée des Athéniens solidement établie dans une position retranchée, ils se mirent à déserter en foule ; et, par leur connaissance des localités, ils firent un mai incalculable. Les Chiotes insistaient donc pour être secourus. pendant qu'on avait encore l’espoir et le moyen d’arrêter les travaux inachevés de Delphinion , et avant que l'ennemi eût entouré d’ouvrages plus étendus son camp et sa flotte. Astyo-chos, d’après ses précédentes menaces, n’était guère disposé à les secourir ; cependant il se mit eu devoir de le faire, lorsqu’il vit les alliés en manifester le désir.

[1] At this time the Chians and Pedaritus sent messages to Astyochus, notwithstanding his continuing to hold back, urging him, since they were being blockaded, to come to their aid with all his ships and not to look on and see the largest of the allied cities in Ionia shut off from the sea and devastated by forays on land.

[2] For the slaves of the Chians, who were numerous—and indeed the most numerous in any single city except that of the Lacedaemonians—and at the same time, on account of their multitude, were punished more severely for every misdeed, now that the Athenian army seemed, with the advantage of a fortified position, to be firmly established, immediately began to desert to them in large numbers; and these, because of their knowledge of the country, wrought the greatest damage to it.

[3] So the Chians said that he ought to come to their aid now, while there was still hope and a possibility of checking the enemy, and while the fortification of Delphinium was still in progress and not yet completed, a stronger line of breastworks being now in process of construction round the camp and ships. And Astyochus, although he had not intended to do so, on account of his threat some time before, ¹ when he saw that the allies also were eager for the undertaking, was disposed to give the desired aid.

[1] At this same time the Chians and Pedaritus sent messengers to Astyochus, notwithstanding his holding back, and begged him to succour them in their siege with all his fleet, and not to permit the largest of the allied cities in Ionia to be both excluded from the use of the sea, and wasted by forays on the land.

[2] For the slaves of the Chians being numerous, and indeed forming the largest body there was in any one city, except that of the Lacedaemonians, and at the same time being, in consequence of their great numbers, punished more severely than usual in cases of offence, when the Athenian army appeared to be firmly established, with the advantage of a fortified position, the greater part deserted to them; and these did the most mischief to the country, through their acquaintance with it.

[3] The Chians therefore represented, that while there was still a hope and possibility of stopping them, while Delphinium was still being fortified, and not yet completed, and a higher wall was being erected round their camp and the ships, it was incumbent on him to assist them. And although Astyochus, because of his threat on the occasion already mentioned, had not intended to do it, when he saw that the allies also were anxious for their relief, he set out to succour them.

[1] Chii vero et Pedaritus eodem tempore studiosius etiam Astyochum, etsi cunctantem, per nuntios ad eum missos orabant, ut sibi obsessis opem cum tota classe ferret, ne pateretur maximam socialium urbium, quae in Ionia essent, et a mari intercludi, et a terra latrociniis diripi.

[2] Chiorum enim servi, quia magnus erat eorum numerus, atque adeo in una hac urbe, excepta Lacedaemone, maximus, simul etiam quia propter multitudinem in delictis severius plectebantur, postquam Atheniensium exercitus munitionibus exstructis in tuto jam collocatus esse visus est, confestim ad eos plerique transfugerunt, atque plurima detrimenta propter notitiam regionis hi attulerunt.

[3] Dicebant igitur Chii oportere Astyochum sibi succurrere, quamdiu adhuc spes et facultas esset operis impediendi, dum Delphinium muniretur, et opus esset imperfectum, et alia majore munitione exercitus navesque circumvallarentur. Astyochus vero, quamvis animo non propenso propter minas, quibus ante, ut dictum est, apud eos usus erat, ta men quum etiam socios animo paratos esse videret, ad succurrendum se accingebat.

Nell’ istesso tempo iChii e Pedarito, non rifinivano di mandare avvisi ad Astioco, nonostante la sua lentezza , pregandolo a soccorrerli con tutte le navi, e (assediati com’erano) a non lasciare che la grandissima tra le città confederate dell’ Ionia fosse stretta dalla parte di mare, e disertata da quella di terra coi ladronecci. Imperciocché i servi di Chio che, erano molti e cresciuti disorbitantemente per una città sola , se non fosse quella de' Lacedemoni, e però difficili a tenersi a dovere nelle loro nequizie, per lo più disertavano subito da che pareva loro che l’esercito ateniese col costruire le fortificazioni avesse preso ferma stanza ; e come pratici della campagna facevano danni grandissimi. Laonde dicevano i Chii esser d’uopìo soccorrerli mentre vi era speranza e possibilità d’ impedire l' afforzamento di Delfinio che ancora era imperfetto, ed una maggiore circonvallazione che si faceva intorno alla città coll’esercito e colle navi. Astioco, sebbene per la passata minaccia non pensasse di socco rerli, n ondimeno si accinse a farlo, vedendo che anche gli alleati molto vi propendevano.