Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.44

[1] The Peloponnesians, solicited by messengers from the great men of Rhodes, resolved to go thither, because they hoped it would not prove impossible with their number of seamen and army of land soldiers to bring that island into their power; and withal supposed themselves able, with their present confederates, to maintain their fleet without asking money any more of Tissaphernes.

[2] Presently therefore, the same winter, they put forth from Cnidus, and arriving in the territory of Rhodes at Cameirus, first frighted the commons out of it, that knew not of the business, and they fled. Then the Lacedaemonians called together both these and the Rhodians of the two cities Lindus and Ielysus and persuaded them to revolt from the Athenians. And Rhodes turned to the Peloponnesians.

[3] The Athenians at the same time, hearing of their design, put forth with their fleet from Samos, desiring to have arrived before them, and were seen in the main sea, too late, though not much. For the present they went away to Chalce, and thence back to Samos; but afterwards they came forth with their galleys divers times, and made war against Rhodes from Chalce, Cos, and Samos.

[4] Now the Peloponnesians did no more to the Rhodians but levy money amongst them to the sum of thirty-two talents; and otherwise for fourscore days that they lay there, having their galleys hauled ashore, they meddled not.

[1] The Peloponnesians now determined to sail to Rhodes , upon the invitation of some of the principal men there, hoping to gain an island powerful by the number of its seamen and by its land forces, and also thinking that they would be able to maintain their fleet from their own confederacy, without having to ask for money from Tissaphernes.

[2] They accordingly at once set sail that same winter from Cnidus , and first put in with ninety-four ships at Camirus in the Rhodian country, to the great alarm of the mass of the inhabitants, who were not privy to the intrigue, and who consequently fled, especially as the town was unfortified. They were afterwards, however, assembled by the Lacedaemonians together with the inhabitants of the two other towns of Lindus and Ialysus ; and the Rhodians were persuaded to revolt from the Athenians and the island went over to the Peloponnesians.

[3] Meanwhile the Athenians had received the alarm and set sail with the fleet from Samos to forestall them, and came within sight of the island, but being a little too late sailed off for the moment to Chalce, and from thence to Samos , and subsequently waged war against Rhodes , issuing from Chalce, Cos, and Samos .

[4] The Peloponnesians now levied a contribution of thirty-two talents from the Rhodians, after which they hauled their ships ashore and for eighty days remained inactive.

Die Peloponnesier faßten nun den Plan, gegen Rhodos
zu segeln, denn die'mächtigsten Männer daselbst luden sie ein zu
kommen, und sie hofften, diese Insel ihrem. Bunde zu gewinnen, die
sowohl an Menge der Seeleute, als an Landmacht nicht schwach war,
und glaubten dann in ihrer, Bundesgenossenschaft selbst stark genug
zu sein, um den Tissaphernes nicht mehr angehen zu müssen, daß er
den Unterhalt für ihre Flotte bestreite. Sie segelten also sofort in
demselben Winter von Knidos ab und landeten zuerst mit vier und
neunzig Schiffen bei KameiroS auf Rhodos. Hierüber gerieth daS
Volk daselbst in^roßen Schrecken, denn sie hatten um die
Verhandlungen Nichts gewußt, und Alles floh, zumal auch die Stadt
unbefestigt war. Darauf beriefen die Lakedämonier diese, sowie die
Bürger der beiden Städte Lindos und JalysoS.zusammen und überredeten
die Rhodier, von den Athenern abzufallen.' Und so trat Rhodos zu
den Peloponnesiern über. Um dieselbe Zeit .segelten auch die Athener,
die von der Sache Wind bekommen hatten, mit ihren Schiffen von
Samos ab, um jenen noch zuvorzukommen; sie erschienen auch auf
hohem Meer, > waren aber um wenige Zeit zu spät gekommen und
schifften sogleich wieder nach Chalke- und von da nach Samos zurück
und setzten darauf.den Kampf fort, indem sie von Chalke und KoS ^{1 2}
und Samos aus Angriffe auf Rhodos machten. Die Peloponnefier
aber erhoben von den Rhodiern an Beisteuer gegen zwei und dreißig
Talente und blieben daselbst achtzig Tage ruhig liegen, nachdem sie
ihre Schiffe an's Land gezogen hatten: >., ?

XLIV. Les Lacédémoniens avaient résolu de passer à Rhodes, sur l’appel des principaux habitants; ils espéraient attirer à eux cette île importante, qui offrait des ressources assez considérables pour le recrutement des équipages et de l’armée de terre; ils comptaient d’ailleurs être en mesure, avec le concours de leurs alliés, d’entretenir leur flotte sans demander d’argent à Tissaphernes. Ils mirent donc aussitôt à la voile de Cnide, cet hiver même, et abordèrent d’abord avec quatre-vingtquatorze vaisseaux à Camiron, sur le territoire rhodien. Le peuple, ignorant les ouvertures faites, s’enfuit épouvanté, d’autant plus que la ville était ouverte. Mais les Lacédémoniens, ayant convoqué les habitants, avec ceux de deux autres villes rhodiennes, Lindos et Iélysos, les déterminèrent à se détacher des Athéniens. Rhodes passa, ainsi au parti des Péloponnésiens. Cependant les Athéniens avaient, au premier avis, fait voile avec la flotte de Samos, afin de prévenir l'ennemi, et s'étaient montrés au large. Mais, arrivés un peu trop tard, ils repartirent aussitôt pour Chalcé, et de là pour Samos. Plus tard ils dirigèrent, de Chalcé, de Cos et de Samos, des courses contre Rhodes, et lui firent la guerre. Les Péloponnésiens levèrent sur les Rhodiens un tribut de trente-deux talents, tirèrent leurs vaisseaex à sec et se tinrent en repos durant quatre-vingts jours.

Les Lacédémoniens formèrent le projet de passera Rhode, où ils étaient appelés par les principaux citoyens. L’acquisition de cette île avait pour eux de Pimportance par le grand nombre de ses marins et de ses soldats ; ils espéraient d’ailleurs, avec le concours de leurs alliés, pouvoir entretenir leur flotte sans demander d’argent à Tissapherne. Ils partirent donc aussitôt de Gnide ce même hiver, et allèrent premièrement aborder à Camiros sur terre de Rhode avec quatre-vingt-quatorze vaisseaux. Le peuple, qui ne savait rien des négociations entamées, s’enfuit épouvanté ; car la ville était ouverte. Les Lacédémoniens convoquèrent les habitants de Rhode avec ceux des deux villes de Lindos et d’Ialyssos, et les déterminèrent à se détacher d’Athènes. C’est ainsi que Rhode passa du côté des Péloponésiens.

Cependant, au premier avis reçu, les Athéniens étaient partis de Samos pour prévenir l’ennemi, et déjà ils se montraient au large ; mais il était trop tard : aussi remirent-ils à la voile, d’abord pour Chalcé , puis pour Samos. Ensuite ils se mirent en course contre Rhode, en partant de Chalcé, de Cos et de Samos. Les Péloponésiens levèrent sur les Rhodiens une contribution de trente-deux talents ¹ , tirèrent leurs vaisseaux à sec, et se tinrent dans l’inaction durant quatre-vingts jours.

[1] The Lacedaemonians, however, were minded to sail to Rhodes, since overtures were coming to them from the most influential men there; for they hoped that they could bring over to their side an island that was no mean power because of the large number of seamen and soldiers which it could furnish, and at the same time they thought that they would be able by themselves to maintain their fleet, on the basis of the existing alliance, without asking Tissaphernes for money.

[2] They therefore sailed at once that same winter from Cnidos, and touching first at Camirus in Rhodian territory with ninety-four ships, they so terrified most of the inhabitants, who knew nothing of the plan that was being negotiated, that they fled, especially since the city had no walls. Afterwards the Lacedaemonians called them together as well as the inhabitants of the two cities Lindus and Ialysus, and persuaded the Rhodians to revolt from the Athenians.

[3] So Rhodes came over to the Peloponnesian side. But the Athenians at this juncture, getting notice of their designs, sailed with the fleet they had at Samos, wishing to forestall them, and made their appearance out at sea; but finding that they were a little too late, they sailed back for the moment to Chalce, and thence returned to Samos. Afterwards, however, making raids from Chalce and Cos and Samos, they carried on hostilities against Rhodes.

[4] The Peloponnesians, on the other hand, levied money from the Rhodians to the amount of thirty-two talents, ¹ but otherwise they remained inactive for eighty days, drawing their ships up on shore.

[1] They, in consequence of communications from some of the most powerful men there, were disposed to sail to Rhodes; hoping to bring over to their side an island which was strong both in its number of seamen and its land forces; and moreover thinking that they should themselves be able to maintain their fleet from their own confederacy, without asking Tissaphernes for money.

[2] Having sailed therefore immediately, that same winter, from Cnidus, and having first put in with ninety-four ships to Camirus in the Rhodian territory, they frightened away most of the inhabitants, who were not aware of their intentions, and therefore fled, especially as the town was unfortified. Then, having assembled both these and the people from the two other towns, Lindus and Ialysus, the Lacedaemonians prevailed on the Rhodians to revolt from the Athenians.

[3] And so Rhodes joined the Peloponnesian confederacy. The Athenians, having got notice of it, sailed at this time with their ships from Samos, wishing to anticipate them, and came within sight of the island as they lay out at sea; but being a little too late, they sailed back in the first instance to Chalce, thence to Samos, and afterwards carried on the war against Rhodes by attacks from Chalce, Cos, and Samos.

[4] The Peloponnesians levied money from the Rhodians to the amount of two and thirty talents; but in other respects lay still for eighty days, having drawn up the ships on shore.

[1] illi vero in Rhodum, primorum virorum nomine arcessiti, navigare in animo habebant, sperantes fore, ut insulam et navalibus et pedestribus copiis validam sibi adjungerent, et simul existimantes, praesentem societatem suffecturam, ut ipsi nullam pecuniam a Tissapherne petentes, navales copias alerent.

[2] Protinus igitur eadem hieme ex Cnido profecti, et ad Camirum orae Rhodiae primum appulsi cum quatuor et nonaginta navibus, multitudini quidem terrorem injecerunt, ignarae eorum, quae agebantur, et ideo profugiebant, praesertim quod urbs nullis muris esset munita; deinde Lacedaemonii quum et hos et duarum civitatum, Lindi et Ielysi, cives Rhodios con-vocaseent, persuaserunt iis, ut ab Atheniensibus deficerent. Atque Rhodus se Peloponnesiis adjunxit.

[3] Athenienses vero in eo tempore, quum rem intellexissent, cum classe e Samo solverunt, defectionem antevertere cupientes, et conspecti sunt m alto; sed quum serius paulo venissent, in praesentia quidem ad Chalcen, et hinc ad Samum abierunt; postea vero et ex Chalce et ex Co et ex Samo incursiones in Rhodum facientes bellum gerebant.

[4] Peloponnesii autem pecunias ad duo et triginta talenta a Rhodiis exegerunt , cetera vero quiescebant per octoginta dies navibus subductis.

E i Lacedemoni, invitati per solenne ambasciata a Rodi da’ più ragguardevoli cittadini, avevano in animo di navigarvi, sperando di aggiugnere alla parte loro quell’isola potente per forze mariuime e terrestri ; ed insieme stimando che coll’alleanza di essa si procaccerebbero il mezzo di alimentare la fiotta senza addomaudare il denaro a Tissaferne. Laonde subito in quel medesimo inverno fatto vela da Cnido approdarono per primo a Gainiro sulle coste di Rodi con novantaquattro navi, e misero lo spavento nei popolani, che ignari di quella pratica si erano messi a fuggire, tanto più che la città era senza mora. Poi convocati a parlamento da1 Lacedemoni insieme cogli altri Rodiani delle due città chiamate Lindo ed Ielisso , si indussero tutti a ribellarsi ad Atene. Così Rodi si accostò ai Peloponnesi. Gli Ateniesi risaputo ciò, in quei giorni mossero colle navi da Samo per prevenir quella ribellione ; e comparvero in alto mare. Se non che vedendosi giunti un po’ tardi , retrocederono immantinente a Calce, e quindi a Samo ; e poi facendo delle sortite da Calce. da Co e da Samo, guerreggiavano Rodi. I Peloponnesi ricevettero dai Rodiani trenta talenti in moneta; e tirate le navi al secco stettero del rimanente quieti per ottanta giorni.