Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.45

[1] In this time, as also before the going of the Peloponnesians to Rhodes, came to pass the things that follow. Alcibiades, after the death of Chalcideus in battle at Miletus, being suspected by the Peloponnesians, and Astyochus having received letters from them from Lacedaemon to put him to death (for he was an enemy to Agis, and also otherwise not well trusted), retired to Tissaphernes first, for fear, and afterwards to his power hindered the affairs of the Peloponnesians.

[2] And being in everything his instructor, he not only cut shorter their pay, insomuch as from a drachma he brought it to three oboles, and those also not continually paid, advising Tissaphernes to tell them how that the Athenians, men of a long continued skill in naval affairs, allowed but three oboles to their own, not so much for want of money, but lest the mariners, some of them growing insolent by superfluity, should disable their bodies by spending their money on such things as would weaken them, and others should quit the galleys with the arrear of their pay in their captains' hands for a pawn;

[3] but also gave counsel to Tissaphernes to give money to the captains of the galleys and to the generals of the several cities, save only those of Syracuse, to give way unto it. For Hermocrates, [the general of the Syracusians,] was the only man, that in the name of the whole league stood against it.

[4] And for the cities that came to require money, he would put them back himself and answer them in Tissaphernes' name, and say, namely to the Chians, that they were impudent men, being the richest of the Grecian states and preserved by strangers, to expect nevertheless that others, for their liberty, should not only venture their persons but maintain them with their purses;

[5] and to other states, that they did unjustly, having laid out their money before they revolted that they might serve the Athenians, not to bestow as much or more now upon themselves;

[6] and told them that Tissaphernes, now he made war at his own charges, had reason to be sparing; but when money should come down from the king he would give them their full pay and assist the cities as should be fit.

[1] During this time, and even earlier, before they removed to Rhodes , the following intrigues took place. After the death of Chalcideus and the battle at Miletus , Alcibiades began to be suspected by the Peloponnesians; and Astyochus received from Lacedaemon an order from them to put him to death, he being the personal enemy of Agis, and in other respects thought unworthy of confidence. Alcibiades in his alarm first withdrew to Tissaphernes, and immediately began to do all he could with him to injure the Peloponnesian cause.

[2] Henceforth becoming his adviser in everything, he cut down the pay from an Attic drachma to three obols a day, and even this not paid too regularly; and told Tissaphernes to say to the Peloponnesians that the Athenians, whose maritime experience was of an older date than their own, only gave their men three obols, not so much from poverty as to prevent their seamen being corrupted by being too well off, and injuring their condition by spending money upon enervating indulgences, and also paid their crews irregularly in order to have a security against their deserting in the arrears which they would leave behind them.

[3] He also told Tissaphernes to bribe the captains and generals of the cities, and so to obtain their connivance—an expedient which succeeded with all except the Syracusans, Hermocrates alone opposing him on behalf of the whole confederacy.

[4] Meanwhile the cities asking for money Alcibiades sent off, by roundly telling them in the name of Tissaphernes, that it was great impudence in the Chians, the richest people in Hellas , not content with being defended by a foreign force, to expect others to risk not only their lives but their money as well in behalf of their freedom;

[5] while the other cities, he said, had had to pay largely to Athens before their rebellion, and could not justly refuse to contribute as much or even more now for their own selves.

[6] He also pointed out that Tissaphernes was at present carrying on the war at his own charges, and had good cause for economy, but that as soon as he received remittances from the king he would give them their pay in full, and do what was reasonable for the cities.

In derselben Zeit aber und auch schon bevor sie gegen
Rhodos aufgebrochen waren, geschah das Folgende.- Alkibiades war
nach dem Tode des Chalkideus und der Schlacht bei Milet
denPeloponMsiern verdächtig geworden, und als von ihnen aus Lakedämon
ein Brief an den Astyochos kam, daß man ihn todten solle — er war
nämlich auch mit Agis verfeindet und schien überhaupt unzuverlässig
— so entfloh er zuerst aus Furcht heimlich zu Tissaphernes, und
wirkte dann bei demselben nach Kräften zum Schaden der
Peloponnefier, indem er ihm alle jene Maßregeln an die Hand gab, wie er
ihn denn auch veranlaßte, den Sold zu beschneiden, so daß, anstatt
einer attischen Drachme, nur drei Obolen^), und'die nicht einmal
immer, gegeben wurden. Hiebei rieth er dem Tissaphernes, jenen zu
sagen, daß ja auch die Athener, die doch schon seit längerer Zeit im
Seewesen Erfahrung hätten, ihrer Schiffsmannschaft nur drei
Obolen gäben, und zwar nicht sowohl aus Geldmangel, als vielmehr,
damit diese im Ueberfluß nicht übermüthig würden und entweder ihre
Körperkraft schwächten, indem sie das Geld aus Dinge verwendeten,'
welche Krankheit zur Folge haben, oder von ihren Schiffen entliefen)
ohne sich aus dem pfandweise zurückgehaltenen Guthaben an ihrer
Löhnung viel zu machen. Auch lehrte er ihn, die Schiffshauptleute
und die Feldherrn der einzelnen Städte durch Geld zu bestechen, so,
daß sich ihm diese in der That hierin gefügig zeigten, nur die
Syrakufaner nicht. Denn von diesen that Hermokrates, ihr Feldherr, im
Namen der ganzen BundeSgenoffenschast Einspruch..Auch wies er
auf eigene Hand im Namen des Tissaphernes diejenigen Staaten
zurück, welche Geldunterstützung verlangten, indem er die Chier schalt,
sie seien unverschämte Leute, daß sie, die Reichsten unter allen
Hellenen und doch nur durch Hilfe Anderer gerettet, jetzt verlangten, daß
die Andern nicht nur ihr Leben, sondern auch ihr Geld in die
Schanze schlagen sollten um ihrer Freiheit willen. Und den andern ¹
Städten sagte er, sie thäten Unrecht, wenn sie vor ihrem Abfall den ²
Athenern Abgaben gezahlt hätten und jetzt nicht eben so viel, oder
noch mehr, zu ihrem eigenen Besten beisteuern wollten.'Tissaphernes,
sagte er, müsse jetzt aus eigenem Säckel Krieg führen, und es sei
deßhalb sehr begreiflich, daß er spare; wenn aber erst die
VerpflegungSgelder vom Könige angekommen wären, so werde er ihnen den Sold
schon ohne Abzug auszahlen und auch den einzelnen Staaten alle
Unterstützung gewähren, die füglich erwartet werden könne.

XLV. Pendant ce temps, et même un peu avant le départ de leur expédition pour Rhodes, d’autres incidents étaient survenus; Alcibiade, après la mort de Chalcidéus et le combat dé Milet, était devenu suspect aux Lacédémoniens, à ce point qu’une lettre avait été écrite de Lacédémone à Astyochos, portant ordre de le faire mourir. Car il était ennemi d’Agis et n’inspirait d’ailleurs aucune confiance. Alcibiade, effrayé, se retira vers Tissaphernes, et s'employa dès lors de tout son pouvoir auprès de lui pour brouiller les affaires des Péloponnésiens. Devenu son conseiller en toutes choses, il fit réduire la solde d’une drachme attique à trois oboles, et encore n’étaient-elles pas payées régulièrement. Il leur fit déclarer par Tissaphernes que les Athéniens, marins expérimentés bien longtemps avant eux, ne donnaient que trois oboles à leurs équipages, bien moins par insuffisance de ressources que par prudence, de peur que leurs matelots ne devinssent insolents dans l’abondance et ne compromissent, ceux-ci leur santé, en consacrant leur superflu à des plaisirs énervants, ceux-là leur navire, en abandonnant pour gage de leur remplacement l’arriéré de leur solde. Il lui apprit aussi à acheter les triérarques et les généraux des villes alliées, si bien que tous accédèrent à ses volontés, ceux de Syracuse exceptés. Hermocrates seul résista, au nom de tous les alliés. Alcibiade, d’un autre côté, repoussait lui-même les demandes d’argent adressées par les villes et déclarait, au nom de Tissaphernes, qu’il y aurait impudence de la part des habisants de Chio, les plus riches des Grecs, à exiger, quand ils ne devaient leur salut qu’à l’appui de leurs auxiliaires, que d’autres exposassent gratuitement pour eux leur vie et leur fortune. Quant aux autres villes, il dit qu’il serait criant qu’après avoir versé leurs trésors à Athènes, antérieurement, à leur défection, elles ne voulussent pas maintenant contribuer pour autant et même plus dans leur propre intérêt. Il représenta enfin que, Tissaphernes faisant alors la guerre à ses frais, il était naturel qu’il visât à l’économie; mais que, si un jour des subsides étaient envoyés par le Roi, il leur payerait intégralement la solde et accorderait aux villes des indemnités raisonnables.

Dans l’intervalle et même avant l’expédition de Rhode, il survint quelques incidents. Depuis la mort de Chalcidéus et la bataille de Milet, Alcibiade était devenu suspect aux Péloponésiens, comme ennemi d’Agis et comme traître, à tel point que de Lacédémone on avait mandé à Astyochos de le faire périr. Alcibiade effrayé se retira chez Tissapherne et s'attacha de tout son pouvoir à le brouiller avec les Péloponésiens. Devenu l’âme de ses conseils, il fit réduire la solde d’unq drachme attique à trois oboles ¹ , qui n’étaient même pas payées régulièrement. D’après ses conseils, Tissapherne déclara que, si les Athéniens, bien plus expérimentés dans la marine, donnaient seulement trois oboles à leurs matelots, c’était moins par économie que pour les empêcher de se pervertir par l’abondance, d’affaiblir et de ruiner leur santé par des excès, on d’abandonner leurs navires en laissant pour gage l’arriéré qui leur était dû. Il lui apprit encore à gagne? par des gratifications l’appui des triérarques et des généraux des villes. Tous s’y laissèrent prendre, excepté les Syracusains. Hermocratès fut seul à protester au nom des confédérés. Lorsque les villes venaient demander de l’argent, Alcibiade les éconduisait lui-même en répondant, au nom de Tissapherne , que les Chiotes étaient bien impudents, eux les plus riches des Grecs et redevables de leur salut à une assistance étrangère , de prétendre que d’autres exposassent leurs vies et leurs.biens pour les affranchir. Quant aux autres villes, elles seraient, disait-il, impardonnables, elles qui, avant leur défection, contribuaient si largement en faveur d’Athènes, de se refuser aujourd’hui à faire les mêmes sacrifices et de plus grands encore dans leur propre intérêt. Enfin il représentait que Tissapherne, faisant la guerre à ses dépens, avait bien raison d’user d’économie ; mais que le jour où le roi enverrait des fonds, la solde serait' intégralement payée et les villes recevraient d’équitables indemnités.

[1] But in the meantime, and even before the Peloponnesians removed to Rhodes, the following negotiations were going on. After the death of Chalcideus and the battle at Miletus, Alcibiades, finding himself under suspicion with the Peloponnesians, and Astyochus having received a letter from Lacedaemon ordering him to be put to death—for he was a personal enemy of Agis and in general appeared untrustworthy—at first withdrew in alarm to Tissaphernes and then proceeded to damage the Peloponnesian cause with him as much as he possibly could.

[2] Becoming his adviser in all matters, he cut down the pay of the troops, so that instead of an Attic drachma ¹ only three obols were given, and that not regularly, and he urged Tissaphernes to tell them that the Athenians, who had had experience in naval matters for a longer time, gave only three obols to their men, ² not so much through lack of money as with the purpose of keeping their sailors from growing insolent by reason of abundance; for some would injure their health by spending their money on things which bring on sickness, while others would desert their ships without leaving behind ³ as a guarantee the part of their pay that was still due.

[3] He also taught him how by the use of money to persuade the trierarchs and generals to agree with him in these matters—all except the Syracusans, and of them Hermocrates alone opposed him, doing so on behalf of the alliance as a whole.

[4] Furthermore, when the several cities asked for money he dismissed them, taking it upon himself to answer on behalf of Tissaphernes that the Chians were shameless people, for though they were the wealthiest of the Hellenes and owed their salvation to outside help, nevertheless they expected others to risk their lives and their money also for the defence of their liberty.

[5] And as for the other states, which before they revolted used to lavish money upon the Athenians, he said that they were doing wrong unless they were willing at this time also to contribute as much or even more for their own protection.

[6] And he further explained that, though Tissaphernes, now that he was waging war on his own resources, was quite properly frugal, yet if ever supplies should come down from the King he would give the men their full pay and would render to the states all reasonable aid.

[1] In the mean time, and at even a still earlier period, before they removed to Rhodes, the following negotiations were being carried on. Alcibiades being suspected by the Peloponnesians after the death of Chalcideus and the battle of Miletus, and instructions having been sent by them from Lacedaemon to Astyochus to put him to death, (for he was a personal enemy of Agis, and in other ways appeared to be unworthy of trust,) he first retired in alarm to the court of Tissaphernes, and then did the greatest harm he could to the cause of the Peloponnesians with him.

[2] Being his adviser on all points, he cut down the pay, so that instead of an Attic drachma three oboli were given, and that not regularly; telling Tissaphernes to represent to them, that the Athenians, who for a longer time had had experience in naval matters, gave their men but three oboli; not so much from poverty, as that their seamen might not grow insolent from abundance, and either be less able-bodied, through spending money on such things as produce weakness, or desert their ships by means of leaving their arrears of pay as a ¹ security for them.

[3] He also gave him such instructions, that by giving money he persuaded the trierarchs and generals of the different states to concede these points to him; excepting the Syracusans; but of these Hermocrates alone opposed him on behalf of the whole confederacy.

[4] The states, too, which applied for money he dismissed with an answer from himself, on the part of Tissaphernes, alleging by way of refusal, that the Chians were shameless, who, though the wealthiest of the Greeks, and being protected as they were by the aid they were receiving, expected others to risk both their persons and their purses for their liberty.

[5] With regard to the rest of the states, which used before their revolt to lavish their money on the Athenians, he said that they were wrong if they would not now also contribute as much, or even more, for their own interests.

[6] He also represented that Tissaphernes was naturally sparing at present, inasmuch as he was carrying on the war with his own resources; but that if supplies should ever come down from the king, he would give them their full pay, and afford the states all proper relief.

[1] Interea vero, atque prius etiam, antequam Rhodum versus moverant, haec agebantur. Alcibiades quum post Chalcidei necem et proelium commissum ad Miletum in suspicionem Peloponnesiis venisset, et ab iis epistola de eo interficiendo ad Aslyochum Lacedaemone missa esset, (erat enim et Agidi inimicus, et alioqui infidus videbatur), metuens primum quidem ad Tissaphernem secessit; deinde apud eum, quam maxime poterat, Peloponnesiorum rebus nocebat,

[2] et eum omnia docens, stipendium imminuit, ita ut pro drachma Attica terni oboli, nec ii constanter solverentur, Tissaphernem hortans, ut illis diceret, Athenienses , qui longiore temporis spatio rei navalis peritiam haberent, ternos obolos suis numerare, non tam propter paupertatem, quam ne nautae, propter affluentiam stipendii insolentius viventes, partim quidem corpora imbecilliora haberent, sumptus facientes in ea, unde corporum imbecillitas contingit, partim vero naves desererent, qui non relinquerent stipendii partem pignoris loco adhuc debitam;

[3] idem eum edocuit, ut trierarchos et civitatum duces pecunia'data ad hanc rem sibi concedendam induceret, exceptis Syracusanis; ex his enim Hermocrates solus universae socialis classis nomine adversabatur.

[4] Civitates quoque pecuniam petentes abegit ipse respondens Tissaphernis nomine, Chios quidem impudentes esse, qui, quum essent omnium Graecorum ditissimi, tamen dum auxiliarium copiarum beneficio servarentur, postularent, ut alii et corporibus et pecuniis pro illorum libertate pericula subirent;

[5] ceteras autem civitates injuste iacere dicebat, quae pro Atheniensibus, antequam defecissent, sumptus facere consuevissent, si non nunc quoque pro se ipsis et tantundem et plus etiam conferre vellent.

[6] ElTissaphernem ostendebat nunc quidem, quod suis pecuniis bellum gereret, merito parcum esse; sed si quando stipendium a rege mitteretur, integram iis mercedem eum redditurum, et civitates, quantum aequum esset, sublevaturum.

Ma in questo mezzo tempo , ed anche prima che i Lacedemoni andassero a Rodi , accadevano le cose seguenti. Alcibiade, dopo l'uccisione di Calcideo e la giornata diMileto, era divenuto sospetto ai Peloponnesi ; i quali con una lettera spedita da Sparla ordinavano ad Astioco che l’uccidesse, giacché era in odio ad Agide, e d’altronde compariva uomo di mala fede. Laonde intimoriio, primieramente si era ricovrato presso Tissaferne , c quindi danneggiava a tutto polere le cose de’ Peloponnesi presso di lui. E fattosi in tutto consigliere di esso diminuì gli stipendii, sicché invece della dramma attica si davano tre oboli , ed anche questi non sempre ; e lo confortava a dire ai Peloponnesi, che gli Ateniesi da maggior tempo esperti nella marinaresca disciplina , davano ai loro soldati tre oboli. Lo che facevano non lauto per povertà , quanto perché le ciurme insolentendo uella dovizia , non guastassero i loro corpi spendendo le paghe in cose pregiudicevoli alla sanità , o deteriorassero la flotta coll' abbandonarla; rilasciando per mallevadoria di loro ritorno la mercede non per anche pagata. Fu parimeule insegnamento di Alcibiade che, largheggiando coi trierarci)i ed i capitani , li persuadesse a convenire in questa riforma , senza però impacciarsi dei Siracusani. Anzi tra questi il solo Ermocrate si opponeva a nome di tutta la lega , e ripulsava le città che dimandassero denari, protestando a favor di Tissaferne che sfacciati sarebbero i Chii se ( essendo i più ricchi fra i Greci, e ciò nonostante trovandosi salvi per le truppe degli alleati ) pretendessero che altri dovesser mettere a repentaglio le persone e gli averi per la libertà di loro. Quanto alle altre città poi soggiugneva che esse aveano il torto, se laddove prima di ribellarsi spendevano per gli Ateniesi, ora poi non volessero contribuire altrettanto, e più ancora, per sè medesime ; dichiarava che Tissaferne a ragione usava risparmio al presente , dovendo sostener la guerra co’ propri denari ; e che se mai il re mandasse le paghe, allora darebbe loro intero il soldo, e aiuterebbe le città come conveniva.