Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.53

[1] The Athenian ambassadors sent from Samos with Pisander, being arrived at Athens, were making their propositions to the people, and related unto them summarily the points of their business, and principally this, that if they would call home Alcibiades, and not suffer the government to remain in the hands of the people in such manner as it did, they might have the king for their confederate, and get the victory of the Peloponnesians.

[2] Now when many opposed that point touching the democracy, and the enemies of Alcibiades clamoured withal that it would be a horrible thing he should return by forcing the government, when the Eumolpidae and Ceryces bare witness against him concerning the mysteries for which he fled and prohibited his return under their curse, Pisander, at this great opposition and querimony, stood out, and going amongst them took out one by one those that were against it, and asked them whether, now that the Peloponnesians had as many galleys at sea to oppose them as they themselves had, and confederate cities more than they, and were furnished with money by the king and Tissaphernes, the Athenians being without, they had any other hope to save their state but by persuading the king to come about to their side.

[3] And they that were asked having nothing to answer, then in plain terms he said unto them: This you cannot now obtain, except we administer the state with more moderation and bring the power into the hands of a few that the king may rely upon us. And we deliberate at this time, not so much about the form as about the preservation of the state; for if you mislike the form, you may change it again hereafter. And let us recall Alcibiades, who is the only man that can bring this to pass.

[1] the Athenian envoys who had been despatched from Samos with Pisander arrived at Athens , and made a speech before the people, giving a brief summary of their views, and particularly insisting that if Alcibiades were recalled and the democratic constitution changed, they could have the king as their ally, and would be able to overcome the Peloponnesians.

[2] A number of speakers opposed them on the question of the democracy, the enemies of Alcibiades cried out against the scandal of a restoration to be effected by a violation of the constitution, and the Eumolpidae and Ceryces protested in behalf of the mysteries, the cause of his banishment, and called upon the gods to avert his recall; when Pisander, in the midst of much opposition and abuse, came forward, and taking each of his opponents aside asked him the following question:—In the face of the fact that the Peloponnesians had as many ships as their own confronting them at sea, more cities in alliance with them, and the king and Tissaphernes to supply them with money, of which the Athenians had none left, had he any hope of saving the state, unless some one could induce the king to come over to their side?

[3] Upon their replying that they had not, he then plainly said to them: ‘This we cannot have unless we have a more moderate form of government, and put the offices into fewer hands, and so gain the king's confidence, and forthwith restore Alcibiades, who is the only man living that can bring this about. The safety of the state, not the form of its government, is for the moment the most pressing question, as we can always change afterwards whatever we do not like.'

Die Athenischen Gesandten, welche von Samos aus mit
Peisandros abgesendet worden, waren unterdessen in Athen angekom^
men und hielten Reden vor dem Volke, indem sie unter vielen andern
Unterstützungsgründen hauptsächlich betonten, daß es bei ihnen stünde,
den König als Bundesgenossen zn gewinnen und der Peloponnesier
Herr zu werden, wenn sie den Alkibiades zurückberiefen und die
demokratische Regierung abändern wollten. Dem widersprachen aber
viele Andere im Namen der Volksherrschast, und auch die Feinde des
Alkibiades erhoben ein Geschrei, wie gefährlich eS wäre, wenn dieser
Mensch die Verfassung vergewaltigen und^o feine Rückkehr durchsetzen
sollte; dazu erklärten auch die vom Geschlechte des Eumolpos und
Keryx 39) im Namen der Mysterien, derentwegen er ja auch verbannt ¹
worden war, feierlichst, nnd beschworen das Volk bei allen Göttern,
jenen nicht zurückzurufen. Gegen diesen zahlreichen Widerspruch und
das Zetergeschrei trat aber Peisandros auf und nahm Jeden der
Widersprechenden .bei Seite und fragte ihn, ob er denn noch Hoffnung
habe, daß die Stadt sich retten könne, während die Peloponnesier eine
nicht geringere SchiffSzahl, als sie selbst, kampfbereit in See hätten
und mehr verbündete Staaten/und der König und TissapherneS ihnen
auch noch Hilfsgelder zahlten, während ihre eigenen Kassen leer seien?
Die'einzige Hoffnung sei, den König als Bundesgenossen zu gewinnen.
Wenn ihm nun die Gefragten Recht geben mußten, so sagte er ihnen
ganz unverblümt: Nun. das durchzusetzen ist uns aber nicht möglich,
wenn wir nicht eine gemäßigtere Verfassung annehmen-und die
Staatsämter wenigeren Männern in die Hände geben, damit der König
Vertrauen zu:uns gewinne; und unter den obwaltenden Umständen
berathen wirnicht sowohl über die VerfassungSform, als vielmehr über
die Rettung des.Staates — später können wir ja die Sache wieder
abändern, wenn uns Eins oder das Andere daran nicht gefällt —7
und den Alkibiades müssen wir zurückrufen, denn der ist von Allen, die
jetzt leben, ganz allein im Stande, die Sache für uns durchzusetzen."

LIII. Cependant Pisandre et les autres députés athéniens, envoyés de Samos, étaient arrivés à Athènes. Dans leur discours à l’assemblée du peuple, ils ne traitèrent que sommairement la plupart des autres questions et insistèrent surtout sur ce point, qu’il serait possible, en rappelant Alcibiade et en modifiant la démocratie, d’obtenir l’alliance du Roi et de triompher des Péloponnésiens. Beaucoup réclamèrent au nom de la démocratie; les ennemis d’Alcibiade s’écriaient qu’il serait odieux de laisser rentrer le violateur des lois; les Eumolpides et les Céryces ¹ invoquaient les mystères, au nom desquels il avait été banni, et protestaient avec imprécations contre son retour. Pisandre, tenant tête à cette multitude de plaintes et de réclamations, appelle à lui tour à tour chacun de ses contradicteurs; et, lui rappelant que les Lacédémoniens ont en mer une flotte qui ne le cède en rien à la leur et prête au combat; qu’ils comptent un plus grand nombre de villes alliées; que le Roi et Tissaphernes leur fournissent des subsides, tandis qu’eux-mêmes sont à bout de ressources, il lui demande s’il conserve encore quelque espoir de salut pour la république, à moins qu’on ne décide le Roi à passer du côté des Athéniens. Quand à cette question on répondait négativement, alors Pisandre reprenait sans détour : « Nous ne pouvons ² donc nous sauver qu’en nous gouvernant avec plus de modération, en confiant le pouvoir à un petit nombre de citoyens, pour inspirer au Roi plus de confiance, en nous préoccupant moins dans les circonstances présentes de la forme politique que de notre salut, — car nous pourrons changer plus tard, si quelque chose nous blesse, — enfin en rappelant Alcibiade, le seul homme qui soit aujourd’hui en état de faire ce qui peut nous sauver. »

Les députés athéniens envoyés de Samos avec Pisan-dros arrivèrent à Athènes et parurent devant le peuple assemblé. La conclusion de leurs discours fut que, si Ton voulait rappeler Alcibiade et renoncer au gouvernement populaire, on pouvait compter sur l’alliance du roi et triompher des Péloponésiens. Plusieurs voix s’élevèrent en faveur de la démocratie. Les ennemis d'Alcibiade criaient à l’indignité, s’il rentrait dans une ville dont il avait foulé aux pieds les lois. Les Eumolpides et les Hérauts ¹ protestaient contre son rappel au nom des dieux et des mystères qui avaient occasionné son exil. Pisandros, montant à la tribune, répondit à ces plaintes et à ces réclamations. Interpellant chacun des opposauts, il lui demandait quel espoir de salut il conservait pour la république, lorsque les Péloponésiens avaient autant de vaisseaux en mer et plus d’alliés qu'Athènes; lorsque le roi et Tissapherne leur fournissaient de l'argent, tandis qu’ils étaient à la veille d’en manquer eux-mêmes, s’ils n’attiraient le roi dans leur parti. Quand il leur avait ainsi fermé la bouche, il leur disait ouvertement : « Notre seule et unique ressource est d’adopter un régime plus modéré, en remettant le pouvoir à un petit nombre de citoyens, pour inspirer de la confiance au roi. Aujourd’hui, ce n’est pas de constitution, c'est du salut qu’il s’agit pour nous; plus tard, nous pourrons faire les modifications désirables. Pour le moment rappelons Alcibiade, le seul hpmme capable de mener à bien ce projet. »

[1] Meanwhile the envoys that had been sent from Samos with Peisander arrived at Athens and made a statement before a meeting of the people, offering a summary of many arguments but urging with special emphasis that it was possible for them, by recalling Alcibiades and adopting a different form of democratic government, both to have the King as their ally and to prevail over the Peloponnesians.

[2] But as to the democracy, many others spoke against the scheme, and at the same time the enemies of Alcibiades loudly protested that it would be an outrage if, after defying the laws, he should be restored; the Eumolpidae ¹ also and the Ceryces ² bore witness against him on the score of the mysteries, for whose violation he had been banished, and protested in the name of the gods against bringing him back. Whereupon Peisander came forward and in the face of much protest and abuse took each one of the objectors aside and asked him what hope he had of the salvation of the state, now that the Peloponnesians had no fewer ships than they confronting them at sea and a larger number of allied cities, with the King and Tissaphernes furnishing the enemy with money, while they themselves no longer had money, unless someone should persuade the King to change over to the Athenian side.

[3] And when, in answer to this question, they all admitted there was no other hope, he thereupon told them plainly: “Well, this cannot be attained by us unless we form a wiser government and put the offices to a greater extent into the hands of a few, in order that the King may trust us, and unless in our deliberations we take less heed at present about the form of our government than about our salvation (for afterwards it will be possible for us to make a change if there is anything we do not like), and recall Alcibiades, who is the only man in the world to-day who is able to bring this result to pass.”

[1] The Athenian ambassadors, on the other hand, who had been sent from Samos with Pisander, on their arrival at Athens, delivered an address before the people, giving a summary of many arguments, but most especially urging, that by recalling Alcibiades, and not being under a democratical government in the same manner as hitherto, they might both have the king for an ally, and gain the victory over the Peloponnesians.

[2] When many others opposed them on the subject of the democracy, and the enemies of Alcibiades at the same time exclaimed, that it was a shameful thing if he were to return by doing violence to the laws; and the Eumolpidae and Ceryces adjured them with regard to the mysteries, for which he had been banished, and appealed to the gods against their restoring him; Pisander came forward in the face of much opposition and indignant protesting, and taking aside each one of his opponents, asked him whether he had any hope of preservation for the state, since the Peloponnesians had no fewer ships than themselves opposed to them on the sea, and more cities in alliance with them, while the king and Tissaphernes supplied them with money; whereas they themselves had no longer any, unless some one should persuade the king to come over to their side.

[3] When, on being thus questioned, they allowed that they had not, he then said to them plainly,

[1] Atheniensium vero legati, qui cum Pisandro ex Samo missi erant, quum Athenas pervenissent, apud populum verba faciebant, in summam multa colligentes, prsecipue vero demonstrantes, facile iis esse, si Alcibiadem restituerent , nec amplius eodem modo populari statu uterentur, et regem socium habere et Peloponnesios superare.

[2] Sed quum et alii multi de populari statu contradicerent, et simul Alcibiadis inimici vociferarentur, indignum facinus esse, sl, legibus vi facta, rediret, et Eumolpidae et Ceryces de mysticis, propter quae profugerat, testimonium dicerent, et per res divinas obtestarentur, ne reducerent, Pisander in medium progressus, inter multam adversationem et indignationem quemvis unum eorum, qui contradicebant, in medium producens interrogabat, num quam salutis publicae spem haberet, quum Peloponnesii non pauciores, quam ipsi, naves contra se in acie stantes in mari haberent, et socias civitates plures, praeterea quum rex et Tissaphernes pecunias iis suppeditaret, ipsis vero nullae amplius essent, nisi quis regi persuaderet, ut ad se transiret.

[3] Ubi autem interrogati illi spem esse negarent, tunc vero palam dicebat iis:

« Hoc igitur nobis contingere non potest, nisi rempublicam administrabimus sapientius, et magistratus ad pauciores » deferamus, ut rex fidem nobis habeat, neque de reipublicae forma magis consultabimus in praesentia, quam de salute (nam et postea nobis licebit haec mutare, si quid displicuerit), Alcibiademque reducemus, qui solus omnium, qui nunc vivunt, hoc conficere potest. »

Intanto gli ambasciatori degli Ateniesi spediti da Samo insieme con Pisandro erano arrivati ad Atene e tenevan discorso al popolo di molte cose in succinto, di cui la principale fu che stava in facoltà loro Pavere alleato il re e vincere i Peloponnesi, purché rimettessero in patria Alcibiade e cessassero dal governo popolare. Molti furono i contradittori intorno al cangiamento del governo, ai quali si aggiunsero i nemici di Alcibiade gridando , che indegna cosa sarebbe il rimettere in patria un violatore delle leggi ; e con essi gli Eumolpidi ed i Cerici, testimoniando dei profanati misteri, cagione del suo bando, e scongiurando per gli Dei perchè non fosse riammesso. Per 10 che Pisandro, nonostante le molte contradizioni e querimonie, fattosi avanti e pigliando ad uno ad uno i contradittori domandava loro: qual mai speranza di salvezza restasse alla Repubblica , se non fosse quella di trarre alla sua parte il re, ora che i Peloponnesi avevano in mare una flotta non punto minore di fronte a loro, e maggior numero di città confederate e denari dal re stesso e da Tissaferne, mentre essi Ateniesi più non ne avevano ? E poiché a tale dimanda rispondevano di non aver speranza veruna; allora Pisandro apertamente soggiugneva: « Questa salvezza adunque non può otteuersi ove non mettiamo maggio. moderazione nel reggimento politico, e menomiamo il numero de'magistrati, acciocché il re si fidi di noi ; ove al presente non vogliamo darci pensiero piuttosto della salute nostra che non della forma del governo , poiché in seguito starà in nostro arbitrio cambiar quello che non ci piaccia ; ed ove non rimettiamo in patria Alcibiade , il solo tra’ viventi sufficiente a render l’opera compiuta ».