Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.57

[1] Presently after this, the same winter, Tissaphernes went to Caunus with intent both to bring the Peloponnesians back to Miletus and also (as soon as he should have agreed unto new articles, such as he could get) to give the fleet their pay, and not to fall directly out with them for fear lest so many galleys, wanting maintenance, should either be forced by the Athenians to fight and so be overcome, or, emptied of men, the business might succeed with the Athenians according to their own desire without him. Besides, he was afraid lest looking for maintenance they should make spoil in the continent.

[2] In consideration and foresight of all which things he desired to counterpoise the Grecians. And sending for the Peloponnesians, he gave them their pay, and now made the third league, as followeth:

[1] Tissaphernes immediately after this, in the same winter, proceeded along shore to Caunus , desiring to bring the Peloponnesian fleet back to Miletus , and to supply them with pay, making a fresh convention upon such terms as he could get, in order not to bring matters to an absolute breach between them. He was afraid that if many of their ships were left without pay they would be compelled to engage and be defeated, or that their vessels being left without hands, the Athenians would attain their objects without his assistance. Still more he feared that the Peloponnesians might ravage the continent in search of supplies.

[2] Having calculated and considered all this, agreeably to his plan of keeping the two sides equal, he now sent for the Peloponnesians and gave them pay, and concluded with them a third treaty in words following:—

Tissaphernes .aber erschien sogleich dayach. und >noch, in ¹
demselben Winter zu Kaunos'/'in''der-Abficht, die Peloponnesier
wieder.nach Milet zu bringen und nach.. Abschließnng seines neuen
Vertrags'/so günstig er ihn eben erlangen könNe, ihnen, wieder die
Verpflegung zu liefern,'damit er--sich.nicht ganzund-gar Mit ihnen
verfeinde. "Er fürchtete nämlich;: daß sie'wegen Mangels an Unter,
halt für so viele Schiffe sich genöthigt sehen könnten, den Athenern
eine Seeschlacht zu liefern,', und. dabei geschlagen-würden, oder daß
die Mannschaft - ihre Schiffe im! Stiche, lassen > l und die
Athener so^ihren Zweck ohne sein Zuthun «erreichen würden. Am
allermeisten aber fürchtete er, sie möchten, um Lebensunterhalt izu finden,
das Festland plündern. In Berechnung und Voraussicht aller dieser
Dinge,-und.cwie es-denn überhaupt seine Absicht war«,, unter den
Hellenen ein Gleichgewicht der Macht herzustellen, ließ er die
Peloponnesier zu sich einladen, gewährte ihnen die Verpflegung!und schloß
mit ihnen den folgenden dritten Vertrag abj . > > > 1 i)

LVII. Aussitôt après, et dans le même hiver, Tissaphernes se rendit à Caune, dans le dessein de ramener les Péloponnésiens à Milet, de faire un nouveau traité, tel quel, de leur fournir un subside et d’éviter avec eux une rupture complète. Il craignait que, faute de subsistances pour une flotte nombreuse, les Péloponnésiens, forcés de livrer un combat naval aux Athéniens, n’eussent le dessous, ou que la désorganisation ne se mît dans leurs équipages, ce qui permettrait aux Athéniens d’arriver à leurs fins sans s’inquiéter de lui. Mais sa plus grande préoccupation était qu’ils ne pillassent le continent pour se procurer des vivres. Tout bien calculé et prévu, poursuivant son dessein de contre-balancer mutuellement les Grecs, il appela les Péloponnésiens, leur donna un subside et conclut avec eux un troisième traité. En voici la teneur :

Le même hiver, aussitôt après ces événements, Tissapherne se rendit à Caunos, dans le dessein de ramener les Pélo-ponésiens à Milet, de conclure avec eux un nouveau traité à telles conditions qu’il pourrait, de leur fournir des subsides et de ne pas se brouiller définitivement avec eux. Il craignait que, faute de subsistances pour leur nombreuse flotte, ils ne fussent contraints de livrer un combat naval aux Athéniens et n’eussent le dessous, ou que la désertion ne se glissât dans leurs équipages et ne permît aux Athéniens d’en venir à leurs fins sans avoir besoin de lui ; surtout il appréhendait qu’ils ne pillassent le continent pour se procurer des vivres. Ce fut donc par suite de ces calculs et de ces prévisions, comme aussi dans le but d’établir l’équilibre entre les Grecs, qu’il appela les Péloponé-siens, leur fournit des subsides et conclut un troisième traité dans les termes suivants :

[1] Immediately after this, in the course of the same winter, Tissaphernes proceeded to Caunus, wishing to bring the Peloponnesians back to Miletus, and after concluding with them such other agreements as he found practicable, to supply them with maintenance, and not be in a state of complete hostility; for he was afraid that, if they should be in difficulty about the maintenance of a large fleet, they might either be forced to fight the Athenians and suffer defeat, or that, their ships being emptied of men by desertion, the Athenians might get what they wanted without his help; and he was afraid, furthermore and chiefly, that in searching for supplies they might ravage the mainland.

[2] Taking all these possibilities into consideration, therefore, and as a precaution against them, and acting consistently with his policy to reduce the Hellenes to an equality with each other, he sent for the Peloponnesians and gave them supplies, and concluded with them a a third treaty to the following effect:

[1] Immediately after these things, in the very same winter, Tissaphernes proceeded to Caunus, wishing to bring the Peloponnesians back to Miletus, and after making still another convention with them, to give them pay, and not have them driven to absolute hostilities with him; being afraid that if they were without supplies for many of their ships, they might either be compelled to engage the Athenians and be defeated, or through their vessels being unmanned the Athenians might without his assistance attain the object of their wishes. And again, he was most of all afraid that they might ravage the continent in search of supplies.

[2] From calculating and forecasting all these things, in accordance with his wish to reduce the Greeks to a footing of equality with one another, he consequently sent for the Lacedaemonians, and gave them supplies, and concluded a third treaty with them, to the following effect:

[1] Tissaphernes autem statim post haec et eadem hieme in Caunum se contulit, quia volebat Peloponnesio? Miletum rursus reducere, aliisque rursus tactis pactionibus, quascumque posset, stipendium praebere, nec sibi prorsus hostes fieri, veritus ne, si in multis navibus laborarent inopia stipendii, aut coacti navale proelium cum Atheniensibus committere, superarentur, aut classe hominibus nudata Atheniensibus siaeseresex animi sententia succederent. Praeterea vero maxime metuebat, nc illi stipendii quaerendi gratia continentem popularentur.

[2] Harum igitur omnium rerum rationem et curam habens, volebat quodam modo Graecos inter se coaequare; itaque Peloponnesiis accitis stipendium numerat, et foedera cum iis tertia facit, in haec verba.

Subito appresso queste cose , durante l' inverno, Tissaferne recossi a Cauno perchè desiderava di ricondurre i Peloponnesi a Mileto , e di pagare gli stipendii fatti che avesse con loro altri patti ne9 termini che potesse , acciò e’ non venissero intieramente debellati. Temeva egli che i Peloponnesi, mancando di viveri per la numerosa flotta, ed astretti dagli Ateniesi a combattere , non rimanessero vinti ; o che abbandonate le navi, e privi del suo soccorso , non dessero occasione agli Ateniesi medesimi di arrivare al loro intento. Oltre di che stava in grandissima apprensione che andando a foraggiare non guastassero la terraferma. Mosso adunque dalla considerazione e provvedimento di tutte queste cose, perchè voleva tener bilanciate le forze de’Greci, manda a chiamare i Peloponnesi, dà ad essi le paghe, e per la terza volta pattuisce questi accordi.