Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.62

[1] Presently after this, Dercylidas being arrived now in Hellespont from Miletus by land, Abydos revolted to him and to Pharnabazus; and two days after revolted Lampsacus.

[2] Strombichides, having intelligence of this, made haste thither from Chios with four-and-twenty sail of Athenians, those being also of that number which transported his men of arms. And when he had overcome the Lampsacenes that came out against him, and taken Lampsacus, being an open town, at the first shout of their voices, and made prize of all the goods they found and of the slaves, he placed the freemen there again and went against Abydos.

[3] But when that city neither yielded nor could be taken by assault, he crossed over from Abydos to the opposite shore; and in Sestos, a city of Chersonesus, possessed heretofore by the Medes, he placed a garrison for the custody of the whole Hellespont.

[1] Immediately after this Dercyllidas arrived by land from Miletus ; and Abydos in the Hellespont revolted to him and Pharnabazus, and Lampsacus two days later.

[2] Upon receipt of this news Strombichides hastily sailed from Chios with twenty-four Athenian ships, some transports carrying heavy infantry being of the number, and defeating the Lampsacenes who came out against him, took Lampsacus , which was unfortified, at the first assault, and making prize of the slaves and goods, restored the freemen to their homes, and went on to Abydos .

[3] The inhabitants, however, refusing to capitulate, and his assaults failing to take the place, he sailed over to the coast opposite, and appointed Sestos , the town in the Chersonese held by the Medes at a former period in this history, as the centre for the defence of the whole Hellespont .

Danach, sogleich als Derkylidas von Milet her zu Lande
erschienen war, fiel Abydos am HelleSpont zu DerkylidaS und Pbar«
nabazoS ab, und zwei Tage später auch Lampsakos. Als
Strömbi>chides dieß erfuhr, eilte er von Chios mit vierundzwanzig athenischen
Schiffen rasch'herbei / unter denen-auch Lastschiffe? waren, welche
Schwerbewaffnete führten, und'.da'die
Lampsakener'gegen.ihn'auszogen, besiegte-'er sie im Gefecht und nahm daS unbefestigte LampsakoS
im ersten Anlauf. Bewegliche Habe und Sklaven-nahm er als Beute
mit, die Freien aber setzte er wieder in ihre Häuser und zog dann ab
gegen AbydoS/ Da diese'Stadt^fich-aber'weder ergab, noch er sie ¹
trotz wiederholter Angriffe nehmen konnte, so fuhr er nach der Küste ²
gegenüber von Abydos, legte eine Besatzung-nach SestoS, det Stadt
ans dem Chersonnes, welche früher die Meder-iN Besitz gehabt/Und
machte dieselbe zum Beobachtungsplatz für den ganzen'Helleöpont.i b

LXII. Ce fut aussitôt après que Dercylidas conduisit par terre son expédition de Milet à Abydos, sur l’Hellespont. Cette ville fit défection pour passer à Dercylidas et à Pharnabaze. Lampsaque l’imita deux jours après. Strombichidès, à cette nouvelle, se porta en toute hâte de Chio sur les lieux avec vingt-quatre vaisseaux athéniens, dont une partie, destinée au transport des troupes, était montée par des hoplites; il vainquit dans un combat les troupes de Lampsaque sorties à sa rencontre, prit d’emblée la ville, enleva comme butin les effets et les esclaves, rendit aux hommes libres leurs demeures et se dirigea vers Abydos. Mais, n’ayant pu ni l'amener à composition, ni la prendre d’assaut, il cingla vers Sestos, ville de la Chersonnèse, autrefois occupée par les Mèdes, sur la côte opposée, en face d’Abydos. Il en fit une forteresse destinée à surveiller tout l’Hellespont.

A peine Dercyllidas était-il arrivé par terre de Milet à Abydos sur l’Hellespont, que cette ville se prononça en faveur des Péloponésiens et de Pharnabaze. Lampsaque en fit autant deux jours après. A cette nouvelle, Strombichidès partit précipitamment de Chios avec vingt-quatre vaisseaux athéniens, dont quelques-uns portaient des hoplites. Il défit dans un combat les habitants de Lampsaque sortis à sa rencontre, prit d’emblée cette ville ouverte ; et, après avoir livré au pillage les effets et les esclaves, mais rétabli dans leurs demeures les hommes libres, il se dirigea vers Abydos. N’ayant pu amener cette ville à composition ni la prendre d’assaut, il cingla vers la côte opposée, et alla se poster à Sestos, ville de la Chersonèse, jadis au pouvoir des Mèdes. Il en fit une place forte destinée à commander tout l’Hellespont.

[1] Immediately after this, when Dercylidas had completed his march overland from Miletus, Abydus on the Hellespont revolted to Dercylidas and Pharnabazus, as did Lampsacus also two days afterwards.

[2] But Strombichides, learning of this, came from Chios with all speed to the rescue with twenty-four Athenian ships, of which some were transports and carried hoplites; and having defeated in battle the Lampsacenes who came out against him and taken at the first assault the city of Lampsacus, which was without walls, he made booty of goods and slaves but restored the free men to their homes, and then went against Abydus.

[3] And when its inhabitants would not yield and he was unable to take the city by assault, he sailed back to the coast opposite Abydus and made Sestus, a city of the Chersonese which the Persians once held, a fortress and watch-station for the control of the whole Hellespont.

[1] After this, immediately that Dercyllidas had proceeded thither by land from Miletus, Abydus on the Hellespont revolted to him and Pharnabazus, as also did Lampsacus two days later.

[2] When Strombichides heard of this, he went to the rescue from Chios, as quickly as possible, with four and twenty Athenian ships, some of which also were transports carrying heavy-armed troops;

[3] and when the Lampsacenes came out against him, having defeated them in battle, taken at the first assault their city, which was unfortified, and made spoil of implements and slaves, (though he restored the freemen to their dwellings,) he proceeded against Abydus When they did not capitulate, and he was unable to take the place by assault, he sailed away to the coast opposite Abydus, and appointed Sestus, a town of the Chersonese which the Medes had held at the time ¹ so well known, as a post for a garrison, and for the defence of the whole of the Hellespont.

[1] Postea vero statim quum Dercylidas itinera pedestri Mileto discessisset, Abydus in Hellesponto ad Dercy-hdam et Phanabazum defecit, et Lampsacus duobus post diebus.

[2] Strombichides vero ex Chio, re cognita, celeriter cum quatuor et viginti Atheniensium navibus, inter quas erant etiam militares gravis armaturae milites vehentes auxilio profectus, quum Lampsacenos, qui obviam ei prodierant , praelio superasset, et Lampsacum nullis moris anctam primo impetu cepisset, et vasa quidem ac mancipia diripienda suis dedisset, liberos autem in suas pristinas sedes restituisset, Abydum petiit.

[3] Et quum neque dedi-| tionem facerent neque urbem aggressus expugnare posset, j in regiouem Abydo oppositam trajecit, et Sestum urbem in

Chersoneso sitam, quam olim Medi tenuerant, totius Hellesponti praesidium et custodiam constituit.

Dopo di che subitamente arrivato da Mileto per la via di terra Dercilide , Abido nell’Ellesponto si ribellò e si diede subito a lui ed a Famabazo, e lo stesso fece Lampsaco due giorni dopo. Lo che intesosi da Strombichide che era a Chio corse egli frettolosamente al riparo con ventiquattro navi ateniesi (alcune delle quali erano da trasporto ed avevano a bordo dei soldati di grave armatura) , superò in battaglia i Lampsaceni venuti ad opporsegli, prese con quel primo impeto Lampsaco sguarnita di mura, fece preda di armi e di schiavi, e rimessa in città la gente di condizione liberà recossi ad Abido. La quale non facendo vista di rendersi, fu da Strombichide assaltata, ma inutilmente. Laonde tragittò al lato opposto ad Abido, e munì Sesto città del Chersoneso già una volta occupata dai Medi, acciò fosse come un luogo di presidio di osservazione su tutto l’Ellesponto.