Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.69

[1] When the assembly, after it had passed these things, no man contradicting, was dissolved, then afterwards they brought The Four Hundred into the council-house in this manner. The Athenians were evermore partly on the walls and partly at their arms in the camp in regard of the enemy that lay at Deceleia.

[2] Therefore, on the day appointed, they suffered such as knew not their intent to go forth as they were wont. But to such as were of the conspiracy they quietly gave order not to go to the camp itself but to lag behind at a certain distance, and if any man should oppose what was in doing, to take arms and keep them back.

[3] They to whom this charge was given were [the] Andrians, Tenians, three hundred Carystians, and such of the colony of Aegina which the Athenians had sent thither to inhabit, as came on purpose to this action with their own arms.

[4] These things thus ordered, The Four Hundred, with every man a secret dagger, accompanied with one hundred and twenty young men of Greece, whom they used for occasions of shedding of blood, came in upon the Counsellers of the Bean as they sat in the council-house and commanded them to take their salary and be gone, which also they brought ready with them, for the whole time they were behind, and paid it to them as they went out.

[1] The assembly ratified the proposed constitution, without a single opposing voice, and was then dissolved; after which the Four Hundred were brought into the council chamber in the following way. On account of the enemy at Decelea, all the Athenians were constantly on the wall or in the ranks at the various military posts.

[2] On that day the persons not in the secret were allowed to go home as usual, while orders were given to the accomplices of the conspirators to hang about, without making any demonstration, at some little distance from the posts, and in case of any opposition to what was being done, to seize the arms and put it down.

[3] There were also some Andrians and Tenians, three hundred Carystians, and some of the settlers in Aegina come with their own arms for this very purpose, who had received similar instructions.

[4] These dispositions completed, the Four Hundred went, each with a dagger concealed about his person, accompanied by one hundred and twenty Hellenic youths, whom they employed wherever violence was needed, and appeared before the Councillors of the Bean in the council chamber, and told them to take their pay and be gone; themselves bringing it for the whole of the residue of their term of office, and giving it to them as they went out.

Als nun in der Volksversammlung sich kein Wideispruch
erhob,' vielmehr die Anträge durchgingen und die Versammlung sich
danach auslöste, so" führte man sofort die Vierhundert auf folgende
Weise in das Rathhaus ein. Ein Theil der Athener war beständig
als Besatzung auf den Mauern und ein anderer 'unter den Waffen
in Ordnung ausgestellt, der Feinde-in Dekeleia wegen. ^ An jenem
Tage nun ließ man diejenigen, welche'um den Plan Nichts wußten,
wie gewöhnlich ausziehen,' den Mitverschworenen aber
würde-angesagt, sich ohne alles Aufsehen nicht auf den Waffenplätzen selbst,
sondern'in einiger Entfernung davon' aufzustellen" und abzuwarten,
ob sich Widerstand gegen das Unternommene zeige/ in diesem Fallt
aber die Waffen zu ergreifen und Gewalt mit G^wält abzuwehren?
Es waren aber auch dreihundert Mann von Ändros , Te'oS ulid
Kärystos und Einige von den Aeginetischen Pflanzbürgern, welche die
Athener dorthin verseht hatten, zu'eben diesem Zwecke'bewaffnet ge-'
kommen; denen gleichfalls jener Beseht gegeben wurde.' Als diese
nun auf die angegebene Weise aufgestellt waren, kämen die
Vierhundert,'Heder mit einem versteckten Dolche, und mit ihnen die hundert
und zwanzig Jünglinge^), deren sie sich bedienten, wenn es
irgendwo der Gewalt bedurfte, traten in das Räthhäüs,'wo die durch daS
Bohn'enlöos gewählten Rathsherren wären, und sagten ihnen, sie
sollten ihren Gehalt'nehmen und fortgehen. Sie hatten ihnen
nämlich ihren ganzen Sold auch für die noch übrige Zeit mitgebracht
und gaben ihnen denselben beim'Hinausgehen auf die Hand. ^ " '

LXIX. Lorsque l’assemblée eut, sans contradiction aucune, validé ces dispositions, elle se sépara. Les quatre cents furent ensuite introduits au sénat de la manière suivante : tous les Athéniens restaient constamment en armes, les uns à la garde des murs, les autres dans les postes, à cause de la présence de l’ennemi à Décélie. Ce jour-là, on laissa partir, comme à l’ordinaire, ceux qui n’étaient pas du complot; en même temps on avertit les affidés de se tenir tranquillement, non pas aux postes mêmes ¹ , mais à quelque distance, et de courir aux armes si on rencontrait quelque résistance dans l’exécution. Des gens d’Andros et de Ténos, trois cents Carystiens, et des troupes fournies par les colons athéniens établis à Égine, étaient également arrivés en armes dans le même but, sur l’avis préalable qui leur avait été donné. Ces dispositions prises, les trois cents, armés chacun d’un poignard qu’ils tenaient caché, se mirent en mouvement avec les cent vingt jeunes Grecs dont ils se servaient à l’occasion pour les coupsde m ain; ils surprirent au conseil les sénateurs de la fève, et leur ordonnèrent de sortir en recevant leur salaire. Ils avaient apporté euxmêmes leur traitement pour tout le temps qui restait à courir ² , et le leur remirent à la sortie.

L’assemblée dissoute et ces divers articles sanctionnés, sans opposition, il fut immédiatement procédé à l’installation des Quatre-Cents dans la salle du conseil. Les Athéniens étaient continuellement en armes, ou sur les murailles ou dans les corps de réserve, depuis que les ennemis occupaient Décélie. Ce jour-là on licencia, comme dé coutume, ceux qui n’étaient pas du complot; les autres eurent pour consigne d’attendre paisiblement, non sur la place d’armes, mais à une certaine distance, prêts à donner main-forte en cas d’obstacle. C’étaient des gens d’Andros, de Ténos, trois cents Carystiens, quelques Athéniens de la colonie d’Égine, venus tout armés dans ce but ¹ . Ces mesures prises, les Quatre-Cents, munis de poignards sous leurs vêtements et accompagnés des cent vingt jeunes Grecs ² qui les servaient dans les coups de main, se présentèrent à la porte du conseil élu au scrutin des fèves ³ . Ils sommèrent les membres de se retirer en recevant leur indemnité. Ils avaient apporté eux-mêmes la somme nécessaire pour le reste du temps à courir, et ils la leur distribuèrent à leur sortie ⁴ .

[1] When the assembly had been dissolved, with no opposition from anyone and immediately after sanctioning these measures, the leaders of the oligarchy then introduced the Four Hundred into the senate-chamber in the following manner: all the Athenians were at all times under arms, as a precaution against the enemy at Deceleia, some on the walls and some in the ranks.

[2] On that day, then, they let those who were not privy to their design go away as usual, but those who were in the conspiracy had been quietly told to remain, not close by their arms, but at some distance from them, and if anybody tried to oppose what was going on, to take their arms and permit no interference.

[3] And there were at hand some Andrians and Tenians and three hundred Carystians and some of their colonists from Aegina, ¹ whither they had been sent by the Athenians to inhabit the island, who had come for this very purpose in their own armour, and to these the same order had already been given.

[4] When these forces had been thus disposed, the Four Hundred, each carrying a concealed dagger and accompanied by the one hundred and twenty young men whom they made use of wherever there was any need of their handiwork, broke in upon the regular senators who were in the senate-chamber, and told them to get their pay ² and go out; and they themselves brought them their pay for all the remainder of their term, and as they went out gave it to them.

[1] When the assembly had been dissolved, without contradiction from any one, and by its own ratificaion of the measure, then they afterwards introduced the Four Hundred into the council-chamber, in the following manner. All the Athenians, in consequence of the enemy established at Decelea, were constantly under arms, either on the walls or in the ranks.

[2] On that day, then, they permitted those who were not privy to their design to ¹ go home, as usual; while to those who were in the conspiracy directions were given to wait about quietly, not just by the arms, but at some little distance; and if any one should oppose what was doing, to seize the arms and not suffer it.

[3] Moreover, some Andrians and Tenians, and three hundred Carystians, with some of the Aeginetan colonists, whom the Athenians had sent to occupy that island, had come for this very purpose with their own arms; to whom directions had already been given on this subject.

[4] When these things had been thus arranged, the Four Hundred, each with dagger concealed on his person, and the hundred and twenty Grecian youths, of whose services they availed themelves wherever any business required to be dispatched, came and presented themselves to the council of Five Hundred, who were in their chamber, and told them to take their pay and go out; themselves bringing it for thee whole of their remaining term of office, and giving it to them when they went out.

[1] Postquam autem concio, nullo refraganle, hac rata habuit et dimissa est, aliquanto post illos quadringentos in curiam hoc modo introduxerunt. Erant [autem j Athenienses omnes, partim in muris, partim in stationibus propter hostes apud Deceleam agentes, semper ad arma.

[2] Illo igitur die eos quidem, qui conjurationis conscii non erant, abire permiserunt, quemadmodum consueverant; sociis vero clam praeceptum erat, ad arma ipsa permanerent, sed procul ab his, et, si quis iis, quae fierent, adversaretur, sumptis armis ne concederent.

[3] Quibus autem hanc praecepta erant, et qui ad hoc ipsum cum suis armis venerant, erant et Andrii, et Tenii, et Carystiorum trecenti, et ex jEginetis illi coloni, quos Athenienses illic habitaturos miserant.

[4] His autem ita dispositis, illi quadringenti viri, cum occulto quisque pugione profecti, comitantibus centum et viginti [Graecis] adolescentibus, quibus utebantur, siculji aliquid manu faciendum erat, senatore* fabis creatos, qui in curia erant, circumsteterunt, eosque sumpta sua mercede exire iusserunt, attulerant autem ipsi mercedem reliqui totius temporis, iisque exeuntibus dabant.

Scioltasi pertanto l'assemblea, che nullo contradicendo avea stabilite queste cose, subito dopo furono introdotti nella sala del consiglio i quattrocento con questo stratagemma. Stavano continuamente tutti gli Ateniesi sulTarmi, a cagione de’nemici di Decelia, parte in sulle mura, parte in ordiuanza. In quel giorno adunque vi lasciarono andare, secondo il solito, quelli che non erano consapevoli della trama, e ordinarono segretamente a’congiurati di fermarsi ad una certa distanza dal posto ove era quella gente armata : e se mai alcuno volesse opporsi a ciò che si meditava di fare, pigliassero le anni e vi si opponessero. Tra quelli ai quali erano stati dati per tempo tali ordini vi furouo degli Andrii, de’Tenii e trecento Caristii, ed alcuni inquilini di Egina, che gli Ateniesi vi aveano spediti in colonia, e che eran venuti appunto a quest'oggetto colle loro armi. Ordinati in tal modo costoro, vennero i quattrocento ciascuno con una spadetta nascosta; e con essi centovenii giovanastri greci de quali si servivano quando occorreva menar le mani. Sorpresero i senatori già scelti per suffragi mentre erano nèlla sala senatoria, e ad essi intimaron di uscire ricevendo la loro pensione. Infatti aveau portato seco la pensione che i senatori dovevano avere pel tempo che durava la carica, e ad essi la pagarono mentre uscivano.