Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.80

[1] Immediately after this, the same summer, the Peloponnesians, who refused to come out against the enemy, as holding themselves with their whole fleet too weak to give them battle, and were now at a stand how to get money for the maintenance of so great a number of galleys, sent Clearchus, the son of Rhamphias, with forty galleys, according to the order at first from Peloponnesus, to Pharnabazus.

[2] For not only Pharnabazus himself had sent for and promised to pay them, but they were advertised besides by ambassadors that Byzantium had a purpose to revolt.

[3] Hereupon, these Peloponnesian galleys, having put out into the main sea to the end that they might not be seen as they passed by, and tossed with tempests, part of them, which were the greatest number, and Clearchus with them, got into Delos, and came afterwards to Miletus again; but Clearchus went thence again into the Hellespont by land and had the command there; and part under the charge of Helixus, a Megarean, which were ten sail, went safely through into the Hellespont and caused Byzantium to revolt.

[4] And after this, when they of Samos heard of it, they sent certain galleys into Hellespont to oppose them and to be a guard to the cities thereabouts; and there followed a small fight between them of eight galleys to eight, before Byzantium.

[1] In the same summer, immediately after this, the Peloponnesians having refused to fight with their fleet united, through not thinking themselves a match for the enemy, and being at a loss where to look for money for such a number of ships, especially as Tissaphernes proved so bad a paymaster, sent off Clearchus, son of Ramphias, with forty ships to Pharnabazus, agreeably to the original instructions from Peloponnese ;

[2] Pharnabazus inviting them and being prepared to furnish pay, and Byzantium besides sending offers to revolt to them.

[3] These Peloponnesian ships accordingly put out into the open sea, in order to escape the observation of the Athenians, and being overtaken by a storm, the majority with Clearchus got into Delos , and afterwards returned to Miletus , whence Clearchus proceeded by land to the Hellespont to take the command: ten, however, of their number, under the Megarian Helixus, made good their passage to the Hellespont , and effected the revolt of Byzantium .

[4] After this, the commanders at Samos were informed of it, and sent a squadron against them to guard the Hellespont ; and an encounter took place before Byzantium between eight vessels on either side.

' In demselben Sommer, sogleich nach diesen Ereignissen^
entschlossen sich die Peloponnesier, — da sie sich der vereinigten
Schiffsmacht der Feinde nicht gewachsen fühlten, auch nicht gegen
dieselbe ausgelaufen waren, um die angebotene Schlacht anzunehmen,
und sich nun in Verlegenheit fanden, woher für so viele Schiffe das
Geld« nehmen, zumal auch Tissaphernes den Sold nur ungenügend
auszahlte, — den Klearchos, des RhamphiaS Sohn, mit vierzig
Schiffen an den PharnabazoS zu senden, wie ihnen auch von
vornherein vom Peloponnes befohlen war. PharnabazoS nämlich hatte
sie aufgefordert zu kommen und war bereit, ihnen Sold zu zahlen;
und zugleich hatte auch Byzanz durch Gesandte erklärt, daß es bereit
sei, von Athen abzufallen. Diese vierzig peloponnesischen Schiffe
steuerten nun, um auf ihrer Fahrt von den Athenern nicht bemerkt zu
werden, auf die hohe See hinaus und wurden hier vom Sturm
überfallen, der die meisten derselben mit Klearchos nach der Insel Delos
trieb, von wo sie später wieder nach Milet zurückkehrten — Klearchos
reiste dann zu Lande- nach dem Hellespont und übernahm daselbst
den Oberbefehl — während die zehn übrigen unter Helixos, dem
Feldherrn der Megarenser, glücklich nach dem Hellespont kamen und
den Abfall von Byzanz bewirkten. Als die Athener auf Samos
hievon Kenntniß erhielten, schickten sie eine Anzahl Schiffe zur
Abwehr und Beobachtung nach dem Hellespont, und es-fand auch ¹
vor Byzanz ein unbedeutendes Seetreffen Statt, acht Schiffe
gegen acht.

LXXX. Aussitôt après, et dans le même été, les Péloponnésiens qui, avec toutes leurs forces navales réunies, ne s’étaient pas crus en état de tenir tête à l’ennemi, se trouvèrent embarrassés pour subvenir à la ¹ solde de tant de vaisseaux, surtout étant mal payés par Tissaphernes. Ils détachèrent donc vers Pharnabaze, conformément aux instructions précédemment reçues du Péloponnèse ² , Cléarque, fils de Rhamphias, avec quarante vaisseaux. Pharnabaze lui-même les appelait ht était disposé à leur payer un subside. En même temps on leur annonçait que Byzance était prête à se soulever ³ . Ces vaisseaux péloponnésiens, ayant pris le large pour dérober leur marche aux Athéniens, furent assaillis par une tempête : la plupart, sous la conduite de Cléarque, gagnèrent Délos et retournèrent à Milet, d’où Cléarque alla ensuite par terre prendre le commandement de l’Hellespont. Mais dix bâtiments, que commandait Hélixos de Mégare, arrivèrent heureusement dans l’Hellespont et insurgèrent Byzance. Les Athéniens, à la nouvelle de ces événements, envoyèrent de Samos dans l’Hellespont des bâtiments de renfort pour surveiller le pays; il y eut même, en vue de Byzance, un léger engagement de huit vaisseaux contre huit.

Le même été, peu de temps après ces événements, les Péloponésiens qui, malgré la concentration de leurs forces, ne s’étaient pas crus en état de se mesurer contre les Athéniens, se trouvèrent fort embarrassés pour l’entretien d'une flotte si considérable, surtout avec le peu de régularité que Tissapherne mettait dans ses payements. Ils songèrent donc à exécuter les instructions qu’ils avaient reçues à leur départ du Péloponèse, en envoyant vers Pharnabaze, Cléarchos fils de Ramphias avec quarante vaisseaux. Pharnabaze les appelait en leur offrant des subsides, et Byzance manifestait l’intention de se révolter. Ces vaisseaux prirent le large pour dérober leur marche aux Athéniens ; mais ils furent assaillis par une tempête : la plupart, avec Cléarchos, gagnèrent Délos et revinrent à Milet, d’où Cléarchos se rendit ensuite par terre dans l’Hel-lespont pour y prendre le commandement. Dix vaisseaux, conduits par Hélixos de Mégare, parvinrent heureusement dans l’Hellespont et firent soulever Byzance. A cette nouvelle, les Athéniens envoyèrent de Samos dans l’Hellespont un renfort de vaisseaux et de troupes. Il y eut même devant Byzance un léger engagement de huit vaisseaux contre huit.

[1] During the same summer, immediately after this, when the Peloponnesians, though their whole fleet had come together, failed to come out to meet the enemy, thinking themselves unequal to the contest, they were perplexed, not knowing from what source they should get money to maintain so many ships, especially since Tissaphernes provided it wretchedly; so they sent Clearchus son of Rhamphias with forty ships to Pharnabazus, according to the orders with which he had originally set out from the Peloponnesus. ¹

[2] For Pharnabazus was inviting them to come to him and was ready to furnish maintenance;

[3] moreover at the same time overtures were made to them for the revolt of Byzantium. So these forty Peloponnesian ships put out into the open sea, in order that they might escape detection by the Athenians as they made the voyage. Meeting with a storm, the greater number, under Clearchus, took refuge at Delos and afterwards came back to Miletus ² (though Clearchus afterwards went by land to the Hellespont and assumed command); the rest, to the number of ten, got safely into the Hellespont with their commander, Helixus of Megara, and effected the revolt of Byzantium.

[4] Afterwards, when the Athenians at Samos heard of this, they sent some ships to the Hellespont as a reinforcement and guard, and an insignificant sea-fight occurred off Byzantium, eight ships opposing eight.

[1] The same summer, and immediately after this, since the Peloponnesians had not with their whole united fleet offered battle to the enemy, not thinking themselves a match for them, they were at a loss from what quarter to get money for such a number of vessels, especially as Tissaphernes supplied it ill; and therefore they sent Clearchus the son of Ramphias with forty ships to Pharnabazus, in accordance with the original orders from the Peloponnese.

[2] For Pharnabazus invited them to his aid, and was prepared to furnish them with supplies; and at the same time intelligence reached them that Byzantium had revolted.

[3] Accordingly, these ships of the Peloponnesians put out into the open sea, in order to escape the observation of the Athenians during their voyage; but were overtaken by a storm, and the greater part of them put into Delos with Clearchus, and subsequently returned to Miletus, (Clearchus, however, afterwards went to the Hellespont by land, and entered on his command,) while the rest, to the number of ten, arrived safe at the Hellespont with Helixus the Megarean, and effected the revolt of Byzantium.

[4] After this, when the commanders at Samos were aware of it, they sent some ships to the Hellespont to oppose them and keep guard against them; and a trifling battle was fought at sea before Byzantium, between eight vessels against eight.

[1] Eadem autem aestate post b®c statim Peloponnesii , postquam cnm omnibus suis navibus obviam liostibus non prodierant, existimantes, se non satis virium liabere ad proelium committendum, inopes consilii, unde pecunias tot navibus suppeditarent, praesertim quod Tissaphernes male persolveret, mittunt ad Pharnabazum, quemadmodum et initio ex Peloponneso praeceptum erat, Clearcbum, Hhamphiae filium, cum quadraginta navibus.

[2] Naro et advocabat eos ultro Pharnabazus, et stipendium praebere paratus erat, et simul per legatos iis significabant Byzantini, se defectionem facturos.

[3] Et hae quidem Peloponnesiorum naves, quum e portu in altum solvissent, ut Athenienses in conficiendo navigationis cursu laterent, tempestate jactatae, atque aliae quidem, eaeque numero plures, cum Clearcbo Delum tenuerunt, et postea Miletum redierunt (Clearchus autem in Hellespontum itinere terrestri reversus, imperium obtinebat), aliae vero numero decem, quibus Helixus Megarensis praeerat, quum in Hellespontum evasissent, Byzantium ad defectionem adducunt

[4] Ac postea Athenienses e Samo quum hoc intellexissent, auxilio atque praesidio loci classem in Hellespontum miserant, atque etiam leve quoddam navale praelium ante Byzantium commissum est navibus octo adversus octo.

Seguite appena queste cose, nell’estate medesima i Peloponnesi, che credendosi insufficienti con tutte le navi riunite ad opporsi al nemico non erano usciti ad incontrarlo , non sapevano donde procacciarsi i denari per flotta si numerosa, tanto più che Tissaferne li teneva scarsi nelle paghe. Laonde spediscono (conforme di prima era stato ordinato dal Peleponneso) Clearco di Ramfia con quaranta navi a Farnabazo, il quale gl’ invitava, ed era pronto a pagare gli stipendii ; ed insieme significava loro per mezzo di legati di voler ribellare Bizanzio. Pertanto quelle navi peloponnesie trattesi in alto mare per tragittar di nascosto agli Ateniesi, furono colte da una tempesta. Cosicché la maggior parte di esse con Clearco dieder fondo a Deio e poi ritornarono a Mileto (tranne Clearco che si era ricondotto per terra all’Ellesponto , e ne avea preso il coniando); e sole dieci condotte dal generale Elisso di Megara arrivarono a salvamento nell’Ellesponto, e mossero Bizanzio alla ribellione. Appresso, gli Ateniesi di Samo informati di ciò spediscono un soccorso di navi per tener guardato l’Ellesponto ; e fuvvi un leggero combattimento dinanzi a Bizanzio tra otto navi da una parte e otto dall'altra.