Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.88

[1] Alcibiades, when he heard that Tissaphernes was gone to Aspendus, goes after him with thirteen galleys, promising to those at Samos a safe and great benefit, which was that he would either bring those Phoenician galleys to the service of the Athenians, or at least hinder their coming to the Peloponnesians; knowing, as is likely, the mind of Tissaphernes by long acquaintance, that he meant not to bring them on, and desiring, as much as he could, to procure him the ill will of the Peloponnesians for the friendship shown to himself and to the Athenians that he might thereby the better engage him to take their part. So he presently put to sea, holding his course for Phaselis and Caunus upwards.

[1] Alcibiades finding that Tissaphernes had gone to Aspendus , himself sailed thither with thirteen ships, promising to do a great and certain service to the Athenians at Samos , as he would either bring the Phoenician fleet to the Athenians, or at all events prevent its joining the Peloponnesians. In all probability he had long known that Tissaphernes never meant to bring the fleet at all, and wished to compromise him as much as possible in the eyes of the Peloponnesians through his apparent friendship for himself and the Athenians, and thus in a manner to oblige him to join their side.
  While Alcibiades weighed anchor and sailed eastward straight for Phaselis and Caunus ,

¹ Alkibiades aber, als er erfuhr, daß Tissaphernes nach
AspendoS gehe, nahm dreizehn Schiffe und fuhr ebenfalls dahin,
indem er denen auf Samos ganz sichere und große Vortheile verhieß
— denn entweder werde er selbst die Phönikischen Schiffe den
Athenern zuführen, oder doch verhindern, daß - sie zu den Peloponnesiern
stießen — höchst wahrscheinlich wohl, weil er die Absicht des
TissapherneS schon seit länger kannte, daß er die Schiffe nämlich in keinem
Falle mitbringen werde, und weil er den Tissaphernes seiner
Freundschaft zu ihm und den Athenern wegen mit den Peloponnesiern
möglichst verfeinden wollte, damit er dadurch um so mehr genöthigt
werde, sich ihnen anzuschließen. Er ging also in See und richtete
seinen Lauf ostwärts gegen Phaselis und Kaunos.

LXXXVIII. Alcibiade, dès qu’il apprit que Tissaphernes se dirigeait vers Aspendos, s’y rendit de son côté avec treize vaisseaux. Il avait promis aux Athéniens de Samos de leur rendre un service signalé, sans qu’ils eussent aucun péril à courir; c’était de leur amener la flotte phénicienne ou de l’empêcher de se réunir aux Lacédémoniens. Il savait probablement de longue main que Tissaphernes était résolu à ne pas amener cette flotte, et il voulait, par cette apparence de concert avec lui, provoquer chez les Péloponnésiens des récriminations plus vives qui le forceraient d'autant mieux à s’entendre avec les Athéniens. Il mit donc à la voile et cingla droit à l’est de Phasélis ¹ et de Caune.

Pour Alcibiade, il ne sut pas plutôt Tissapherne en route pour Aspendos, qu’il partit lui-même avec treize vaisseaux. Il dit à ceux de Samos qu’il ne manquerait pas de leur rendre un grand service en amenant aux Athéniens la flotte phénicienne, ou tout au moins en l’empêchant de se joindre aux Péloponésiens. Apparemment il savait depuis longtemps que l’intention de Tissapherne n’était pas de faire venir cette flotte; il voulait le brouiller de plus en plus avec les Péloponésiens, en le faisant passer pour son ami et pour celui d'Athènes , et le forcer ainsi de se jeter dans les bras des Athéniens. Il mit donc à la voile et se dirigea en droite ligne sur Phasélis et sur Caunos.

[1] But Alcibiades, when he learned that Tissaphernes as well was on his way to Aspendus, sailed thither himself with thirteen ships, promising the army at Samos a sure and great benefit; for he would either secure the ships himself for the Athenians, or else at any rate prevent their joining the Peloponnesians. It is likely that he had long been aware of the purpose of Tissaphernes —that he had no intention of bringing the ships— and wished to prejudice him as much as possible in the eyes of the Peloponnesians on the score of his friendship for himself and the Athenians, that so he might be under greater compulsion to join the Athenian side. So he put to sea, laying his course eastward, straight toward Phaselis and Caunus.

[1] Alcibiades, on finding that Tissaphernes had gone to Aspendus, sailed thither himself also with thirteen ships, promising the forces at Samos a sure and great benefit; for that he would either himself bring the Phoenician fleet to the Athenians, or at any rate prevent its going to the Peloponnesians. For in all probability he had long known the purpose of Tissaphernes, that he did not intend fetching them, and wished to prejudice him as much as possible with the Peloponnesians, on the ground of his friendship for himself and the Athenians, that so he might be the more compelled to join the side of Athens. Accordingly he set sail and pursued his voyage ¹ upwards, straight for Phaselis and Caunus.

[1] Alcibiades vero, postquam audivit Tissaphernem Aspendum petere, ipse quoque tredecim navibus assumptis eo navigabat, pollicitus iis, qui Sami erant, certum ma-gnumque beneficium (aut enim se Phoenissam classem ad Athenienses adducturum, aut saltem ad Peloponnesios venire prohibiturum), quippe qui, ut erat verisimile, jam diutius cognitam 1 taberet Tissaphernis mentem, quod adducturus non esset, simul etiam, quod quam maximam invidiam illi apud Peloponnesios ob ejus in se et Atlienienses studium conflare vellet, quo inajor ei ob hoc necessitas esset ad se accedendi. Et hic quidem digressus recta Pliaselidefn et Caunum versus per altum cursum tenebat.

Non si tosto sentì Alcibiade la partenza di Tissaferne per Aspendo che anch’egli si mise in mare con tredici navi, promettendo di sicuro a quei di Samo un di questi due importantissimi servigi ; o condurrebbe le navi fenicie agli Ateniesi, o impedirebbe al certo che venissero ai Peloponnesi. Sapeva egli di lunga mano, com’è da credere , non essere intenzione di Tissaferue condurre quelle navi; e di più voleva screditarlo sommamente appresso i Peloponnesi, per conto ddl'amicizia che Tissaferne medesimo aveva con lui c con gli Ateniesi; affinchè così fosse maggiormente costretto ad accostarsi alla parte ateniese. Laonde fatto vela direttamente da Samo per alla volta di Cauuo e di Faselide proseguiva la sua gita verso Aspendo.