Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.91

[1] These things Theramenes murmured at long before; and when the ambassadors returned from Lacedaemon without compounding for them all in general, he gave out that this wall would endanger the undoing of the city.

[2] For at this very instant there happened to be riding on the coast of Laconia fortytwo galleys, amongst which were some of Tarentum, some of Locri, some Italians, and some Sicilians, set out from Peloponnesus at the instance of the Euboeans, bound for Euboea and commanded by Hegesandridas, the son of Hegesander, a Spartan. And these Theramenes said were coming not so much towards Euboea as towards those that fortified in Eetioneia, and that if they were not looked to, they would surprise the city.

[3] Now some matter might indeed be gathered also from those that were accused, so that it was not a mere slander. For their principal design was to retain the oligarchy with dominion over their confederates; but if they failed of that, yet being masters of the galleys and of the fortification, to have subsisted free themselves; if barred of that, then rather than to be the only men to suffer death under the restored democracy, to let in the enemy; and without either navy or fortification to have let what would have become of the city and to have compounded for the safety of their own persons.

[1] These measures had long provoked the murmurs of Theramenes, and when the envoys returned from Lacedaemon without having effected any general pacification, he affirmed that this wall was like to prove the ruin of the state.

[2] At this moment forty-two ships from Peloponnese , including some Siceliot and Italiot vessels from Locri and Tarentum , had been invited over by the Euboeans and were already riding off Las in Laconia preparing for the voyage to Euboea , under the command of Agesandridas, son of Agesander, a Spartan. Theramenes now affirmed that this squadron was destined not so much to aid Euboea as the party fortifying Eetionia, and that unless precautions were speedily taken the city would be surprised and lost.

[3] This was no mere calumny, there being really some such plan entertained by the accused. Their first wish was to have the oligarchy without giving up the empire; failing this to keep their ships and walls and be independent; while, if this also were denied them, sooner than be the first victims of the restored democracy, they were resolved to call in the enemy and make peace, give up their walls and ships, and at all costs retain possession of the government, if their lives were only assured to them.

Daß sie solche Absichten verfolgten, hatte Theramenes schon
seit längerer Zeit zu verbreiten gewußt, und als nun die Gesandten
aus Lakedämon zurückkehrten, ohne etwas ausgerichtet zu haben, was
für Alle annehmbar gewesen wäre, so behauptete er, diese Befestigung
könne sogar den Untergang der Stadt herbeiführen. Um eben
dieselbe Zeit nämlich lagen zweiundvierzig Schiffe, welche sich die
Euböer vom PeloponneS erbeten hatten, und unter denen auch Italische
aus Tarent und Lokri und einige Sicilianische waren, bereits bei Las
in Lakonien vor Anker und rüsteten sich zur Fahrt nach Euböa. ES
befehligte dieselben der Spartiate AgesandridraS, deS Agesandros
Sohn. Theramenes behauptete nun, diese Schiffe sollten nicht sowohl
denen auf Euböa, als vielmehr denen, welche die Eetioneia befestigten,
zu Hülfe kommen, und eS sei die höchste Zeit, daß man sich vorsehe,
sonst werde man sich plötzlich vom Verderben überrascht sehen. Und
in der That war auch von Seiten derer, welche diese Beschuldigung
traf, etwas der Art im Werk, und die Anklage war nicht blos leeres
Gerede. Denn freilich hätten sie von vorn herein am liebsten als
Oligarchen auch über die Bundesgenossen geherrscht, und wenn schon
das nicht, doch wenigstens im Besitz der Flotte und der Festungen
nach eigenem Belieben regiert; war aber auch das nicht mehr
möglich, so hätten sie, um nur nicht vor Andern die ersten Opfer der
wiederhergestellten Demokratie zu werden, selbst auch die Feinde
herbeigeführt und auch mit Preisgebung der Festungen und Flotte sich
mit ihnen verglichen, um nur — auf welche Weise eS auch immer
sei — die Stadt in ihrer Macht zu behalten, wenn sie nur für ihre ¹
eigene Person sicher blieben.

XCI. Théramènes donc récriminait partout à ce sujet; et, lorsque les députés furent revenus de Lacédémone sans avoir conclu aucun accord général ¹ , il dit qu’Athènes risquait fort de périr par ce mur. En effet, il se trouva qu’à cette même époque une flotte forte de quarante-deux vaisseaux, parmi lesquels des bâtiments italiens de Tarente et de Locres et quelques vaisseaux siciliens, était partie du Péloponnèse sur l’appel des Eubéens. Le Spartiate Hagésandridas, fils d’Hagésandros, la commandait. Déjà elle mouillait à Las, en Laconie, et se disposait à faire voile pour l’Eubée. Théramènes prétendit quelle était destinée à ceux qui fortifiaient Éétionée, bien plutôt qu’à l’Eubée, et que, si on ne se hâtait de se mettre en garde, on serait surpris et écrasé. Ceux sur qui tombait cette accusation y prêtaient jusqu’à un certain point, et ce n’était pas tout à fait une calomnie sans fondement; leur but, était, avant tout, de maintenir le gouvernement oligarchique et de conserver l’autorité, même sur les alliés; sinon, de disposer de la flotte et des murs pour assurer leur indépendance; que si même ce dernier espoir leur échappait, ils voulaient, pour ne pas tomber les premiers sous les coups du parti poulaire revenu au pouvoir, introduire les ennemis, traiter avec eux moyennant le sacrifice des murs et de la flotte, et conserver, à telles conditions que ce fût, l’administration ^{2 3} des affaires, afin de garantir du moins leur sécurité personnelle.

Depuis longtemps, Théraménès allait se plaignant de toutes ces mesures. Lorsque les députés furent revenus de Lacédémone sans rapporter de solution, il prétendit que oe fort menaçait la sûreté de la ville. Par une singulière coïncidence, quarante-deux vaisseaux —dont quelques-uns italiens , de Tarente et de Locres , quelques autres siciliens — partirent du Péloponèse et vinrent mouiller à Las en Laconie ¹ , se disposant à passer en Eubée à la requête des Eubéens. Cette flotte était commandée par le Spartiate Agésandridas fils d’Agésan-dros. Théraménès soutint qu’elle avait moins en vue de secourir l’Eubée que d’appuyer ceux qui fortifiaient l’Ëétionéa, et que, si l’on n’y prenait garde, la ville s’en irait tout doucement à sa perte. Il y avait quelque chose de vrai dans cette accusation et ce n’était pas une pure calomnie. Les Quatre-Cents voulaient avant tout maintenir leur autorité oligarchique, même sur les alliés ; si cela n’était pas possible , conserver l’indépendance en gardant la flotte et les murs; enfin, en désespoir de cause, n’être pas les premières victimes du peuple redevenu souverain, mais plutôt introduire les ennemis, traiter avec eux, moyennant le sacrifice des murs et de la flotte, et sauver ce qu’ils pourraient de la ville, en assurant leur sécurité personnelle. Aussi pressaient-ils l’achèvement de la fortification commencée : ils y ménageaient des guichets et des passages dérobés pour donner entrée aux ennemis. Tout devait être achevé en temps utile.

[1] Now Theramenes had been freely talking about these proceedings for some time, and after the ambassadors came back from Lacedaemon without having accomplished anything toward an agreement for the people as a whole, he kept saying that this fort would in all probability bring ruin upon the city.

[2] For at this very time it so happened that, on the invitation of the Euboeans, ships from the Peloponnesus to the number of forty-two, among which were Italian vessels from Tarentum and Locri and some from Sicily, were already lying off Las in Laconia and preparing for their passage to Euboea, under the command of Hegesandridas son of Hegesander, a Spartan; and Theramenes declared that these were on their way, not to Euboea, but to Eetioneia to help the men who were fortifying it, adding that unless they immediately took precautions their cause would be lost before they knew it.

[3] And in fact there was something of the kind afoot on the part of those whom he thus accused, and what he said was not altogether mere calumny. For the persons in question wished above all, preserving their oligarchy, to rule both Athens and the allies, but, failing in that, to keep their ships at least and their fortifications and be independent; and if they were debarred from this course also, at any rate not to be themselves the first to meet with destruction at the hands of the restored democracy, but actually to bring in the enemy and, giving up walls and ships, make any sort of terms as to the fate of the city, if only they might have immunity for their own persons.

[1] On these subjects, then, Theramenes had long been murmuring; and ever since the ambassadors had returned from Lacedaemon without effecting any general arrangement for them, he did so still more, saying that there would be danger of this fort's proving the ruin of the city.

[2] For some ships from the Peloponnese, whose aid the Euboeans had invited, to the number of two and forty, including some Italian and Sicilian vessels from Tarentum and Locri, also happened to be now lying off Las, in Laconia, and preparing for their passage to Euboea, under the command of Agesandridas son of Agesander, a Spartan. These Theramenes declared to be sailing, not so much to the aid of Euboea, as of those who were fortifying Eetionia; and that if they were not on their guard now, they would be lost before they were aware of it.

[3] And there really was some plan of this kind entertained by those who were charged with it, and it was not merely a verbal misrepresentation. For it was the wish of that party, if possible, to retain their dominion over the allies with an oligarchical government; if not, to retain their independence, with the possession of their ships and walls; but if excluded from that also, at any rate not to perish themselves under the restored democracy before and above all others, but even to call in the enemy, and without walls and ships to make peace with them, and retain the government of the city on any terms whatever, if they had only security for their persons.

[1] Haec igitur Theramenes et jampridem vulgo jactabat , et postqnam legati Lacedaemona redierunt, nulla re confecta, quae ad compositionem pro universis faciendam pertineret, dicebat fore, ut propter hanc munitionem civitas etiam in salutis discrimen adduceretur.

[2] Nam simul sub hoc idem forte tempus etiam ex Peloponneso duae et quadraginta naves ab Euboensibus accitae, quarum nonnulhr erant e Tarento et Locris Italicae et Sicilienses, jam ad Laem in ora Laconica stationem habebant, et navigationem in Euboeam praeparabant; praeerat autem iis Agesandridas Age-sandri filius Spartanus; quas Theramenes non tam in Euboeam, quam iis qui Eetioniam muniebant, in auxilium navigare dicebat, et, nisi quis jam caveret, se per imprudentiam perituros.

[3] Et agitabatur sane tale quippiam ab iis, qui criminationem istam sustinebant, nec vero plane ea criminatio tantum rumoris erat. Illi enim potissimum quidem in paucorum dominatu etiam sociis tmperare cu- piebant; sin minus, certe classe et muris couservatis arbitratu suo vivere; si vero hac quoque re excluderentur, certe quidem non a populi imperio rursus instaurato ipsi praeter ceteros maxime pessumdari, sed potius etiam hostibus introductis , sine munitionibus et sine classe pactionem cum illis facere, et qualicumque modo res urbanas gerere, dummodo de capitibus quidem snis securi essent.

Teramene pertanto da molto tempo facea gran romore di queste cose ; e dopo che furono ritornati da Sparta sii ambasciatori senza nessun:» conclusione di accomoda' mento circa lo somma degli affari, diceva che con quel muro vi era il pericolo di rovinar tutta la città. Essendoché si dava il caso che quarantadue navi (alcuna delle quali erano italiane e siciliane cioè di Taranto e di Locri) venute circi questo tempo dal Peloponneso a petizione degli Eubeesi, aveano dato fondo in sulle coste della Laconia, e si preparavano a navigar per FEubea capitanate da Egesandrida spartano. Quest’armata, diceva Teramene, esser diretta piuttosto verso queMi i quali fabbricavano il muro ad Etionea, die non verso l’Eubea ; e però, se non si pensasse a mettersi tosto in guardia, resterebbero tutti sterminati quando men se l’aspettavano. Tal sospizione era in parte vera rispetto a quelli su ctii cadeva, e tali parole non erano al tutto una mera maldicenza. Conciossiachè i fortificatori di Etiooea bramavano principalmente col l’oligarchia avere impero sugli alleati ; se no, ritenendo le navi e le mura, essere gli arbitri del governo ; e posto che questo non riuscisse, non volgano trovarsi a cadere i primi sotto Pungili e del popolo quando avesse ripreso il suo grado, a patti anche d’introdurre i nemici e di rimettere la città nella loro discrezione, cedendo le mura e le navi, purché le proprie persone fossero salve.