Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.93

[1] The next day, The Four Hundred, though out of order, yet met together in the council-house, and the soldiers in Peiraeus, having enlarged Alexicles whom they had before imprisoned, and quite razed the fortification, came into the theatre of Bacchus near to Munychia and there sat down with their arms; and presently, according as they had resolved in an assembly then holden, marched into the city and there sat down again in the temple of Castor and Pollux.

[2] To this place came unto them certain men elected by The Four Hundred, and man to man reasoned and persuaded with such as they saw to be of the mildest temper both to be quiet themselves and to restrain the rest, saying that not only The Five Thousand should be made known who they were, but that out of these such should be chosen in turns to be of The Four Hundred as The Five Thousand should think good, and entreating them by all means that they would not in the meantime overthrow the city and force it into the hand of the enemy.

[3] Hereupon the whole number of the men of arms, after many reasons alleged to many men, grew calmer and feared most the loss of the whole city. And it was agreed betwixt them that an assembly should be held for making of accord in the temple of Bacchus at a day assigned.

[1] The next day the Four Hundred, although alarmed, nevertheless assembled in the council chamber, while the heavy infantry in Piraeus , after having released their prisoner Alexicles and pulled down the fortification, went with their arms to the theatre of Dionysus, close to Munychia, and there held an assembly in which they decided to march into the city, and setting forth accordingly halted in the Anaceum.

[2] Here they were joined by some delegates from the Four Hundred, who reasoned with them one by one, and persuaded those whom they saw to be the most moderate to remain quiet themselves, and to keep in the rest; saying that they would make known the Five Thousand, and have the Four Hundred chosen from them in rotation, as should be decided by the Five Thousand, and meanwhile entreated them not to ruin the state or drive it into the arms of the enemy.

[3] After a great many had spoken and had been spoken to, the whole body of heavy infantry became calmer than before, absorbed by their fears for the country at large, and now agreed to hold upon an appointed day an assembly in the theatre of Dionysus for the restoration of concord.

Am folgenden Tage kamen die Vierhundert trotz ihrer
Bestürzung gleichwohl im Rathhause zusammen, die
Schwerbewaffneten im Piräeus aber ließen den Alexikles, den sie eingesperrt hatten,
frei und zogen, nachdem sie die Befestigungen abgetragen hatten, nach
dem Dionysos-Theater im Piräeus gegen Munychia hin und hielten
hier, Gewehr bei Fuß, eine Berathung, in der beschlossen wurde, in
die Stadt zu marschireu, was sie auch sofort thaten und im
Anakeion 56) sich bewaffnet aufstellten. Hier kamen nun Einige aus den
Vierhundert, die man dazu gewählt hatte, zu ihnen, gingen die
Einzelnen an und beredeten diejenigen, die sie zugänglicher sahen, sich
für ihre eigene Person ruhig zu verhalten und so auch die Uebrigen
zu beschwichtigen. Sie sagten dabei: man werde die Fünftausend
bezeichnen und aus diesen der Reihe nach, wie die Fünftausend selber
beschließen würden, die Vierhundert auswählen: indeß solle man ja
nicht den Staat in's Verderben stürzen und den Feinden in die
Hände liefern. Auf dieß viele Zureden von vielen Seiten zeigte sich
denn auch der ganze Haufe der Schwerbewaffneten milder als
Anfangs, und es trat bei ihnen jetzt mehr die Beforgniß für die
Erhaltung des ganzen Gemeinwesens in den Vordergrund, und so gaben
sie denn nach, unter der Bedingung, daß zur Herstellung des
gänzlichen Einvernehmens an einem bestimmten Tag eine VolkSverfamm-.
lung im Dionysion gehalten werde.

XCIII. Le lendemain, les quatre cents, malgré leur trouble, se réunirent en conseil. Les hoplites du Pirée relâchèrent Alexiclès qu’ils avaient arrêté; après la ^{1 2} destruction du mur, ils se rendirent au théâtre de Bacchus, dans le Pirée, près de Munychie, s’y établirent en armes et se formèrent en assemblée. Après délibération, ils se transportèrent aussitôt à la ville et s’installèrent dans l’Anacion ³ . Quelques délégués des quatre cents vinrent les y trouver, s’entretinrent individuellement avec eux, et engagèrent ceux qu’ils voyaient les plus modérés à se tenir en repos et à contenir les autres. Ils leur dirent qu’on allait faire connaître les cinq mille; que ce serait de ce corps que seraient tirés, à tour de rôle, les quatre cents, suivant le mode adopté par les cinq mille eux-mêmes; qu’en attendant il ne fallait rien faire qui pût perdre la république et la livrer à l’ennemi. Après de nombreux entretiens particuliers dans ce même esprit, toute cette multitude d’hoplites se calma, surtout dans la crainte de mettre l’État tout entier en péril : on convint de tenir à jour dit une assemblée au temple de Bacchus, afin de s’entendre.

Le lendemain les Quatre-Cents, malgré leur trouble, s’assemblèrent au conseil. Les hoplites du Pirée, après avoir relâché Alexiclès et rasé la muraille, se rendirent au théâtre de Bacchus près de Munychie, mirent les armes à terre et se formèrent en assemblée. Après une courte délibération, ils se transportèrent à la ville, et allèrent faire halte dans TAnacéion ¹ . Quelques émissaires des Quatre-Cents vinrent les y trouver, s’entretinrent individuellement avec eux et engagèrent les plus modérés à demeurer en repos et à contenir les autres. Ils leur dirent qu’on allait proclamer les Cinq-Mille, que dans ce nombre seraient pris alternativement les Quatre-Cents, d’après le mode que les Cinq-Mille auraient fixé ² ; qu’en attendant il ne fallait pas perdre la république ni la livrer aux ennemis. Ces discours, répétés daDs les groupes, calmèrent la masse des hoplites, en leur inspirant des craintes pour le salut de l’État. On convint de convoquer, à jour déterminé, une assemblée dans le théâtre de Bacchus ³ pour le rétablissement de la concorde.

[1] On the next day the Four Hundred, though much disturbed, assembled nevertheless in the senate-chamber. But the hoplites in the Peiraeus, after they had released Alexicles, whom they had arrested, and demolished the fortification, went to the theatre of Dionysus in Munichia, and grounding arms held a meeting of the assembly; then, a vote to that effect having been passed, they proceeded straightway to the city and again halted in the Anacium. ¹

[2] But certain men came to them from the Four Hundred, who had been chosen as their delegates, and talked with them, man with man, and tried to persuade any that they saw were reasonable both to keep quiet themselves and to help to keep the rest in restraint, saying that they would publish the names of the Five Thousand, and that from these should be constituted in turn the Four Hundred in whatever way should seem best to the Five Thousand; meanwhile, they urged, they should by all means not ruin the city or drive it into the arms of the enemy.

[3] Finally, the whole body of hoplites, as speeches were made by many and to many, was more calm than before, and was now alarmed chiefly about the general safety of the state. So they came to an agreement to hold, on an appointed day, a meeting of the assembly in the precinct of Dionysus and consider the question of concord.

[1] The next day the Four Hundred, although alarmed, assembled nevertheless in their council-chamber; while the soldiers in the Piraeus, after releasing Alexicles, whom they had arrested, and demolishing the fortification, came to the temple of Bacchus close to Munychia, and having piled their arms, ¹ held an assembly there out of the usual place; and in accordance with a resolution made by them, proceeded straightway to the city, and piled their arms in the ² Anaceum.

[2] But when certain chosen deputies from the Four Hundred came to them, they conversed man with man, and such as they saw to be men of moderate views they persuaded both to remain quiet themselves, and to restrain the rest; telling them that they would publish the names of the Five Thousand, and that from these the Four Hundred should be elected in rotation, in such a manner as the Five Thousand might think fit: but, in the mean time, they begged them by no means to destroy the city, or drive it into the hands of the enemy.

[3] So the whole body of the soldiers, when such addresses were made by many and to many, were more pacified than before, and most alarmed for the whole state; and they agreed to hold, on an appointed day, an assembly in the temple of Bacchus, with a view to restoring concord.

[1] Postridie autem quadringenti, etsi animis perturbati, incuriam tamen conveniebant; milites vero, qui in Piraeeo erant, quum Alexiclem dimisissent, quem comprehenderant, ac munitionem demoliti essent, et ad Dionysiacum theatrum prope Munychiam situm concessissent, ibi cum armis constiterunt et concionem habuerunt, et capto consilio confestim in urbem pergebant et cum armis io Anaceo constiterunt.

[2] Venerunt autem a quadringentis quidam electi ad eos et singuli cum singulis agebant, et persuadebant iis, quos animadvertissent homines esse moderatos, ut et ipsi quiescerent, et ceteros continerent, dicentes fore, ut quinque millia civium designarent, et cx horum numero per vices, prout quinque millibus placeret, quadringenti constituerentur; interim vero se nullo modo civitatem perdere, neque eam hostibus tradere.

[3] Ita universa militum multitudo, quum a multis et ad multos sermones fierent, placatior erat, quam ante, ac de universo reipublicae statu maxime timebat; et inter eos convenit, ut intra certam diem in Bacchi templo coocilium de concordia haberetur.

Il giorno seguente i quattrocento, benché sconcertati si assembrarono nella sala senatoria; ed i soldati gravi del Pireo, lasciato in libertà l’arrestato Alessicle e demolito il muro, vennero al teatro di Bacco presso Munichia , e posate le armi fecero adunanza, e secondo la risoluzione presa marciavano a dirittura verso la città, od ivi fecero alto nel sacro recinto de’Dioscurk Quivi vennero a trovarli alcuni deputati de ’quattrocento, e discorrevano testa testa con loro ; e persuadevano quelli che vedessero più docili a mettersi in calma e contenere anche gli altri; promettendo che si promulgherebbero i cinque mila, e che dal uumero di questi si creerebbero a vicenda i quattrocento, secondo che piacesse ai cinquemila medesimi; e intanto li pregavano che non volessero in alcun modo perdere la Repubblica nè darle la spinta a cadere in mano de’nemici. Cosicché per i molti discorsi che si facevano a molti, il maggior numero de’soldati gravi divennero più ammansati di prima, e sopra tutto temevano del pericolo universale della Repubblica. Convennero adunque che in un certo giorno si tenesse una dieta nel tempio di Bacco intorno all’accomodamento.