Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.94

[1] When they came to the temple of Bacchus and wanted but a little of a full assembly, came news that Hegesandridas with his forty-two galleys came from Megara along the coast towards Salamis. And now there was not a soldier but thought it the very same thing that Theramenes and his party had before told them, that those galleys were to come to the fortification, and that it was now demolished to good purpose.

[2] But Hegesandridas, perhaps upon appointment, hovered upon the coast of Epidaurus and thereabouts; but it is likely that in respect of the sedition of the Athenians he stayed in those parts with hope to take hold of some good advantage.

[3] Howsoever it was, the Athenians, as soon as it was told them, ran presently with all the power of the city down to Peiraeus, less esteeming their domestic war than that of the common enemy, which was not now far off but even in the haven. And some went aboard the galleys that were then ready, some launched the rest, and others ran to defend the walls and mouth of the haven.

[1] When the day came for the assembly in the theatre, and they were upon the point of assembling, news arrived that the forty-two ships under Agesandridas were sailing from Megara along the coast of Salamis . The people to a man now thought that it was just what Theramenes and his party had so often said, that the ships were sailing to the fortification, and concluded that they had done well to demolish it.

[2] But though it may possibly have been by appointment that Agesandridas hovered about Epidaurus and the neighbourhood, he would also naturally be kept there by the hope of an opportunity arising out of the troubles in the town.

[3] In any case the Athenians, on receipt of the news, immediately ran down in mass to Piraeus , seeing themselves threatened by the enemy with a worse war than their war among themselves, not at a distance, but close to the harbour of Athens . Some went on board the ships already afloat, while others launched fresh vessels, or ran to defend the walls and the mouth of the harbour.

Als nun der Tag für diese Versammlung gekommen,
und im Heiligthum des Dionysos fast Alles schon beisammen war, ^{1 2 3}
kam Plötzlich die Nachricht, daß Agesandndas mit den zweiundvierzig
Schiffen von Megara her an Salamis vorübersegele, und nun glaubte
Jeder von der Volkspartei, daß jetzt eben das eintreffe, was von
Theramenes und seinen Genossen schon längst vorausgesagt worden
war, daß nämlich die Schiffe zu der Befestigung heransegelten, und
es erschien nun als sehr heilsam, daß man dieselbe niedergerissen habe.
Vielleicht kreuzte nun auch Agesandndas wirklich in Folge einer
Verabredung um Epidauros und in den dortigen Gewässern; es ist aber
auch möglich, daß er sich wegen der augenblicklichen inneren Unruhen
unter den Athenern dort aufhielt, in der Absicht, im günstigen Falle
bei der Hand zu sein. Die Athener aber, sobald diese Botschaft
ankam, rückten sogleich mit gesammter Macht im Laufschritt nach dem
Piräeus, in der Meinung, daß eben jetzt ihr innerer Krieg stärker
hervortrete, als der von den Feinden drohende, und daß er nicht in
der Ferne seinen Sitz habe, sondern in-ihrem Hafen selbst. Die
Einen stiegen auf die schon bereit liegenden Schiffe, Andere zogen
die übrigen in's Wasser, und wieder Andere eilten zur Abwehr aus
die Mauern und an die Mündung des Hafens.

XCIV. Le jour fixé pour l’assemblée dans le temple de Bacchus, et au moment même où l’on allait se réunir, la nouvelle arriva qu’Hagésandridas, parti de Mégare avec ses quarante-deux vaisseaux, côtoyait Salamine. Il n’y eut aucun des hoplites qui ne vît dans cetévénement la réalisation des craintes exprimées autrefois par Théramènes et ses partisans; on crut que cette flotte venait occuper les fortifications et qu’on avait eu raison de les démolir. Et dans le fait c’était peut-être par suite de quelques intelligences qu’Hagésandridas croisait en vue d’Épidaure et dans les envi- ¹ rons; mais il n’est pas non plus invraisemblable que, voyant Athènes en proie aux factions, il se soit arrêté de lui-même dans ces parages, pensant arriver à propos. Les Athéniens, à cette nouvelle, coururent en masse au Pirée, jugeant leurs divisions intestines d’un intérêt moindre que la guerre étrangère ² , surtout quand l’ennemi, au lieu d’être au loin, se trouvait en vue du port. Ceux-ci s’embarquaient sur les vaisseaux qui se trouvaient à flot, ceux-là tiraient des bâtiments à la mer; quelques-uns couraient à la défense des murs et de l’entrée du port.

Le jour marqué pour cette assemblée était venu et la séance allait s’ouvrir, lorsqu’on apprit que les quarante-deux vaisseaux d^Agésandridas, partis de Mégare, côtoyaient Salamine. Il n’y eut alors parmi le peuple ¹ personne qui ne vît dans ce fait la réalisation des craintes exprimées depuis longtemps par Théraménès et par ses adhérents. On ne mit pas en doute que cette flotte ne vînt occuper le fort d’Éétionéa, et l’on s’applaudissait de sa destruction. Il se peut qu’Agésandridas fût resté dans les parages d’Ëpidaure par suite de quelques intelligences ; peut-être aussi attendait-il tout simplement l’issue èes dissensions d’Athènes pour intervenir à propos. A la première nouvelle de son approche, les Athéniens en masse coururent au Pirée, pensant que leurs divisions intestines devaient s'effacer en présence de l’ennemi, qui était, non plus à distance, mais déjà devant le port. Ceux-ci montaient sur les vaisseaux qui étaient à flot ; ceux-là en tiraient d'autres à la mer ; quelques-uns couraient à la défense des murailles ou vers l’entrée du port.

[1] When the time had come for the meeting of the assembly in the precinct of Dionysus and they had all but gathered there, it was announced that Hegesandridas with his forty-two ships had left Megara and was sailing along the coast of Salamis; and the hoplites to a man believed that this was precisely the move that had long since been predicted by Theramenes and his party ¹ and that the ships were coming in to occupy the fort; and they felt that its demolition had served a useful purpose.

[2] Now it may well be that Hegesandridas was acting in accordance with some prearranged understanding when he hovered about Epidaurus and that neighbourhood, but it is probable that in tarrying there he also had regard to the dissension prevailing among the Athenians, and was hopeful that possibly he might arrive in the very nick of time.

[3] However this may be, when his movements were reported to the Athenians they immediately advanced at a run with all their forces to the Peiraeus, thinking that a new war, launched by the enemy and more serious than their own domestic feud, was not far away, nay, was actually at their port. Some went aboard the ships that were lying ready, others began launching additional ships, while others still hastened to the defence of the walls and the entrance of the harbour.

[1] When the day for holding the assembly was come, and they had all but met, news were brought that the two and forty ships with Agesander were advancing from Megara along the coast of Salamis; and every one of the soldiers in general considered this to be the very thing which had so long been asserted by Theramenes and his party, namely, that it was to the fort that the ships were sailing; and it appeared to have been thrown down to good purpose.

[2] And it might, perhaps, in some measure have been by appointment that Agesandridas lingered about Epidaurus and that neighbourhood; though it is also probable that he stayed there in consequence of the present sedition amongst the Athenians, in hope of coming up at the moment favourable for action.

[3] But the Athenians, on the other hand, on receiving this intelligence, immediately ran down in full force to the Piraeus, considering that a war with the enemy, of greater importance than that amongst themselves, was threatening them at no great distance, but close to their harbour. Some of them therefore went on board the ships that were already afloat; others launched additional ones; and some others ran to the defence of the walls and the mouth of the harbour.

[1] Quum autem concilii in Bacchi templo habendi dies advenisset, et tantum non condo jam coacta esset, nuntiatur, illas duas et quadraginta naves cum Agesandrida Megaris venientes Salaminem cursum tenere, et quilibet ex gravis armaturae militibus hoc iilud ipsum esse ducebat, quod jampridem a Theramene, et ah iis, qui cum eo erant, dicebatur, dassem ad illam munitionem venire, et utile videbatur, quod diruta esset

[2] Agesandridas autem fortasse quidem etiam ex composito et circum Epidaurum et tircum illa loca versabatur; credibile tamen videtur, eum etiam propter praesentem Atheniensium seditionem, et sperantem fieri posse, ut forte opportuno tempore adveniret, ilic substitisse.

[3] 'Athenienses vero, postquam hoc iis nuntiatum est, confestim universi citato cursu in Piraeeum contendebant , quod bello domestico majus aliud ab bostibn^ illatum, non procul, sed ad ipsum portum esset. Quamobrem alii naves, quae aderant, conscendebant, pars alias deducebant, nonnulli etiam ad muros et portus ostium auxilio accurrebant.

Arrivato il giorno della dieta nel tempio di Bacco, mentre erano per adunarsi venne la nuova che Egesandrida con le quarantadue navi fatto vela da Megara rasentava Salamina. Allora tutti i soldati gravi giudicavano esser questo ciò che tempo fa dice vasi da Teramene e dai suoi seguaci, cioè che la flotta nemica era diretta al muro ; e tenevano per vantaggiosa la demolizione di esso. E forse Egesandrida si tratteneva intorno ad Epidauro ed in cotesti luoghi per essersi indettato co’quattrocento ; ma è ancora probabile che vi si fermasse sperando dover essere opportuno il suo arrivo all’occasione della presente sedizione degli Ateniesi. Questi però a tal nuova accorrevano subito a stormo al Pireo, giudicando più della domestica guerra formidabile quella de’nemici, che non da lontano ma sulla bocca del porto si faceva ; ed alcuni montavano su le navi già pronte , altri le varavano in mare , ed altri sctmdeano precipitosi a difendere le mura e la bocca del porto.