endured all the wynter And whan yt came about the ende of wynter the Lacedemonyans made semblant for to reyse vp a greate armie and sente throughe all the confederatedde cyties for to warne theÌ„ that they shuld make their appareâ—l preparation for to begynne the warre agayne at the coÌ„mynge in of the sprynge tyme for to putte the Athenyans into greater feare and to geue theym occasyon for to condeâ—cende and agree to the peace By meane whereof aftere manye talkes and disputations the pâ—ace was concludedde bitwene theym in this substance that ayther of the parties shulde render that whyche he had takene from the other resarued that the Athenyans woolde reteigne Nysea whyche was graunted to theym for that that they demaunded that Platea shulde haue bene restored vnto them and the Thebains sayde to the contrary that they had not taken yt by force but that they of the towne dyd geue yt to them wyth their good wylle And the Athenyans dydde saye the lyke of Platea â—or thys cause all the confederates beynge assembled by the Lacedemonyans for thys matter they were contente that the peace shulde be concluded and in makynge the same that Platea shuld remaigne to the Thebains and Nisea to the Athenyans Excepte the sayde Beotians the Corynthians the Elians and the Megarens whyche were not content wyth thys peace But that notwithstandynge by comon decree yt was concluded and sworne by the Ambassadours of the Athenyans at Sparta and afterwardes confyrmed by the coÌ„federed cyties on both parties whiche were wyllinge to kepe yt in the fourme substance that followeth The fourme of the peace bitwene the Lacedemonyans and the Athenyans FUrste as concernynge the publyque and comon temples that yt be liefull to euery man to go vnto theym at his pleasure and wythoute any empeschement and therin make hys requestes and consultatioÌ„s vnto them that haue bene accustomed and that men maye sende thider â—or that purpose all messengers aswâ—llty sea as by lande And as touchinge the temple of Apollo which is in Delphos that those that haue the charge therof shall enâ—oyâ— their lawes pryueleges customes landes rentes and reuenues euen so as they haue accustomedde Item that the peace shal be fyrme and sure wythout deceit fraude or male engyne biâ—wene the Athenyans and the Lacedemonyans and their frendes allyes and confederates for the space of fyfty yeares And if there chaunce anny controuersie or question bitwene them that it shall be voided and determyned by iustyce and not by warre And also it shal be sworne by othe on both parties by suche conuenaunt that though the Lacedemonyans and theire confederates do render Amphipolis vnto the Athenyans yet that the inhabitantes of that same cytie and of the other that shal be restoredde to the sayde Athenians may if they thinke good departe fromthence wyth their baguage and goodes whider they woll and that those cyties whyche Aristides hath made tribuâ—aâ—ies shal be free and franke Item that it shal not be lauful to the Atheniaâ—s nor their allyes nother to go nor to sende in armes to the sayd cyties that shal be rendred vnto them for to do them hurte as longe as they woll pay the accustomed trybute And those shal be thies cyties that do followe Argilus Stagirus Acanthus Scolus Olynthus and Spartalus the whyche remaynedde newter wythout beynge allyed nother conâ—edered to the Athenyans nother Lacedemonyans resarued that if the Athenyans coulde induce and perswade them by good meanes and wythout force and constraynte to be their allyes it shulde be lawful for them to do it Item that the Cyuernyans the Sanyens and the Syngyens maye abyde in their cyties euene as the Acanthians and the Olynthians do IteÌ„ that the Lacedemonyans shall render to the Athenyans Panactum and the Athenyans to the Lacedemonyans Coriphasumâ— Cythera Metones Pteleus Aâ—alantaâ— togyders wyth all the prysonners that they haue of theirs aswelle in the cytâ—e of Athenes as elleswhere in their lande and power and also those whyche they holde assieged at Scyone aswelle Lacedemonyans as Peloponesyans or of their frendes of whatsoeuer parte they may be and generally al those that Brasidas hadde sente thy der And moreouer that if there were anny Lacedemonyan or of theire allyes in prysonne for whatsoeuer matter wythin the Cytie of Athenes or other place of their power that he shal be relesed And that the Lacedemonyans and also theire confederates shall do the lyke on their partie to the Athenyans and their allyes And as touchynge the Scyonyans the Toronyans the Sermylians and the other cyties whyche the Athenyans do holde they shal consulte togiders and shall thereupon deuyse whatte shal be done wythe theym and shall cause them to make othe to the Lacedemonyans and to the other confederatedde Cyties And boeth the Cyties shalle make yt the one to the othere lyke as they haue accustomed to wytte the greateste that they maye make conteignynge in effecte that they shall kepe the sayde Chapyters and treaties iustly and purely And the same othe shal be renewed euery yeare and shal be putte and wryttonne in tables of Stoane at Olympus at Pythye in the distreacte and wythin the Cytie of Athenes and lykewyse in the Cytie of Lacedemonye in the place namedde Amycleus Item if there bee annye thynge that ys not determynedde whyche neuerthelas shalle afterwardes be founde reasonable for boethe partyes that same maye be addedde by the Athenyans and Lacedemonyans And thys appoynctemente was acceptedde at Sparte whanne Plistolas dydde gouerne and was chiefe offycer of the towne the .xxvi daye of the moneth Arthemesius And it was accepted at Athenes whan Alceus dyd gouerne the .xv. daye of the moneth Elaphenolius And on the bihalfe of the Lacedemonians dydde swere vnto it Plistolas Domagestus Ehion Metagenes Acanthus Daithus Isthagoras Philocaridas zeuridas Antippus Tellis Alcinadus Empedias Menus and Lamphias And for the Athenyans Lampon Istimonius Nicias Laches Enthymedus Procles Pythodorus Agnon Myrtillus Thrasidas Theogenes Aristocetes Iolciusâ— Thimocrates Lyon Lamachus and Demosthenes And thys appoynctemente was sworne aboute the ende of the wynter and the begynninge of the furste sprynge followynge made tenne entier yeares and some dayes ouer aftere the begynnynge of the warre whiche was at the fyrste course and inuasion that the confederated Peloponesians made into the lande of Athenes whyche warre me thynketh beste for â—auynge the moore certaintie thereof for to distingue and deuyde by the tyme of the yeare that ys to wyâ—te by the two seasons of wynter and sommer rather than by the name and changinge of the offycers of the pryncipalle Cyties And for to accompte trulye it shalle be founde that thys warre from the begynnynge suche as aboue vntill the sayd appoinctemente endured tenne sommers and tenne wynters whyche be tenne whole yeares Ensuynge thys appoynctemente the Lacedemonyans rendred incontynently the prysonners whyche they had in their power for it happened to them by
prayse of theÌ„ heare of whome we haue to speke For that that it semeth to me not to be without purpose to remember at this presente thies thinges and that yt shall not be vnprofytable to all them that be here present be they originall cytezeins or inhabitantes For we haue the rule of a publique weale whiche folowith not the lawes of cyties nighe vnto it but we geue rather lawe and exemple vnto other the whiche we followe not Also our gouernment ys called Democrotie whiche ys not conuenieÌ„t for a fewe people but for many By reasonne wherof euery of vs of what qualitie that he be prouyded that he haue some qualitie of vertue hathe asmuche righte to come to honnors of the cytie as the other And it is not regarded of what house nother of what parte of Citezeins he is but onely what vertue he hath for what poore man it may be or of what rase or distente howe vyle or vnknowen that it be so that he maye proffytte the common wealthe he is not impesched to haue charge and publique office We procede furthermore franquely and symply to the feates of the comon wealthe and to th affayres and ymagynations that we haue euery daye wyth oure neyghbours withoute mouinge ourselfe or beinge angry if any of them reioyse of any violence that they haue done vs. And there as they reioyse we kepe an irreprehensible seueritie dissimulinge oure heuynes And neuerthelas we ioyefully comunycate our particuler goodes And touchinge them that appertaigne to the comon wealthe we do not mysuse them aswell for feare of the officers as of the lawes And chiefly of theÌ„ that be made or arne to make to helpe them that haue bene deceyued whyche bringe a manyfeste infamye vâ—to them that deceyue Of the other parte we haue many things for to refreshe and recreate the sprittes that be trauailed by labours to wytt the playes and holly exercises and the yearely sacrifices whiche be made with an honest and plaisant apparaile through delectation wherof â—he heuynes and malencoly of the people ys abolished and lessened Furthermore men do bringe hither for the greatenes of the cytie from all landes and countreys all soortes of thinges so that we vse not more of the goodes that increas and growe in our land than of them that be growen in other countreys And as touching the mylitary or warly excercises that be done in the cytie we be different from our ennemys Forsomuche as we make and suffer our cytie comon to all people And forbydde not any persone be he cytezeine or straunger to take yt or to biholde that which he thinketh good For our thinges be not hyd or kept secrett though that they might proffitt the ennemys whan they see them Also we haue not somuch affyance in our apparaile for warre nor in our subtelties aâ—d cawtels as in the highnes of our hartes which we may alwayes shewe in all affaires And though that we lyue more at our ease than many other which froÌ„ beginning of their yougth excercise themselfe in learninges incessantly vntill they be made men yet we be not for that lesse hardy and ready for to experymente all daungers whan it is nedefull And that may wel be knowin by thys that the Lacedemonyans alone durst not enter into our land without they were accoÌ„paignied with all their allyes And yet we wythoute ayde of other be entred into the lande of our neighbours and also haue right often without great difficultie subdewed them that defended themselfe very well in thair howses And yet neuer none of the ennemys durste aduenture themself to resiste oure foorce whan we haue bene altogiders Aswell for the experyence and exercise that we haue in the sea as for the men of warre that we holde in dyuers places And if our ennemys haue any tyme the victory againste any bende of our people in one of the sayd countreis they auaunte them selfe that they haue vainquished vs all And lykewyse if they be defeated by any of the said beÌ„des they say yâ— that was done by vs all And in infect we loue more reste whan we be not constrayned by any necessitie vnto trauaile than to be in contynuall labours And to exercise vs in good manners and comon wealthes rather than to lyue alwayes in feare of lawes For also it is beste not to serche the myseries and myschaunces vntill that they happenne and whan it is tyme to enter therin to shewe that we go therunto as bolde as those that be always in the busynes Yet may this cytie be had in admyration in one thinge aswell as in all the other that is that we vse with our allyes an honneste meane socyetie and fellishypp And on the othere parte we play the Philosopher that is to saye that we indure pouertie without losinge the harte to gett goodes and vse riches more for the commodyte whan it is tyme than for Pompe and for glory And there is noone that holdeth it for shame to confesse his pouertie but wel rather not to parforce himselfe for to exchue it Further there is none that hath not care aswell for the comon affaires as for his owne particuler In suche manner that those which be occupyed in their pryuate busynes haue not therfore lesse knowlaige of the estate of the comon wealthe For we haue that for synguler that he whyche hath no knowlaige of the comon wealthe we repute him not onely to be slouthful and necligent but also we take him not for a cytezein we also alone iudge the causes whan we conceyue them accordinge to reasone For we repute nor thinke that raysoning and declarynge noyeth or is hurtfull in causes but rather that it hurteth not to learne to be infourmed by sage sentences and declarations of the manner that they shuld be done bifore they be executed And ther of it cometh that we vse in all thinges that we haue to do more of audacyte and hardynes and of reasonne than any other For the other sometyme haue through ignorance more confydence than reasone willeth and sometyme for to gronude themselfe tomuch in reasons be slacke to execute their affaires And yet he ought to be reputed to haue reasonable and vertuous iudgemeÌ„t that knowith redely and clerely the harde and noysome thinges aswell as the pleasaunt And by this meane not to withdrawe himself from daungers whan they happen we vse furthermore the offices of vertue by contrary reasone and manner that the othere people do For that that we attempte and goo aboute to gette frendes more by doinge them some plaâ—sire and benefytt than in receyuinge it of them Also in kepinge the amytie and benyuolence he that receyueth the plaisir and benefytt is in worse condition than he that doth it For for him that doth it it is ynough to conserue it by benyuolence But he that hath receyued it vnderstandeth this that in rendringe the like he gratefieth not but rather dothe render the plaisir whyche he hath
euills dommaiges that this pestileÌ„ce caused by occasyon therof bigoÌ„ne one euille custome in our cytie which afterwards exteÌ„ded vnto many other things more great For that that men had presently thaÌ„ no shame to do things openly whiche in tymes paste were wylled not to be done in secret By this that they were kepte and restrayned from wantonnes voluptuousnes For seinge than one so greate and so soubdayne mutation and change of fortune and that they that dyed soubdaynely were verye happy in regarde of them that lauguyshed and were longe in payne The poore people to whome the goodes or ryches came cared not but for to spende it shortely in all thynges of pleasure and voluptuousnes and they thought that they could not do better hauing no hope to enioye it longe but rather attendynge and lokyng to leue them shortly togeders wyth theyr lyfe And there was none that for honnestye though he knewe and vnderstode it that wolde regarde to be wyllynge to enterpryse any honeste thynge wherin there was any care or trauayle hauynge no hope that he shulde lyue so longe as to see it acheued and fynyshed But all that which for the time they founde playsant and delectable for mans appetyte they reputed profytable and honneste wythoute any feare of Goddes or of lawes For that that they thought it to be all one to do yll or good consydered yâ— aswell dyed the good as the euyll and also they hoped not to lyue so longe that punyshment might be taken on them for their mysdedes by iustice but they wayted a greater punishment by the sentence of Goddes which was nowe geuen to wytt to dye of that same pestilence Whervpon sythens it was so they thought that it was beste to employ the small tyme that they had to lyue in makyng good chere and at their pleasure In this calamyte than were the Athenyans that dyed within the citye of the same pestylence and withoute the enemyes put all to fyer and bloude Herevpon they brought many pronostications vnto theyr memory and also auÌ„sweres of the Goddes that had bene made before Whiche they adapted and coÌ„pared vnto thys chaunce But amonge other a verse that the auncyentes sayde to haue harde song in theyr yougth which had bene pronounced by an aunswer or oracle of the goddes in thys substaunce There shall coÌ„me into Dorye warre wyth the lymon wherof was altercation before that thys chaunce happened For some sayde that by thys worde lymon famyne shulde be vnderstanded the other sayde that it wolde signifye pestylence but after that the chaunce was chaunced of the pestylence euery one applyed the worde of the oracle vnto that And in my fantasye yf there yet came any other warre in the countreye of Dorye wyth famyne men wolde applye it aswell to the same there as they dyd vnto thys here They set fourth lykewyse the aunswere that had bene made by the oracle of Apollo to the interrogacyon of the Lacedemonyans touchyng that same warre For hauynge demaunded who shulde haue therin the victory the auÌ„swere of the God had bene that those that shulde make the warre with all their strengthe and that he wolde be theyr ayde And vpon that same aunswere they made lykewyse theyr iudgementes and interpretations For that same pestilence beganne fourthwith as the Peloponesyans were entred that same yeare into the lande of Athenyans And also it dyd no euyll to the sayde Peloponesyans at the leaste whereby it shulde be caused to be estemed And furst it toke in the citie of Athens and after spredde to other townes of the countreye as the same were peopled And this is as touchynge the thynges that happened by the saide pestilence But as concernyng the warreâ— the Peloponesyans after that they hadde all burned and wasted the playne countreye they came into the lande that is called Parolos that is to saye nyghe vnto the sea and wasted it lykewyse vnto the mounte Laurus where there be mynes of syluer and furste they wasted the regyon which is on the coste of Peloponese and after that same that is on the cost of Eâ—bee and of Andre And yet Pericles perseuered styll in the opynyon wherof he had bene the yeare precedynge that no man shulde go fourthe agaynst the ennemys But after that they were entred into the lande of Athenes he caused to prepare a houndred shyppes for to pillage and waste lykewyse in theyr couÌ„trey Into which he caused to be putt foure thousande footemen and vpon other shyppes for to cary horses he caused to be set thre houndred warryours horsemen with theyr horses which shyppes were than furst made at Athens of wood of olde shyppes and in theyr compaignye wente those of Chio and of Lesbos with fyfty other shyppes And Pericles departed from Athens wyth the sayde armye by sea than whan the Peloponesyans were in the region nyghe the sea of Athenes So they came furst to descende into the lande of Epydaure which is in Peloponese the whiche they pyllaged ouerall and assieged the cytye in hope to take it But seynge that they loste tyme they departed from thence and wente into the regyons of Troizenide of Halyde Hermyonide in the whiche they dyd the like as they had done in that same of Epydaure All whiche places be in the countrey of Peloponese on the sea coaste From thence they wente to descende in the countrey of Prasie whiche is in the regyon nyghe to the sea in the countrey of Laconye which countrey they pyllaged togedres with the towne which they toke by force And that done they retourned into theyr countrey of Athenes froÌ„whence the Peloponesyans were than departed for feare of the pestyleÌ„ce whiche had alwayes contynued in the cytye and wythoute ouer the AthenyaÌ„s so long as they were in the sea and that the Pelyponesyans were in theyr lande WhervpoÌ„ those same Peloponesyans vnderstandynge by the prysonners the infectyon daunger of the same pestilence and perceiuing also the burying of the deade departed hastely from the sayd lande after that they had taryed there fourty dayes Durynge whiche tyme they wasted all the same countrey In the same sommer Agnon sonne of Nycias and Cleopompus sonne of Clynyas that were Collegues and compaygnions of Pericles in the leadyng or gouernaunce of the armye departed by sea with that selfe same hooste that Perycles had caryed fourthe and brought agayne for to go against the Chalcydes that be in Thrace And finding in their way the citie of Potydee yet assieged with their people they caused the ingynes of Artillerie to approche to the walles So they battered theÌ„ dyd all their beste to take it But all that newe succoure the other armye that was there before coulde do nothing because of the pestilence that was entred amonge them The which they that came with Agnon had brought For the other had not before parceiued nor felte it which Agnon vnderstandynge that Phormyon that was with in Chalcyde with a
they togither sente to Phormyo that he shulde come to succoure them But he made them annswere that it was not lawfull for him to habandone and departe from the poorte of Naupacte vnderstandinge that the armye by sea of the ennemys shulde departe from Corynthe The Peloponesyans than came with thre bendes bifore the sayde cytie of Stratie beynge determyned to assayle it if those within wolde not render or yelde it Of whyche thre bendes â—pe Chaonyens and other straungers were in that same of the myddest and in the right hande were the Leucadyens with the Anactoriens othere of thair bende and in the laste bende was Cnemus with the Peloponesyans and the Ambrasyens Anâ— the sayd bendes went marchynge by `dyuers wayes so farre distante the one from the other that sometime they of the one bende dyd not se the other And the Grekes went in battaille kepinge theire order for to aduyse bisore all thinges whan they shulde be afore the towne to chose some meteplace to lodge their campe But the Chaonyans trustinge in their force for that that they were holden and reputed most valyant of all the other straungers in that quarter of the mayne lande they wold not haue patience to lodge themself but taking it for shame somuche to cocker themself and hoping with the ayde of other strauÌ„gers that were in their bende to feare the people of the towne with their arryuall and by that meane to take it bifore that the othere shulde there arryue so to haue the hole hounour of that same enterprinse they aduaunsedde themselfe in theire most that they might in suche sorte that they aryued in the sight of the towne a good space of tyme ynough bifore the othere whiche seing the Stratyans deuâ—sed among themselfe that if they coulde discomfytte and ouerthrow that bende the othere woulde feare afterwardes to come thider they set embushementes wythout the towne on that parte therof And after that the Chaonyans were betwene the towne and the Ambusshes they sette vpon them on both sydes so strongely that they dyd put them out of Araye and vnto flighte And so dyd slay many and a great nomber whan the other strangers that came after did see theÌ„ flye they dyd the lyke and so did all flye bifore that the Grekes dyd parceyue yt who thought not that they shulde haue fought but onely haue chosen the place to haue lodged them But whan they sawe theÌ„ so to flye they retyred into their bende And afterwardes they locked themselues togider and taryed there that same daye waytinge if those of the towne wold issue fourth agaynst them which thinge they woulde not do for that that thoder Arcananyans hadde sente them no succoure But onely they dyd throwe againste them wyth castes of slynges where wyth all those of the countrey of Acarnanie do throwe better than the other people Also they were not armed and therfore yt had not bene good for theÌ„ to haue yssued fourth Than Cnemus seinge that they came not fourth whan it did drawe nyghe vpon nyght he withdrewe himselfe in great feare to the ryuer of Anapus whyche is distant from the cytie aboutes four skoore stades And the morowe followinge hauinge recouered the dead men of the Stratyans he retired with his army into the lande of yâ— Eniades who receyued him willingly for the amytye that they hadde with the Peloponesyans and fromthence they departed all for to returne into their houses wtout taryinge the succour that shuld come vnto them And the Stratians did sett vp their Trophe in remembrance of the victorye that they had had agaynst the Barbarous or strangers ¶ Howe the Athenyans had a victory by sea againste the Peloponesians and howe the one partie and the other prepared them selfe for to combattre and fight one other tyme vpon the sea ☞ The .xiiii. Chapter ON the other syde the armye by sea that the Corynthians and othere confederates shulde haue sent out of the goulphe of Crissee to the succours of Cnemus agaynste the Acarnanyens if they woulde comme to succour them of Stratia came not But were constrayned that selfe same tyme that the battaille was bifore Stratia to fyght againste the .xx. shippes that Phormyo helde and kepte to defende Naupacte who spied whan they departed from the sayd goulphe of Crissee for to assaile them in the highe or mayne sea wherof the Athenyans who were not furnyshed to fight but onely had charged the men of warre for to passe with them into Acarnanie doubted not thinkynge that Phormyo that hadde but twenty shippes durste not assaile thairs whyche were seuen and fourty But as they sayled alongeste the coste of Epire for to trauerse into Acarnanye whyche is opposite or directe agaynste yt sawe the Athenyens comme fourth from Chalcide and oute of the floude of Euenus Whoe came dyrectly againste them for though in the nyght they were hydde in a place yet alwayes they were in the moarnynge at breake of daye apparceyuedde And by thys meane the Corynthyans were constraynedde to fight in the myddest of the destracite Nowe the people of euery cytie hadde thair capytaynes And of them of Corynthe were Capytaynes Machon Isocrates and Agatharcydas and so the Peloponesians dyd bringe theire shippes all into a roundell locked togyther the fore partes forwardes and the powpes inwardes keping asmuch space as they might in the sea for to empeshe lett the yssue of ennemys and within that same rouÌ„dell they bestowed the smallest and lightest shipps for to cause theÌ„ to go fourth in short space vpoÌ„ those of theÌ„nemis whan they shulde see it to be mete As touchinge the Athenyans they broughte thair shippes all in a renge And sayled closinge aboutes those of theÌ„nemys faignynge to be willynge fourthwyth to beginne the bataile and in passing beyonde them they approched so strongly that wel nye they hurkeled togider By meane wherof the other ioygned theÌ„self retired always more suerlyer locked in their order But Phormyo had defended or forbydden his men that they shuld not begynne the bataille vntill that he hadde geueÌ„ them a signe or token And this he dydde for that that he thoughte well that the sayde Peloponesyans coulde not maigntayne or contynue that same order with their shippes as they woulde haue done with their foote men on lande And also that the shipps would hurkle togider and woulde empesche th one the other Specially whan the wynde of the lande shulde aryse whyche biganne comeÌ„ly at the breake of the daye whiche he attended makinge in the meane seasonne a bragge or threateninge to be willinge to strike vpon them For he toke it to be full certayne that after that the wynd was rysenne they coulde not be a moment of one houre firme or sure togither that he might than assayle them more at this pleasure for that that his shippes were lightest like as it chaunced For after that the wynd beganne to blowe
shewed vs that we shulde haue recourse to the Athenians whiche were oure nyghe neyghbours Lyke as neuer by warre youe suffred any oultrage so arne youe not to suffre for vs. And yf we hadde not bene wyllynge to haue departed frome the Athenyans yet had we not done you iniurye For consydered that they had ayded vs agaynste the Thebayns there where it was not youre commodytye to do it it had not bene honnestye for vs to caste them vp and forsake them seynge chiefly that they at oure requeste had receyued vs into theyr allyaunce And also we haue receyued greate benefittes of them and they receyued vs as theyr burgeoses Wherfore it was reasonable that we shulde obey them wyth our power And yf youe and they whiche be dukes capytains of youre partyes haue done any euyll thynge hauynge your allyes in your compaignie the same ought not to be imputed to theÌ„ that haue followed you but to the Capytaynes that haue conducted them to do it And as touching the Thebayns besydes many oultrages that they had done before they dyd coÌ„mytt the last agaynst vs which hath bene cause of all these euylls as youe do knowe For they came in tyme of peace vpon the daye of the solempne feaste for to inuade our cytye Wherby they receyued suche punyshment as they deserued Lyke as it was laufull for vs and permytted by the commone lawe and generall saufgarde vsed amonge all people By whiche it is laufull for euery man to sley hym that commeth to assaulte hym as ennemye Wherfore yf you woll punyshe vs for that cause that shulde be agaynste all iustyce And youe shulde declare youre selfe euyll iudges yf that to make youre proffyte of them because yt. they be youre allyes in thys warre youe woll do iustice at theyr pleasure And haue more regarde vnto youre proffyte than to reasone And howesoeuer that ye woll haue regarde vnto youre vtilitie and consyder these here to haue bene proffytable vnto youe in thys affayre yet haue we bene muche more And that not onelye vnto you but to all Grece whan that youe were in muche greater dangier For at thys presente youe haue bothe harte and puyssance for to assaulte the other but than the stranger kinge dyd laye the yoake of bondage to al the Grekes hauynge these here on hys partye Whereby reason wolde well that youe shulde laye to the contrary of thys our mysdede yf there be anye thynge mysdone the seruyce that oure cytezeins dyd for youe And the affectyon that they maye shewe vnto youe whiche you shal fynde muche greater than the mysdede And so muche the more that at that same tyme there were few Grekes founde that wolde put theyr vertue in daunger agaynste the forces of Xerxes And they were hyghly praysed who beynge assawlted aâ—d assieged had no regarde to their welthe not her to conserue theyr parsonnes and theyr goodes but delyghted more wyth greate daunger to enterpryse thynges worthy of memorye among whome we were reputed and honnored as the principalleste whereby we haue great feare to be destroyed and to perishe at this present for hauynge wylled to do the lyke to wyt for followyng the Athenians iustly and according to rayson rather than youe cautelously and by deceitte And neuerthelas it is conueniente that one self iudgement be always geuen vpon one selfe cause And not to place nor establishe proffytt in any other thinge but only in fay the loiaultie of frendes allyes For in knowing alwais their vertue that they haue shewed in thinges passed you may establishe yours proffitablie being present Consider moreouer that a great parte of Grekes do at this presente day esteme and repute youe to be the true example and the mirrour of vertue wysdom wherfore you ought well to feare to geue an wrongful sentence against vs. For in that doinge which cannot be hydde ye shall purchase great blame hauinge determyned and iudged of vs that be good people otherwyse than accordyng to reason euen youe that arne reputed the beste and to haue sett in your temples the spoiles of them that haue so well meryted towardes all Grece And also yt shal be alwayes greately imputed vnto you to haue at the appetite and pleasure of the Thebains vtterly destroyed the cytie of Platee The name wherof and for greate honnour and in remembrance of his cytezeins your fathers dyd graue at the aulter of Apollo Delphicus For we arne come to suche calamyte and perplexitie that if the Medes hadde vainquishedde we hadde bene destroyed and hauynge hadde the victorye agaynste theym we be at this presente vainquished towardes youe that be oure greate frendes through the Thebains And so we haue incurredde two extreme daungers and calamytes to wytt to dye for hunger than in resistinge to yelde vs at the wyll of the straungers and nowe to defende oure lyfe in iudgemente And we that haue more hartely tendredde the honnour of Grece than our force mighte susteigne be habandonned dispysed and for sakenne of all And there ys not one onely of all the Grekes that were than presente oure allyes that maye ayde vs. And specially we feare greatly that you other lordes Lacedemonyans in whome wee haue putte oure pryncipalle truste be not stable and constante inough in thys matter Therefore we praye you for the honnour and reuerence of the Goddes whych were than fauourers of oure societie and fellishipp and in remembrance of all the seruices and merittes towardes all the Grekes that you wylle appease and mytigate youre hartes towardes vs. And if youe haue at the persuation of the Thebains determyned any thynge agaynste vs to reuoke yt And the pleasure that youe haue graunted them to slaye vs all repeale it for to saulue vs. In whiche doinge youe shalle purchase an glorious and honnorable grace in stede of an cruell naughtynes And also yt shall not be youre shame for to geue ioye and pleasure to an othere For it is ryght easye for youe to slaye vs but yt shal be very harde afterwardes to abolish the infamye that youe shall incurre by that deede for to slaye vs vniustely that be your frendes not your ennemyes but throughe necessitie And in effecte if you delyuer vs oute of the daunger and frome the feare wherin we be youe shall iudge iustely Forsomuche specially as we be yeldedde wyllingely into your power commynge vnto youe oure handes holdenne vp in whiche case the lawes of Grece defende that men shulde be slayne and also that wee haue alwayes and at all tymes desarued well towardes youe And that yt so is biholde in oure lande the tombes of your cytezeins that were slayne by the Medes whych be by vs honnored euery yeare openly And that not onely wyth vulgare and comon honors but wyth nâ—we habillementes and wyth all the frutes of oure lande whyche we offer vnto them as people that be of one lande that ys youre frende hath bene your conâ—ederate and some tyme accompaignedde too the warre
they were neyghbours of the Etholyans and armed themselfe all in one facion And moreouer they knewe all theyr country and theyr maner of fyght Aâ—d Demosthenes made his assembly in the temple of Iupiter Nemeus in the which as men saye Hestodus the poete was slayne by the paisaÌ„s wherof he had no boubt For that that it had bene shewed hym afore that that shulde happene vnto hym in Nemea wherby he thought that the Oracle mente and vnderstode of the cytie of Nemea But experyence sheweth that it was in that same place that was surnamed Nemyan From that selfe place departed Demosthones at the breake of the daye wyth all his Armye for to enter into Etholye And the furst daye he dyd take the towne of Potydanie the seconde that same of Crossilyon and the thyrde that of Tithyon in the which he soiourned a certayne small tyme and fromethence sente the bowtye that he had taken vnto the Cytie of Eupolion in the countrey of Locres hauynge in wylle after that he had subdued all the rest of the countrey and that he shulde be returned to Naupacte to go fromethence also to subdue the Ophionyens if they wolde not yelde with theyr good wyll But of that same preparacion the Etholiens were suffyciently aduertised and that from the tyme chiefly that he hade enterprised for to ouerronne theÌ„ Wher vpon incontynently as they were entred into theyr countrey they assembled togither from all partes and chiefly came thyder those of Ophionie which be in the vttermoste parte of the countrey nygh the Goulphe of the sea that is called Maliaquus And lykewyse the Bomiens and the Galliens durynge this tyme that they assembled themselfe the Messeniens folowynge the counsaylle that they had geuen to Demosthenes perswadinge hym that the sayde Etholiens were easye to vaniquishe they counsaylled him to go as sone as he myght to wynne the townes and vyllages of the countrye byfore the enemys were all assembled Ensuyng which counsaille and trustyng in his good fortune forsomuche as hetherto nothinge had chaunced hym to the contrary wythout tarying succours of the Locriens which myght haue bene verye necessarye for hym for that they were people of trect lyghtly armed he wente agaynst the towne of Egytie the which he dyd take wythout resystyng for that that the inhabytaÌ„ce had forsakeÌ„ it and were retired into the mountaignes that be aboute the towne whiche is situated in a hygh place aboute soore stades frome the sea Nowe there was ariued the other Etholiens and were lodged in dyuers quarters of the sayde mountaynes all the whiche at one fronte came to assayle the Athenians and theyr allies on all sides with greate strockes of shotte and casting with the hande And when the same Athenians charged vpon them they retired Afrerwardes when they withdrewe themselfe they folowed them and this manner of feighâ—inge endured a longe tyme wherin the Athenians had alwaies the woorste aswell in assayllinge as in defendinge yet so longe as theyr people of shott had wherewyth to shoote they defended themselfe indifferently wel For the Etholiens that were yll armedde whan they perceyued the sayde people with shotte to drawe nighe they retired Aâ—d after that the captayne of those people wyth shoote were slayneâ— the other that nowe were trauaylled and weryed being also ouercome by the enemyes they returned and put themselfe in flight togethere wyth the remenaunte of the Athenyans and of theyr allyes And in flyinge they came to reste and passe throughe thee roockes where no waye was For Crenon Messenyan that was theyr guyde was slayne By meane wherof there was manye deade in the flyghte For that that the Etholyens whiche were lyghtly armed incontynently ouertoke them specyallye those that knewe not whythere to flyee And for that that one parte was sauyde by passynge thwart a woode they put fyer wythin it and were all burnedde So that there was no manner of flyinge and of deathe that was not thanne sene in the hoste of Athenyans And with greate payne a very small nomber of theyme that escaped from that battaille might saue themselfe in the place of Eneone in the countrey of Locres from whence they were departed And there died of the confederates a veray great nomber and of the Athenyans sixe skoore all yonge menne and of the beste warryours that they had togiders wyth procles one of the beste Dukes and Capytains After that discomsiture they that were vainquished confessinge to the ennemyes the victorye recouered their deade And retourned that done vnto Naupacte And fromthence to Athenes Resarued Demosthenes who taryed there and in places nighe adioygninge for feare that he had of the Athenyans by cause of that ouerthrowe that he had hadde In that same sommer tyme the Athenyans that sailed aboutes Sycile beinge comme by sea agaynste the Locryens and hauinge wonne one conflicte againste him at the entry of a passage whiche they kepte they did take one of their townes that ys sytuated vpon the ryuer of Haleces named Peripolyon Howe Eurylochus duke of the Peloponesyans hauinge fayled to take the cytie of Naupacte at the perswation of the Ambracyans enterprysedde warre agaynste the Amphilochyens and the Acarnanyens And howe the Athenyans purefyed the Isle of Delos ☞ The .xv. Chapter NOwe had the Etholiens after that they vnderstoode the enterpryse of the Athenyans agaynste them sente their messengiers to the Lacedemonyans and to the Corynthiens to wytt Tolophus of Ophione Boriades of Eurytanie and Tysander of Apodotie for to require and demaunde their succours agaynste the armye of the Athenyans that was come to Naupacte whiche Lacedemonyens sente them three thousande of their allyes all well armed Amongeste whome there were fyue houndred of the cytie of Heracleus whiche they had newely builded and peopled And they gaue the pryncipall charge of that armie to Eurylochus and appoincted to hym for compaignyons Macarius and Menadatus all whiche three were Spartayns who hauinge assembled their armye at Delphos Eurylochus commaunded the Locryens and the Ozoles that they shulde sende hym their peole for that that he wolde take hys waye fromthence for to go to Naupacte and also would gladly wythdrawe the sayd Locryens and Ozoles frome the amytie of Athenyans hauynge nowe already wythdrawne to hys partie the Amphisses who for the hatred and feare that they had of the Phocyens were the furste that yeldedde and hadde geuen hostages and pledges And also they had induced and brought the other that were afrayde of the commynge of the sayd armye to do the lyke And speciallye the Myonyens whiche were there neighbours on that side where the lande of the Locryans is worste to go vnto And after those there the Ipâ—esiaÌ„s the Mesapyens the Tritaniens the Tholophonians the Hessees the Chalees the Eanthiens Al the which came to that army with the Peloponesians Some other wolde not come thider but did geue onely
by sea and by lande And that done holdynge the sayd cytie of Rhege whiche standeth vpon a rocke or promontory on the sea frome the coste of Italie and kepynge Myssena whyche is dyrectly agaynste yt on the other syde of the sea in the Islande of Sycile they mighte easely defende that the Athenians shuld not passe through the distreate of Far that separateth Italy from Sycile whyche is called Charibdis And it is saide that Ulysses passed that same way commynge from Troye And not wythout cause it is so named forsomuche as it falleth ympetuously and furyously through the straites that be betwene the sea of Sycille and the sea named Thirrene And the Syracusains came thider aboute night wyth their allyes hauynge in al a few more than thirty shippesâ— for to geue the battaille to the Athenyans who hadde .xvi. of theirs and eyght of the Rhegyans But the Athenyans had the victorie And did putt the Syracusains to flyght Who saued themself euery man the best that he coulde at Myssena And yet neuerthelas there was no losse but of one only ship by reasone that the night departed them And after that same victory the Locrians that kepte their campe bifore the cytie of Rhege dyd rayse it vp retourned into their countrey But sone after the Syracusains and their allyes assembled agayne theire shippes and wente into Pelloride whyche is in the terrytorye of Myssena hauynge there their fotemen At whyche place beynge also aryued the Athenyans and Rhegyans and seinge the sayd ships of the Syracusains voide thâ—y came to assaille them But hauing entred one of the same and fastened it to one of theirs with graspes of yrone they loste theirs howbeit the people that were within it did saue themself by swymmynge And although that as the Syracusains that were nowe entred within it did make towardes Myssena the Athenyans came a freshe to assaile them thinkinge to recouer the shyp yet they were beaâ—en of and repoulsed and also loste one othere of their shippes And by thys meane the Syracusains though that they had bene vainquished at the other battaile wythdrewe themself with their honnor vnto Myssena wythout hauynge more losse than the ennemyes And the Athenyans retired vnto Camerin being aduertysed that a burgeois of the towne named Archias wyth hys accomplices wold reÌ„der that same towne fro the Syracusains In thies countrechaunces al the people of Messena yssued fourth aswell by seaâ— as by lande for to go againste the cytie of Naxe in the countrey of Chalcyde whyche is in the terrytorye oâ— the sayd Messanyens And the Naxians beinge the furst day yssued to mete them by lande they were repulsed vntill wtin their portes And the Syracusains did geue themself to pillage their landes aboute the towne afterwardes they assieged yt And on the other side the morowe following those that were in the sea sailed for to aryue at the ryuer of Acesine where they laÌ„ded and made a great pray in that same quarter whych â—arceyued the Sycilians that kepte themself in the mounteignes assembled togider and came to discende into the countrey of Mamertayns and frothence they came for to succour the said Naxians who after that they parceyued them coÌ„myng recouered their courage they exhortinge the one the othere thynkyng that it had bene the Leontyns and other Grekes dwellinge in Sycille that were come to succour them they issued afreshe out of the towne with such â—trength that they caused the Mamertayns to flye dyd slay of them more than a thousand and the other had much payne for to saue theymselfe For the straungers and paysans that kept the wayes passages did kylle many of them And the shippes that were retyred vnto Messene saylledde euerye one into hys quarter through occasion wherof the Leontyns and their allyâ—s wyth the Athenyans enterprysed to assiege Messena For that that they well parceyued that it was sore decayed And so the Athenyans came by the one syde of the sea to assiege the walles But the Messenians with a bende of Locryans that was remayning there for to kepe the cytie vnder the conducte of Demoteles sett vpon them as they were in the landeâ— put them to flight and so did slaye many of them whyche seynge the Athenyans yssued out of their shippes for to comme to succour them And charged vpon the Mamertyns in suche sorte that they repoulsed and dyd dryue them backe euen into the the towne Afterwardes leauynge their trophee for a signe of victorie they retourned to Rhege After that the Grekes that inhabyted Sycille wythout anny ayde of the Athenyans prepared and gaue themself to make warre th one agaynst thoder Howe the Athenians hadde the victorie at Pylus ☞ The .iiii. Chapter THe Lacedemonyans than holdinge theire siege bifore Pylus and their people wythin the Islande being assieged by the Athenyans like as hathe bene aboue declaredde the armye of the Athenyans was in greate perplexytie and necessytie of victuailles and of freshe water for there was but one onely well which was in the toppe and height of the towne of Pylus whiche was also very smal In such maner that they were constrayned to dygge at the ebbyng of the sea wythin the sande Whereout they dyd drawe suche water as might be drawin out of suche a place and as for the rest the place where they kept their campe on lande was veary small and the shyppes were not seure in the rode By meane wherof some of them kept along the land for to recouer vyctuaâ—les and the other dyd ancre in the meane sea And moreouer they had greate displeasur and werynes for that that the affayre indured longer than they thought frome the begynnynge that yt shuld haue done For they thought ernestly that those that were wythin the Islande not hauynge vyctuaâ—les nor freshe water coulde not so longe defende yt as they dyd by the prouysion that the Lacedemonyans dyd ordeyne for to succour them Who dyd yt to be knowin by publique and open proclamacyon that whosoeuer wolde carrye to them that were wythin the Islande meate breade wyneâ— fleshe or othere victuayles shulde haue a certayne greate some of monnye And yâ— he were a bondeman he shulde haue lybertye By meane wherof many dyd put themselfe in daunger to carry yt thyder And cheifly the sklaues for the desyre that they had to acquire and gett lybertye And they passed by the sea of Peloponese into the sayde Islande by all meanes that they myght and the more parte by nyghte and by yâ— coste of the meane sea and pryncypallye whan the wynde came frome the sea agaynste the land For by the same they came easely wythout beynge perceyued by the gallyes of the ennemyes that kepte the waâ—che for that that they coulde nott well kepe aboute the Islande whan that same wynde reygned And for them that came vnto the Islande yt was aduantagyous on that syde for that that yt chased them vnto yt And moreouer they that
were wythâ—n the Islande reyceyued them in armure But all they that aduentured themself to go thydâ—r whan the sea was peasable and calme were taken There were also cormarantâ— of the sea that passed vnder the water from the poorte vnto wythin the Islande And they toke them with a corde made wythin of goate skyns paper grynded with honny and stamped wyth lyne sede wherewythe they oâ— the Islande repastedde themselfe and dyd so longe byfore the Athenyans perceyued yt But at lengthe parceyuynge yt they sett there watches And for effecte euery one for hys parte vsed the beste dylygence that he myght to wytt the one to bâ—ynge vyctuailes into the Islande and the other for to empesche yt In thys meane tyme the Athenyans that were in the cytie vnderstandynge that their people whyche were asseged at the sayde place of Pylus were in greate necessytie aâ—d that those that were in the Islande hadd vyctuailes they were in greate care For they doubted that by the wynter that came vpon them their people shulde suffer muche beynge in a desarte place for that that in that tyme yt shulde be veary harde to compasse aboute all Peloponese for to vyctuaile them And yt was nott posseble in that tyme of sommer that remayned and was to come to furnyshe theme of all that that was necessarye for their suffysance Also their shyppes had noâ—her porte nor abydinge place where they myght be in suertye On the other syde they parceyued well that whan they shulde dyscontynue and cease the watche aboute the Islande they that were wythin yt wolde saue themself in the same shippes that carryed them vyctuailes espyinge the tyme whan the sea shulde be roughe And the thynge moste that they feared was that they thought that the Lacedemonians parceyuynge themselfe to haue the aduantage woolde sende vnto theme no more to dâ—maunde peace Wherefore they repented themsâ—lfe ryght soore not to haue accepted ytâ— whan they required it And forsomuch as Cleon parceyued well that they had opinioÌ„ that he had bene cause of empesching it he said that the affaires of tharmye was not in suche sorte as they were done to be vnderstanded And for that that they that had made reaporte demaunded that men might be sent thider to parceue the trouth it was determyned that he Theogenes shuld go But Cleon parceuing that if they so did they shuld be forced aither to say as the furst or that sayinge the contrary they shuld afterwardes be fouÌ„de lyars he perswaded the people whome he sawe well animated to that battaile to sende some strength of people aboue the noÌ„ber that they had determyned Saying that it was better to do so than to lose tyme by tarying for them that shuld be sent vntill they were retourned For in the meane time if it were so as the other did say the freshe strength that shulde be sent thider might be arryued And forsomuche as Nycyas sonne of Nyceratus who had the coÌ„duct the charge of that army that was at Pylus was his enemye he said that if sending that same succours they that had the charge of that affaire were men of courage they might easely take them that were in the Islande that if he were there he doubted not but that he wolde â—one do it Than Nycias parceyuinge that the people had nowe conceyued some displeasure with the said Cleon for that that if he did knowe the thinge so easye as he said they thought that he shuld not refuse to go thider and also seinge that the said Cleon charged him he said vnto him That insomuch as he founde the thinge to be easy it were good that he toke the charge to leade the reÌ„forte or freshe streÌ„ghe â—hider And he remitted vnto him his place hys puissance right wyllingly And Cleon thinking at the begynnynge that he did it not with good harte ernestly but iudgynge that he wolde not do it did not refuse it But aftere that he parceyued that the other perseuered he excused himself saying that the other was chosene Capytaine for that and not he Notwythstandinge whan the people did see that Nycyas wolde wythout any fayninge leaue his charge to the sayd Cleon prouoked him to take it as euery coÌ„monaltie is ioyeful of a nouation change they commaunded the sayd Cleon to accepte it who seinge that there was noo remedy to forsake it sens that it was so offredde he fynally accepted it And said right gloriously that he feared not the Lacedemonyans and that he wolde goo thider wtout taking one man of Athens But he wold cary the soldyars of Lemne and Imbricie whiche were than in the cytie all well armed and some othere armed wyth targattes whyche were sente from Ene with a certayn nomber of Archers whome he wolde take in other places to the nomber of foure houndred Wyth the which and those that were already at Pylus he auaunted himself that wtin twenty daies he wolde bryng the Lacedemonyans that were in the Island prysonners into Athens orels wolde slaye theym At whyche so glorious speakinge the AthenyaÌ„s did laughe and yet they were glad therof thinking that one of two things shuld happene aither that they shuld by that meane be delyuered from the importunitie of Cleon who was tedyous vnto them already if he failled to do the thynge wherof he auaunted hymself as the moste parte thoughte that yt shuld so be orells if he did it that he shuld bringe the Lacedemonyans into their power Beinge than the thinges so deliberated and concluded in the assemblie of the common people Cleon was by the voyce opynyons of them chosene made and created Empereur and Capytayne of the armye in stede of Nycyas And he named Demosthenes to be his adioyned compaignyon who was in the campe for that that he parceued that he was of opynyon to go to assayle wtin the IslaÌ„de those that were there Also the souldyours seyng the incommodytie of the place and that they were more assieged than those whiche they did assiege desired to hazarde the matter And this also gaue them couraige therunto that they parceued the IslaÌ„de to be already discouered in many places where the woodes were burned whiche at the beginning whan the siege was there layde it was so thick with woode by reason that no man had haunted it that it was in a manner impossible to passe through it whyche was the cause whye Demosthenes feared at the begynning to enter into it For it semed vnto him that it was the aduauÌ„tage of them that were wythin for somuche as whan he had landed there wyth great puissance those that were within hydde in couert in dyuers places mighte doo greate doÌ„maiges to hys people whyche he coulde not do vnto them that were hid through the wood and dyd know the passages paths therof And by that meane the faults that his people shuld coÌ„myt shuld be discouered In suche maner that it shuld be in the facultie
succours And thys endurynge the Athenyans wel armed arriued who were lett in by those Plateans and as they entred they mounted vpon the walles Agaynste whome the Peloponesyans resistedde wyth their power But they were muche lesse people and therby many of them were there slayne And the other retyred feringe to be circūuented chiefly for that that it was not yet daye And also perceyuynge that some of those of the cytie dyd fighte agaynste theym To wytt those that were consentynge to the trahisone they thoughte that all were of lyke mynde But yet they thought it the rather for that that the trompet of the Athenyans made of hys proper authorytie a crye that all the Megaryans that wolde come to render themselfe to the Athenyans and render theire armure shulde be sauedde and not haue annye hurte For whan the sayde Peloponesyans vnderstode that crye they retourned all to Nysee in flyght Anone after aboute dawninge of the daye the sayd wall beinge takene whyche extended vnto the porte the tumulte was greate in the towne for those that were partakers of the trahisone sayde that men shulde opene the gates and issue fourthe agaynste the Athenyans wherunto the people agreed But they sayde it◠to the intent that the sayd Athenyans shulde enter after that they were openedde For so they conuenaunted wyth them and to the ende that they myght be knowyn amonge the other and that at the entrye no man shuld do them euyl and harme they had geuene for a tokene that they shuld be oyncted with oyle for a differēce from the other And they thoughte that it shuld be greater suertie for them that the gates shulde be opened for that that there were foore thousande foote men well armed and sixe houndred horsmen Athenyans whyche were comme that same night from Eleusyne ready for to enter into the towne Beinge than those that were oyled come to the gates for to cause them to be opened one amonge them discouered the trahisone vnto the othere that knewe nothing therof wherby the tumulte and the fraye was greatte among the people And in effecte they assembledde for all sydes there and were of opynyon that the gates shulde not be opened sayinge that they durste not do it at othere tymes whan the Athenyans were come bifore their towne all though that they were more puissant than they than were and that the towne shulde not be putt into so euydent a daūger And if any wolde do the contrary that men shulde begynne to fyghte agaynste them And thys sayd they wythoute makynge any semblante that they hadde parceyued the trahysone but by manner of aduyse and of good counsaylle for to exchue the daungers And finally those of the people were strongest at the gates so that they wolde not suffre them to be openedde In suche sorte that the conspyratours coulde not execute their trahisone Than the Athenyans parceynyng that the gates were not opened vnto them thought that there was some empeschemente wherfore consyderynge that they were to fewe people for to assiege the cytie they wente all agaynste Nysee and enclosed it wyth walles For they thought that if they coulde take it bifore any succours came thider they myght afterwardes veray easely take the cytie by composition And so caused with all diligence workemenne to come frome Athens togiders with Ironne and other necessarye matter with suche expedition that within a veray small tyme they acheued the walle Whiche they beganne at the ende of that same whiche they hadde takene frome the syde of Megare And frome thence they wrought it on bothe sydes of Nysee into the sea and fourthwith dyd close it with dyches For whan the one was busyed at the walle thoder were occupyed at the dyches And dyd take the stone the bricke and the woode in the suburbes Also they dyd cutte downe the trees that were there aboute And where there lacked matter they ramparde in earthe with pynnes of woode And also the houses that were without the towne theyr toppes being bette downe did sarue them for towers and bullworkes All whiche woorke they parfaicted and ended within that selfe daye and the daye folowyng at the nyght Whiche parceyued by them that were within Nisee and also that they had no vittailles for they made no prouision but as it was brought them out of the towne daye by daye consideryng also that there was no hope to bee succoured by the Peloponesians so readely and moreouer thynkyng that all the Magariens were agaynst them they made composicion with the Athenians to wytte that they shulde render their armure and euerye man departe with a small some of monney And that the Lacedemonians and other estraungers that◠were there within should be at the wyll of the Athenians In suche manner those of the towne departed fromthence And the Athenians hauyng wonne Nisee and broken the longe walle that came frome the cytie vnto Nisee they prepared themself for to assiege and assaille the cytie of Megare Nowe it chaunced that in that same seasone Brasidas sonne of Tellides Lacedemonien was in the quartier of Corinthe and of Sicione for to assemble people of the countrey of Thrace who vnderstandyng the takyng of the walles of Megare and doubting that the Peloponesians that were at Nisee were in danger he sent vnto the Beotians with all diligence and commanded that they shulde come towardes hym incōtinently with the greatest bende that they coulde vnto Tripodisque Whiche is a burgage in the territory of Megare vnder the mountaigne of Gerania From whiche place he himselfe came with two thousande seuen houndred Corinthians well armed foore houndred Philasiens and seuen houndred Sycioniens besyde the other that he hadde already assembled not knowing yet of the taking of Nisee the whiche he vnderstode there And forthwith bifore that the ennemyes were aduertised of hys cōmyng for that that he was ariued by nyght he wente with foore houndred of the best of hys compaignie straight to the citie of Megare faignyng that he would take Nysee by stealth But for trougth hys pryncipall intente was to entre into the citie if he hadde coulde and to haue furnyshed it And whan he was come vnto the gates he demaunded of the Megarians that they should lette hym in geuyng them good hope to take incontinently Nysee But bothe the bendes fearyng hys commynge to wytte the one for doubte leste he shulde brynge agayne the bannyshed into the towne and chase them from thence and the frendes of the bannyshed leste the other for feare thereof shoulde fyght agaynste theym and that throughe occasion of their difference the Athenyans that were nyghe there vnto them shoulde take the Cytie they were of opinion not to receyue the sayed Brasidas but rather to see who shoulde haue the victorye of the Athenians or of the Peloponesians For the partakers of aither of the parties dyd attende to declare themself to fauoure that parte that shall haue hadde the better Brasidas than seyng that by no meane he
of the cytie assuredde themselfe in suche manner that he durste not pursue hys enterpryse chiefly parceyuynge that they of hys intelligence did not discouer theymselfe in the towne whyche thinge they coulde not do forsomuche as the Cytezeins who where in the greater nomber empesched and dyd lett that the gates were not opened And sent wyth all diligence by the counsell of Eucles who than was Capytayne of the Athenyans vnto Thucydides sonne of Olerus the same that hath writtone thys historie whyche at that tyme had charge for the Athenyans in the sayde countrey of Thrace wyth the sayde Eucles beinge nyghe the towne of Thase whyche was a colonie of the Paryans distante frome Amphipolis aboute one iourney by sea that he shuld come to succour them whyche thynge he readelye dyd and came fromthence wyth seuene shypps whyche he founde by aduenture all ready in that parte to succour Amphipolis if it were not than takene or if it were takene for to take Eione In thys meane tyme Brasidas who greatly fearedde the succours of Thase by sea and also leaste Thucydides who kept in that quarter many mynes of golde and of syluer by meane wherof he hadde greate frendeshypp and authorytie wyth the principallest of the couÌ„trey shuld assemble a great nomber of people by land he determyned to do hys beste to gett the said cytie by practyse coÌ„posytion bifore that the cytezeins mighte haue the sayde succour And for that cause he made it to be cryed and published wyth the sounde of a trompett that all they that were in the towne beinge citezeins or Athenyans myghte if they thought good abyde in their estate and lybertie Euen so as the Peloponesyans And those that wolde not might departe wyth their baguaige wythin fyue dayes whyche crye beinge harde many of the pryncipall Cytezeins changed their opynyon vnderstandyng to be by that meane in lybertie whereas the cytie at the presente tyme was gouerned the moste parte by the Athenyans And also they whose parentes and frendes were takene in the suburbs whyche were in greate nomber all meane people fearynge that if they dyd it not their sayd parentes and frendes shulde be yll intreated chyâ—fly the Athenyans whyche parceyued that wythout daunger they myghte departe wyth their baguage loked for to haue no succours redelye and the reste of the people seynge that by thys appoynctement they shulde brynge and delyuer themself oute of danger shulde remayne in lybertie all wyth one accorde dyd accepte the partye at perswation of them that had intellygence wyth Brasidas although that the gouernours whyche were for the Athenyans wolde haue perswaded them to the contrary And by thys meane the cytie was rendred That self same day aboute the euenynge tyde Thucidides arryued wyth hys ships at Eione Brasidas beinge already wythin Amphipolis who had taken the sayd cytie of Eione yf the night had not come vpon hym And also at the breake of the day he had taken yt if the succours wyth the sayd shypps had not arryued But the same Thucydides beinge there arryued as is afore sayd ordeyned hys case for to defende the towne if Brasidas wold haue come to assaylle yt also that he myght wythdrawe and receyue those of the mayne lande that were mynded to comme to ioygne wyth hym wherby yt chaunced that Brasidas who was descended a longe the ryuer wyth a good nomber of shypps hauynge made hys strength to gett a rocke that was at the mouth of the same nighe the towne and after to take yt by the land syde was repoulsed from both sides and was constraigned to retourne into the cytie of Amphipolis for to geue order to the affayres therof And sone after the cytie of Myrtine in the countrey of the Edonians dyd render itselfe to hys allyaunce For that that Pittacus kinge of the sayd Edonians was slayne by the wyfe and children of Groaâ—esâ— and wythin fewe dayes Gopselle and Esyne whyche were two Colonies of the Thasiens dyd lykewyse render themself and that by the practique of Perdiccas who arryued in the cytie of Amphipolis incontineÌ„tly after that it was takene whan the Athenyans vnderstode the losse of that same cytie they were therfore very sorowfull For that that it hadde bene muche propice and profytable to them aswell by reasone of the monney that they there leuyed and of the woode that they dyd take fromthence for to make shipps as also for that the Lacedemonyans hauinge bifore facultie and power to comme to inuade the allyes of the sayde Athenyans vnto the ryuer of Strymone by the conducte of the Thracyans who dyd take their parte coulde not passe ouer the water at the vpper parte therof for that that it was depe nor also wyth boatts so longe as the Athenyans dyd kepe their watche vpon the water at Eyone But the Lacedemonyans hauinge gottene the cytie and consequently the passage of the ryuer myght passe at their wylle and pleasure whereby the Athenyans were in greate feare that their frendes and allyes woolde tourne to take parte wyth the sayd Lacedemonyans Chyefly for thys that Brasidas beside that that he declared and shewed hymself to be a man curtoys and reasonable dyd also publishe generally euery where that he had no charge but to restoore all Grece into lybertie By meane wherof the other townes and cyties that dyd take parte wyth the Athenyans vnderstandynge the good entreatynge whyche the sayde Brasidas vsedde and practysedde towards the Amphilochiens and that he presented lyberte vnto euery man they were all enclyned to reuolte and tourne vnto hym and to wythdrawe themself from the obeissaunce of the Athenians And thereupon dydde secretely sende their heraultes and messengers towardes hym for to make their appoynctement euery man desyring to be the furste thynking that there was none daunger of the Athenyans who of longe tyme hadde nott any greate garnysons in that countrey and thought not that their puissance had bene so greate as they parceyuedde it afterwardes to be by experyence â—or also thies be people that haue accustomed to conduct their affayres more by an disordered affectyon rather than by reason and prouydence and puttynge their esperaunce in that whyche they wylled they followed yt wythoute annye greate purpose to effecte And that thynge whyche they wylledde not they reprouedde vnder coloure of reasone Also they grounded themself greately vpon the losse whyche the Athenyans had made frankly in Beoce through occasyon whereof it semedde to them that they coulde not soo soone sende succours into that quarter and the more by the perswasyons of Brasidas who dydde theym to vnderstande that the sayd Athenyans durste not fyghte againste hym nygh to Nysee though that he hadde but thys aâ—mie that was there Through thies reasons and vpon thies ymagynations they were all ioyous for the presente to be in lybertie vnder the protection of the Lacedemonyans whome they thoughte hauynge newely made the enterpryse in that same
by that same quarter whiche was hooly vnfurnyshedde and by that meane leste that he shoulde be takene bothe bifore and behynde he retyred wyth the moste diligence that he myght into the oldetowne But the people of the shyppes that were landed at the porte hadde alreadye gottone the sayed towne and those that dydde geue the assaulte at the newe wall followed hym fyerslye And entred foote for foote at hys taylle into the olde cytie ouer the rubbysâ—he of the olde walle that was broken downe And so they dydde slaye a greate nomber of Lacedemonyans and of Cytizeins that they encountredde makynge defense and dydde take one parte of theyme prysoners amonge whome was Pasitelidas that was the capytayne Nowe hadde Brasidas been aduertisedde of the commyng of the Athenyans and came to the succours of Torona wyth the moste diligence that he myght Buc beyng in the waye aduertisedde of the takyng of the towne he retourned And faylled to come in tyme vnto the succours but the space of Iourneying of foorty stades or thereaboutes The Athenyens hauynge gottone the towne dydde take the weomen and chyldren into saruyâ—ude and bondage and as touchyng the men aswell Lacedemonyans as those of the towne and other of the countrey of Chalcyde they sente them all to Athens whiche were aboute seuen houndred Whereof the Lacedemonyans were afterwardes rendred by appoynctmente and the other were delyuered vnto the Olynthiens for to change wyth lyke nomber of their people whiche were prysonners In the selfe tyme the Beotians dydde take by trahisoune the walle of Panacte whiche was of the confynes and border of the Athenyans And Cleon hauynge lefte a good garnysonne wythin Torona wente by sea vnto Athon nyghe vnto Amphipolis And Pheax sone of Erasistratus being thosene by the Athenyans capytayne of an other armye by sea with twoo compaignyons wente into Italye and into Sycile wyth two shyppes onelye And the occasyon wherefore they were sente thider was thys After that the Athenyans were departedde oute of Sycile by the appoynctmente that the Syciliens hadde made amonge themselfe lyke as is bifore rehersed the Leontyâ—s hadde withdrawin into their cytie a greate nomber of people by occasion whereof the people perceyuynge themself so encreased determynedde for to parte the landes of the towne by the hedde whereof the rychest and pryncipalle men beinge aduertysedde they chasedde the greatest partie of the common people oute of the cytie Whiche wente fromethence some hider some thider and lefte the cytie as voyde and desolate And sonne after dydde render theymeselfe to the Syracuâ—ains who receyuedde theym into their cytie as citizeins But afterwardes some amoÌ„g them whome it aggreued to be there went into their countrey and soubdainely dydde take one quarter of the cytie of Leonee named Phoces and one other place without the towne in the terrytorry thereof named Bricinias which was verye stronge And thider manye of the exiles dydde comme for to rendre themself and dyd defende themself within the walles the beste that they myght agaynst them of the cytie The Athenyans being thereof aduertised sent the sayd Pheax and dyd geue him charge for to practise their allyes and other of the sayd countrey to dymynishe and abate the puissance of the Syracusains which dayly increased and for to succoure the Leontyns Pheax than beinge aryued in the countrey dydde by hys practique gette the Camerins and the Acragantyns But afterwardes beinge comme to Gela and fyndynge the causes dysposed contrarye to hys opinyon he passed no further knowyng that he shulde do nothing there But in hys retournynge alonge oute of Sycile he comforted them onely with woordes passynge those of Catana those of Brycinnias and afterwardes retourned fromethence into hys countrey But bifore he had aswell at his commynge into Sycile as at his retourne practised certayne cyties of Italye for to make allyance with the Athenyans And moreouer passynge alonge out of Sycile at his retourne he encouÌ„tred certene citizens of Locres who retourned by sea frome Messana fromewhence they were dryuene by the Messanyans after that they hadde contynued a certene tyme maisters of the cytie by meanes of a sedicion and mutynerye that chansed in the cytie soone after the appoynctment of the Sycilians by occasioÌ„ whereof one of the parties parceyuing it self to be the more feoble called the Locryans vnto his ayde Who sente thider a good nomber of their citizeins which were by this meane maisters of the cytie for a certene time throughe the ayde of the parte that hadde calledde theyme thider but speciallye they were dryuene frome thence and retourned home whan Pheax dydde encounter theyme as is aboue sayed Who dydde them no displeasure forsomuche as in passynge hys iourney he hadde appoyncted and made allyâ—nce with them of the citie of Locres in the name of the AtheniaÌ„s Although that at the appoincmente whiche hadde bene bifore tyme made amonge the Sycilians they alone hadde refused the allyance of the sayd Athenyans nother yet at this present had made yt hadde it not bene that they hadde than warre agaynste them oâ— Itone and Mele whiche were their neyghbours and burgeoses And sone after Pâ—â—ax arryuedde at Athens How Brasidas had a victory against Cleon and the Athenyans nigh vnto Amphipolis wherein both the capytaynes were slayne ☞ The .ii. Chapter CLeon at hys departynge frome Torona toke his iourney towardes Amphipolis and passynge his iourney at his commynge fourthe of Eione he taketh by assault Stagirus in the countrey of Andria And he thought to haue takene Galepsus in the countrey of Thasians but he failled therof And so retourned to Eione Beinge at whiche place he commaunded Perdiccas that insuyng the allyance whiche he had lately made wyth the Athenians he shulde come vnto hym with his puissance And the lyke he also commanded in Thrace vnto Polles kynge of Odomantins who than hadde a greate bende of Thracians to his souldeours whose commyng Cleon attended at the sayd place of Eione Whiche thyng beyng come to the knowlaige of Brasidas he with hys armye dydde come for to lodge nygh vnto CerdyliuÌ„ Whiche is an hyghe and stronge place in the countrey of Argilians on the other syde of the Ryuer verye nyghe Amphipolis Oute frome whiche place all thynges that hys ennemyes dydde myght easelye bene sene lyke as they also myght see hym Cleon euene as Brasidas thoughte marched wyth hys armye agaynste Amphipolis not passynge annye thynge of Brasidas who hadde but a thousande fyue houndredde Thracyans huyred souldyars togiders wyth the Edoniens all well armedde and a certene nomber of horsemenne aswell Myrcyniens as Chalcydians besydes the thousande that he hadde sente into Amphipolis and they myght be in all two thousande footemen and three houndredde horsemen of the whiche he dydde take a thousande fyue houndred and mounted to CerdyliuÌ„ and he sent the other into Amphipolis to the succours of Clearydas As
vertue and I wol declare for my parte that I can aswell fyght beyng nygh and at hande stroackes as I can exhorte and encourage other beinge a farre of Brasidas hauynge thus anymated hys people he putteth them in order for to issue fourth wyth hym and lykewyse those that shulde comme afterwardes wyth Clearidas out of the gate of Thrace as is bifore saide But forsomuche as he hadde bene sene by the enemys whan he descended frome Cerdylium and also after that he was entred into the towneâ— specyally in makynge hys sacrefyce in the temple of the goddesse Pallas whyche is wythout the towne very nyghe vnto the walles Cleon was aduertised that there was some enterpryse in hande as he was in markynge the countrey rounde aboute the towne lyke as hath bene byfore sayed Whyche thynge might easely be knowen aswell for that that it myght clerely and playnly be sene that they that were wythin the towne did arme themself as also for that that a man myght see at the yssuinge of the gates the marchinges and the traicte of the people and of horses that issued fourth wherof the same Cleon was greatly astonied and soubdaynely descended from the place wherin he was for to see if it were so And after that he had knowin that it was the verytie hauynge already determined not to fyght vntill hys succours whyche he attended and loked for shulde haue bene arryued and consyderynge that if he dydde retyre by the coste that he had marked and deuysed he shulde tomuche clerely bene sene he caused a sigâ—e of retraytte to be geuene and afterwards dyd commaunde hys people that they shulde begynne to retyre frome of the syde of the lefte poyncte for on the othere poincte it was not possible and that they shulde make towardes Eiona But seynge that those of the sayd lefte poynct dyd marche to slackly he caused them of the ryght poyncte wherein he was to tourne into that parte and there he himself wente leauynge by that meane the myddell of the battaille nakedde and discouered makynge the mooste dylygence that he myght for to retyre Durynge thys tyme Brasydas knowynge that it was tyme to marche parceyuinge specyally the enemys to wauer he sayd vnto them that were wyth hym and lykewise vnto the other thies people woll not tary for ye see howe their speares and their heddes remoue to and frome and neuer people dyd that whyche were wylling to fyght Therfore open the gates and let vs wyth greate couraige charge vpon them wyth the moste diligence that we may And fourthwyth the gates were opened in that quarter that he had appoyncted aswell those same of the towne as the same of the rampare and of the longe walle and yssued wyth hys people in a greate course kepyng the straight way where a man may presently see the Trophee in token of victorye raysed vp And so he rushed into the middell of the battayle of the ennemys whyche he founde hooly astonyed for the disorder and sore afrayed for the hardynes of their ennemyes In suche sorte that he dyd putt theÌ„ incontynently to flyght And sone after Clearydas yssued fourthe by the gate of Thrace lyke as he had bene appoyncted who rushed in on the other sydeâ— wherof the Athenyans parceyuinge themselfe so soubdaynely and contrary to their expectacyon assayled on all partes were yet more afraied insomuch that they that were in the lefte poyncte who had takene the waye of Eione dydde flye wyhoute annye order In thys meane tyme Brasydas charginge vpon the ryghte poinct was soore hurte so that he dydde fall to the earthe but byfore that the Athenyans dydde parceyue yt he was releuedde by his men that were aboute him And yett neuerthelas the ryghte poyncte of the sayde Athenyans kepte it selfe most fyrme But whan Cleon dydde parceyue that it was noo tyme to tarye annye longer he fledde and so was encountredde by a footeman of the ennemyes Myrciniens who dydde slaye hym And yet neuerthelas those that were wythe hym stode in their defence agaynst Clearydas at the mountyng of the hyll and there they dyd fyghte valiantly vntill that the horsemen and fotemen lightly armed aswel Marcynians as Chalcydes came vpoÌ„ theÌ„ who wyth stroakes ofâ— shot constrayned them to forsake the place and to flye And by that meane all the hooste of the Athenyans was brokenne and fledde awaye some one waye and the other on the other syde euery one the beste that he coulde towardes the mountaignes And they that coulde eskape retyred to Eiona After that Brasidas was brought agayne into the cytie bifore that he rendredde the sprytte he knewe that he had had the victorye and lyued not longe after As touchyng Clearydas he pursued the enemyes as farre as he could wyth the rest of the souldiars After he came agayne into the place of the battaille and whan they hadde spoylledde the deade they sette vppe their Trophee in the same place in tokenne of vyctorye And that done they all accompaygnyedde the bodye of Brasidas wyth the habillementes and othere furnyture and buryedde yt wythin the cytie bifore the markett place whyche at thys presente is there In whyche place the Amphipolitâ—ins causedde afterwardes to be edyfyedde for hym a ryghte honnorable sepulcre and a Chapell as for a saynct And decrede ordeyned sacrifices vnto hym as sayncts had with tourneys and yearely honnors And also they attrybuted vnto hym the tytle to haue founded and peopled the cytie And all thynge that was founde by wrytynge or by payntinge and grauynge makynge memorye of Agnon who hadde bene their founder they toke awaye and defaced reputynge Brasidas to be their delyuerer And they dydde the rather thys thynge for to please the Lacedemonyans for feare that they had afterwardes of the Athenyans For they also thought yt moore their proffitt and their honnour for to exhybitte those honnour 's vnto Brasidas than vnto Agnon for the enmytie that they hadde agaynste the Athenyans Unto whom neuerthelas they dydde render their deade corpses whyche were founde aboutes sixe houndredde where of the othere were founde but seuenne By meane that thys was not properly a battaylle but a soubdayne onsett wherein there was no greate reesistence Aftere that the corpses were rendredde the Athenyans retournedde by sea vnto Athenes and Clearydas wythe hys people abodde in the Cytie for to geue order in the gouernemente thereof Thys ouerthrowe happened aboute the ende of Sommer In whyche selfe tyme Ramphias and Authocaridas Lacedemonyans conductedde by sea nyne houndred men of warre into the countrey of Thrace for to renforce and strengthene the armye of the Peloponesians And they beyng arryued in the cytie of Heraclee in the contreye of Trachine whiles they were geuynge order for the affayres of the towne hadde newes thereof How the Lacedemonians made peace for themselfe and theire allyes and afterwardes howe they made allyance amonge themself wythoute the othere ☞ The .iii. Chaptre IN the begynnynge of wynter
knowlayge durynge the tyme that I was bannyshed in the countrey of Peloponesyans but I hadde better leasure to haue vnderstandynge and to wryte the trouthe thereof wherefore I woll declare the questyoâ—s and controuersyes that happened after the sayd tenne yeares and also the disturbance of the trefues and so vnto the ende alle that was done in the sayd warre After than that the peace was made for fyftie yeares and the allyance bitwene the Athenians and the Lacedemonians that the Ambassadours of the cyties of Peloponese which were come to Lacedemonie were retourned into their houses like as hath bene aboue sayde the Corynthyans practised to reallye themself with the Argiues And at the begynnynge they dyd speake wyth some of the pryncipalleste of the cytie of Argos shewyng them that insomuche as the Lacedemonyans had made allyance wyth the Athenyans their mortall ennemys not for to defende the lybertie of the Peloponesians but for to brynge them agayne into seruytude it was very expedyente that the Argyues shulde deuise theron for to defende the common lybertie and to perswade vnto all the fre cyties of Grece that wold lyue in their lybertie and occordinge to their lawes that they shulde make allyance with theÌ„ for to geue ayde the one to the other whan yt shulde be nedefull and for to chose people and capytaynes that shulde haue authorytie for to prouyde in all affayres to the entente that the enterpryses shulde be secrette and that the commons specyallye shulde not be aduertysedde of the affayres whereunto yt shulde be thoughte that they woolde not consente for there were manye of theyme sayde the sâ—yde practisans of Corynthe whyche for the hatredde that they haue agaynste the Lacedemonyans woulde reallye themselfe wyth the sayde Argiues Whiche thynges hauynge bene reaportedde by the sayde partitulers of Argos to the offycers of the cytie and by those offycers vnto the commynaltie a decree was made whereby they dydde geue vnto twelfe men whyche they didde chose of theirs full power and puissance for to contracte and conclude amytie and allyance in name of the Argyues wyth all the free cyties of Grece resarued the Athenyans and Lacedemonyans wyth whome they myghte treate nothyng excepte they furste aduertysed the commynaltie therof And thys the said Argiues dyd aswell for that that they perceyued that warre shulde be by them made w e the Lacedemonyans forsomuche as the ende of the trefues approched as also that they hoped by that meane to make themself Capitains and Prynces of Peloponese for that that the pryncypallytie and the gouernemente of the Lacedemonyans was already hated and desplaisant to the more parte of the sayd Pelopenesyans and they begaâ—â—â— to contempne and despyse theyme for the losses whyche they hadde hadde and for the dammaiges that they hadde receyued in the warre And on the other syde the Argyues were amonge alle the Grekes the rycheste for that that they had not medled wyth the warre precedinge by cause of thys that they had allyance wyth bothe parties By meane wherof duryng the sayde warre they were enryched and encreased greately By suche manner than wente the Argyues drawynge to their allyance all the other Grekes that wold allye themselfe vnto them wyth their good wylle Amonge whome the Mantynyans were the furste and their adherentes for that that they had the warre endurynge wyth the Athenyans subtrahed one partie of the countreye of Arcadie from the obeyssance and amytie of the Lacedemonyans and hadde tournedde it vnto them wherof they doubted greately leste the sayd Lacedemonyans wold haue remembrance though that for that tyme they made no semblante therof wherefore byfore that anny other inconuenyent happened vnto them they were ryght wyllynge to ioygne themself wyth the sayde Argiues considerynge that it was a greate and a puissaunte Cytie aswelle of people as of ryches suffyciente inoughe for to resiste the Lacedemonyans and alsoo was gouernedde by the estate of the commynaltye aswelle as that same of the sayde Mantynyans At whose example manye other cyties of Pelopenese dydde the lyke For they assuredly thoughte that those Mantynyans woolde not haue done yt but that they hadde vnderstoode some thynge therin more than comonly was knowin and also in despyte of the Lacedemonyans agaynste whome they were dyspleased for manye causes But pryncypallye for thys that in one artycle of the peace made bytwene the Athenyans and the sayde Peloponesyans yt was spokene and confyrmedde by othe that yt there were annye thynge whyche semed for the beste to be takenne awaye or changedde those of the two cyties to wytte of Athenes and of Lacedemonye myghte doo yt wythoute therein makynge anny mention of the other confedered Cyties of Peloponese whyche thynge dydde putt al the Peloponesyans into greate suspytion leste the sayde twoo Cyties hadde accordedde and agrede for to subdewe theym For they verelye thoughte that if they hadde estemedde theyme as theire allyes and confederates they shulde haue couched and comprehended in the sayde artycle the othere cyties of Peloponese aswelle as those twoo whyche was the pryncipall cause that inducedde them to make allyaunce wyth the Argyues The Lacedemonyans vnderstandynge that by lytle and lytle the sayde cyties dydde confederate themselfe wythe the Argyues and that the Corinthiens hadde bene promoters and causers of that same matter they sente certayne ambassadours vnto them for to shewe vnto them as to the chiefe of that coniuration and acte that if they departed from theire amytie allyance for to ioygne themself wyth the Argyues they shuld do against their othe and moreouer shulde doo agaynste reasonne for that they woold not approue the treatie of peace made wyth the Athenyans consideredde that the more parte of the confederated cyties had allowed it and that by their allyaunces it was ordaynedde that the same whyche was donne by the moore parte shulde be holden by the othere yf there were none empeschemente of the goddes or of the saynctes Upon thys declaration the Corynthyans bifore makynge answere to the sayde Ambassadours had caused all their allyes to assemble to wyt those that hadde not yet accepted the treatie of peace by comon deliberation sayed vnto the sayde Lacedemonyans that they woolde confederate theymself agaynste them and shewedde them certayne thynges wherein those Lacedemonyans hadde done theyme wronge by concludynge the sayde treatie of peace specially for thys that by the same it was not prouydedde that the Athenyans shulde restore vnto them Sellie Anactorium nor annye other places whyche they pretended to be takenne from them by the sayde Lacedemonyens And on the other parte that they were not determyned for to habandone theÌ„ of Thrace who at their desyre and perswatyon had rebelled from the Athenyans for that that they hadde promysed them particularly by theire othe not to forsake them aswell at begynninge whan they rebelled wyth those of Potydea as also at manye tymes afterwardes wherfore they reputed not themself to be infractors or brekers of the allyance
neuerthelas euery order was of the thicknes of eight men and the fronte of al the former seueral bendes was ioygned and locked egally in lengthe and there were foure houndred forty and eyght men in the furste poyncte besydes the sayd Scyrites After that they were thus all sett into battaille araye aswell of the one syde as of the other euery capytayne exhorted encouraiged hys souldears the beste wyse that they coulde to wytt the Mantinians declared to their people that the questyon was o◠losinge their seignyory and lybertie and of their comynge into seruytude The Argyues shewed vnto theirs that the questyon was to defende their princypalitie whyche was egall to the same of the other cyties of Peloponese and also for to reuenge the oultrages and iniuryes that their voysins ennemys had oftene tymes done vnto them The Athenyans proponed vnto theirs that it shulde be their honnour sithens they dyd fyght wyth so greate nomber of their allyes to shewe that they were no worse warryours thā the other and also if they coulde at the selfe instante vainquyshe and destroye the Lacedemonyans in the countrey of Peloponesa their estate and seignyorye shulde foreuer be in the greatter suertie for there shulde neuer be any people that durste comme to assaylle them in their landes Such were the sayinges and perswations that were made to the Argiues and their allyes As touchynge the Lacedemonyans they were all assured people and experte in warre werefore they hadde no nede of exhortatyon For the memory and recordynge of their many and cheualerour feates dyd geue thē more hardynes than a shorte declaratyon though yt hadde bene welle garnysshed wyth wordes coulde haue done Thys passed they beganne to marche the one agaynste the other to wytt the Argyues and theyr allyes wyth greate impetuosytie or fiercenes and wyth greate wrathe and anger And the Lacedemonyans all at leasure and pace by pace after the sounde of the trompets wherof they had greate nomber dispersed into many places of their battaille for suche was their custome and ordenance to cary many of them not for any relygyon or deuotyon as many other doo but for to marche in better order at the sounde of the sayd trompettes and also to the ende that they shulde not be putt into disorder at the encountrynge of the ennemyes as it chauncethe oftentymes whan twoo greate armyes do encounter the one the othere But before that they dyd come to the encountrynge or metinge Agis kynge of the Lacedemonyans deuysedde wyth hymselfe for to do a thynge for to empesche and wythstande that whyche hadde alwayes bene vsed whan twoo battailles dyd encounter For those that be in the righte poyncte of ayther syde whan they comme to encounter the ennemyes that be in the apposytte or directly agaynst the lefte poyncte they spreade themself in lenghe for to enuyrone and enclose thē For that that ayther partie fearinge to abyde in discouert of the ryght syde whych the shield doth not couer he wardeth hymself wyth hys shielde that is nexte hym on the right hande and they thinke that whan they be most locked togiders they shulde be moste in couert and in suertie and he that is formost in the ende of that same ryght poynct sheweth to the other the way to do yt for insomuch as he hath none at his right hande for to warde hym he taketh the moste payne that he maye to exchue the ennemyes on that syde that is openne or discouered and for that cause doth the beste that he canne for to auaunce the ende of the contrarye poyncte that was opposit or dyrecte againste hym and for to enclose and enuyronne it for that he woolde not be assailled on the syde whyche ys discoueredde and the othere for the selfe feare dyd followe hym Nowe the Mantynians who kepte the ryghte poynct of their syde were in much greater nōber than the Scirites Also the Lacedemonyans and the Tegetes who kepte the ryghte poyncte of their syde were in muche greater nōber than the Athenyans that kepte the lefte poynct of theirs For thys cause Agis fearyng leste the lefte poincte of his people shulde susteigne dammage by the Mantynyans who were in muche greater nomber he made a signe to the Scirites and to the Brasidians that they shulde retyre oute of their order and ioigne themselfe to the Mantynians and fourthwyth he commaunded two Trybuns that were in the ryghte poyncte to wytte Hipponoides and Aristocles that they shulde departe oute of the place wherein they were in theire bendes and that they shuld readely bestow thēself in rome of the said Scirites Brasidians thynkinge that by that meane hys ryghte poyncte shulde remayne yet well prouyded for and the lefte shulde be greatly strengthened for to resiste the Mantynyans Neuertheles they woolde not do it aswell for that that they were already nighe hande to hande wyth the ennemyes as also the tyme was very shorte for to do that whyche they were commaundedde through occasyon wherof they were afterwardes bannyshed oute of Sparte as nyce and slouthfull The Scirites and the Brasidians beinge than separated and retyred out of their order accordinge to the commaundemente of the kyng Agis and the same kyng seing that the other two bedes dyd not come into their place he comaūded them againe that they shulde putt themself into their former order But it was not possyble for them so to do nother for those of that poynct fromwhence they were departed to receue them beinge alredy all locked togider and nigh vnto the ennemyes And yet neuerthelas the Lacedemonyans shewedde themselfe in all thynges the better warryours and more experimented in warre than the other For whan it came to fighting hande to hande the Mantynyans that hadde the ryght poincte at the arryuall dyd put the Scirites and the Brasidians to flight and wyth their allyes and the thousande souldiars of the Argiues they charged vpon the lefte poincte of the Lacedemonyans whych they founde naked voide with the sayd two bendes and so repoulsed it and constraigned the Lacedemonyans that were after them there to take flight and chased them into the maresses that were nyghe vnto them wherein there were some of the mooste aged slayne And so in that parte the Lacedemonians were vainquished but as for the remenante and chiefly the middell of the battaill wherin the kinge Agis was hauing aboute him three houndred chosen men whyche were named the knightes the thynges wente whooly otherwyse for they chargedde wyth suche foorce vpon the pryncipall and mooste auncyent of the Argiues and vpon the thousand souldears whyche were named the fyue Cohertes or bendes and lykewyse vpon the Cleontyns and vpon the Orneates and vpō some Athenyans that were in their bendes that they caused them to lose the place and trulye manye wythoute makyng◠resystence seynge the ympetuosytye or fiercenes of the Lacedemonyans dyd flye whereby a nomber of them were oppressed and strangled in the prease The Argiues and their
done the Syracusains being aduertysed that the Athenyans had sente to the Cameryns for to confirme the allyance that they hadde in tymes paste made withe Lachetes at that tyme Duke of Athens they sent thider lykewyse for their partie for they had not very great confydence in them insomuche as at the other battaille they had shewed themself very cold in sending their succour wherby they had greate doubte least they wold sende no more in tyme to come and also least they wold take part with the Athenyans seing them to haue had the victorie in the said battail vnder colour of the said auncyeÌ„t allyance Hermocrates with some other Ambassadours being than come thider for the Syracusains Euphemus certen other for the Athenyans the same Hermocrates didde speake before the people of Camaryne who was assembled for that purpose in thys manner in presence of the Ambassadours of Athenes The Oration of Hermocrates to the Camerins WE be not sente hither vnto you Cameryus for doubte that we haue that ye be afrayde of thys army of the Athenyans but for feare leaste through their artificiall and subtille woordes before hauinge bene by vs aduertised they shulde induce and allure you to their purpose whyche is to do vnder the coulour whiche youe haue parceyued the thinge that we all do suspecte And as for me I am ryght certeine that they be not come for to restore set the Leontins again into their houses but rather to chase vs oute of ours For it is not to beleue that they which dryue those same of Grece out of their cyties be come hider for to sett agayn those of this countrey into the same out of which they be chased Nother that they haue so great care as they saie for the Leontins as for their cousins for that that they be Chalcydes seing that the self Chalcydes of whom thies be descendedde be by theym broughte into seruytude bondage but rather vnder the coulour wherby they haue obteigned those there they wold presently obteigne the couÌ„trey in thies parties For being voluntarely chosen capitains of tharmy of Grekes for to resiste the Medes by the Ionians and other Colonies of their allyaÌ„ce they haue reduced broughte them into their obeissance Some vnder colour that they had forsakeÌ„ tharmy wtout lycence Some other by occasions of warrs questioÌ„s that they had amongest themself the other vnder suche other coloures as they did finde for their purpose whan they dyd see oportunitie In suche maner that it may be sayd for trouth that the Athenyans made not warre agaynste the Medes for the lybertie of Grece nor the other Grekes to enioye their owne but rather they dyd make it to the intent that the Grekes shulde sarue to them and not to the Medes And those self Grekes for to change the lorde and not for to change him that ruled moste stronge for the same that ruled more weakely but onely him that imagined moste euil how he shuld gouerne hym that intended beste And albeit that the same Cytie of Athenes be greately worthye of reprehension and reproche yet we be not come hyder to procure it before people whych knowe ynough of their wyll but rather for to rebuke vs other Syciliens whyche haue before oure eyes the example of the other cyties of Grece that they haue subdued and yet notwithstanding thynke not to defende ourselues from them nother to reiecte and caste of the fallaces and sophemes that they wolde delyuer vs to wytte that they be come for to ayde the Leontins as their cowsins and the Egestains as their allyes Wherfore me thinketh that we shulde the sooner thinke on our case and doo them to knowe that we be not Ionyens Hellespontyns nor Islanders whyche haue alwayes accustomed to be subiects of the Medes and also of other so that they do but change the lorde into whosoeuer handes they fail But we be Doriens of a free nation and come oute of Peloponese whyche is a franke countrey and inhabyting in Sycille And ought not to abyde vntill we be taken towne after town knowynge that by thys onely meane we maye be taken and that for this cause they haue prepared themself and by that meane they goo about to separate and set vs asonder some by their practices and vnder the colour of their alliance to set some to warre against the other and in speakynge gracyous and ioyful words to do all the euyll that they maye vnto vs all accordinge as they shall fynde occasion And if there be any one amonge vs that perswadeth himself that the euil which cometh to an other that is not his next neyghbour is yet very farre frome hym and that it shall remayne there wtout coming to him and that it is not be to whome the Athenyans be ennemyes but well they be the Syracusains and that by this meane it shuld be follie to put his part in dangier for to saue myne I say vnto him that he vnderstandeth not well and that he ought to consider yâ— defending myne he defendeth his owne propre asmuch as myne And somuche he doth it more assuredly and more to his aduantage that he hath me in his coÌ„paigny before that I be destroyd for so I may helpe hym Also whosoeuer hath suche fantasie he ought to consyder that the Athenyans be not comme for to reuenge themself of the Syracusains for any ennemytie that they haue to them but rather vnder coulour herof to confirme their amytie with youe And if there be any which enuieth vs or that feareth vs for that that it is the custome that the more puissant be alwaies enuyed or feared of the more feoble and therfore it semeth to him that if we receyue any dammage we shal be moore tractable and more gracious and that he neuertheles shall remaine the more in suertie trulye he trustethe in the thinge that is not in the power of hys intente and wylle For men haue not fortune in their power euen as they haue their wyll And therfore if it happene otherwyse than he thynketh whyche hath suche fantasie peraduenture that for the grief of the euyll that shall come vpon himselfe he shall desire at an other tyme to enioye me and my goods lyke as he hath done before tyme that shal be impossyble for hym sithens that he shall haue forsaken and refused to be with me in dangiers of fortune that were asmuche hys as myne not in name and in worde but in effecte For he that aydeth vs in this affaire he in name defendeth our estate but in effecte he defendeth hys oune And trulye reasone wolleth well that ye other Camerins which be our neighbours and in the self daÌ„ger wherein we be shulde consyder thies thinges here and ought to haue coÌ„me to our allyance more readely than ye haue not done and that of your owne good will for to comforte and admonishe vs that we shulde not lose oure couraâ—ge for any thinge that mighte chaunce vs
they were wyllyng to sende an ambassade to the Syracusayns for to empesche and lett them to take partie with the Athenyans were neuerthelas not wyllynge for to sende them any succours The same Alcibiades for to moue and stirre theyme to that affaire did speake to theyme in this manner The Oration of Alcibiades the Athenian to the Lacedemonyans IT is nedeful Lordes Lacedemonians bifore that I propone or declare other matters to speake of that wheâ—w t I may be charged For if you holde me suspected by reason therof ye woll not geue fayth nor creditt my wordes speaking of the comon Welth. My progenitours hauing by occasioÌ„ of certene accusation renouÌ„ced the fredome and ciuilitie of thys your cytie I haue sithens had wylle to recouer yt and for cause thereof haue honored and saruedde youe in manye thynges but amonge other in the losse that youe hadde at Pylus And I perseueringe in this affection towardes your cytie ye made the appoynctment wyth the Athenyans by meane wherof ye encreased the puissance of my enemyes and dyd vnto me greate dishonnoure whiche was the thynge wherefore I wythdrewe my selfe vnto the Mantynyens and the Argiues wyth whome beinge bicome your ennemy I did endomage you wherein that I mightâ— And if any amoÌ„gest you hated me against reason that I than dyd hurte you truly he oughte nowe to forbeare and cease if he consider the thynges well And if any other haue euil opynion of me forsomuch as I haue susteigned and defended the estate and gouernemente of the common people he hathe lesse reasone for to hate or suspecte me for that for we other Athenyans be alwayes contrarye and ennemyes of tyrantes Nowe all that whiche contraryeth or ys agaynst them ys the comon people for this cause the comon auctorytie hath alwayes remayned amonge vs and durynge the same I haue oftymes bene constrayned to followe the time And neuerthelas I haue contynually takene payne for to moderate and refrayne the lycence and audacytie of them that woulde against the fourme of reasone conduct and order thynges at their wylle for that that there haue alwayes bene in tyme paste and yet presently be some men that haue seduced the comon people in perswading them vnto that that was for the woorst Whiche be those that haue chased and dryuene me away although that in the tyme that I haue had auctorytie I haue alwayes counsailledde and perswaded good thinges that which I had learned to be for the best to the ende to conserue the citie in lybertie and prosperitie lyke as they haue founde it For all they that haue knowlaige of the comon estate knowe what it is but yet I who haue al wayes despised and abhorred yt knowe more therof And if it were nedefull to speake of the madnes and rashnes of it I would tel nothyng therof which hath not bene experymented but it semed not to me to be a thinge right suer for to enterpryse to wyll to change it being by you assieged and warred against And this is ynough spokene of the thynges that may engender suspition and hate of me towardes youe Therefore I wyll nowe speake of the affaires whereupon ye ought presently to deuyse Wherein if I vnderstande annye thynge further than youe whereof it be nedefulle to aduertise youe ye shall therein pronounce iudgemente We be gone to Sycylle in purpose furste to subdue yt if we maye and after those there the Italians and also that done for to essay to rule and gouerne the allyes of the Chartagyans and theymselfes also if we may And if that were come to oure intente in all or for a good parte than we would come to conquere and subdue Peloponese hauynge in oure ayde and seruice all the Grekes that be in the countreis of Sycille and of Italie wyth greate nomber of estrangers and barbarous people whiche we shoulde haue hadde in soulde or wages and specyally of the Iberyens who be wythout annye doubt at this present the best warryours that be in that same quarter And on the other parte we woulde haue made greate nomber of galleys in the quarter of Italie where there ys greate quantytie of woode and of other stuffe for to make theyme to the ende that we myght holde the sayd countrey of Peloponese assieged aswell by the sea with the sayd gallyes as also by lande wyth our foote men trustynge to take parte of the cyties of the same countrey by force and the other by lengthe of siege whyche thynge semed to vs very assured And hauynge subdewed the sayed countrey we hoped easely and ryght sone to obteigne the Empire and seigniorye of all Grece causyng the sayd landes by vs conquered to fournyshe vs with monney and victualles besydes the reuenue whiche hath bene leuied in theis parties Nowe youe haue vnderstande of the armye by sea that is in Sycille which thing is shewed vnto you by a man that knoweth fully and holy oure endes and ententes The whiche though I be departed fromethence the other Dukes capytaynes woll put in execution if they can And if you do not withstande it I perceyue nothyng there that maye empesche them insomuche as the Syciliens be not accustomed to warre And yet neuerthelas whan they be ioigned alll togiders they maye resist and eskape But the Syracusains who haue bene al vainquished in battaile and cannot nowe saille by sea may not alone resist withstande the hoste of the Athenyens whiche presentlye is there And if this cytie were taken all Sycille shoulde afterwars be sone subdewed yea and consequently Italie That done the danger whereof I haue made mencyon vnto youe shall not be farre of from you nor so retarded or slacked that you shall not perceyue yt commyng Wherefore none of youe ought to perswade hymselfe that this question is for Sycille onely For wythoute doubte the question and varyance ys for Peloponeseâ— yf ye doo not readely prouyde for it And for to do that it is requisitte to sende ryghte sone thider an armye by sea in the whiche the veray maroners oughte to be warryours And that whiche is pryncipall that there be for capytayne a couragious man of Sparte For the presence of hym shal be for to enterteigne in youre amytie those that be there at thys presente and for to constrayne the other there For that that they which be youre frendes shall haue by this doyng more hope and those that be in wauerynge or doubte shall haue lesser feare to comme to youre allyance And moreouer ye ought most openly to begyn warre against the Athenynans For in that doinge the Syracusayns shall knowe that ye care and be myndefulle for their affaire By occasion whereof they shall take more couraige for to resist and the Athenyans shall haue the lesser meane for to sende succours to their people whiche bene there And also me thynketh that ye oughte to take and to fortefye soubdainely wyth walles the towne of Deâ—elea whiche is in the terrytorye of Athens
the wall they thought notâ— that there shulde haue bene anny other busyâ—es Neuerthelas they gathered themself all togider and dyd putt themself in battaille some vpon the walles and some other within some for to resist the easters on horsbacke lightly armed some within their shyps and the other on the shoares of the greate porte and alongest the bankes for to succour their shippes And after that the shippes were charged whiche were founde to be .lxxv. they marched agaynst the othere whiche were foore skoare And so they dyd fyght togiders all that same daye geuing greate aflaultes the shippes of the one partie agaynste the other wythoute that they myght do any thing of great importance nother of the one syde nor of the other but that the Syracusayns did sinke one or two shippes of thennemys and fynally towardes night departed and euery one retyredde into his quarter And they of the towne that were come oute of the towne agaynste the walles of the Athenyans dyd the lyke The morowe after the Syracusains did nothynge and also shewed that they would do nothing For this cause Nycias hauing sene that the daye precedinge they were egall doubtinge least that they would haue ones againe essayed fortune he comanded the patrons capitains of his shippes that they shulde repaire their shipps those whiche had bene by any meanes crusshed or brused Afterwardes he caused his platt barques to be wtdrawin which he had made to be enclosed in a corner of the great porte with pales for to be in suertie and caused them to be caste and lanched into the sea distante separated the one from the other the space of a dayes labour of grounde to the ende that if by faightynge any of his galleys were oppressed he myght recouer the sayd barques In suche preparations other like the Athenyans coÌ„sumed that same day and the night following The morowe following the Syracusains came fourth aswelle by sea as by lande in the same sorte as they yssued fourth the daye bifore resarued that they came in a better houre and also did fight the greatest parte of the day in the manner that they had done in the former battaille without that it were perceyuedde that the one partie had in any thinge aduantage of the othere Than Ariston Corynthian whiche was the beste maronner and patrone that was in the armye of the Syracusayns causedde yt to be knowin vnto the other capytaynes of the shyppes that they shulde sende with all diligence of their men into the cytie and he woulde do the lyke for to geue order that men shulde constrayne those whyche had victuailles ready to brynge them to be solde to the sea syde to the intente that they myghte cause all their people soubdaynely to be repasted and fourthwyth to mounte agayne into their shyppes and to assayle the ennemyes vnlooked for or vnprouyded whiche thinge was done and in a right shorte space greate habundance of victuailles hauynge bene brought to the sea banke they retyredde faire and easely for to dyne The Athenyans perceyuynge whyche thynge and thynkynge that they had retyred as vainequished they retyred lykewyse and landed some for to make the dynner ready and the other to do other busynes not thynkynge that for that same daye there shulde haue bene any battaille by sea But sone after they dyd see the Syracusayns which had dynedde to come soubdainely agaynste theyme in greate haste whereof they were greatly abasshed and yet neuerthelas embarqued theymeselfe agayne tumultuously and oute of order as faste as they coulde the moste parte bifore that they had eatene any thyng and came to mete the sayd ennemyes And whan they were in sight and verye nyghe the one vnto the other they planted theymself aswelle on the one syde as of the other for to deuyse aither of theyme howe they myghte assault hys ennemyes to hys aduantage neuerthelas the Athenyans reputynge yt for greate shame that the ennemyes should surmount excell and passe them in endurynge laboure and trauaille they dydde furste geue the signe of battaille and came to geue charge vpon their sayd ennemyes who receyued theyme wyth the poyncte of the foore partes of their shyppes welle armedde and well strengthened lyke as they had determyned in suche sortte that they crusshed a greate parte of theyme and dyd breake the poyncte of their oares and afterwardes oute of the toppe castelles of the sayd shyppes wyth greate stroackes of stoanes and of dartes dyd greatly hurte those that were wythin But the small lyght shypps of the Syracusayns dyd them yet more hurte which came to assaille and hurte them wyth castynges of dartes and with hande stroakes on all sydes in suche manner that the Athenyans were constrayned to putt themself into flyght and wyth the ayde of their barques retyred into their campe for the Syracusayns durste not followe theym â—urther than to the â—ayd barques for that that they had their saille yardes lyfted vp so high with Dolphins of leade hanging in them that the shyps of thennemyes coulde not aboorde them withoute danger to be crusshed whiche thynge happened vnto two of them whiche came to boldely vpon them and one other was takene wyth the men that was wythin yt But seuene of the Athenyans shyps were sonken and many crusshed and moreouer a greate nomber of their people deade and takene By reason of the whiche victory the Syracusayns reysed vp their Trophee perswadyng themself fromethensforwardes to be stronger than the Athenyans by sea and that they shulde be in shorte tyme as stronge wyth footemen as they through occasyon wherof they prepared themself for to assaille theym at an other tyme. Howe Demosthenes and Eurimedon being arryued in the campe bifore Sarragosse and hauynge by night assaulted the rampares of the Syracusayns at Epipole were repoulsed and had greate losse of their men ☞ The .viii. Chapter IN thies enterfeates Demosthenes and Eurymedon arryued in the campe of the Athenyans wyth .lxxiii. shyppes aswell of their oune as of their allyes which caryed aboute fyue thousande warryours fotemen partely of their people and partely of their sayed allyes and subiectes togiders with a great nomber of other barbarous and strangers and slyngers archers and darte casters aswell of Grece as of other countreis wherof the Syracusayns were greatly astonyed and parceyued no meane to be hable to eskape and resist one so greate a puissance sithens that the Athenyans beinge assieged in their countrey by meane of Decelea hadde neuerthelas sente thider one so greate succours as puissant as the furst wherby they iudged their puissance not to be withstande and considerynge also that their furst armye whiche had bene repoulsed and beatene in the former battaille dyd recouer couraige by the commynge thereof Demosthenes after that he was arryued dyd immediatly geue order for to execute his enterpryse and to employ his force as sone as he coulde for auoyding the erroure whiche Nycias had bifore comytted who beyng come into suche reputation
they were in feare to be destroied by them whom they were come to sâ—bdue And where they departed out of their couÌ„trey wyth great melodie of ioyfull songes of diuers instrumentes making greate vowes for the victory wherof they had suer hope they all retourned fromethence mournynge and makyng pituous groanes and all other contrary thynges for that that the maroners whiche were come to saille by sea were than on lande renked with the footemen neuerthelas all thynges were tollerable vnto theyme for the greate danger wherin they parceyued theymself to be brought Whome Nycyas parceyuynge so discomforted and faynte harted dyd goo comforting theym againe and declarynge vnto them many thynges saruynge to the case so as he founde them assembled togider cryinge vnto theyme more with a loude voyce than by manner of exhortacion or declaration for to cause theyme to recouer their couraige and for to proffytt them in the estate wherein they were as he knewe well to do And so did speake vnto them theis or suche woordes The declaration of Nycyas to the men of armes IT is conuenyente for vs Lordes Athenyans and youe othere oure allyes to haue good couraige and good hope althoughe that we be in the estate wherin we are For many haue eskaped muche greatter mischief and danger than this same is wherin we be Wherfore you ought to take greater couraige not blaymynge yourself beyonde reasone be it for the losse that you haue made or be it for the shame whiche you endure For as for me I am in nothing in better condition than any of youe the other be nother in force for that that ye may see howe that I am weakened with my disease nother yet in goodes For thoughe that herebifore I was well prouyded of victualles and also of other necessaris yet as this presente I haue no greater prouision thereof than the leaste of the bende Howbeit forsomuche as I haue made greate sacrefices to the goddes and vsed greate goodnes and curtesie to men ytt geueth me yet audacytie to hope welle hereafter But I do see you estonyed and afrayed to much more than ys conuenient to the dignitie and condition of your parsons for the euylls and damages whiche youe haue receyuedde the whyche peraduenture shall amende For our ennemyes haue had ynough both of felycitie and also of good happe And if anny God hath bene angry and displeased towardes vs for that that we be come hider to make warre we haue bene suffyciently and to muche ponysshed And it hath bene hertofore oftentymes sene of people that came to assaille other in their houses that hauynge done their indeuour in warre haue neuerthelas hadde tollerable mysfortunes and inconueniences wherfore we ought to hope that God woll doo better for vs hereafter for that that we desarue better to haue mercy of hym than vengeance In the reste youe ought to consider the force of youre self what nomber youe be and in what appareille of armure and to perswade yourselfe that in whatsoeuer parte ye be togiders you euene youe haue beatene yourselues that in whatsoeuer cyâ—ye of Sycille that youe arryue youe shal be easely receyued aither for loue or by force and also ye shall not easely be dryuene away after that you shall haue bene therunto ones retyredde and for to passe suerly youe shall haue regarde to marche in beste order and wyth greatest diligence that youe maye wythoute to thynke on other thynge but that in whatsoeuer parte youe be constrayned to fight if youe obteigne the victorye there shal be youre walles and youre cytie And also it is conuenyent for to continue and auaunce our iourney a day and a nyght without arrestynge vs for we lacke victuailles And after that we shall haue aryued in whatsoeuer towne of this countrey we shal be in suertie for that that they shall perseuer in our amytie and allyance for the feare whiche they haue of the Syracusayns And also we haue alreadye sente vnto theym for to aduertise theym to mete vs and to bryng vs victuailles And in effecte iudge and determyâ—â—e youe my frendes and compaignions that it is necessarye for youâ— to declare yourselfe honnest and vertuous people For if you do otherwyse you shall not fynde anye place in this countrey whiche shall not be youre ennemye and wherin you shall saue yourself But if you the othere that be not Athenyans do valyantly ye shall see in shâ—rte time the thyng whiche youe somuche desyre to see and youe whiche be Athenians shall resuscitate and reyse vp the greate puissance of your cytye although that it be greatly decayed For the walles and the shyps be not the cytie wythout men but rather the men wythout the same Suche deâ—â—arations Nycias dyd make to his souldyars here and there whan he parceyuedde any bende that wente not in good order or that followed not nighe vnto the othere and by that meane aither constraynedde theym orelles induced theym to marche as yt apperteignedde The lyke declarations did Demosthenes make to hys men and marched all in a foore cante battaile To wyttâ— Nycyas and hys men bifore and Demosthenes with his after And in the myddes were the banguages and the company of vnmete parsones whiche were in greate nomber Howe the Athenyans and their allyes being departed out of their campe after the ouerthrowe for to go fromthence by lande were followed by the Syracusayns and their allyes and fynally vtterly destroyed ☞ The .xiiii. Chapter IN suche manner the Athenians and there allyes marched vntill the syde of the ryuer of Anapus where they founde the Syracusayns and their allyes whiche wayted for them but they repoulsed them and passed against theiâ— wille notwtstanding the horsmen archers or darte casters followed them and oftentymes contended and dyd fight wyth them vntyll they arryued that same day in a place where was a high hylle Fortye stades out of Sarragosse where they lodged that same nyght On the morowe in the mornynge they departed aboute breake of the daye and after that they had iourneyedde aboutes .xx. stadesâ— they descended into a playne and there logded themself that same daye aswell for to take some victuailles and howsen that were there for that that the place was inhabyted as also for to take freshe water for to carye wyth theyme for in all the waye whiche they had passed they founde but lytle therof In thys meane tyme the Syracusayns aduansed themself to gett an othere passage by the whiche it was conuenient for the sayd Athenyans to passe whyche was a veray hyghe rocke that was hangyng and not to be come vnto on two sydes wherof the toppe was named Lepas The morowe after those same Athenyans and their allyes beinge in the waye were eftesones greatly troubled by the horsemen and archers or darte casters of the ennemyes wherof they had greate nomber whiche came chasynge and assayllynge theym by the sydes so that skarcely they coulde iourney And fynally after that they had
was of the thicknes of eyght renkes in the fronteâ— the othere moytie whyche was on the syde towards the Pauillyons or Tentes asmuch the whole beynge foore squared And a certayne parte was ordeyned to comme to succour that same moytie that was the riere warde if they shulde see that the other were oppressed betwene thies twoo battailles they bestowed the baggage and the meÌ„ that were not mete to fyght On the other syde the Syracusains dyd putt all in armure aswell those of the towne as estrangers whome they had welle armed Amonge whome were the Selynimtyns that came furst thider And after those of Gele whyche were aboute twoo houndred horsmen and those of Cameryne aboutes lxx Arbalestriers or crosbowes Also they dyd put all their horsmen on the ryght poynct and after followynge the archers or slyngers The battails than beynge ordered for that that the Athenyans shulde fyrste begynne to marche Nycias wente ronnynge to and fro a lenghe wythout hys battaylle and dydde speake to euery renke in thys manner The exhortation of Nycias to hys souldears ☞ The .xii. Chapter WHat nedeth it Lordes that I make greate exhortation for to fighte valyaÌ„tly vnto youe that be here ready to do yt Trulye the preparation whyche I see here semeth to me to haue moore effycacytie for to geue youe courayge and audacytie than all the talke that anny man lyuynge coulde vse if that we were euyll appoincted Nowe be we here Argiues Mantynyans and Athenyans the moste principall aud superiours of all the Islanders and inhabitantes in the Islandes Howe can we than in so great a noÌ„ber of such frends allyes not haue certen hope of the victorie specially hauing to do against comoÌ„ people those which be not chosen as we be And also thies be SyciliaÌ„s that dispyse vs afarre of but being nighe vnto them they wyl not tary vs insomuch as they haue lesse of knowlaige experience than of audacytie I wol also yâ— euery of you do bring to his remembrance that we be here in a strange land farre from ours and not being our frende the whyche we cannot obteigne wtout the victorie For his cause I will exhorte by all reasons contrary to the same by the whych I presuppose that our enemys shal be exhorted by their capitains For they woll shewe theÌ„ that they haue to fyght for defence of their owne land And I do shewe you that we be in a strange lande in the which we must ayther vainquishe orels haue no greate hope for to retourne into ours for they haue plenty of horses that wil oppresse vs greatly if that we breke our aray wherfore as meÌ„ valyant hardy be willing to assaile the enemys manfully remeÌ„bring youre ancyent vertue force setting bifore your eyes that the necessitie wherin we be is muche more to be feared than the puissance of our ennemys After that Nycias had thus spokeÌ„ he caused his men to marche against thennemys who loked not that they shulde haue so sone presented them baâ—taill For this cause some oâ— them were gone into the citie which was very nigh their caÌ„pe who neuertheles incontinently as they had knowlaige of thaffaire issued fourth and came to ioygne theÌ„self wyth their men not in their order for that they coulde not do But where as they came there they mingled themself with the other and shewed aswel in that same battaill as in all other affayres that they lacked not nother harte nor bardynes more than those that did assaille them but rather did defende theÌ„self valyantly so long as they perceyued any meane to be hable to do it And whan they were coÌ„strayned to retire they did it vnwillingly slackly but howsoeuer it was not thinking at that present that the AtheniaÌ„s wold haue come to assaile them by that meane being soubdainly taken they armed themselfe hastely and came to mete their enemys And the Archers slyngers and â—asters of dartes bigan first thescarmouche by chasing and recueilling aswel on th one syde as on the other for a certen shorte space so as such people which be lightly armed be accustomed to do Afterwardes the southsayers and dyuynours on both sydes shewed aythere vnto hys nation that the significations of the sacrefyces were good Upon which knowlaige they caused the token oâ— battaill to be geuen and the one marched agaynst the other in their order such as hath bene aboue said very fyersly and with great couraige For the Syracusains coÌ„sidered that they did fight for their coÌ„trey both for their present welth and also for their lybertie in tyme comyng As touching their enemys the Athenyans they did fight for to obteigne an other mans land and not to bring daÌ„mage to their owne if they were vainquished The Argyues and the other their allyes not subiected to those Athenyans for to do theÌ„ the saruice for the which they were coÌ„me to the same voiage yet euery of theÌ„ desiringe to retourne frothence victoriouâ—ly into his house And the other allyes that were subiects of the said AtheniaÌ„s did also fight ioyfully with good courage principally for that that except they had the victorie they hoped not to be hable to saue theÌ„selues And although yâ— none other reasone had moued them yet they hoped that in saruinge well valyaÌ„tly they shuld be better intreated of their lordes â—auyng ayded them to conquere a land so farre of as Sycille Being than after the stroaks of shot come haÌ„de to hand they did fight a good space wtout that that the one or the other of the parties did recuille or geue backe But being in the same conflicte there soubdainly came a greate rayne with lowde thondringes and thicke lightnynges out of heaueÌ„ Wherof the Syracusains whych than did furst fight were muche astonyed for that they were not vsed nor experimentedde in warre But they whych were moore wonted to such thynges did attrybute it vnto the tyme of the yeare and passed not of it Wherby the Syracusains were yet more astonyedâ— fearynge leaste their ennemyes had takene the same for a token or prophecie vnto their aduantage and that it came in the dissauor of them So it happened that the Argiues furst and afterwards the Athenyans on the syde where they were made a charge so sharpely vpon the Syracusains that they dyd put them into disorder and sone after to flight Neuertheles they followed them not farre for feare of the horsmen which were in greate nomber and hadde not bene brokene or putt out of order who after that they parceyued somme oâ— the sayde Athenyans to followe their people to farre bifore the other they repoulsed them stourdely For this cause the AtheniaÌ„s pursued the Syracusains being in flight somuche as they coulde all locked togiders Afterwards they retyred in the selfe order into their campe and there they reised vp their trophee in signe of victorie And the Syracusains retired the best that they could likewise into their campe And fourthwith sent
a good nomber from them to the temple of Olympiades whyche was therby fearynge leaste the Athenyans wolde come to pillage it for that that therin was great quantyte of golde and syluer The othere retyred into the cytie Neuertheles the sayde Athenyans wente not agaynste the said temple but hauynge receyued and brunned the cariogns of their men that were dead at the battaill they taryed there that same nyght And on the morow the Syracusains knowing to haue bene vainquished they sent vnto them for to demaÌ„de their dead men whych were in aâ—l aswell of theire cytezeinsâ— as of their allyes aboute two houndred and three skore and of the Athenyans togiders with their allyes aboutes fyftie whose boanes after that they were burned they dyd withdrawe and caryed them to Catanaâ— togiders wyth the spoilles of the ennemyes and by thys meane they retyred for that that they were already in wynter whiche was no tyme to make warre They could not also coÌ„duct nor endure it with out horsmen wherof they atâ—ended a good nomber aswell from Athens as from their allyes also monney for to fournishe necessaries They hoped alâ—o duringe the wynter for to practique and wynne throâ—gh fauoure of that same victorie many cyties of Sycille vnto their partie and moreouer to make prouysyon of victuailles and of all other thinges for to come agayne to laye theire Siege to Sarragosse immediatly after the winter Thies were in effecte the causes whyche mouedde theym to comme for to wynter at Catana and at Naxe Howe the Syracusains hauing chosen newâ— Dukes and geuene order in their affayres they made an assaulte agaynst them of Catana and how the Athenyans faylled to take the Cytie of Messane ☞ The .xiii. Chapter AFter that the Syracusains had caused their dead men to be buryed the people was assembled In the whyche assemblie Hermocrates sonne of Hermon who was estemed as greatly wyse and prudente as any man of the cytie and moreouer valyante and experymented in matters and feate of warre made vnto them many declarations and perswations for to geue them courage and that they shuld not be astonied for the losse whiche they had had shewynge vnto them that the same losse was not chanced to them through lacke of courage but through faulte of order and also that yt was not so greate as by reason it shulde haue bene consyderinge that on theire side there were none but comon people and men not often experimeÌ„ted in warre and the ennemyes were the beste practysedde of all Grece and suche as vsed the crafte and feate of warre more than of any other thynge Also the multytude of their capytaynes dyd noye them greatly For there were fyue of them that had not greate obeyssance of their souldyars But in case that they wolde chose some small nomber of more experte and of more meâ—e parsons for Capitains and durynge that same wynter assemble a good nomber of souldyars fournishyng theÌ„ wyth harnes that had not therof and moreouer wolde exercyse themself in feates of armes durynge the sayd tyme he had good hoope that they shulde haue the better agaynste their ennemyes addyng good order and conducte vnto their couraige and hardynes whyche thynges be necessary for warre To wytt order and conducte for to knowe foresee and exchue the dangers and hardynes for to execute that whyche shal be deuysed by wyt And also it were necessarye that the Dukes and Capytayns whych are to be chosen in small noÌ„ber as is aboue said shulde haue power in the feate of warre for to order and do therein euene as yt shulde seme to them to be expedyent for the welthe of the cytie geuynge them otheâ— suche as ys requysite in the same lyke cases For by thys meane the thinges whyche shulde be nedefull to be holden secrett may be kepte close and moreouer the prouysyons may be made without any contradiction After that Hermocrates had ended hys aduertysements all the people founde them good and dyd chose hymself for one of the Capytayns and wyth hym Heraclides sonne of Lysymachus and Sycanus sonne of Excrestus whome also they dyd chose Ambassadours for to go to the Lacedemonyans and Corynthians for to perswade them that they shulde ioygne togiders wyth them agaynste the Athenyans and that they shulde make so stronge and fierce warre in theire countreye that they shulde be constrayned to habandone and forsake Sycille orels that they shulde sende to the sayde Syracusains succours by sea In this meane tyme the armye of the Athenyans whyche was at Catana went fromthence agaynste Messane hopinge to haue taken it by treatie and conspyracie of some of the Cytezeins But they were deceyuedde of their enterpryse for that that Alcibiades who knewe the sayde treatie after that he was departed out of the hoste holding hymself in all poynctes assured that he shulde be bannyshed out of Athens had secretely discouered the treasone of those of the sayd cytie whyche toke parte wyth the Syracusains who hauynge furste slayne the transgressours and afterwardes moued the comons agaynste them and their complices obteygned what they woolde to wytt that the Atheuyans shulde not be receyued into the cytie who aftere that they hadde bene in the campe .xiii. dayes before the sayde Cytie parceyuinge that the wynter increased and waxed more bitter and that they beganne to lacke victualles also that they re enterpryse faylled them they retyredde to Naxe and to Thrace where they forcefyed their campe with diches and pales and there passed that same wynter Durynge the whyche they sente a galley vnto Athens for to demande newe succours wyth horsemen and wythe monney for the sprynge tyme followynge that they myght be hable to issue fourth into the feldes On the other syde the Syracusains duringe that same wynter enclosed wyth walles al the suburbs whyche was on the syde of Epipole to the intent that if by fortune they loste an other tyme the battaille in the feldes they might haue the greater space for to retyre wythin the closure of the Cytie and besydes that they made newe rampares aboutes the temple of Olympus and of the place called Megare and therin they put a good garnyson And moreouer in all sydes where men might descende from the sea to lande against the Cytie they made strong crosse barres and pales After that knowinge howe the Athenyans had embarqued theÌ„â—self nighe vnto Naxe for to wynter there all the people issued fourthe agaynste Catana and they pillaged all their terrytorie rased downe and burned all the lodginges and campe of the Athenyans that they had made whan they were there and afterwardes retourned fromthence into their houses ¶ Howe the Athenyans and the Syracusains sente Ambassadours towardes the Cameryns ayther partie for to withdraw them to their allyance and the answer which they made to them both And also the preparations practiques that the Athenyans made that same winter against the Syracusains ☞ The .xiiii. Chapter THies thinges thus