after that they vnderstode the chaunce that was happened at Platee commauÌ„ded all theyr allyes that they shuld kepe theyr people ready with apparayl that were necessarye for to issue vnto the felde at a daye named and to enter into the countrey of Athenes And after that thys was done two partes of all the cyties mett at one tyme in the destraict of Peloponese that is called Isthmos and sone after all the other arryued there who beyng there all assembled Archidamus kynge of the Lacedemonyans who was generall or chief of the armye called vnto hym all the offycers and pryncipallest of all the cytyes and spake vnto them in thys manner The narration of Archidamus Kynge of Lacedemonians ☞ The thyrde Chapter LOrdes Peloponesyans and youe other oure allyes oure auncestres haue had manye warres and made manye armyes aswell wythin the countreye of Peloponese as wythout and those amonge vs that be aged haue some experyence Yet we neuer yssued to the felde so puyssant nor with so greate apparayle for warre as at thys present Also we go agaynste a ryght myghtye cytye where there is lykewyse a great noÌ„ber of good warryours Wherfore we must shewe vs suche that we destayne not the glorye and renome of oure elders and of oure selues For all Grece is moued for thys warre and the more parte do long loke for our victorye for the hatred that they haue to the AthenyaÌ„s neuertheles we must not for that we be in right great nomber go agaynst our ennemyes in great hope that they dare not yssue agaynst vs leaue nor omyt any thynge of oure apparaylle but it is necessarye that euery one of vs aswell capytayne as conductor and souldyer be alwayes in feare to fall into any danger throughe hys faulte For the feate of warre is alwayes doubtfull And men fyght ryght oftentyme for a small matter and for dysdayne And many tymes the smaller nomber for the feare that it had hath vainquyshed the greater that contempnynge the ennemyes kepte not hys order Wherfore it is conuenyent whan we shall enter into the lande of oure ennemys to be ready and hardy but whan it shall comme to the dede men must prepare themselues in feare which doyng we shal be more ready for to assayle our ennemys and more assured to fyght And also we muste thinke that we go not agaynste a cytye weake and vnprouyded so that it cannot reuenge him selfe but agaynst the cytye of Athenes which is prouyded of all thynges And that they be people for to yssue agaynst vs. But at begynnynge as we shal enter into their lande by all meanes as to theyr syghte we woll ennemylike bourne pyllage it For al people that soubdaynely parceyue any thyng not accustomed to be done theyr dommage be moued to wrath and anger And those that do not theyr thynges by reasone ryght oftentymes do ouerthrowe themselues in the affaire as holy furious and madde And it is to beleue that the Athenyans do it more than other people for that that they thinke that it apperteigneth to theÌ„ to gouerne other and to destroye the lande of other men rather than they shuld come to destroye theyrs Wherfore you must followe them that shall conducte youe in thys enterpryse in great esperance of victorye aswel for the vertue and reputacyon of oure auncestres as also for ours And neuertheles hauynge regarde that youe go agaynste a ryght puyssant cytye yâ—ue holde youe alwayes affected and prouyded for all chaunces that might comme And moreouer haue alwayes in remembraunce to be appoincted as apperteigneth euery man for himself and furthermore to kepe youe well and to execute redely that that youe shal be commaunded For it is a fayer thynge and of a greate suertie for a greate bende where there is great nomber of people to see them al appoincted with one obedyence After that Archidamus had this spoken and that the counsayle was resolued he sente again Melesippus sonne of Diacrytus of Sparte to Athenes for to vnderstande yf they wolde not speake more humbly perceyuinge the enemies ready to enter into theyr lande But they wolde not admyt the sayde Melesyppus into theyr senate nor yet into theyr cytye But sente hym from thence agayne wythoute hearynge for that that the opynyon of Perycles was greatest by whiche it was sayde that heraulde nor Ambassadoure shulde be receyued froÌ„ the enemyes sence that they were yssued in armes agaynste them And also they caused to be commauÌ„ded to the sayde Melesyppus to departe theyr lande within a daye and to saye to them that had sente hym thyder that they shulde not sende agayne vnto them any parsone excepte furste that they were retourned into theyr countrey And moreouer gaue hym people for to conducte him backe through theyr countreye and to kepe hym that he spake to no man Who beyng comme to the borders of theyr countreye so as they that conducted hym wolde lycence hym he spake vnto them these wordes wythoute more Thys iourney shal be begynnyng of many greate euyls in Grece And after that he was come agayne to the campe Archidamus vnderstandynge that the Athenyans had nothynge asswaged of theyr hygh courayge caused hys armye to disâ—odge and entred into the lande of Athenyans And on the other syde the Beotiens into the lande of Platee pyllaged it wyth an other bende For the Lacedemomonyans had departed to the Peloponesyans one parte of the hoste and thys was done before that the other were all assembled in the destrait of Peloponese And this much to shew howe they assembled to enter into the lande of Athenes Howe after the perswation and exhortacyon of Pericles to the warre the Athenyans that dwelled in the feldes wythdrewe them selfe and theyr goodes into the cytye and dysposed them selfe vnto the affayres of the warre ☞ The .iiii. Chapter WHan Pericles sonne of Xantyppus the tenth Duke of Athenyans vnderstode that the ennemyes were entred into the sayde lande doubtyng hym selfe for that that Archidamus had bene lodged in hys house that he wolde defende to hys people that they shulde do no dammage to the landes and houses that he had without eyther for curtesye and of hymselfe or elles by commaundement of the Lacedemonyans for to put that same Perycles into suspytion of the people as they were lately minded to do demaundyng that he shulde be dryuen oute of the cytye for to pourge the sacrilege wherof hath bene spoken he aduaunced hymself therof to speake to the assemblye of the cytye Declarynge vnto them though Archidamus had ben hys geste yet that shulde not redounde to the dommage of the cytye And that yf it chaunced that the houses and possessyons of other cytezeins were burned that hys were presarued he wolde geue them vnto the coÌ„munaltye to the entente that no suspytyon shulde be conceyued agaynst hym for that matter And so he exhorted more ouer the people as he had done before to be ready and apparayled for the warre to brynge all
great stones that were set afore for to breake the wawes of the sea they passed through right great dangier of many throwes that the enemys dyd cast agaiÌ„st them wherby some of theÌ„ were slayne but the more part entred into the towne Nowe were come fourth to succour the Potydyans they that were within Olynthe which is situated in an high place wythout the destrayte distant froÌ„ the place where the battaille was fought aboutes six thousande pases But the horsemen Macedoniens came agaynste theÌ„ to dryue theÌ„ backe And after that they of the towne sawe that the Atheniens hadde the victory they retyred the Macedoniens lykewise towardes the Athenyans And thus the horsemen neyther of the one syde nor of the other were not at the battayle This done the Athenians set vp their Trophee in tokeÌ„ of victory rendred to the Potydyens theyr dead men according to the custome which were founde well nygh to the noÌ„ber of thre houndred aswell of their citezeins as of theyr allyes and of the Athenyans aboutes the haluen deale Among whom was Callias one of theyr Capytaynes That done the Athenians closed the walles aboute with hydes towardes the destraicte sett their people there to kepe it But they durst not go and drawe theyr closure of the other quarter of the cytye of Potyde towardes Palene which was ioingninge to the same towne of Potyde althoughe that it were not walled on that syde for that that they were not in noÌ„ber to maigteigne two seges and feared that yf they parted theÌ„selues they of the towne wolde comme to assaulte them in the one or the other place Whan the newes were signified at Athenes howe Potyde was assieged by their people but that they had not enuyroned Palene with murage they sent thyder within a lytle tyme after six houÌ„dred men a freshe vnder conducte of Phormyon sonne of Asopius who being departed from Aphite for to come towardes Palene set hys people on lande wente fayre well agaynste Potyde Destroying and burnyng theyr feldes And seing that none came fourthe of the towne he closed Palene with a walle by meane wherof the citie of Potide was assieged and beaten on both sydes by lande and also was assaulted on the sea syde by meanes that the Athenyans had gotteÌ„ the poorte Aristeus than seing that there was no more hope to be hable to defende the towne yf no succour came from them of Peloponese pretended that with some good wynde that might happen all the people that were wtin the towne shuld be sente away reserued sixe houndred wâ—erof he wolde be one the longer to sâ—steigne the siege vntyll some succour came vnto theÌ„ For he feared that victuailes shulde fayle theÌ„ But seyng that he could not perswade that he went fourthe in a night wtout knowlaige of the Athenians to geue order for that that was necessary to prouyde for other affayres that were wtoute went to the Calcydes by whose ayde he dyd many exploictes of warre in the landes of the Athenians of their parties And among other being come to ronne before the citie of Sermypile he had set an ambushement by meanes whereof he slewe a great noÌ„ber of citezeins which came forth vpoÌ„ him And neuertheles he sollicited laboured greatly the Peloponesians to sende hym some succour to Potyde In this entrefeates or procedinges Phormion after that he had enclosed Potyde on al sides came wyth sixe houndred men to ouerronne the countreys of Calcide and Beoce and so toke some castells Suche than were the quarells betwene the Athenyans and Peloponesyans for the Corynthyans were sorye that the Athenyans had troubled the citie of Potide which toke theyr part and theyr Cytezeynes and other Peloponesians that were wythin The Athenyans complayned that the Corynthyans had caused the Potydiens whiche were theyr subiectes to rebelle and that they were come to theyr ayde for to defend them against them But the warre was not yet fully declared so that there was some respitt for that the questyon was not yet generallye agaynste all the Peloponesians but onely agaynste the Corinthiens who alwayes fearynge the losse of Potyde and of theyr people that were within dyd not cease to practyse theyr allyes to come with them towardes the Lacedemonyens whiche were theyr heade to make theyr complayntes agaynste the Athenyans as breakers of the peace and ennemys to all the Peloponesians whiche they dyd And on the other syde the Agenytes came thyder not publiquely and openly for they durste not for feare of the Athenyans but secretely they perswaded warre as the other dyd For that that they complayned that the Athenyans wolde not suffre them to enioye their lybertye as it was appoynted by the sayde treatye of peace when all the Ambassadours of the confederated townes whiche were comme for thys matter were arryued at Lacedemonye the Lacedemonyens assembled theyr counsayle and caused it to be declared wyth loude voyce that yf there were any parsonne that pretended to make any complaincte agaynst the Athenyans he shulde speake publiquely as the custome was At whiche admonytion came before them almost all the confederates of Peloponese makynge theyr complainctes and doleances And besydes them the Megarens who complayned for that that beynge vnder the seigniorye of the Athenyans they had prohybited them to vse marchaundyse in theyr porte in theyr terrytorye The Corinthians were the laste for they suffred the other to speake before of a sett purpose for to prouoke and get the Lacedemonyans and afterwardes they spake in this manner ¶ The narration and proposition of the Corinthians in the Counsaylle of Lacedemonye agaynste the Athenyans The .vii. Chapter THe fayth and loyaultie that youe kepe amonge you aswell in commun as in particuler Lordes LacedemonyaÌ„s maketh that yf any the other of vs shulde saye any thynge agaynste you that no man wolde beleue hym And in that youre modestye and loyaultie causeth youe to be esteamed But youe vse one greate ignoraunce touchynge thynges that be wythoute For albeit that we haue often shewed and preached howe the Athenyans woulde ouercomme and oppresse vs yet woulde you neuer beleue vs but that that they that shewed it vnto youe shâ—lde saye it by meanes of particuler questyons that they had with them and by meane therof wolde not assemble your allyes before that we were oultraged wronged But youe haue forborne vntyll thys presente that we be iniuryed And therfor it is very reasonable that in presence of youre sayde allyes and confederates we make the longer proposityon for so much as we be dowbly offended to wytt by the Athenyans that haue oultraged vs and by youe that haue not regarded it And yf there were any reasone whereby a man myght defende that it were noâ— holye notoryous that the Athenyans be they whiche trouble all Grece It were requysitt that we shulde cause it to appere vnto them that knowe it not But what nedeth nowe to holde any longer purpose of
the benyuolence that youe shuld gett of them for the feare that they haue of vs shulde tourne into euyll wille or displeasure if youe wolde kepe the trayne and shewe yourselues of the sorte that youe declared in that lytle tyme that ye had the gouernance of all Grece in the warre of the Medes For youe do not comunycate your lawes and youre customes to othere And moreouer whosoeuer is sente by youe to be Duke or Capytayne in any armye he vseth not other manners than he was wonted to bifore Nor such as all the remenant of Grece doth vse but by all facyōs doth make strange particularites and differente frō other wherfore lordes vouchesaulf to cōsider that the matters wherof ys question be waightie and of greate importance And be well worthy to be longe consulted vpon And geue not somuche faythe to the connsaille and accusacyōs of the other people that you take this charge so great vpon youe But thinke well before the begynning of thys warre of what importance it is and the daungers that may chaunce For by lengthe or contynuance of warre happenne many hazardes From whyche we yet arne clere bothe youe and we But whan it shal be bigoune yt is not knowin vpon whiche of vs they shall fall Also it is certayne that they that be to desirous and hasty to begynne warre do peruerte the order of reasone For they begynne by execution and by force whyche shulde be laste after that it were well consulted whyche faulte no man shall fynde in vs and also we see not that it is yet in youe For this cause whiles the thinges be entier and hole we woll well admonishe youe that youe take good aduise nother to breake the peace nor to falsefie your othe And if there be any difference betwene vs let vs auoide yt by the manner conteigned in oure sayd treatie of peace Orells we protest and take to wytnes the goddes by whom we haue sworne that yf you be the Authors of the warre we wol pursue yt vnto the ende Thus dyd the Athenyans speake And after that the Lacedemonians had harde aswel the complayntes of the Peloponesians as the declaracyons of the sayde Athenians they caused them all to go fourthe and put the matter into deliberacion amonge them selues So the more parte of them were of opinion that the Athenians dyd wronge and that it was expedient to moue war against them wythout longer tariyng Whiche parceyuyng the kynge Archidamus who was taken to be a wyse man and of clere vnderstandinge stoode vp and did speake in this manner The narration and proposition of Archidamus kinge of the Lacedemonyans The .ix. Chapter I Haue experimented many warres lordes Lacedemonyans and also I knowe that there be many amonge youe that be in suche age that they wolde not counsaille to warre by imprudency and rashly as yt chauncethe to many and also wolde not repute warre to be a thynge suer nor good And if we consyder this same wherof questyon ys presently had we shall not take yt to be smalle For if question were to make warre agaynste the Peloponesians our neighbours our strength shulde be lyke vnto thairs For that that we might leade our armye subdainly agaynste euery of them But to make warre againste them that be farre from vs and that be greatly experymented in the sea and fournished habundantly of all thinges necessary to wytt of ryches aswell in particuler as in comone of shippes of horses of harnnes of people asmuche and more than any othere cytie of Grece and also haue moreouer many allyes trybutours vnto them howe shulde we enterpryse yt or vpon what hope Consydering that we arne vnprouyded of all thynges to assayle them fourthwith For if the question be of an armye by sea we arne much more weake thā they so be we of siluer for that the we haue none in general nor meane to recouer it by and by of particulars Some do trust peraduēture that we arne more puyssante than they in the feate of warre And that we haue more people By meane wherof we may easely ouerrunne and waste thair landes But yt muste be consydered that whan we shall haue well wasted thair territorye they haue much other landes elleswhere And also they haue the Sea whyche shall furuyshe thē alwayes of that that shal be necessary for them And whan we shal haue practised and caused thair subiectes and allyes to rebell they muste be succurred by sea For that the more parte ys inhabytinge in the Islandes And therfore what manner warre shall ours be Consideryng that if we be not stronger than they in the sea or that we take not from thē y◠revenues wherwyth they do furnishe the charge of thair shippes we shall destroy more of oure landes than of thairs And also we may not afterwardes departe with oure honnoure frome warre specyally beinge thauthours of yt And we oughte not to hope that by hauynge pyllaiged and wasted th aire landes we haue the sonner fynished the warre But I feare rather that in this doing we leue yt vnto oure children For it is not to bileue that the Athenyās haue to small harte that for seing thair terrytorie wasted that they woll render them subiectes vnto vs or that they be so afrayde of warre as if they did not knowe what it is And yet notwithstandinge I am not so destytute of wytte that I woll counsaile youe to suffer your frendes allies to be iniuryed And that youe cause not the wronge and deceytes of the sayd Athenyans to be parceyued But I saye truly that youe ought not yet to take armure and make warre agaynste them But youe shulde sende towardes them and sommon them to do right Shewinge them that we be not minded to suffre suche thinges And that rather we woll fyght than indure them wythout alwayes to shewe that we be to soore chased to beginne the warre And in the meane tyme we maye prepare our case drawinge to our amytie newe people aswell Grekes as straungers from all parties Whereby we maye haue ayde of shippes and of monney For yt is lawfull for them that by th aire allyes be euill handeled as we be by the Athenyans to take allyaunce and to make amytie with all people for to saulfe and to kepe th aire estate And also we maye in the meane tyme assemble oure particuler forces And if they obey vnto the demandes that our Ambassadours shall make vnto them it shal be a right good thing And if they do it not we shall haue by puttinge this practique in vse two or thre yeares space for to fournishe vs of that that ys nedefull And we may afterwardes if we thinke good begynne the warre And whan they shall see our preparation to be suffycient for to execute that whyche we shall haue signefied vnto them they shal be more enclyned to obey vs. And specially hauynge thair terrytorie intier and not wasted For that shall cause questyon for to determyne
how they shal saue thair goodes bifore they be pilledged by thair ennemys And I do thynke that we shulde repute and holde that same thair territorye so long as it shall be entier in thair handes as for a sure hostage or pledge And somuch the more as it shal be the better labored By reasone whereof we ought willingly to coÌ„sarue or saue it For by destroying yt we shulde cause them through dispayer to bicome inexpugnable and not to be ouercome And if bifore we be prouyded and furnyshed we do waste the sayde landes at the desyre of oure confederates and by meane of thair accusations I feare greately that we shall prouydeâ— very euill for the feates of them of Peloyonese And that it redoundethe to thair greate dammage and dishonnor for that that suche accusations be they comone or particuler may well be appaised But a warre that shall begynne by all vs the other in generall at the desyre and for the complainctes of some particulers maye not easely be lefte of with oure honnoure And also we knowe not what the end therof shal be And if it semeth to any that it is for lacke of harte that many cyties confederated dare not enterpryse fourthwith warre agaynste one only cytie Consyder that they haue of allyes so many as we and those whyche they haue be thair coÌ„trybutours and so be not ours CoÌ„syder also that to maigteigne warre it is as necessary to haue monney to paye the charges as to haue people and harnois whiche be vnprofitable if there be not wherewith to enterteigne them And specially for people of mayne lande against theÌ„ by Sea wherfore lett vs furste take order for the expences and lett vs not feare for the wordes of our allyes For truly like as the yll or goodnes that shall chaunce shal be more imputed vnto vs than vnto them so oughte we to foresee consider with greate leasure to what ende the thynges maye growe And you ought not to take for reproche and shame the prolonginge slackenes that they charge vs with For if youe be to hasty to begynne warre bifore youe be prouyded yt shall indure somuch the longer And for that yâ— our cytie hath alwaies bene fraÌ„ke right glorius yt may wel be sayd that this prolonging deliberation haue euer be ioyned with our grauitie By meane wherof we alone none other do not lyfte vp oure selues by pryde in our prosperities in our aduersites do shewe oureselues lesse astonied thaÌ„ any other And also we be not moued lightly by praisings or perswasyoÌ„s of other to enterpryse thinges that we knowe to be ryght difficile nor likewise by rebukes reproches And in effect we be by meanes of this sobernes both good warryons and also sage well aduysed To wytt good warryours for somuche as of thaâ— sobrenes procedeth shamefasâ—nes feare of shame of that cometh hardynes Also we be sage well aduised for that yâ— we be so taught instructed fro our yougth not to presume to be so wyse as to be bolde to conteÌ„pne transgresse our lawes and to shewe our modestie rather by induring thair rigour thaÌ„ in disobeing theÌ„ And moreouer we sett not greatly our study on vayne and vnprofitable thinges as to despyse and abate by greate narrations stif woordes that be nothing to purpose the force and puyssance of our ennemys or to perswade lightly to begynne warre as though here were no othere thyng to do But we haue the prudence to thinke that the fantasie of men that arne not exceadynge farre from vs ys lyke vnto ours and that the hazardes of warre be not comprised in narrations of many woordes Wherfore we ought alwayes to geue order to our busynes in effecte and not by woordes and to presuppose that we haue to do with suche ennemys as vse good counsell And not to putt our confydence in faultes that may be made but to presume that they prouyde aswell for thair affayres as we for ours that there ys not greate difference bitwene one man an other but that same ys most wyse and most estemed that shewithe beste his knowlaige at nede Haue wille therfore lordes LacedemonyaÌ„s to kepe and enterteigne this forme of lyuynge whyche your auncesters haue lefte youe By folowynge wherof we ourselues haue alwayes proffyted and prospered And let vs not suffer ourselues to be perswaded to consulte and determyne in a momeÌ„t of tyme of the lyues and faculties of greate nombere of people of greate expences and defrayinge of monney of many townes and cyties and of our glory and reputacion But all at leasure aduyse youe what youe haue to do For we haue better occasion to tary than any of the other by reasone of our force And for coÌ„clusion myne aduyse is that we shall sende towardes the AthenyaÌ„s for to shew them declarations touchynge Potyde and the other complaynctes querells that arne made agaynste them And somuche the rather that they offer themselues to stande to iudgemente by whyche thair doinge we may not reasonably go agaynste them as oultragious enforcers And neuerthelas may in the meane tyme prouyde vs of thinges necessary for the warre For by this meane you shal both prouyde sagely for your affayres and also put your ennemys in great feare Thus spake Archidamus And after that many other had spokenne in the laste place arose vp Stenelaides who was for that tyme one of the Trybuns of the people that they call Ephores and he did speake in this manner The narration and proposition of Stenelaydes by folowinge wherof warre was concluded agaynst the Athenyans The .x. Chapter TRuly lordes I cannot vnderstande what the Athenyans will to say by the longe talke wherwith they haue kepte vs here for they haue done nothinge but highly praised and sett fourth thair puyssance and thair dedes without excusinge themselfe in any manner of the iniuries and oultrages that they haue done to oure allyes and to hole Peloponese And if they were good againste the Medes somuch arne they double more worthy of punyshment to be euill against vs nowe beyng bicome yll froÌ„ good But as touchynge vs and them that be lyke vnto vs truly we be holy suche as we haue bene in tymes passed And if we be wyse we woll not despise our allyes that be oultraged nother woll we delaye to succour them seinge that men delaye not to oultrage theyme And though the other haue more monney more shippes and more horses than we we yet also haue good allyes and valyaunte that desarue not to be forsakeÌ„ left to the AtheniaÌ„s nother that we shuld not redresse thair coÌ„plaintes for proces nor for wordes coÌ„sydering that they be oultraged by dede and not by woordes But we ought to fyght agaynste them fourthwith and that with all our power And it is not nedefull that any man teach vs how we shulde consulte and deliberate in this case seing that we be thus oultraged
by none othere meane but in beinge puissante by sea whyche is the onely occasyon through whyche the Peloponesians haue lost their hope to vainquishe vs and moreouer if they shal determine for to enter into our lande they may do it although that we shall not haue sente thyder thys armye by sea And also they cannot thereby hurte vs wyth their armye by sea for that same of ours whych shall remayne shal be yet so puissant as theirs Wherfore beinge required by oure allyes and frendes to go to their ayde we cannot shewe them any reasonable cause wherfore we shulde not do it and in not doinge it why they shulde not reproue vs and say that ayther it is greuous vnto vs to do yt orells that we haue vnder vayne and fryuolus excuses refused the ayde whyche we be bounde to delyuer them by our othe And also we cannot pretende agaynste them that they haue not succoured vs in oure warres for we ayde them not in their countreye to the intente that they shulde comme to ayde vs in oures but to the ende that they shulde busye oure ennemyes whyche be there wyth them in warre and do them somuche anoyance that they haue noo power to comme to assaille vs in thies parties And by suche meane we and all other that haue acquyred greate empyres and seigniories haue encreasedde and maygnteyned them in geuinge promptely and liberally succours to them that haue demanded yt of theyme were they Grekes or Barbarous For if we refuse to geue ayde to them that require it of vs or if we woll debate to what sort of people we shulde accorde or refuse in that doynge we shalle not obteigne greate thinges And thys whyche we haue acquired we shall putt in dangier Furthermore men ought not to attende to defende theire fortresses vntill he that is the stronger comme to assaille them but rather to prepare them in suche sort bifore the chance happene that he feare to come thider And also it lyeth not in our free will to appoinct an limit to our Empire for to say that one shal passe no further But rather sithens that we haue yt it is nedefull to wayte that we be not circuÌ„uented of the one and also to defende ourselfe from the craftes and deceittes of the othere For if we haue not domynion ouere the othere we be in daungier to be ruled by them And also we shulde not desyre nor take reste in that sorte as the other do excepte we lykewyse determyne to lyue of that sort as they do lyue CoÌ„â—sideryng the whyche thynges and that in executinge oure enterpryse we shall increase oure estate and seigniorâ—e we ought to mounte into the sea and to go thyder for to beate downe the courage of the Peloponesians whan they shalle parceyue that we contempninge and despysinge them shall passe into Sycille without willing to vse the reste that presently we may haue â—or if the enterprise dotake good eâ—â—ecte as it is to be bileued that it shall do we shall obteigne the empire ouer all Grece or by the woorst that may chaunce to the proffit both of vs and our frendes we shall greatly endommage the Syracusains And howe soeuer it happeneâ— hauinge our shippes in those parties we may wythout oure losse or dammaige ayther abyde there if we haue the better or els comme agayn froÌ„thence whan we shall thynke good for all the Sycilians woll rule themself after oure wylle And the talke of Nycias who pretendethe to preferre reste bifore trauaille and to sowe diuision and sedytion amonge youe oughte not to bringe the yonge men to be at contention wyth the olde but rather ye oughte all wyth one accorde to insue and foâ—lowe the actes dedes and examples of our ancesters And lyke as by counsaillinge and consultinge the yonge wyche the olde vpon generall affayres they haue encreased and established oure Empyre in that estate wherein yâ— presently ys youe shulde by the selfe meanes and reasons nowe assay for to encrease and enlarge it and to esteme that nother the yoâ—gthe nor the age is any thynge worthe the one wythout the other but rather to consider that the feâ—ble the stronge the meane whan they be all togider well agreinge do cause the comon welth to tryumphe And to the contrary whan a cytie ys ocyous and yyle yt destroyeth and corrupteth it self euen of it self And that lyke as all other thynges ware aged by reste euen so shall our dyscyplyne do but by exercysing vs in dyuers warres it maignteigneth and amendeth by many experyences For a man obteigneth not science for to defende and warde hymself by speakyngeâ— but by accustommyng and exercysynge hymselfe in labours and in feates of warre And for effecte and conclusyon my opynyon is that whan a cytie whyche hathe bene accustomedde to busynes and trauailles doth geue itself to lyue in reste yt cometh shortlye vnto destructyon and that those amongeste all other be moste assured whyche rule and gouerne their commone welthe alwayes of one sorte after theire auncyente lawes and customes yea though they be not in all partes good After that Alcybiades had thus spokenne the Ambassadours of the Egestains and of 〈◊〉 Leotiâ—s came fourth Who wyth great instance requyred that the succours myght be sente vnto them remembringe the othe that the Dukes of Athens had made vnto them Whereupon the comon people hauinge hearde their requeste and the perswation of Alcybiades was yet more enclyned and encourayged for to execute the sayde enterpryse Which parceyued by Nycias and that there was no remede for to reuoke it according to his opynion by the meanâ— he thought that by an other meane he might haue letâ—ed the enterpryse to wytt by declarynge vnto them that a greate preparation was to be made for the executyon of yt And so dyd speake vnto them in thys manner The narration of Nycias vnto the Athenyans meanynge by an indirecte or contrary perswatyon to breake of the enterpryse of Sycille ☞ The .v. Chapter INsomuche as I parceyue youe all determyned lordes Athenyans for to execute this enterpryse I desire that it maye come to passe accordinge to oure hope And therfore I wyll shewe yow myne aduise in that whiche semeth to me to be done at thys presente For as farre as I vnderstande we go agaynste many cyties bothe greate and puissante the which be not subiected the one to the other and which desyre not to change their estate and manner of lyuing for thys is to be done of those that be in greate seruitude for to comme to more lybertie and ease and that hope to be delyuered fro subiection and somuche the lesse they beinge franke and free will bicomme oure bondmen and subiects Amongest the whyche cyties there be many inhabited by Grekes Of the whyche Excepted Naxum and Catana the whyche I hope wel that they wyl tourne to our syde for the affynitie that they haue wyth the Leontins I parceyue not that there be many of the
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
payne ¶ Here foloweth the Prologue or Proheme of the Lorde Claudius of Seyssell Bishop of Marseylles into the translatyon of the hystory of Thucidides of Athenes of the warre of the Athenians Poloponesians addressed vnto the ryght Christian Frenche Kinge Loys the twelft of that name ALthough that all mens actes ryght Christen and right victoriouse kynge ought to referre them self vnto the author of Nature who is the last ende to the which we ought to laboure to come by the right way of vertues of true good workes in hope of the lyfe â—elicitie euerlastynge to exchue the pathe digressing froÌ„ the same and leading to the lefte hande to wit of vices and of synnes which shulde brynge vs to perpetuall daÌ„pnation yet neuertheles our humayne workes maye haue particular endes not swaruing from the laste and principal As in thynges worldly he that maketh warre althoughe he pretendeth by hys furste intente to reuenge the contumely done vnto him or to defende hys owne or well to recouer it yet alwayes the fynall intent as concernyng worldly thynges is for to haue afterwardes peace and reste or for to obteygne glory and renomme But he that thinketh on the frayltye of terrestriall or earthly thynges and of the immortalite of the soule that with a true fayth and godly purposes he maketh warre to thintent to defende and kepe the order of charite and for by this meane to meryte euerlasting reste and glory immortall And albeit that it were more merytoryous and conuenyent for our helthe not to haue in all operatyous but one onely ende whiche is the last and principall yet for so muche as that is very harde rather a thing Angelicall than humayne for to wythdrawe all oure senses of the soule Ioyned wyth them of the body whiche be carnall and to apply them to the same which be separated from the body and from earthly thynges to wyt to the contemplatyon of thynges spyrytuall It behoueth vs neuertheles to dyspose and determyne by all meanes to passe quickely by these furste and meane endes which be worldely in such sorte that men forget not the same which ought to be the laste principall As the good pylgrymme though that he soiourneth in hys voâ—age for hys necessite or for hys commodite to the ende to be more strong and more freshe to iourneye yet he holdeth in his intente the fyrst conceyuing of hys wyll to witt to parfourme hys voyage For yf he vtterly lette or forgot it he shulde neuer come to th ende of it And though that some tyme he loseth hys waye or that he falleth into a study in the waye ayther by curiosite or by other occasion impertinent yf that he afterwardes come agayne to hys furst purpose he shall neuertheles come to th ende of hys pylgrymage though that it be not so sone nor so easy Also suche let may during this happeÌ„ or come vpoÌ„ him that he shall abyde in his iourney Likewise is it of our worldly lyfe the which is nothyng but a pilgrymage in this worlde For yf we do so abuse our selues in worldly thynges yâ— we put fully set our felicite in theÌ„ we forget the ende of the lyfe eternal the felicite of Paradis But yf that we do not perseuer therin but as inpassyng so farre as necessite coÌ„straineth therin or wel vse the thinges terrestrial principally for to atteygne the thynges celestiall yâ— doth not let vs to obteygne the ende of our pylgrimage but doth assist vs therunto These endes thaÌ„ set in due course ordeyned to the last pryncypall be ought to be dyuers in mens operations according to the conditions of the personages the charge that they haue For thâ— princes and temporall Lordes ought to do theyr indeuour and vttermost to conserue and kepe their subiectes by good iustice and polecye in quyetnes peace and also by force yf any woulde do them wronge or els dymynyshe theyr Lordeshyp or landes through ambition or couetousnes And likewyse the greate Prelates other inferyours ought to prouide for the helth of soules which be commytted vnto theÌ„ through good examples teachynges and successiuely they that haue charge of other be they teÌ„porall or spyrituall publique or domestical small or great ought to haue thys same regarde euery one according to his said charge And neuertheles in other thinges not concerning theyr charges to procede in their particuler workes by the self way to thintent that in instructynge other they lose not them selues as saynt Paul saith for in so muche as no maÌ„ liuing is excused for charge that he hath but after the order of charyte he is bounde furst and principally to haue regarde to his particular helthe rather then vnto others I reherse all these thynges right souerain Lorde for so much as hauing of a long tyme knowen in you an ardent desyre to vnderstande knowe all maner of hystoryes and chiefly treatynge of the life of great Princes passed also of coÌ„mone politique gouernementes of great cities commoÌ„ weales which haue had domination empire as of Grekes and of Romaynes I persuaded my self that chiefly immediatly you do it to thintent to vnderstande the better howe that you shall behaue your selfe in rulyng gouernaunce of your Realme of other prouynces countreys landes lordeshyppes that God hath committed vnto your charge and gouernaunce aswell in tyme of peace as in tyme of warre and trustyng for your ende principall in this doing accordynge to your capacite and weakenes the helpe and grace of God assisting you to meryte the glory felicite euerlastynge For thoughe that sometyme I haue perceyued in youe some pricque of mans glory specyally in your victoryes and prosperites which haue bene suche and so greate that skarcely it were possyble for a humayne creature howe iuste and holy that he were not to haue at the furst mouyng some sparke of vayne glorye and delectacyon yet alwayes I haue afterwardes seene manye actes and operations in you which gaue to vnderstand haue made me to beleue that commynge agayne to the secrete of your conscience bringyng agayne the naturall appetite to raysonne you confessed al to come of God and wolde not vse your said victoryes after mans couetousnes and desyre but accordynge to reasone and so as appered that you myght do wythout offending God or your neyghbour For yf you had not had this consideration It is clerely notoryous that you might right easely at many tymes poursuyng your said victories haue be hable to establish your estate empyre in suche sorte that it had not bene in the power of man to geue you afterwardes therin empeschement disturbaÌ„ce but yf they had ymagyned any thyng agaynst you it shulde haue bene to theyr great losse dommaige wtout hauing power to hurt you But you haue better loued to conteigne arreste the course of your said prosperites and victoryes by the hongre of reason
of thys that I am come to th ende or ouercommed my labours for that that I founde me many tymes wythout ayde and wythoute compaygnie in the estate wherin they be which make mynes in the earth to take a place or for to fynde the mynes or the vaynes of quarryes and whan they haue dygged very deape they se not lowe nor hyghe farre nor nere any thyng that they searched Wherfore yf that by these mynes I haue taken the places yf I haue founde by dyggynge the vayne of stones of pure marbill and of fyne golde as I thinke I haue done it is not to marueylle yf I be right ioyful to be at the ende of my labours For for to speake of Thucidides he is reputed amongest the Grekes as the Porphir amongest the marbles or as golde among metals for that that there is in hys speakynge so muche grauitie so muche vehemencye and so muche trouthe wythoute glofynge which is the pryncypall part in an hystorian that they whiche rede it thinke and beleue that that he wryteth holye to be true and that he hym selfe that hath wrytton the hystorye hath not onely sene the thynges wherof he speaketh but also was therin presydent or châ—ef As he was for trouth in many thynges so as shall appeare hereafter by the dyscours of the hystorye albeit that he was charged to haue to slackely comme to succoure by sea the cytye of Antypolys wyth the armye by sea wherof he had charge By occasyon wherof he was bannyshed although vnryghtuously Duryng whiche banyshment he composed thys present hystorye and yet coulde not fynysh it as he had determyned bryng preuented by death And yet neuertheles thys present anthor and Herodotus haue the prayse amonge the Grekyshe hystoryans all lyke as Saluste and Titus Lyuius amonge the Latynes For the one of them to wytte Herodotus goeth forwarde all playne and easy wythout any roughnes as a ryuer that ronneth swetely all hole together wythoute any sourge and wythout wawes The other to wyt Thucydides hath hys course more impetuous and in speakyng of thynges of warre semeth that he is at the poynte of doynge it and that he geueth tokenne to fyght As Quyntilian the greate Oratour sayeth in thys manner Many haue wryttone hystoryes very elegantlye but no man putteth me in doubte that there aâ—ne not two that greatly exceade the other And albeit yâ— theyr vertue and excellencye be in dyuers qualyties yet the prayse is egall asmuch to the one as to the other To wytt Thucidides whiche is briefe and compendyous wythout interuption and Herodotus who is eloquent and copyous The one is more vehemente for to moue mens hartes the other more remys and gentle th one is more singulier in hys orations and the other in hys speakynge The one is more lyuely and the other more playsante Thowe haste than right reuerende father by the testimonye of Latynes what the hystorye of Thucydides in Greke is And yf thou dyddest thinke that it hath all the same maiâ—stye translated into Latynne I wolde forget all the laboure that I haue taken to do it But more I wyll not but that thou despyse not my labours consydering that the good knyght esteameth nothynge so muche as to be holden and reputed by hys heade and Emperour to be vaillyant and hardy Thus do I requyre you ryght reuerende father that you woll acknowlaige thys historye of Thucidides to be thyne aud myne For yf thoue allowest it and hast my worke agreable I woll repute it common vnto vs bothe Here followeth the translatyon of the Lorde Claâ—dius of Seyssell of Thucydydes into the Frenche tongue The furste boke of Thucidides of Thistoryes of Peloponesia ☞ In thys furste Chapter the Author for to shewe that the warre wherof he woll speake hath bene more greate than any of the other that the Grekes had euer hadde wythin theyr countreye or wythoute reherceth the begynnynge and procedynge of the countreye of Grece and of all the landes that they had hadde before thys presente warre nowe moued The furste Chapter THucidides Athenyan hath writt one the warre whiche the Peloponesians hadde wyth the Athenyans from begynnynge of the same vnto the ende hopynge that men shall fynde it right great and more worthy of memory than all thother that haue bene before By meanes that bothe partyes were than very puissant and plentyfull of al thinges necessarye to maigteyne it And also for that that all the residue of Grece did entermedle on the one syde and on the other Some of them from the beginning and other after the consultacyon and thys motion of warre was very greate not of Grekes onely but also of straungers and by a manner to saye of manye dyuers natyons And albeit that of other warres whiche were before thys and chiefly of the more auncyent there is no greate remembraunce nor certaintie yet alwayes I esteme by dyuers coniectures that I haue of manye thynges whiche I haue diligentlye inquyred that they were not verye greate nother coÌ„cernynge feates of warre nother as touchynge other thyuges For that that it is suerlye certayne that the countrey that nowe is named Grece was not in tymes paste so establyshed permanent as it nowis But the inhabytantes therof were oftentymes dryuen awaye by other more puissante and wente to dwelle in other places And by thys meane they had not amonge them any trade of marchaundyse nor any entrecourse by sea nor by lande but all in feare And for thys cause they tylled not theyr landeâ— but onely so muche as was necessary for theyr lyuyng Also they hadde not than greate plenty of monney nother dyd they plaÌ„t many trees in theyr lande for that they were not very certaine to haue power to enioye them And specyally not hauyng any townes closed wyth walles they made no greate matter to be dryuen from thence thinking that they coulde lyue aswell in an other lande whereby it maye be sayde that they were not puissant nor hauynge greate townes nor apparayl of warre So muche were all the quarters of the same Region subiected to the alterations of people specyally the quarter whiche men nowe call Beoce the same of Thessale andâ— manye other that be in Peloponese reserued the countreye of Archadye whiche was alwayes the moste ryche and most fartylle of all the other And by meanes therof albeit that the inâ—abytantes there were a lytle more mighty than the other yet they ofteÌ„tymes destroied theÌ„selues by questions seditioâ—s that they had among theÌ„selues further they were greatly subiect to robberyes â—illage of strangers wherby I fynde that the countreye of the Athenians the regyon Attique hath ben longer inhabyted by one only nation of people than any of the other for that yâ— the lande there was so barren that the other had no care to come thyder to wynne it but alwayes it hath bene as men may see and perceyue by meanes therof more peopled and increased wyth newe inhabitantes than
be very farre from the sea be they in Islandes or in fyrme lande In the whiche the furst founders were inhabyted to be farre from daunger of pyrates and robbers for that that they warred wyth the one and the other aswell them that dwelled in the lowe countreys as also those which inhabyted an hyghe in the fyrme lande And specyally the Caryens and the Phenices which inhabyted in the Islandes vsed the self crafte of Pyracy by meanes that they helde many of the Islandes And that hath bene founde by experyence in thys warre of the Athenyens for in pourgyng the Islande of Delos and plucking doune all the graues of them that were there deade and buryed they knewe that more than the halfe nomber were Caryens aswell by facyon of theyr harnoys with the whiche they were engraued as also by maner of theyr buryinge whiche was holy suche as now is vsed After than that the Kynge Mynos had obteygned the Empire of the sea in that quarter he chased the pyrates and theues from all the Islandes of the same sea and in theyr stede dyd sende other people hys subiectes into many of them for to inhabyte them Who lyuing in more suertie gaue them self more to excersise marchaundyse Wherby some of them became so riche that they enclosed theyr tounes with walles And the other which were most poore and were not able to assure them selues wyth walles dyd rendre themselues to be theyr subiectes by theyr owne wylle to the intente that they myght gaygne and vse marchaundyse vnder shadowe of them that were more mightye Whervpon being so augmented and enryched as is before sayd in certayne tyme after they assembled togethers to go to the siege of Troye Amonge whome in my iudgement Agamenon was most myghtye and he assembled together not onely the shyppes that were necessary to cary them which had bene at the poursuyte of Helayne for to haue her to wyfe whiche were bounde by othe made betwene the handes of Tyndarus father of the sayde Helayne to geue ayde for theyr power to hym that shulde haue it agaynste all them that for her cause woulde do any â—ultrage or wronge vnto hym but also a great nomber of other shyppes And they that diligently haue enquyred of auncyent feates of the Peloponesians saye that the same regyon of Peloponese was so named of one called Pelops who commyng thyther from the countreye of Asia wyth a greate quantytye of golde and syluer albeit that he was a straunger yet by reason of hys ryches he was by the people of the countrey that were poore honoured In â—uche sorte that they receyued hym for theyr Lorde And after hys name called the countrey Peloponese and sythens hys deathe hys successours and descente dyd yet get more great lordeshyppe For it happened that Euritheus wyllyng to go to make warre agaynst the Myceniens lefte Atreus to gouerne hys royaulme of Peloponese for that he was hys vncle brother of hys mother and also tha same Eurithens wythdrewe hym self thyder at that time when hys father persecuted hym for the death of Chrisyppus whome he slewe The same Eurytheus then beyng slayne by the Heraclides in the countrey of Attique the Mycenyens that feared to fall into the handes of the sayd Heraclides knowyng moreouer the sayd Atreus to be myghtye and a man that loued the people they receyued him vnto theyr lorde And by meane therof he was Kyng and Lorde of Micena wyth all the rest of the landes of his said nephieu Euritheus By meane wherof the Pelopides to wit the discente of Pelops were more myghtye than the Persydes to wytt the descente of Perseus Who before had dominyon of that countreye Agamenon succedynge the same Euritheus which also was a man myghtye by sea more than any other of the Grekes assembled in the sayd countreys whiche he helde thys armie more by force than by loue for it is very certayne that he came to the said siege of Troye with greater nomber of shyppes than any of the other and that he gaue of the sayde shyppes vnto the Acardyans lyke as Homerus recyteth yf we woll take hys testimonye to be suffycyent in thys behaulf For in speakynge as a man had geuen hym the Royall sceptre he saych that the same Agamenon besydes the countreys that he helde in fyrme lande had rule in many Islandes and that coulde no man do that dwelled in fyrme lande reserued the Islandes nexte vnto them which were not many in nomber yf he had not bene mighty by sea And as touchynge that hooste that Euritheus brought to Mycena we maye well iudge that they myght haue bene they that were assembled before in the countreye of Grece For Micena was a very lytle towne and though in that tyme it was taken to be greate yet nowe it wolde not so be taken whiche is an argument euydent ynough to beleue that he had not there so great nomber of shyppes at the Siege of Troye as Poetes haue wryttonne and as the renome hath roÌ„ned sithens For yf the cyty of LacedemonieÌ„s were not inhabyted and that there remayned but the temples and comone buyldynges I beleue that in successyon of tyme men woulde not beleue at the syght that it hath bene so stronge and so puyssant as it nowe is albeit that it holdeth two partes of the lymyttes of all Peloponese for hys terrytorye and ruleth all the remenant and that it hath many other cytyes and landes out of the sayd Peloponese in hys allyance And neuertheles before the sayd cytye was well peopledde and buylded wyth sumptuous temples and other edifyces Than whan the people were dyspersed through the vyllages lyke as all the other people of Grece were It is clere and manyfeste that it semed muche lesse The cytye of Athenes shulde be an other thynge yf the lyke shulde chaunce that it were habondoned for meÌ„ might ymagyne and iudge in seynge the greatnes and situation of the same that it had bene double more myghty than it is And thus I conclude that we ought not holy to beleue that which Poetes haue wryttonne of the sayd armye of Troye nor to haue more regarde to the greatnes of cytes then to theyr power And that the same hoste was greater then any of them whiche had bene before but much lesse then those that men make at this present we may well beleue it by the Poesye of Homer For although it be very lykely that he made the thynge more greate than it was after the style Poeticall for to geue more great lustre or beautye vnto hys declaratyon yet were not those same than so greate as these in thys present tyme. And that may appere by thys that of the twelf hundred shyppes which he recoÌ„neth he wryteth that those of the Beotiens caryed euery one a houndred and twenty men and they of Philoctete syfty wyllyng to shew by thys what the greatest and the leaâ—t shyppes myght cary seing that he maketh
whereby albeit that it were not very greate yet neuerthelas they that intermedled acquyred and gotte greate riches greate reuenues and greate lorde shyppes by meanes that in saylinge they subdued many Islandes chiefly those that were in the barayne contrey and lackynge many thynges necessary Also they made not than anye warre by lande wherby myght be gott one anny greate puissance for insomuche as the warres were betwene neyghbour and neyghbour there was no greate gettynge vntyll they beganne to go fourth by sea to conquere without thair countreys for they coulde not agre togithers to obey vnto the great and principall cyties of the countrey And when they were assembled to counsell vpon warre they coulde not agre of the ayde that euery countrey shulde make and contrybute but wythoute commune assembles they warred the one neyghboure agaynste the other so as occasyons sarued theÌ„ Untyll the warre whych in tyme past was bitwene the Calcides Eretriens in the whyche all Grece was deuyded toke part with the one with the other After that many empeshementes happened vnto euery of the sayd people of Grece which wtholded theÌ„ froÌ„ encreasyng theÌ„selues For as the Ioniens beganne to augmeÌ„te themselues Cyrus wyth the myght of Perse came vpoÌ„ them after that the same Cyrus had vaynquyshed Cresus he toke by force and subdued all the countâ—ey whyche is betwene the ryuer of Halis the sea As touchyng the other cyties of Grece the gouernours that had dominatioÌ„ ouer theÌ„ toke no care but onely to kepe thair persones thair auctorytie to enryche enlarge thair particuler howses And for that cause went not much fourth of the sayd cyties for to go to conquerre a farre of Also it is not founde that they dyd any thynge worthy of memory but onely a certayne smal warre amoÌ„gest theÌ„ bitwene neyghbour neyghbour resarued theÌ„ that occupyed Sycille who were most puyssant After yâ— saison it chauÌ„ced that the rulers aswell of Athenes as of the other cyties were chased away by yâ— LacedemoniaÌ„s excepted theÌ„ of Sycille For the cytie of Lacedemonie after that it was encreased by the Doryens who at this present dothe inhabite there albeit that very long tyme it was troubled by cyuile sedytions dissentions as we haue vnderstand yet alwayes lyuyng both in the tyme also of auncyentie in good manners by good lawes yt preserued it selfe fro tyrannye maynteygned his libertie For we fynde that there were passed more than foure houndred yeares from the ende of the warre wherof we speake yâ— the LacedemonyaÌ„s had hadde the same fourme of lyuing oâ— gouernance of publique wealth as they presently nowe haue and also were so puyssante by meane therof that they amended the gouernaunce of other cyties An one after the tyrantes were dryuen out of Grece the Medes warred against the Athenyens and vainquyshed them at Marathonica and tenne yeares after the kynge Xerxes came with an iâ—estymable puyssance for to subdue hole Grece For to resiste whose puyssance by a common accord of all Grece the Lacedemonyans as most myghtie were made chief of the sayd warre And the AthenyaÌ„s parceyuinge the commyng of the strangers determyned to forsake thair cytie and to bestowe themselues in thair shippes whiche they had caused to be made and apparailled for that purpose and by thys meane they became people of the Sea And certayne tyme after that yâ— by one accorde and by one comon assemble they had dryuen away the straungers all the Grekes that were rebelled froÌ„ the obedyence of the Persyans and lykewyse they that were vnyted to resiste them deuyded them selues into two factions the one vnder the LacedemoniaÌ„s and the other vnder the Athenyansâ— for that that those two cyties were moste myghthie of all the other to wytt Lacedemonye by lande and Athens by Sea and yet neuerthelas they abodde by a certayne smal space of tyme in good amytie makynge warre and takynge parte together But anonne after warre began bitwene the same two cyties and thair allyes and there was no nacioÌ„ of Grekes in any parte of the worlde that folowed not the one parte or other In such sort that froÌ„ the warres of the Medes vntill thys here wherof we speake they haue bene alwayes in warre or in respyte of warre to wytte the sayd cyties the one agaynst the other or ells agaynst thair subiectes that rebelled agaynst them By meanes wherof they be by longe experyence greatly exercysed in armes and also be well prouyded of all thynges necessary for warre Nowe the sayd two cyties had dyuers manner of lyuynge with thair subiectes and allyes For the Lacedemonyens made not thairs trybutoires but wolde alonely that they shulde gouerne themselues as they dyd to wytt by a certayne small nomber of the moste honest people amongest them for thair profitt and vtilitie But the AthenieÌ„s by a lytle and a lytle gott to them all the good shippes that thair allyes had excepte them of Chio and of Lesbos and after dyd laye vpon them certayne trybute by meane wherof they made an armye more great and more myghtye on thair side onely than all the couÌ„trey of Grece had euer made bifore fro the tyme that they made warre generally together Suche was the estate of Grece in auncyente tyme as farre as I canne fynde albeit that it be ryght harde to beleue if a man wolde narrowely consyder and debate all the tokens or signes For somuche as the people that heare speakynge of thynges passed though that it be of thair countreys and of thair owne ancesters they suffre the bruyte to spreade abrode ronne as one reporteth it vnto theÌ„ wythoute enquyrynge any further of the trouthe For we se that the Athenyens bileue and say commonly that Hyparcus was slayne by Armodyus and by Aristogitone for that he was a tyrante and they do not consyder that in the same saysone that he was slayne Hippias whyche was elder brother of Phisistratus reigned in the cytie of AtheÌ„s of whoÌ„ Hiparcus and Thessalus were brotherne and that one daye Armodius and Aristogiton who had interprysed to kylle them all three imagenynge that thair purpose had bene discouered by some thair accomplyces vnto the sayd Hippyas durste not execute thair enterpryse agaynst them doubtynge that he had bene aduertysed therof but yet neuerthelas they determyned to do some thynge worthy of memory bifore they were taken so they came to fynde Hyparcus who was makynge sacrefyce in the temple that is called Leocorion and there they slewe hym And in many other thynges wherof men haue yet memorye we fynd that the other Grekes haue faulse opynion and thynke them to be other than they haue bene As the Lacedemoniens who bileue that thair rulers whan they putt the balles in the boxes in the counsaile to shewe thair opynion dyd putt in euery of them not one onely that is to saye that they had two voyces And that there
wytt that they cannot be in rest nor suffer other to rest Having than one such a cytie your ennemye you slepe lordes LacedemonieÌ„s and thinke that they may well reste who whan it is necessary execute vertuously geue to vnderstaÌ„d that if any woulde oultrage them they haue the harte to resiste And youe mesure youre modestie equitie with no wille to do euille to an othere and to reuenge youe whan men would do it whyche thynge youe shall skarcely do whan you haue to do with a cytie your neyghbour whych shal be equall wyth yours And nowe you woll as we haue bifore declared lyue be conuersant with the Athenians accordinge to thair auncieÌ„t maÌ„ners customes but it is necessary to haue regard to the thinges newe presente in this case as in all other busynes For as it is right conuenieÌ„t for a cytie that ys in rest peace not to change hys lawes auncyent customes right so for that whyche is oppressed with affaires by an other It is necessary to thinke on many newe thynges And to Imagynne many craftes for to resiste it is the cause wherby the Athenyans be alwayes inclyned to enterprise new thinges muche more than we for the greate experience that they haue wherfore lordes it is nedefull that henceforwardes youe cease youre prolonging and slackenes that youe succour your frendes specially those that be at Potyde as we haue vnderstanded And entre with diligence into the landes of the Athenyans and suffer not your frendes and parentes to fall into the hande of your mortall ennemys nor also that we the other be constrayned through despayre to seke other allyaunce than yours whyche we may well do in thys case wythout to be reprehended of the goddes by whome we haue made othe or also of men that shall vnderstande the reasone wherfore we shall haue done yt For they that departe from thair allyes beinge by them forsakenne arne not to be reputed breakers of faythe but worthely those whyche haue denyed them succour whyche if ye do fourthwith delyuer vs we wyll parseuer in the faythfulnes that we owe youe For doinge otherwyse we shulde be vnhappy and also coulde not recouer it of other people that haue as greatly biloued vs. UpoÌ„ whych thynges it may please youe to take good counsayle and good deliberation and so â—o do that yt may not be not sayde that you gouerne the countrey of Peloponese wyth iesser dygnytie and reputation than your parentes dyd that haue lefte youe thys gouernance In this manner spake the Corinthians Nowe were than in the cytie of Lacedemonie certayne Ambassadours of the Athenyans whyche were sente thider longe bifore for other matters Who vnderstandyng thies complainctes and practises denised that it was expedyeÌ„t for thair honnor to go towardes the Senate of the cytie not for to aunswere to the complainctes that were made agaynst the Athenyans but for to shewe them in generall that they oughte not to determyne vpon those thynges bifore they had furst well digested them and to do them to vnderstande the strengthe of thair sayd cytie bringinge to remembrance of the auncyent men the thynges whyche they knewe and doynge the yonge men do vnderstande those thynges wherof they had yet no experience For they thought well that whan the Lacedemonyans had vnderstande th aire declarations they wolde be more enclyned to maigntaigne the peace and rather contynue iâ— reste than to begynne the warre For this they sayde vnto the lordes of the counsaylle that they had come matter to shewe them if it were thair plaisirs who gaue them audyence And they did speake in this manner The narration of the Ambassabassadours Athenians to the Counsaylle of the Lacedemonyans ☞ The .viii. Chapter WE be not coÌ„me into this towne lordes LacedemonyaÌ„s for to debate wyth our allyes but we were here for other matters as ye do know yet vnderstandyng the complaynctes that the othere cyties do make agaynste ours we be willinge to presente and declare not for to aunswere againste the charges that they lay vnto vs for also you arne not our iudges betwene vs and them but to the entente that you credite not lyghtly that whyche they say agaynst vs and for thair parsuation determyne slightly in this matter whyche is of so greate importance otherwyse than is requisitt and also for that that we woll well informe youe of our affaires and dedes as they bee and that the same whyche we holde we haue laufully gottoneyt And furthermore that our cytie ys suche that yt ought to be estemed And wythout rehersynge the thynges so auncyent that men haue more knowlaige therof by comon fame and renomme than by true scyence we wol speake of them that were doone in the warre of the Medes wherof youe haue true knowlaige althoughe that it be noysome and molestuous to repete it often tymes yet it is necessary nowe to do it And also it that whyche we than did at our great danger redoundeth to the comon weale of all Grece wherof youe haue bene parttakers men shulde not be asshamed to shewe it not somuche for to excuse and iustifie oure selues of the thinges that arne layde to vs as for to do youe to vnderstande with what cytie you shall haue to do if that through euill counsaille you enterprise the warre For â—urste it is very certayne that we onely wente bifore the straungers in danger of oure lyues at Marathonie And afterwardes whan they came agayne the seconde tyme seinge that we were not myghtie inoughe to goo to fyght wyth them by lande we wente to encounter them by sea wyth all our shippes and vainquished them at Salamyne whych victorie letted them that they wente not to pillage and fourraige all your townes and cyties of Peloponese whyche they might easely haue donne consyderinge that they coulde not succour the one the other agaynste â—one so mightie an armye by sea as they hadde The whyche thynge the Barbarous kynge did well than declare For beinge by vs ouercommed by sea and knowynge that he coulde neuer assemble one suche a puyssance he retourned wyth the greater partie of his hooste by whyche dede being fully clere and notorious that the force of Grece consisted in the armye by Sea we fournished than thre thinges vtile and profytable for all Grece To wytt greate nomber of shyps a Capytayne ryght wyse and diligente and a harte obedyent and coragious For as touchinge the shippes we hadde lytle lesse than foure houndredde whych were two partes of the hole armye Concerninge the Capytayne we gaue youe Themistocles whiche was principal author and mouer that the battaile was made in the discreate of the sea which without all doubte was the saufgarde of Grece By occasyon whereof youe iudged vnto hym singular honors more than to any other estrangier that euer came vnto youe And as for the couragiousnes of harte we shewed yt very openly For seing that we had not any succour by lande for that
For it is for them that are mynded to wronge other conuenyent to make thies longe consultations And therefore lordes Lacedemonyans iudge manfully and declare warre in shewynge and defendinge youre dygnitie and maiestye Spertayne And suffre ye not that the Athenyans make theirs more greate nor to destroy oure allyes But hauinge the goddes to helpe vs lette vs warre againste them that do iniurie vs. After that Stenelaides hadde thus spoken he sayde and ordonned that the matter shulde be putte into deliberation of the counsayle to be determyned by the greater voyce And for that that the noyse was greate amongest them for the diuersyte of opynyons for thair custome was to declare and geue thair consente and opynyoâ—s by thair voyces and not by small balles for to encourage them the more to be of his oyynyoÌ„ he sayd in this manner All those that be of opynyon that the Athenyans haue brokenne the allyances and wroÌ„ged our frendes aryse withdrawe yourselues into this place shewinge them a certayn place of the halle where they helde counsaile And they that shal be of contrary opynyon withdrawe youreselfe into the othere whiche they did So there was founde a muche greater nomber of them that were of the opynyon to make warre This done they caused thair allyes to be called and shewed them that they thought that the Athenyans did wronge But neuerthelas bifore they wolde determyne warre they were mynded to haue the aduyse and opynyon of them all to thintent that if it were mete to make it the same shuld be done by one comon accorde And hereupon they sente all the Ambassadours that were there home to thair houses for to consulte euery of them in his quartier And lykewyse the Athenyans after they had receiued auuswere of that that they were sente for they retourned to Athenes And this peblicâ—te that is to sayâ— decre of the people was made and pronounced the .xiiii. yeare after the truyse of thirty yeares whyche had bene made after the warre of Eubee And the Lacedemonyans were moued to make this decre not somuche for the woordes and declarations of thair allyes as for feare that they had that the AthenyaÌ„s shulde make themselues mightier Seinge that the more parte of Grece was now subjected vnto them And they were encreased sens the warre of the Medes in the manner that foloweth Howe the Athâ—nyans after the warre of the Medes buylded agayne theire cytie and the begynnynge of thair Empyre in Grece The .xi. Chaptre AFter that the Medes were departed from Europe beinge vainquisshed by the Grekes aswell by lande as by sea and that they that were saued by sea were descomforted nigh to Mycale Lyothichides king of Lacedemonyans who was Duke and Capytaine to the Grekes that were at the same descomfyture of Mycale retourned home wyth the Grekes of Peloponese that he had vnder hym But the Athenyans wyth them of Ionum and of Hellespont whyche than were rebelles agaynste the kynge of Mede taried and assieged the cytie fo Ceste whiche the same Medes did holde who did forsake it And by that meane the same Athenyans and allyes toke yt and there kepte thair winter The wynter passed they all departed frome Hellesponte the countrey beynge habandoned of the strangers and the Athenyans wente to take agayne thair wyues chyldren and moueables that were in the cyties wherin they had bestowed them to be kept at the begynning of the warre After they retourned vnto Athenes determyned to make agayne and buylde thair walles of the towne the more parte wherof were beaten downe And likewyse the howsen some of them in very small nomber resarued whiche the chiefe of the straungers had kepte for to lodge in Whyche thinge vnderstandynge the Lacedemonyans they sente thair Ambassadours to empesche and lette them to doyt Aswell for that that they not wyllingly did see that they nor other shulde haue walles to thair townes as also at the instigatioÌ„ of thair allyes that feared the puyssance of the same Athenyans seing that they had a muche more greate nomber of shippes that at begynning of the warre And that sens the same they had conceyued a great audacytie So the sayd Ambassadours requyred theÌ„ that they wolde not make agayne thair walles but rather plucke downe all those of the other townes that were out of Peloponese that remayned hole And yet not withstandynge did not declare vnto them the cause that moued them to make this requeste but shewed theÌ„ that it was for feare that if they made again thair sayd walles the straungers shulde retourne they shulde haue an other place to receyue them wherin they myght warre agaynste them as they did than in the cytie of Thoebes whyche they did holde For they sayde that Peloponese was a place sure and defensible suffycieÌ„t for the retreate of all the Grekes Whan the Athenyans had harde this Ambassade they aunswered that they wolde shortly sende of thair people to Lacedemonye for to make them aunswere And with this answere sent theÌ„ again incontynently And this they did by the counsaille of Themistocles who perswaded them that they shulde sende him fourthwyth bifore into Lacedemonye and that within certayn tyme after they shulde despatche other people that shuld haue charge of that matter with him in the meane tyme shuld cause with all diligence to be sett to worke all theÌ„ of the towne aswel lytle as great aswell men as also women to make the walles for to rayse theÌ„ by all meanes to be so high that they might be fensible and that they shuld take the matter and the stones there as they shulde fynde them most ready without sparing edifices publique or particuler And after that he had shewed them this and what he intended to do he went to Lacedemonye At whyche place beynge aryued he went not to the officers nor to the counsel in many dayes But whan any of the counsailers demanded him wherfore he slacked somuch to go thider he founde dyuers excuses saying that he taryed for his coÌ„paignyons excusing thair retardaÌ„ce by dyuers meanes neuerthelas saying that he hoped that they shuld come ryght shortly that he maruailed howe they taryed so long Whâ—ruÌ„to the honest people of the towne did geue credite for the amitie knowlaige that they hadde of hym But durynge this tyme people came euery daye that reported to the sayd LacedemonyaÌ„s how that the walles of Athens were coÌ„tynually made vp with all diligeÌ„ce And nowe were so heighned that it was not to bileue that they wolde cease Themistocles thaÌ„ seinge that there was no more meanes to abuse them prayed them that they wolde not beleue reaportes but to sende frome amongest theÌ„ faythâ—ull parsones vnto the places for to see the thinge at yâ— eye and to make vnto theÌ„ true reaport which they did And on the other side he sente secretly by one his messenger to aduertyse the Athenyans that they shuld reteigne the sayd Ambassadours by the most
Afterwardes they wente strayghte waye to Lemne and from thence recouered theyr hostages and fourthwith rebelled agaynste the Athenyans and toke the people that the Athenyans had lefte there aswell for the gouernaunce of the towne as also for the kepe it whome they gaue vnto Pissuthnes And thys done they raysed an armye for to go to Mylet hauyng confederation wyth the Byzantians who lykewyse rebelled agaynste the AthenyaÌ„s Who beinge aduertysed of the rebellyon of the sayd Samyans caused incontynently .lx. shyppes to departe wherof there wente but .xliiii. to Samie For the other were sente some of them into Carye for to empesche that the Pheniciens shulde not passe for to comme to succour the sayde Samyans and the other into Chio for to fatche men Beyng than the sayde fourty and foure shyppes wherof Pericles was Capytayne wyth nyne other collegues or capytaines arryued in the Islande of Tragie they encountred .lxx. shyppes with Samyans that came from Mylet wherof twenty were charged with men of warre and so they dyd beate and ouercomme them And after the victorye beinge come to theyr strengthe fourty shiâ—pes from Athenes and from Lesbos and .xxv. from Chio they landed in the IslaÌ„de of Samye and came to assiege the cytye hauyng furst dryuen backe and descomfyted an bende whiche was yssued oute of the sayde towne agaynste them And so enclosed it aswell on the sea syde as of all the other wyth thre walles Being at whiche assiege Perycles was aduertysed how the Pheniciens came with a greate nombre of shyppes for to succoure the Samyens So he toke .lx. of the shyppes that were last comme with the which he wente with asmuche dylygence as he might agaynst the countreys of Canne of Carye Nowe was on the other syde departed from the porte of Samye Stesagoras wyth fyue shyppes for to go to receyue the Phenicians The Samyans beynge than aduertysed of the departure of Perycles came by sea wyth all the shyppes that they coulde assemble to assayle the camp of the Athenyans which was not fortefyed And at the aryual drowned the lyghte shippes that they founde in the poorte And the galleys that came agaynste them they vamquyshed in battayle by sea By meane wherof they were maysters of the sea and for the space of fourtene dayes sett in and oute of the cytye all that they woulde But in the ende of the sayde terme Pericles came agayne wyth the other shyppes who dyd closeâ— theÌ„ vp agayne wythin the towne And anone after arryued great succours for the said Athenians to wit forty shyppes froÌ„ Athenes wherof were capitains Thucydides Aâ—ones Phormion twenty other froÌ„ their allyes wherof were capytaynes Clemopolus Anticles And fro Chio and fro Lesbos thirty And albeit that the SamyaÌ„s did make certayne small outrodes eskarmouches vpon theÌ„ duringe the space of .ix. monethes that the assiege was before the cytye yet â—eynge that they were not able to resiste at lenghthe they rendred themselues vpon suche conditions that they shulde rase downe theyr walles that they shulde delyuer hostages and all theyr shyppes and for the expences of the warre shulde pay a great some of money at certayne termes Also they appoincted the Bizantiens to thys condytyon that they shuld obey to the Athenyans as they dyd before Anone after beganne the dyfferences of Corcyre and of Potyde wherof we haue aboue made mentyon and all the other that were occasyon of the warre wherof we do wryte at thys presente These be in effect the warres that the Grekes had aswell agaynst straungers as amonge themselfe after the departure of the kynge Xerxes out of Grece vntyll begrnnynge of this warre wherof we speake which was aboute fyftye yeares Duryng which tyme the Athenyans encreased theyr Empyre and theyr puyssance greatly wherin the Lacedemonyens although they perceyued it well ynough gaue them no great empeschement but lyued the more parte of the tyme in peace and reste For they were not hasty nor lyght to enterpryse warre nor also wolde not come therunto but for necessytie Also they were somewhat empesched by certayne warres that they had amongest them self vntyll suche tyme as they sawe the might of Athenyans so to increase and that they daylye ouâ—traged theyr allyes For then they determyned no longer to endure it But to enterpryse warre with al their power for to abate theyr puyssance yf they coulde And after that they hadde publyshed the decree wherof hath bene spoken by the whiche they declared the Athenâ—ans to be infractors of theyr fayth and of the allyance and oultragieux agaynst theyr allyes and confederates they sente theyr messengers to the temple of Delphos for to inquyre of the God Apollo what ende the same warre shulde haue By the oracle or aunswere of whome it was annswered as men saye that yf they pursued the warre wyth all theyr power they shulde haue the victorye that he wold ayde them in so much as they had called hym thervnto Hauing than concluded the warre in ther counsaylle they caused theyr allyes and confederates to be agayne called into the cytye of Lacedemonie for to conâ—ulte the matter and to deteâ—myne all together yf it were expedyent to begynne the sayd warre And after that the Ambassadours of the cytyes were aryued the counsayle was assembled Wherunto the same Ambassadours were called And all the chyef of the other dyd speake chargyng the Athenyans and concludynge the warre And after all spake the Corynthyans who before had practysed and prayde all the other to persuade the warre fourthwith to be made Fearynge that in the meane tyme that it shulde be deliberated the Athenyans shulde haue taken Potyde And sotheyr speakyng was of this substance The narration and proposition â—f the Corinthians to the Counsayle of Lacedemonyans before the assemblye of all the confederates The .xiii. Chapter IT nedeth not more Lordes PeloponesiaÌ„s to blame nor charge the Lacedemonyans that they wyll not enterpryse warre agaynste the Athenyans consyderynge that they haue assembled vs here for thys cause Also it is reasonable that they the gouerne as they be preferred to honnour 's before all the other that they haue such regarde to th affayres of particulers in generall that all may be egally gouerned and enterteigned But as touchyng vs and other which lately be departed from the Athenyans it is no more nedefull to admonish vs to beware of them But onely they must be admonyshed that dwell in the meane lande farre from the sea portes where be the feares staples of marchandyses For it is very nedefull that they vnderstande that yf they geue not ayde and succour to them which dwell in the base countreys nighe the sea the fatchyng of theyr goodes and of theyr marchaÌ„dyse shal be much more difficile also the bryngyng agayne of wares which come vnto theÌ„ by sea Wherfor they ought not now to make ille iudgemeÌ„t of this wherof is questyon saying that it nothing toucheth
pouertie Youe haue moreouer many reasons and occasyons whyche shulde moue and encourage youe to make warre The furste is the aunswere of the god Apollo who hath promysed to ayde youe youe shall haue more to youre helpe all the reste of Grece partly for feare partly for thair proffitt And youe oughte not to feare furste to breake the peace and the allyance whyche we haue with the Athenyans whyche the God who perswadethe vs to beginne warre Iudgeth to haue bene furste infringed by them But yt shal be rather to defende the traicties and confederations which they haue violated and brokeÌ„ne For they that defende themselues be not infractours of the peace but they that furst make assaulte Wherfore by al reasonne there can not but goodnes happen vnto vs to enterpryse this warre And in asmuche as youe knowe by the thynges that we haue shewed youe here in generall assemblie for to anymate and perswade howe it is necessary aswell for the comon welth of all as for the particuler of euery one amongeste vs Delaye no more to defende youre lybertie and particularly to geue ayde to them of Potyde whiche be Doriens and be assieged by the Ionyans whyche is hole contrary to that that was wont to be in tymes paste For that that if we presently dissemble we shall suffre one of vs to be destroyed And whaÌ„ it shal be published that we haue made this assemblie for to reuenge vs but that we dare not we may vnderstande that there may be asmuche done to the other But lordes allyes and confederates knowinge that we be comme into this necessytie and that we couÌ„saile you that which is for the beste youe ought to determyne and enterprise this warre And you ought not somuch to be afrayd of soubdaine incomodites difficulties of the warre as to thinke of the goodnes whyche shall come vnto youe by the longe peace that thereby shall folowe For peace establisheth itselfe by warre And also men be not assured to be withoute daunger whan they be in reste and wythoute warre And on the othere parte in subduinge by force that cytie of Grece whiche woll vsurpe the tyrannye or rule ouer all the othere wherof it alredy ruleth some and purposeth to rule the reste we shall certainely abyde afterwardes in suertie and shall sett at lybertie those that be in seruitude and bondage Thus dyd the Corynthians speake How the warre being concluded agaynst the Athenyans by all the Peloponesians in the cytie of Sparte the Lacedemonyans sente thair Ambassadours towardes the Athenyans for to sommone them of certayne causes The .xiiii. Chapter WHan the Lacedemonyans had harde all theÌ„ of the other cyties speake whiche were there assembled they caused to be geuen small balles to the Ambassadours of euery of them for to declare by that meanes whider they willed peace or warre So they were all of opynyon to make warre whyche was by them concluded and determined But there was no meane at that tyme to begynne yt for they were vnprouyded of all thinges For thys cause it was deuysed that euery one of the sayde cyties shulde contrybute And ordayned that it shulde be done withoute tracte or lengthe of tyme whiche they did in lesse than one yeare And in the meane tyme they sente Ambassadours towardes the Athenyans for to expounde and declare th aire faultes and crymes wherof they were charged To thintente to haue better more iuste occasion to make them warre if they amended them not immediatly And chiefly demaÌ„ded theÌ„ that they shuld purge the mysdede offence wherwith the Goddes were offended whyche was suche There hadde bene sometyme a citezeine of the cytie of Athenes named Cylon a noble and a mighty man who had gottone the pryze at Olympe This Cilon hadde to wyfe the doughter of Theagenes who than was ruler of Megare In makinge whyche mariage aunswere was geuen to the saide Cylone by the god Apollo of Delphos that whan the greate feaste of Iupiter shulde be he shulde enioye the fortresse of Athenes who hauinge the conducte of men of warre of Theagenes hys â—ather in lawe and assemblie of some his frendes of the cytie than whan the feaste of Olympus was celebrated in Peloponese toke and occupyed the sayd fortresse of Athenes to the intente to make himselfe lorde and ruler Perswading him that that was the greatest feaste of Iupiter that was made And for that that he had at other tymes wonne the pryse in the sayd feast yt semed to hym the more that the same sarued to his case and prophecie of the god For he had not coÌ„sidered if the aunswere extended to the feast that was celebrated at Athens or at other places Also the god had not declaired yt And yet the Athenyans celebrated a very solempne feast euery yeare in the honor of Iupiter without the cytie in the which were sacrificed many beastes counterfaicted by so greate arte that they semed to be lyuinge But Cylon who had interpretated the oracle of Apollo to hys owne fantasie thinking to do well enterprisedde the matter like as hath bene shewed whan the Athenyans vnderstode that thair fortresse was takenne all they that were in the feldes assembled and came to assiege the sayde Cylone and his men wythin the saide fortresse But for that the place was stronge and that it noyed them to be there all occupyed the more parte wente to chaire affaires and lefte the charge to nyne of theym with a competente nomber of people to kepe and hâ—lde the sayde place assieged And so gaue them full mighte to do all that whyche shulde seme vnto them in that affayre to be for the wealthe of the cyte Who duringe the sayde siege did many thinges apperteigninge vnto the administratioÌ„ oâ— the comoÌ„ welth In the meane tyme CyloÌ„ his brother fouÌ„d meanes to yssue secretly out of the fortresse â—aued theÌ„selues But the other that taryed beynge constrayned by famyne after that manye were deade came to couche themselues bifore the great awter whiche was within the sayde fortresse ThaÌ„ they that had the charge of the siege beinge entred within wolde haue caused theyme to aryse And seyinge that they dyed to thintente that the temple shuld not be polluted and defyled did drawe them fourth and afterwardes did kylle them But there were some that were mourdred in passing by the infarnal goddes and some at the fote euenne of the aulters By occasion whereof they that committed the dede and all thair discente were holdenne for cruelle and sacrileges And also the malefactours were bannyshed by the Athenyans And likewise by Cleomenes chased out of Lacedemonye And afterwardes beinge come into newe dissention wyth the Athenyans they that were founde of the sayd lingnaiges were not onely dryuenne oute of the cytie but also the bones of the buryed were caste forth from thence And yet by successyon of tyme they came thider agayne and euen at this presente there be certayne housholdes there dwellinge And
he purposed and shewed him meanes to subdue all Grece and specially for that he gaue them to vnderstande by experyence that he was a man of knowlaige and diligente For he coulde well shewe the force and lyuelyues of his nature and of his wytt and in this he was maruaillous and excellent aboue all other He was moreouer of his nature diligente and ready without hauinge at any time euer lerned any studys or sciences than nor after And to geue prouision to all soubdayne cases his counsaille was very ready and singulier And of the thinges whiche he conducted he had a great iudgement what wolde followe And ordred them very quietly and discretely also he had good parceuerance in thinges wherof he had not the administratioÌ„ But aboue all in ambiguous matters wherin it was harde to iudge what were the or the beste he had a maruailous prouidence And besides this he was wythout feare aboue all men lyuinge in all thinges whereof he did speake aswell for the goodnes of his nature as also for the redynes of his wit He declared to the king what was to be done for yâ— enterprise of Grece but bifore it was time to execute it he dyed of a diseas though it pleaseth some to say that he kylled himself with poysonne perceyuynge that he coulde not execute that whiche he had promysed to the kynge He was buryed in the cytie of Magnesie in the countrey of Asia and there is yet sene his sepulcre vpon the market place Of the whych cytie the king had geuen hym the gouernance and the reuenue whiche amouÌ„ted to fyue houndred talentes euery yeare For to fournishe it wyth breade â—â—d for to fournishe yt with wyne Lampsaque was geuen hym for that that place was estemed to be most habundante with wyne of all Asia And for his pytance Mynute was geuen to hym It ys said that his parentes by hys commaundemente caryed away hys bones and buryed them in the countrey of Athenes without knowlaige of the Athenyans for somuch as it was 〈◊〉 laufull by the lawes of the couÌ„trey to bury the body of a man that was iudged a traytor and rebelle Suche yssue had Pausanyas the Lacedemonyan And Themistocles the AthenyaÌ„ who were both in thair countrey right noble Howe after many goinges and commynges the Athenyans dyd put it into deliberation whither they shulde rather accepte the warre or obey to the requestes of the Lacedemonyans Cap. xvii AFter that the Lacedemonyans had requyred and summoned the Athenyans and also that the Lacedemonyans were by them requyred and summoned to purge thair offences of the goddes and the sacrileges of the one parte and on the othere those Lacedemonyans sente againe to the Athenians to warne them that they shuld restore and set the Potydyans againe into libertie And suffre the Egynyans to lyue according to their lawes But chiefly they declared that they wold not commeÌ„ce the warre against them if they wolde reuoke the decree whyche they hadde made agaynste the Megarens By whyche they were forbydden to aryue in the poortes of the Athenyans and to come to thair markettes and also to vse marchandise with them To all whiche requestes and specyally touchinge the reuocatioÌ„ of the said decree the Athenyans determyned not to obey Alleaging agaynst them of Megare that they occupied the holly and indeuided place and that they receiued the frutes of Athens Fynally yet after all thies aunsweres thre Ambassadours of the Lacedemonyans came agayne vnto them to wytt Raphius Malesippus Agesandrus who without makynge any mention of any of the othere matters wherof had bene spokenne bifore saide vnto them this wordes onely in substaÌ„ce The Lacedemonyans arne mynded to haue peace with youe the whyche youe maye haue if youe suffer the Grekes in thair lybertie Vpon whyche propositioÌ„ the Athenyans then caused the couÌ„saille of the cytie to assemble for to determyne one tyme for all of the aunswere whych they had to make Upon which matter after that many had shewed thair opynyons the one that the warre shulde be accepted the other that the decre against them of Megare shuld be reuoked rather than by occasyon therof to haue warre fynally Pericles the sonne of Xantippus who was at that tyme the chefest man of the cytie and most renommed aswell in woorde as in dede stode vp and spake in this manner ¶ The speaking and opynyon of Pericles to the counsayle of the Athenyans accordynge wherunto the aunswere was made vnto the Lacedemonyans The .xviii. Chapter THough that I knowe lordes Athenyans that men make not warre with that same ardor desire that they enterprise yt but accordinge to the cases that happenne do change thair wylle yet I contynue stil in my opynyon not to geue place to the Peloponesians For I do see this wherof we must presently determyne like approchinge vnto that whereof I haue had opynyon bifore this tyme. wherfore I thinke it a thinge reasonable that they amonge youe that shal be of my aduyse if there chauÌ„ce herafter any myschance against the comon opynyoÌ„ of the people that they ought than to excuse it And if it happen well as we do hope not to iudge it thair prudence for that it is so chaunced For it is commonly sene that the chaunse of thinges to comme be as vncertayne as thoughtes of men which ys the reason wherby if any thing vnloked for do chaunse vs we accuse fortune Nowe to come to the case wherof ys questyoÌ„ yt is very certayne that the LacedemonyaÌ„s haue alwaies heretofore imagyned agaynste vs yet presently do imagyne For though yt be spoken by our couenaÌ„tes treaties that if there be any controuersie bitwene any amoÌ„g vs for any thynge they ought to stande vnto the knowlaige or iudgemeÌ„t of other and in the meane tyme to continue in the estate and possession that they be found in yet they haue not demaunded that we shulde putt the causes wherof the quarelle ys made into iudgement knolaige But whaÌ„ that we haue offred it them they wâ—ld not accepte it For that that they loue better that quarels be auoyded by warre than by wordes And though yt seme that they come by manner of requeste yet ys it by coÌ„mandment For they coÌ„mande vs to departe froÌ„ Potyde that we suffre the Egynyans in thair lybertie that we reuoke the decree that we haue made agaynst the Megarâ—ans And they whych be last come do coÌ„maunde vs that we suffâ—e the Grekes to lyue according to thair lawes And to the inteÌ„t that any among you do not thinke that the questioÌ„ ys of a smal matter to witt to reuoke the sayd decre wherupoÌ„ they arrest most stifly saying that in that doinge we shall not haue warre likewise that it shuld be a great fault to enter into suche a warre for one so smal a matter I aduertise you that this smal affaire conteigneth the consequence the
the shippes that were enclosed in the myddell of the oder of thennemys and the othere that were lightest beganne to hurkle against the other and successyuely the disorder came the one from the othere so that the people that were within was the more parte occupyed to lay fourth plankes of woode or their glayues specially bifore for to defende that the shippes shulde not hurkle againste them where they were Wherby arose a great crye of one sort that cryed and sayd vylaynye to other in suche sorte that they coulde not heare nor vnderstande the thinge that was commaunded them And yet they that vnderstode it coulde not tourne nor conduict their shippes so as they were coÌ„maunded they were so greatly opprest and coustrayned Also they were not yet instructed perfaictely in the â—eate by sea Than Phormyo seinge the disorder gaue the signe or token of the battaile vnto his people who charged lyuely vpon the ennemys and at the arryuall they did ouerronne one of the Pretoryans galleys to wytt vpon which was one of the Capytaines and so drowned it And consequently all those that they encouÌ„tred at that the furste charge they frushed or sonke them with suche strenghte that they gaue not the ennemys leasure to ioynne themselfe agayne togither nother to recouer thair courage but they fourthwyth fledde towardes Patras Dymen in the quartier of Achaie And the Athenyans followed them so nighe that in chasinge them they dyd take twelue of their shippes and also dyd sleye a great nomber of their people Afterwardes they retourned into Mylocryte And after that they hadde erected and sett vp their throphee vpon the promoÌ„tory or highest place and consecrated a shipp to the god Neptunus they retourned vnto Naupacte Also the Peloponesyans wyth the shippes that were eskaped from Patras and frome Dymen retourned to Cyllene where the Athenyans haue their hauen to the whiche place Cnemus also came at his departure from Leucade after the battaylle of Stratie with the other shippes that shulde haue ioyned with them there And they beinge there aryued Tymocrates Brasidas and Lycophron whome the Lacedemonyans hadde sente for to assiste Cnemus and had wylled hym to vse their counsaille in feate of the sea and chiefly that he enterprised agayne a battaille vpon the sea to the intente that the ennemys who had the lesser nomber of shippes shuld not coÌ„tynue maisters For they thought well that that same battaille was loste through faulte of thair people by many reasons And chiefly for that that it was the furst tyme that they hadde foughte in the sea wherfore they coulde not haue had the arte and industrie to conducte themselues so well as the Athenyans who therin were all accustomed And lykewyse that the victory was not for that that the Athenyans were more puissant wyth shippes nor with apparaille but through the ignorance of thair people which was the cause that they sent the thre personaiges aboue named through disdaigne and anger for to geue Cnemus his people knowlaige of their fault the whiche parsonnaiges after that they were arryued demaunded certayne noÌ„ber of shippes of the cyties and caused them that were there to be repayred like as they thought good On the other side Phormyo sent his messengers to AtheÌ„s for to signefye the victorie vnto the Athenyans and also to aduertyse them of of the apparaille and preparation that the ennemys did make afreshe and that it was nedefull that they shulde sende fourthwith renforte and more power of people and of shippes whiche the Athenyaâ—s dyd and sent hym twenty shipps wyth good nomber of people By the conductor whet of they commaunded him that he shulde incontynently and bifore all thinge come with all the armye into Crete And this did they for that that a citezein of Crete named Nycias Gertynyus that was thair frende had aduertised them that if they wolde sende thider their armye he wolde cause them to wynne the cytie of Cydonie whoe toke the contrary parte But he willed that this were done by meane of the Polichnytes who were neighbours of the said Cydonyans Phormyo than ensuyng the commaundement of the Athenyans came into Crete and from thence into Cydonye and with the Polichnytes he pillaiged and wasted all the terrytorye of Cydonians and also was constrayned by force of coÌ„trary wyndes to tary there longer than he was willinge Duringe this tyme the Peloponesyans that were in Cyllene hauing prepared all that whych they thought good for to comme againste their ennemys they came to Panorme whiche ys in Achaye at which place was the hooste of land that the Peloponesyans had sente thider for to succour ayde that same by sea On the other syde Phormyo wyth the .xx. shippes that he had the daye oâ— the date of the battayle came directly vnto the promountory of Milocryte And lodged themself all rouÌ„de aboute wythout that same for that that it dyd take their parte and straight against it of the same coaste of Peloponese there was one other distant or beinge a sunder the space of seuen stades or theraboutes by sea whyche caused the mouthe and the entrye of the Goulphe of Erissee The Peloponesians also came to an other promountorie of Achaie whiche was not so farre distant from the cytie of Panorme where they had their armye by lande And they had the nomber of .lxxvii. shippes armed Than the twoo armyes beinge in sight the one of the othere they kepte themselues sixe or seuen daies in their fort for to make their preparations and to aduise of the manner of the battaile For the Peloponesians by reason of the feare and remembrance that they had of the former discomfiture durste not issue fourth at large into the mayne sea Also the Athenyans woulde not enter into the distroicte knowinge that it was for their disaduauntage And in the meane tyme Cnemus Brasidas and the other capytaynes of the Peloponesians seinge that thair souldyars were astonyed and afrayed by meanes of the former ouerthrowe they causedde them all to assemble and did speake vnto them in this manner ¶ The exhortation of the dukes Lacedemonyens to their souldyars ☞ The .xv. Chapter IF there be any of youe lordes Peloponesyans that feareth to come vnto this battaille by reasone of the other which we loste he groundeth his feare nother wel nor vpon good cause For our preparation and apparaille was not than suche as apperteigned For that menne thought not to come to fight by sea But rather that voyage was onely to cary and transporte our armye into the lande wherein inconuenyences chaunced vnto vs whyche were not small by mysfortune and it might be partly by ignoraÌ„ce beinge the furste tyme that youe hadde fought by sea wherefore knowinge and consyderinge that we were not vainquished by the force and vertue of our ennemys but rather that there be raysons to the coÌ„trary It is not raisonable that we shulde nowe be destitute of couraige
whiche they had sent to Athenes shulde obteygne any thynge to theyr intente So the sayde Ambassadours that wente to Lacedemonye dyd make marueylous dylygence for to perswade the Lacedemonyans to sende succoure vnto them of Mytilene And in the meane time came agayne the Messengers that were gone vnto Athens who hauynge made reaporte that they coulde obteygne nothynge the cytye and all the Ysle armed themselfe for to resiste Reserued Methymne whiche toke part wyth the Athenyan And so dyd the Imbryans the Lymnyens some other of the Isles being theyr next coÌ„federates And hauyng made one assaulte vpon the campe of the Athenyans though they had not had the worse yet durste they not demoure nor abyde vpon the campe Nother afterwardes they durste yssue fourthe but they kepte themselfe wythin the cytye attendynge and lokynge yf anye succoure wolde come vnto them frome Peloponese or elleswhere Certayne tyme after arryued Meleas Laconyon and Hermeonidas Thebayne Who thoughe they brought them no succoure were dyspatched for to come towardes the Mytilenyens before theyr reuolte or rebellyon for to empesche and lett the commynge of the Athenyans But seynge that they had bene preuented they caused themselfe to be brought pryuely vpon a Brygantyne into the towne after the battaylle that was made at the assaulte whereof we haue spoken And they counsaylled them of the towne that they shulde sende with them some Ambassade vpoÌ„ a lyght galley Which they dyd Seyng than the Athenyans that the Mytylenyens durst no more comme fourth they toke the more courage and coÌ„â—maunded theyr allyes to comme and to strengthen theyr armye Who came thyder wyllingly thinkynge that wythoute greate payne they shulde ouercome the Lesbyens And so they besieged the cytye on two sydes towardes the lande and they fyrmed theyr two sieges wyth walles And moreouer they dyd sett a greate garnysone wyth shyppes at the entrye of two portes so that they of the towne coulde haue no vsage of the sea But on the lande syde they dyd kepe all For the Athenyans occupyed not but a very lytle about theyr campe forsomuch as they had made theyr estaple of victuayles and the soiurne of theyr shyppes at Malee In suche sorte were the affayres at Mytylene In that selfe same saysone the Athenyans sent aboute thyrty shyppes from Peloponese vnder the coÌ„ducte of Asopius sonne of Phormyon at the requeste of the Acarnanians Who had prayed them that they would sende to that enterpryse some one of the children or of the parentes of the sayde Phormyo The same Asopius wyth hys shyppes pyllaged and dyd fourrage many places by the sea syde in the countrey of Laconie and after retyred vnto Naupacte wyth twelue of the sayde shyppes And the other he sente agayne vnto theyr houses Afterwardes hauynge assembled all the puyssance of the Acarnanyans he wente to make warre vpon the Eneâ—ades And he by sea came to rushe vpon the shyppes of the Acheloyans And the sayde Acarnanyens came by lande to pyllage all the countrey But seynge that he coulde not comme to the ende of hys enterpryse he sente away hys armye by lande and he wyth hys twelue shyppes toke hys course for to sayle into Leucadye Neuertheles beynge descended in Noricque as he woulde haue retyred into hys shyppes he was stayne wyth one parte of hys souldyars by the people of the toune with the ayde of certayne souldyours that they had in very small noÌ„ber And the other after that they had recouered theyr deade of the Noricques and by thys meane confessed that they had had the victory they retourned froÌ„thence In these entermedlynges the Ambassadours that the Mytylenians had furste sente vnto the Lacedemonyans hauynge by those Lacedemonians bene referred to the nexte assemble that shulde be made of all Grece in the place of Olympe to thyntent that they beynge harde in the presence of all the confederates the affayre shuld be determyned by common aduyse they coÌ„minge together at the tyme of the feaste whan Dorycus Athenyan wonne the pryze and after that the feaste and playes were acheued and ended the confederates beynge assembled to consulte of theyr affayres generall the Ambassadours were called who dyd speake in thys manner The proposition and speakinge of the Mytilenyens vnto the assemblye of the allyes and confederates of Grece ☞ The .ii. Chapter WE do well vnderstande Lordes Lacedemonyans and you other confederates that it is accustomed amonge the Grekes whiche is veray raysonable that whan they wythdrawe in tyme of warre anye from the allyance of theyr ennemyes vnto theyrs they intreate theÌ„ very welle so farre as they serue for theyr proffyt But afterwardes consyderyng that they haue betrayed theyr furste and auncyent frendes they repute them for to be vnhappy or naughty people and thynke that they wolde do worser vnto them whiche thynge were very raysonable yf the thynges were egalle on the behalfe of them that do rebelle and on the behalfe of those whom they forsake For yf they be egall of force and preparatioÌ„ as of wylle and amytie there is no reasonable cause whye they shulde habandone nor leaue the one the other But that hath no place betwene the Athenians and vs. The which thyng we wyll gladly declare to the intente that youe esteme vs not for noughtye and wycked And iudge that we do dyssolutely and cowardely yf we forsake them in tyme of warre hauynge by theÌ„ bene honored in tyme of peace For inasmuche as we come hytherfor to requyre to be receyued into your allyauÌ„ce we woll gladly before all thynges both iustyfye our case also do our vertue to be knoweÌ„ For that that the amytye amonge the partycular people and the confederatyon amonge the cytyes cannot be honnorable nor pardurable yf there be not a mutuell opynyon of vertue on both partes And in the reste a coniunction and a conformitie of manners and of wylle For where the wylles be dyscrepante and dysagreynge the actes and operations be lykewyse Wherfore to the intente that youe shulde vnderstande howe we haue proceded with the Athenyans we made allyaunce wyth them whan youe departed frome the armys after the warres of Medes that they pursued the reste of the warre and of the ennemys Whiche allyaunce we made not wyth them for to subdue the Grekes but for to delyuer them froÌ„ the seruytude of the Medes For thys cause so longe as they contynued in good compaigny we haue followed them with good and entier wylle But whan we knewe that they hadde forgotten theyr enmyte agaynste the Medes and that they wente aboute to reduce and brynge theyr compaignyons and allyes into theyr subiectyon we were afrayde Neuertheles for so muche as it was not laufull nor an easye thynge to those confederates to reallye themselfe togeders for to wythstande the vyolence whiche the sayde Athenyans wolde do vnto them for the multytude and dyuersyte of opynyons that must be hadde in suche case all the other confederates excepte vs and them
hys shyppes before the castelle Wherof he dyd beate doune wyth artyllerye two towers which were higher than the dongeon of the sayd castell And by thys meane he made that the shippes might passe wtoute daunger betwene the Isle and the sayde place of Nyseus And moreouer he made a walle ouerthwarte the dystreate from the mayne lande that came to aunswere to the Isle nygh ynough vnto it Through which men sente succoure to the sayde Castell for that they were maryshes And after that he had made hys rampares and munytyons wythin a verye shorte tyme he lefte hys garnysons at the defense of the walle and retourned wyth the remenaunt of hys people In that same sommer the Plateans beynge in greate necessitie of victuayles and seynge that they coulde not resiste the assaulte of the Peloponesyans they made appoinctment with them For also the Capytayne and Lieutenaunt of the Peloponesyans beynge approched nyghe vnto the walle and seynge that they were so feble that they coulde not defende themselfe wolde not take them by assaulte for that that he was commaunded by the Lacedemonyans to take it by composytyon rather than by assaulte yf he myght To the intente that yf any appoinctment were made betwene the Peloponesyans and the Athenyans by the whiche it shulde be ordeyned that the townes and cities that shulde haue bene taken by warre of the one syde and of the other shulde be rendred those Lacedemonians myght excuse themselfe for none rendrynge of this vnder coulour that they gott it not by warre but that it was rendred vnto theÌ„ with their good wille And so he sente an haraulte vnto them by whome he demaunded whyder they wolde reÌ„der the towne the people that were wythin to be at the wylle of the Lacedemonyans and commyt vnto theyr dyscretyon the punyshement of them that shulde be founde coulpable so that none shulde be punyshed but that furste hys cause shulde be knowen and iudged Whiche thing they agrede vnto seynge them selfe in suche extremytie that they coulde no longer resiste And by thys meane the Peloponesyans dyd take the cytye and nouryshed the people that were wythin it wyth victuayles for certayne dayes and vntyll the fyue iudges which the Lacedemonians had sente for this matter were there arryued who wythoute makynge any other particuler proces caused all them to assemble that were wythin the towne Afterwardes they demaunded of of them onely yf sence the warre begonne they had in any thynge well merited towardes the Lacedemonyans and theyr allyes To which demaunde they requyred that it myght be laufull for them to aunswere more amplye by comoÌ„ delyberatyon Which thynge was graunted them And so they dyd chose Astimachus sone of Asopolaus and Lacon sonne of Aimnestus who was burgeois of the Lacedemonyans and they dyd speake in thys manner The proposition and defence of the Plateans before the Lacedemonyans ☞ The .ix. Chapter FOr the fayth and confydence that we haue had in youe Lordes Lacedemonyans we haue commytted oure cytye and our parsones into youre power Not lokynge for suche iudgemente of youe as we perceyue that mâ—n wolde do vnto vs but some other more cyuile and more gentle And also we loked to haue other iudges than you And specially we hoped that it shuld haue bene liefull for vs to dyspute debate oure reasone our cause But we doubte greatly that we haue ben deceyued of both our thoughtes For we feare not wtout cause that thys disceptacion debatyng be vpon our lyfe And that youe comme not to iudge of our case by reasone Wherof we see an euydent tokenne by thys that there is no accusation proponed agaynst vs wherin we maye defende vs. But at oure request lycence is graunted vs to speake and your interrogation hath bene very brief Wherevnto yf we wolde aunswere accordyng to the trouthe oure aunswere shal be contrarye and ennemye to oure cause And yf we aunswere contrary to trouthe it maye be condempned as faulse And notwithstandynge that we see our â—ase in daunger and perplexitye on aâ— sydes yet be we coÌ„strained to speake And also it semeth vnto vs better to incurre the daungier by sayinge some thynge than vtterly to kepe scilence and to speake nothynge For yf they that be in suche case speake not that they myght say they haue alwayes the harte dyspleased and they thyâ—ke that yf they had spoken iâ— shulde haue bene cause of theyr welthe But nowe it is to vs ouer and aboue al the other dyffyculties a thinge ryght dyffycyle and harde to perswade you that whiche we woll speake For that that yf we dyd not knowe the one the other we coulde cause thynges to be wytnes vnto youe whereof youe had not not know layge But we speake before youe that knowe the trouth of the hoole And we feaâ—e not that youe wyll impute it vnto vs for offence that oure vertues be lesse than yours insomuche as youe knowe vs but we greatly feare lest for to please other a subdaâ—ne iudgement shall be pronounced agaynste vs which is already determyned Thys notwithstandynge yet woll we parforce our selues to shewe you the reasone and the ryght that we haue agaynste the ennemitie of the Thebayns and agaynst you and the other Grekes puttinge youe in remembraunce of oure seruyces and good dedes And for to aunswere vnto the ryghte brief interrogacyâ— that is made vnto vs whyder duryng thys warre we haue in any thing meryted well towardes the Lacedemonyans and theyr confederates we aunswere youe that yf you demaunde vs as ennemies we haue done you no iniurie though we haue done you no pleasure But yf you aske vs as frendes we thinke that you haue more offeÌ„ded vs than we haue offeÌ„ded youe For that that we haue not begonne the warre althoughe that we haue â—ot in any thynge yet broken peace wyth youe And in tyme of the warre wyth the Medes we alone of all the Beotyans came to assaulte the sayde Medes with the other Grekes for to defende the lybertye of Grece And notwythstandynge that we were people of mayne lande yet dyd we fyght with them nygh to Artenusus by sea And afterwardes whan they dyd fyght in oure lande we were there wyth Pausanias And of all the other thynges that were done by the Grekes in greate daunger we were parttakers further than ower puyssance stretched And in partyculer to you other Lacedemonyans youre cytye of Sparte beynge in great drede and feare after the earthequake whan the bonde men dyd flye frome Ithomus we dyd sende the thyrde parte of oure people to youre succoure Of whiche saruices to haue none remembraunce shulde be a thynge to dyffycyle Suche were our workes in the begynnynge And yf sence we haue bene ennemyes that hath bene through your defaulte For whan we were inuaded by the Thebayns perseuerynge in amytye and allyaunce we had furst recours vnto youe and youe repoulsed vs saiynge that youe were to farre frome vs and
whereunto youe shall doo the hoole contrary through euill counsaille if youe woll slaye vs. For youe oughte to consyder that Pausanias buryed them in this lande as in the lande of frendes and amonge his allyes wherfore if youe slaye vs and geue our lande to the Thebayns what other thinge shall youe do but depryue vs youre ancesters parentes of the honnors that they haue and leue them in the lande of theire ennemyes that haue slayne them And moreouer bringe into seruytude that land in the whiche the Grekes haue recoueredde their lybertie And also you shall leue the temples of the goddes desart and not inhabyted wherin they haue made the vowes by vertue wherof they haue vainquishedde the Medes And youe shalle take the furste aulters from them that haue founded and edified them whiche shal be certaynely lordes Lacedemonyans a thynge abatinge and farre inconuenyent vnto youre glory to manners and common lawes of Grece For the memory of youre progenytours and oure saruyces and merytesâ— to haue slayne vs wythoute beynge by vs offended through the hatred of othere And yt shulde be muche more conuenable for youe to pardone vs and aswaginge your angre and displeasure to suffre yourself to ouercome by a modestuous mercy Consideringe and settinge bifore youre eyes what euills youe shall do and to what sort of people And that suche calamyttes do very often chaunce to people that haue not deserued them wherfore we praye you lyke as bicommeth vs and as necessitie constrayneth vs callynge to our aide the goddes of our particuler temples and those that be comon to all Grece that youe vouchesaulfe to receue vs frendelye and to cease youre displeasure at oure requestes and declaratyons and haue remembraunce of youre auncesters For whose memorye and sepulcres we requyre youe callynge theyme vnto oure ayde euenne deade as they be that you wyll not to putte vs into the subiectyon of the Thebayns nor delyuer your ancyente frendes into the handes of youre naturall ennemys Aduertysinge youe that the selfe daye wherein we were in daunger to suffre extreme euyll ys that same onely wherein we dydde so manye fayre actes wyth your ancestres But forsomuche as to a people that be in suche myserye and necessytye as we bee it ys a myserable thynge to make an ende of theire speakynge thoughe that yt preuayleth nott to vse yt by necessytye insomuche as afterwardes whan they haue donne they attende and looke for the extremytie of deathe yet in ceasynge too speake wee saye to youe that we haue not rendredde oure cytie vnto the Thebayns For rathere we woulde haue enduredde to dye by famyne or by othere shamefull death But it is to youe lordes Lacedemonyans for trouthe to whome we be rendredde puttynge oure truste in youre faythe Wherefore if wee cannot obteygne oure requeste reasonne wylle that ye serte vs agayne in that state wherin we were to wytt in daunger of that which might chaunce vs puttynge youe agayne in remembrance that frome youre handes youe doo not coÌ„mytt into the same of the Thebayns oure mortall ennemyes vs the Plateens whyche haue bene alwayes affectyonedde to all the Grekes and that haue rendredde themselfe vnder youre parte and to youre mercye Butt rathere to be authors of oure weale to the ende that men may not say that you that preteÌ„de to putte all the Grekes in libertie haue vtterlye abolyshedde and extinguishedde vs. In suche manner spake the Plateens Than the Thebayns fearynge lest the Lacedemonyans shulde be mouedde wyth their speakynge to graunte theyme somme thynge demaundedde to be lykewyse hearde For somuche that in theire opynyonne to muche audyence and too longe delaye was grauntedde to the sayd Plateens for to aunswere to the interrogation that was made vnto them And after that lycence was grauntedde them to speake they beganne in this manner ¶ The oration and speakinge of the Thebayns agaynst the Plateens and howe they were destroyed and slayne ☞ The .x. Chapter WE hadde not requyred this audyence lordes Lacedemoniens if this people here hadde aunsweredde briefly to the interrogation made vnto them and if they hadde not tourned their talke agaynste vs by chargynge and blamynge vs and excusynge themselfe wythoute purpose where no manne accusedde them and highly praysynge themselfe where no man blamed them But nowe we be constrayned partly to denye and partly to faulsefie that whyche they haue sayde To the ende that their oultrecuidance and presumptyon proffytte not them and oure scilence and pacience hurte vs. And afterwardes youe shall iudge who shall haue sayde the trouthe And furst the cause of oure enmytie muste be consyderedde whyche ys for that that hauynge foundedde and peopled the cytie of Platee the laste of all the othere that be in oure contrey of Beoce wyth certayne other townes whych we had wonne oute of oure sayde countrey and peopledde wyth oure people chasinge fromthence those that were there before thies here onely frome the beginninge disdaigned to be vnder oure empyre and woulde not obsarue ouâ—e lawes and ordinaunces whyche all the othere Beotians did holde and kepe And parceyuing that we woulde constrayne them therunto they rendred themselfe to the Athenyans throughe whose helpe they haue done vs very many dommages wherof they haue bene well recompensed But touchinge this that they say that whan the Medes entred into Grece they onely amonge all the Beotiens woulde not take theire partie whyche is the matter whereof they aduaunte themselfe and that they reproche vs the more wee confesse truely that they did not take parte with the Medes forsomuche as the Athenians did not take it But by the same reasonne we saye that whan the Athenyans haue holden against al the Grekes they onely amoÌ„ge all the Grekes haue bene on their parte And also it is to be consideredde howe we did that than and howe they haue at this presente done thys For oure cytie at that same tyme was not gouerned by a lawfull pryncipalite of a small nomber of lordes nor yet by the comon state but by an othere fourme of lyuinge whyche is ryght odyous both to all lawes and to all cyties And differeth not muche from tyrannye to wytt by the puyssance of certayne paâ—ticulers who trustynge to enriche themselfe if the Medes hadde obteigned the victory constraigned vs to take their partie whyche thynge neuerthelas the cytie for trouth did not vnyuersally wherfore it shulde haue no reproche not beinge than in her lybertie But sens that it toke againe and recouered her lybertie her ancyent lawes after departure of the straungers It is to be consideredde that whan the AthenyaÌ„s had assaulted Grece would haue subdued our couÌ„trey vnto their domynyon in dede whan they occupyed one parte therof throughe occasion of cyuyll dissensions we after the victory that we had against them at Cheroneus haue not onely deliuered all the land of Beoce out of their seruitude but also nowe of a franke courage we be ioyned wyth youe to delyuer the
were in the Islande dailly a certayne quantytie of breade of wyne and of fleshe To wytt somuch for euery free man and the half for the sklaues and as touchinge the fleshe to be at the discretion of the Athenyans Withoute that that it was liefull vnto them to carie thider nor any shipp to passe thider secretly And yet neuerthelas that the Athenyans shulde kepe watche aboute the Islande that none man shuld departe fromthence But this notwythstandinge it shulde not be laufull for them to innouate any thing nor to attempte agaynst the campe of the sayd Peloponesians by lande nor by sea And in case that of the one syde or of the other by anny manner there chauÌ„ced any breache or contraueÌ„tion great or lytle the treuese shuld not be towards them vnderstanded to be broken The whych shuld contynue vnto the rest vntil the Ambassadours of the Lacedemonyans shulde be retourned from Athenes whome those same Athenyans shulde cary and bringe agayne with one of theire galleis And at their retourne the treuese shuld be vnderstaÌ„ded to cease In which case the Athenyans shulde restore to the LacedemonyaÌ„s the ships that they had delyuered and geuenne them in that self fourme that they had receyued them In this maner the treuese was concluded and in execution thereof the Lacedemonyans delyuered to the Athenyans aboute .lx. galleys And afterwardes the Ambassadours of the Lacedemonyans were sent vnto Athens who beyng there aryued did speake vnto the Athenyans in the manner as followeth ¶ The Oration of the Lacedemonyans to the Athenyans and the aunswere that they had and howe the treuese failling they beganne warre agayne ☞ The .ii. Chapter THe Lacedemonyans haue sente vs hither lordes Athenyans for to appoinct treacte of their people that be in the Islande Perswading themselfe that that whych shal redounde to their proffit in this matter shall also redounde to your honnour And we woll not make vnto you longer oration than we haue accustomed For our manner of proceding is not to vse many wordes whereas is no great matter And also whan the case and the tyme requireth it we speake longer to wytt whan it is nedefull to shew by words what is to be done wherfore we pray you that if we speke a lytle more longe ye take it not to euill intent thinke not that in shewing you that youe shulde mynde to aduyse consult well of the matter wherof is question that we go about to teache you what youe haue to do as though we repute you ignoraÌ„t people And for to come vnto the matter it is in your power to make your great proffitt of that good aduenture and prosperytie that is chaunced you by hauing our people in your power For youe may therby acquire and gett greate glory great honnor if you haue regarde not to do as many do that haue not experymented what is of goodnes of euill For whan a good aduenture had chaunced vnto themâ— vnloked for they set their fantasie to greater thinges trustyng that fortune shulde alwayes contynue But those that haue oftentymes experymented the varyation and chaunge of humayne chaunces thinke most reasonably therof And trust not somuch to the presente prosperyties which thing is very coÌ„uenient for your cytie also for ours for the longe experyences of things that they haue had And although that youe vnderstaÌ„de it sufficieÌ„tly yet ye se the experieÌ„ce therof in this presente case For we that obteigne haue presently the pryncâ—pall authoritie dignitie in all Grece come hither for to demauÌ„de of you that which lately was more in our power to geue as it semed vnto vs. And also we be not come to this inconuenient through fault of men of armes nother through presumption of our power But lyke as it happeneth in worldly chauÌ„ces we haue bene frustrated deceyued of our opynyon in that wherin all lyuinge creatures be egalle to wytt in thinges dependinge of fortune wherfore it is not nowe nedefull that for the present prosperytie and for the encrease of the puyssance that hath chaunced you at this present youe conceyue opynyon that it ought to endure perpetually For all saige and aduysed men do holde it for mooste certayne that there ys nothinge so vncertayne as worldely felicitie and by this meane be alwayes more constant and determined to beare and endure all sinister chaunces and all euills And so noo man shulde perswade himselfe that it may be in his power to make warre at his pleasure whan he thinketh good but so as fortune permytteth him And such people as take not greater couraige for the prosperity that happeneth vnto them faile not veray oftene For that that in the greate felicytie they be alwayes in feare And if youe at this present do so vnto vs truly ye shall fynde goodnes thereby But if youe do yt not but raâ—ther refuse the parties that we do offer youe and afterwardes any inconuenient do happene vnto you such as may dayly chaunce thincke not that youe can kepe that which you haue at this presente gottene Where as youe may if youe wil leaue a perpetual memory of your puissance and of your prudencie For youe see that the Lacedemonyans prouoke youe to make appoynctment and ende of warre offeryng you peace allyance amytie and all other manner of familyaritie and benyuolence In recompence of whiche thinges they demaunde of youe theire people that be in the Islande and yt semeth to them that the same ys profittable to bothe parties To witte to youe for to exchue the hazarte by that meane that maye followe wheder that they saue themself aither by any occasion and aduenture that maye happene or if they be takene by force to incurre a perpetuell enmytie which cannot so easelye be quenchede For that that whan one of the parties that maketh warre ys constrayned by the other that hath had the better and is founde to be strongest to promys and swere any appoynctment for his aduauntage suche appoynctemente ys not so firme and so durable as yt shulde be whan he that hath had the victorie being in his power of suche appoynctment woulde graunte and agre to make yt honeste and more modeste than he that had bene vaynquished did hope of For he that perceueth curtoisie woll not studie to breke his promys as made for feare and constrayncte But hauinge knowlaige of the curtesie that the other hath vsed he woll parforce hymselfe to kepe that well which he shalle haue promysede and shalle haue shame to faile thereof And this same courtoisie vsed comonly the couragious men to them that were moste puissant raythere than towardes theym that were meaner or egalle wythe them For it ys a naturelle thynge to pardone hym easelye that renderethe and yeldeth him selfe wyth hys good wylle and to persecute those that be rebelles and oulteragyous though that yt were not purposed and that there myghte be dannger therein Nowe as touchynge thys presente chaunce certaynelye yt
go not diligently about to defende kepe their lande than those that wolle be readye to mete with them whan they come to assaille theÌ„ and also to begyn the warre if they see occasion like as we may see by experience For after that we had vainquished them at Cheronee whan they did possesse oure lande through the sedicion and diuision of oure people we haue alwayes holden all our countrey of Beoce in greate suertie Whereof we ought to haue remembrance And those that be of that tyme shulde parforce themself to be suche as they than were And those that be yonger descended of those vailliante men shulde not degenerate from their vertue nor suffre to perishe in them the glory that their auncesters haue purchased and acquired for them Hauyng moreouer confidence that that same God wolbe helpyng vnto vs whose temple they holde oultragiously assieged Consideryng chiefly that the sacrifices whiche we haue made do geue vs a good significacion and hope of the victorye Let vs thinke and studye therefore to mustre cause the Athenians to knowe that if they haue obteyned any one of the thynges whiche they coueted by force it hath bene agaynste people that defended not themself But whan they enterprised against people which haue accustomed by their vertue and magnanymytie to defende their lande and their lybertie not being mynded vniustly to enterprise and subdue the lybertie of other they haue neuer retourned without being fought with Through thies woordes Pagondas perswaded the Beotians to go against the Athenians and incontinently dislodged from their campe for to mete with them forthwith though that it was alreadye darke And they came and lodged theÌ„self very nigh vnto them But there was a certaine small mount bitwene both whereby the one coulde not see the other and there he did put his men in battaille for to go to fight agaynste the sayd Athenians Nowe had Hippocrates who remayned at Delos been aduertised howe the Beotians were yssued fourth with greate furye of the people And so commaunded them that were in the campe that they shulde kepe themself in armure shulde be at their defence and sone after he came thider himself with the people that he hadde reserued three houndred onely whiche he left at Delos all horsemen aswell for to kepe the fortifications as also for to come to the succours of the army if it were nedeful The Beotians than hauing sent auancurrers for to putt the ennemyes in feare and disorder they came to the highe of the mountaigne and were in the viewe and sight of the ennemyes all ready to fyght And they were aboute seuen thousande well armed and more than tenne thousande lightly armed and aboutes a thousande and fyue houndred horsemen bearyng shieldes And they had in this maner ordeyned their battaille That the footemen that is the Thebains their allyesâ— shulde kepe be in the right poinct or winge In the myddel were â—he Haliartians the Coromonians the Copensâ—ans the other that inhabited nigh the water In the left wyng or poynt were the Tanagrians the Thespyens the Orchomenians As touching the horsemen there were of them in both the poynctes or winges lykewyse of the footemen light armed to wytt that where they were that did beare the shieldes there was in euery of the bendes .xxv of them and the rest so as they were founde Thus was the armye of the Beotians ordoned Concerning the Athenians as to the footemeÌ„ well armed wherby they were as puissant as thennemyes they made thereof a thicke battaille of eight men in a ranke And in the winges they had the horsemen but they had than no footemen lyghtly armed nother there in their at mye nor yet in the cytie For those that were first come with them in that same enterpryse whiche were in greater nomber than the ennemyes thoughe a greate nomber of them were without armure as people gathered togider aswell of paysans of the fieldes as of estraungers who had takene their iourney for to retourne to theire houses were not come agayne to the campe resaruedde a very smal nomber Being than all in battaylle aswell on the one syde as of the othere ready to fyght Hiâ—pocrates duke of the Athenyans who was comme vnto them euen at that same poinct dyd speake to the Athenyans in this manner The exhortation of Hippocracrates to the souldyars beinge at a poyncte and ready to fyghte LOrdes vnto people of courage and of vertue nedeth none greate admonytion and a shorte speakinge sufficeth whyche maketh more to bringe youe to remembrance what youe haue to doo than for to exhorte youe vnto yt And aboue all haue no imagination that we bee come hyther to putt youe in thys daunger in a forayne lande for an euyll quarelle For the warre that we make in thys lande is for the suertye of ours Insomuche that if we haue the victorye agaynste them the Peloponesians wol neuer come for to assaile vs in ours being disseuered kept from the horsemen whych they do take here And lykewyse by acquyringe and gettynge thys lande by one battayle youe shall delyuer yours from daungers foreuer Marche than forewardes like as ys conuenyeÌ„t aswel for your partie that euery one of you to hys glory may be named to be the maisters of all Grece as also for the vertue of youre ancestres who hauynge vaynquished thies people here in a battaile nighe vnto Enyphyte were lordes of thys lande for a certayne tyme. So wente Hipâ—pocrates encouraiginge hys people all in a ranke as they were in battaylle But bifore that they were in the mydde way the Beotians at the exhortation of Pagondas dydde begynne to geue the signe or tokene of the battaile by their trompettes and cornettes and all at ones descended from the mountaigne in greate furye whyche sene Hippocrates caused hys people likewyse to marche fouâ—the afore them as faste as they myght ronne And so the formoste came to the conflicte and strokes And though that the hyndermost dyd not stryke yet were they asmuche trauailled as the othere by cause of the sprynges whyche of necessitie they shulde passe Beynge than hande for hande they repoulsedde the one the other wyth targattes and bucklars And anone the lefte poyncte or wynge of the Beotyans was recuyled and repoulsed by the Athenyans vnto the myddeste who did alwayes set on theym for to destroye the othere that were in the same wynge Chiefly the Thespyans whyche were in that quarter And all at ones dyd slay the other that had bene repoulsed were all in an heape locked the one agaynst the other And they dyd hurt the sayd Thespyans who defended themself galliardly In whyche sturre and conflycte manye of the Athenyans were there slayne by their oune people For that that myndynge to enclose their ennemyes they brought theÌ„self into the myddest of them in suche wyse that the one knewe not the othere but fynally that ryghte poyncte was hooly repoulsed And they that
the commyng of the sayd Illyrians for that that the bruyte was greater than the matter requyred â—lyke as it oftentymes chauÌ„ceth in great Armyes they departed out of the campe without lyceÌ„ce And retourned into their houses And though that Perdiccas at the begynnyng knewe nothing of their deliberacion yet after that they hadde concluded it they came to hym and forced him to departe fromethence with them Without that that he might speake wyth Brasidas whiche had his campe lodged farre ynoughe from hym Who vnderstandyng at the breake of the daye the departure of the Macedonians the commyng of the Illyrians and of Archibeus he ordeyned his armye in a quadrant battaille enclosed the foote men lyghtly armed within the myddelmost and afterwardes caused them to marche to thintent also to haue wythdrawen himself And he with three houndred of the yongest and of the most galliarde taryed behynde for to susteigne the chocke and charge of the currours and of those that shulde come to sett vpon hym for to enterteigne and slacke or kepe backe the first vntill the other marched more forewarde determyned to retyre and withdrawe hymself last of all But byfore the commyng of thâ—nnemyes he did speake vnto his men of warre at fewe wordes in maÌ„ner followyng The exhortation of Brasidas vnto his meÌ„ of warre IF I dyd not suspecte Lordes Peloponesians that ye were astonyed of this that our frendes haue habandonned vs and that the straÌ„gers in right great nomber do come for to ouercome vs I woulde not enterprise to exhorte you nother would I teache you howe to vse your self as nowe I do But forsomuche as it semeth to me that for theis two causes whiche be ryght great ye be somewhat abashed I wyll speake vnto you by manner of declaracion and exhortyng what I thynke herein That is that it is conuenient for you to be valyant and hardy in the warre not trustyng alwayes in the ayde of your frendes and allyes but in your oune vertue and also not to be abashed nor feare the multitude of your ennemyes For ye are borne in a citieâ— wherein a small nomber of people doeth gouerne a greate nomber and not the greater nomber the lesse The whiche auctoritie and puissance they haue acquired by many victories whiche they haue hadde in battaille And as touching the estrangers of whome ye presently be afrayde for that that ye haue not proued them ye maye well knowe that they be not very sharpe or cruel aswell by those agaynste whome ye haue foughte for the Macedonians as also by that that I haue learned by common reaporte and that I conceyue of them by coniecture Nowe it is so that those that thynke the people agaynste whome they haue to do to be more strong and better warryours than that they arâ—e whan they haue knowen the trouthe by experience they afterwarde gooe more boldely agaynste them And lykewyse if there be any vertue in the ennemyes whereof we be not aduertised lette vs assaille them the more assuredlye Wherefore as touchyng thies here that come agaynste vs they bee to be feared of people that knowe them not for the greate nomber that they be of whiche ys fearefull to beholde and also horrible to here for the greate bruyte that they make aswell by cryinge as also by shakynge and clatterynge of their harnesse Whiche be all but only menaces and threatenynges But whan they come to fyght agaynste the people that be not thereof abasshed they shewe themself not to be suche For they be not ashamed to recuyle and to habandone their place whan they be straightly charged vpon For that that they kepe no order And by this cause it is asmuche honoure for them to flye as to assaulte Wherefore no man canne iudge their hardines For where it is in the lybertie of any one for to fight or for to exchue fyghtynge trulye he maye alwayes fynde some good excuse for to saue hymself And euen so thies beinge of this sorte shall fynde it muche more sure and easye for vs to feare vs a farre of by their cryes and greate menacynges withoute puttynge themself in daunger than for to come nighe for to fyght wyth vs. And yf it were otherwyse they woulde rather come to the fyghtynge than to make all thies crakes And for conclusion ye see all the feare that is to be hadde of them Whiche is greate to syghte and to the hearynge but in battaille it is very smalle Wherefore yf ye susteigne and withstande theyr power whan they come to charge vpon you and afterwardes doo retyre by lytle and lytle in good order youe shall ryghte shortely comme in faulftie into a sure place And shall knowe for the tyme to comme that the nature and manner of this people is to make a farre of very great craakes and menaces and to shewe great hardines to them that they do parceyue to be ready to receyue them and to retourne and shewe themself astonyed whan men ioigne nere vnto them and that they wolle fyght hande to hande For in this case they shewe their valyantnes in sauyng and kepyng themself in suertie After that Brasidas hadde thus exhorted and anymated his people he caused them to marche in battaille retyryng and withdrawyng hymself by lytle and lytle Whiche parceyued by the strangers they followed them with all diligence makyng greate cryes and greate bruyte accordynge to thier custome thynkynge that they shoulde haue fledde and by that meane to haue cutte of theyr waye and destroyedde them But whan they dydde perceyue that the Grekes dydde manfullye resiste the auante courrers whiche aboorded them in some partes and that Brasidas wyth the bende whiche he hadde chosene endured and dydde susteigne all the puissance and strengthe of the other whcihe came for to charge vpon them they were all astonyed And the Grekes hauynge withstanded the firste charge dydde afterwardes more easely repoulse the other And yet neuerthelesse after that the straungers ceassed to assaille theym they retyred by lytle and lytle towardes the mountaigne in suche wyse that whan Brasidas and they that were with hym were come into a large and spacious playne the bende of the strangers that were ordeyned for to pursue them kepte themself a farre of And as touchyng the other they followed and chased the rest of the Grekes whiche fled And those that they dyd take out of the trowpe were slayne without mercye And seing that Brasidas coulde not saue hymself but by an straicte passage whiche was at the entryng of the lande of Archibeâ—s bitwene two rockes they came to wynne it bestowed theÌ„self in the entryng thynkyng to haue stayed hym there and to haue taken hym But he parceyuyng their enterprise coÌ„maunded three houndred men that were with hym that they shulde with the moste diligence that they coulde without kepyng any order ronne to one of the sayd rockes to the same that semed vnto them most dangerous do their best for to wynne it
the ruyne of the cytie The same than Alcibiades putte fourth hymselfe and dyd speake to the people of Athens in thys manner The oration of Alcibiades vnto the Athenyans for to perswade the enterprise of Sycille ☞ The .iiii. Chapter IT apperteignethe vnto me lordes Athenyans to be Emperour and Chief of your armye more than vnto any other And I am constrayned to begynne my talke in thys sorte for that that I haue bene therunto prycked by Nycias And wythout that it semeth vnto me conuenyent For the thynges for the whyche I am renommed and estemed amongeste men besydes thys that they redounde to the glory of my ancesters and to myne brynge also honnour and welthe vnto the commmon welth In thys that the Grekes whych haue bene at the feastes and solempnites of Olympus seing the magnificence and sumptuousnes of my facyon of lyuing estemed therby our cytie to be most puissant most opulente and ryche of itself where as bifore they thought that they might easely haue subdewedde it For I was laste at the saide feaste with sixe chariots well appoincted whiche thing no man hath yet done with suche a nomber and also I dyd wynne the firste pryze of the course the seconde and the fourthe And moreouere I made the apparaille so sumptuous and soo noble as apperteigned to such a victorie All whyche thinges be honâ—orable and that declare vnto the people the puissance and rychesse of the lande and cytie of hym that maketh them And albeit that suche woorkes and other lyke for whiche I am estemed ingender greate enuye by the other cytezeins agaynste me yet to the wayfayringe men and estrangers they shewe a greate argumente of puissance and rychesse And also me thynketh that the fantasie of him that goith aboute by suche meanes and at hys expenses to do honnour not to hymself only but also to thys couÌ„trey is nother hurtfull nor preiudiciall to the comon welth And also he ought not to be estemed for euill that hath suche opynyoÌ„ of himself that he wyl not only be agall to other but rather wylleth also to excede them by such meanes For he that ys vnfortunate fyndeth no man that therein wylle be hys compaignyon if than we be dispreasedde of the othere whan we be vnfortunate they oughte also to endure and suffre yf we esteme theym not muche in oure felycitie and to wayte to doo the lyke towardes vs if they thynke good whanne they shalle be in lyke estate Neuerthelas I am not ignoraunte that suche people and othere whyche excelle in anny honnoure and dignytie be greatelye enuiedde Specyally of theire egalles and matches and also somewhatte of othere whiche haue accompaignyedde wythe theyme but that ys for the tyme that they be in thys lyfe onely For aftere theire deceasse the renomme and prosperytie that they haue hadde ys of suche effycacytie to theym that comme aftere that manye glorefye themselfe to haue bene theire parentes and specially somme saye that they be of them whiche be not and many other repute themselfe honnouredde to be of the lande towne and countrey whereof they haue bene and for to name them their fellowe Burgeosses countrey men And though for the honnorable thinges that they haue done I haue attemptedde to imytate and followe suche parsonaiges and for this cause haue lyuedde more honnorable than the othere yet ye see for all that that I beare myselfe in the affayres of the common welthe no woorse than othere of the Cytezeins And trulye ye shalle fynde that the puissance of the Peloponesyans beynge assembledde I haue wythoute youre greate daungier and expense constraynedde the Lacedemonyans one daye at Mantynea to putte all theire estate in hazarte wyth one battaille Wherof though that they hadde the victorie yet the hazarte was soo greate that vnto thys presente they haue not recouered suffycyente audacytie agaynste vs. And thys my yongth and ignorance whyche semed nothere by reasone nor by nature to be of power to resiste the puissance of the Peloponesians hath caused and aptly to speake hath geuene suche opynyon of my audacytie that at thys presente there oughte noo doubte to be hadde of yt nother feare that it shulde be dangerous to the partie but rather so longe as I shal be in vigoure and auctorytie wyth this audacytie the fortune and admynistratioÌ„ of Nycias shall seme good and prosperous And ye maye serue yourself bothe with the one and also the othere as ye shall thinke good And for to come to the matter whereof is questyon it is not nedeful that ye reuoke youre enterpryse of Sycille for feare to haue to do with many people For though that there be many cities in the same couÌ„trey yet they be peopled with meÌ„ of all soortes who be easy and accustomedde to change their estate and gouernemente And there is none that prepareth harnois for hys parsone nother that maketh â—ortresses in necessary places for defence of the countrey but euery one hauynge opynyon to be of power to perswade other to beleue whatsoeuer he wyll say or if that he cannot perswade them for to trouble and subuert the estate ayther by practyse or ells by moÌ„ney prepareth hymself to do yt Wherfore it is not to be bileued that one suche a tourbe and assemblie of people woll wyth one will heare what shal be spokene The woordes of hym that speakethe be that they assemble for to conclude anny thynge wyth a comon accorde but euery one prepareth himself to do that whyche he vnderstandeth aftere his appetyte and wylle and specyally whan there is anny mutynery or discension amonges theym as I vnderstande that there is at thys presente And also they haue not so many men of warre as it is reported for suche thynges be alwayes made more greate thaÌ„ they be And verely the other Grekes beynge hertofore all togider haue not bene in so greate nomber as one nation of them bosteth itself onely to be whych thing hath well appeared in this warre and that Grece hath bene deceyued by the â—aynynges of poetes touchinge the nomber of people For though it hath bene all in armure yet skarcely coulde it bringe to the campe such nomber of people as was suffycient Being than the affayres of Sycille in suche sorte as I saye like as I haue hearde spokene by many people the enterpryse shal be the muche more easy for you and chiefly for thys that there be many Barbarous and strangers who for the ennymytie that they haue agaynste the Syracusains woll ioygne themself wyth vs in thys warre and also we owe not to feare such busynes here that it empesche vs in that same there if we woll prouyde reasonably in our case For it is fully certayne that our progenytours hauynge those for enemys which are named that they wyll declare themselfe agaynste vs whan oure armye by sea shal be in Sycille and also the Medes haue neuerthelas acquiredde and gott on thys empire that we nowe haue and that
for that that the voiage was not so greate as thys And for that cause and also that the warre was to endure longe in Sycille they had muche the better prouyded and fournished it aswell wyth people as with al other things Wherunto aswell the Cytie generally as also the particuler patrones and capytains of the ships did employ themself with all industrie diligence For the cytie did pay a grote a day to euery maroner of whom there was a ryght great nomber in so greate quantytie of shippes to wit foorty longe galleisâ— which caried their souldyars and thre skore other that were light And aboue the said soulde that the coÌ„mons paide the sayde capytains patrons did geue an other salary to those that drewe the longest Oares also to othere ministres of their particuler purse And on the other parte thappareil preparation aswell of armureâ— as of enseignes of accoustrementes was muche moore pompuous and gorgeous than the same of the other had ben For that that euery patrone going in so longe a voiage parforced himself to cause that his ship shuld be both swiftest also best and most gorgiously esquipped and trymmed Also the souldears that were appoincted for the same voiage toke payne to decke themself aswell with harâ—ois as wyth other things euery maÌ„ to his vttermost best And also they were moreouer attentife and couetous of glory to wit whiche of them might be preferred bifore the other in order In such manner that it semed that the same armye was made for an ostentacion and shewe of the puissance of the Athenyans to the prayse of all the other Grekes rather than for to fight with the enemyes against whome they wenteâ— For truly he that shulde make the estimation and accompte of the expences that were made in that same army aswell by the cytie generally as by the capytaynes and souldyars in particulere to witt of the myses and charges whyche the cytie had debursed for that preparation and what capytaynes they sente thider and of that same whyche the partyculer parsons had made aswel in their harmes as appareil and the captains and patrons euery one in hys ship and of the prouision which euery man made for to succour himself for a longe tyme ouer and aboue the soulde or wages that he had generally and further of the great quantytie of marchandyse the whyche aswelle the souldears did cary for to ayde themself therwithâ— as also many marchants that followed them for gaignes and winninge shall fynde that the same armye emporteth the valeur of many talentes of the countrey The whyche armye dydde bringe into greate admyration those agaynste whom they wente aswelle for the greatnes and sumptuositie of it in all things as also for the hardynes and audacytie of them that hadde enterprysed it whiche semed a strange and a maruelous thynge for one onely cytie to haue durst to enterprise one such a thynge whych for trouth exceaded their porte and force and specyally being so farre from their housene Aftere that the souldears and the othere people were embarqued all the ships charged sylence was coÌ„manded with the voice of a troÌ„pet And than they made their vowes accordinge to the custome vnto the goddes not euery shipp aparte but all togiders by the mouth of the troÌ„pett and afterwards they dronke in cuppes of golde and of siluer th one to the other aswell headds and capytayns as souldears and maroners And the lyke vowes did those make which were on lande for the army in generall particularly euery man for his parent frende And after that the instrumentes of the ships and the souldears hadde sownedde and songe their songes to the prayse of the gods and acheued and fynished al their mysteries they launched fourth and departedde in the beginninge all togyders rainged or sett in order in fourme of a horne afterwardes they disseuered themself euery shipp saylinge accordynge to hys force and swiftnes they came furst to aboorde at Egine and fromthence wente strayght to Corcyre in whych place the other shipps dyd attende and tary for them Of dyuers opinions that were amonge the Syracusains for the army of the Athenyans And the Orations whych Hermocrates and Athanagoras made vnto the people of Sarragosse and the conclusion that thereupon was taken ☞ The .vii. Chapter IN thies entrefaictes the Siracusains albeit that on many sydes they were aduertysed of the army of the Athenyans that came agaynst theÌ„ yet they could not beleue yt And in many assemblies that were made of the commons for thys matter diuers and many reasons and opynyons were spokene aswell by those that bileued the sayde enterpryse as by theÌ„ whyche byleued it not Amongeste whome Hermocrates sonne of Hermon perswadynge hymselfe to haue certayne knowlaige of the sayde armye putt hymselfe fourth and dyd speake in this manner The Oration of Hermocrates LOrdes it maye be that thysâ— that I shall say vnto youe of the armye of the Athenyansâ— who come agaynste vs shall seme incredible vnto youe euen so as that whiche hath oftentymes bene already spokenne by many other And also I am not ignorant that they whyche shewe and reaporte thyngesâ— that excede the apparance of trouthe besydes thys that they cannot perswade that to be trewe whyche they saye they be moreouer reputedde and holdene fâ—r fantasticall and madde But yet notwythstandynge I wyll not feare therof for to saye and speake for the welthe of the commonweale seinge the daungier wherein I parceyâ—e yt to be that whych I knowe furthere therein than anny othere that hath therein spokenne That ys that the Athenyans of whome ye maruaylle soo greately and wolle not bileue yt They comme agaynste youe wyth so greate a puissance aswelle of shyppes as of people vnder couloure to geue ayde to the Egestains and to their allyes and to sette the bannyshed Leontyns agayne into theire houses but in trouthe it is for coueâ—yce to make themselfe lordes of Sycille and chyefly of oure Cytie â—or they thynke wel that if they haue it in their power they shall easely subdewe the othere Wherefore yt muste be thoughte on howe we shall honnorably resiste wyth the people that we haue at thys presente agaynste thys greate puissance whyche wolle not longe slacâ—e to comme And not to sett the thynge at noughte throughe willynge not to beleue yt nothere by that meane to suffre oureselues to be betrappedde as vnprouydedde And yf there be annye amongeste vs that estemethe not thys thynge incredyble but taketh it to be true I woll not for that that he haue doubte or feare of the audacytie of the Athenyans nother of their puissance For suerlye they shall receyue asmuche dammaige of vs as we of theym yf wee prouyde therefore And in thys that they do comme wyth so greate nomber of shyppes and of people is not for oure disaduantage but rather it shall redound to our proffit chiefly with the other Sycilians who seing those Athenyans
and alleage and declare vnto vs the selfe same thynges that ye woolde haue alleaged if the Athenyans had surst come against youe whyche thynge ye nor the other haue not yet done And yf ye woll say that youe woll kepe and vse reasone somuche towardes vs as towardes oure ennemyes for feare to offende the one or the other and take youre occasyon vpon the allyance whyche youe haue wyth them Truly ye haue not made that same allyaunce for to go to assaylle youre frendes at their pleasure and appetite but rather onely for to succour the one the other if any dyd come to assaille youe For thys cause the Rhegins though that they be Chalcydes haue not bene willinge to ioygne wyth thies here for to restore the Leontins into their houses who be Chalcydes as they be And if those there wythout hauing any reasonable excuse but for that that they haue had this iustification or proufe so well couloured of the Athenyans for suspected gouerned themself herin wysely woll you hauinge reasonable cause for to excuse youe beare fauour and proffitt vnto them that naturelly be yâ—ure ennemyes and habandone and forsake those whyche be youre neyghbours and your parentes for to ioygne youreselâ— vnto thies here Certainly ye shall do agaynste reasone yf ye woll ayde thys puissance of enemyes which ye ought rather to feare although that if we were ioigned and vnited togider we shulde haue no cause to feare but iustly if we separate or deuyde oureselues the one from the other Whiche is the thinge that they attempte for their power for that that they be come into thys countrey not onely agaynste vs but rathere agaynste all And yet they haue not done agaynste vs that whyche they wylledde though that they dydde vaynquishe vs in battaille but after their victorie they wente fromthence Wherefore it may be clerly knowin that whan we shal be ioigned togiders we ought not greately to care for them and chiefly attendyng the succours that is to come from the Peloponesyans whyche be better warryours than thies here And truly yt ought not to seme to anny to be good for youe not to busye youreselfe or not to meddle nother for theym nor vs and that the same shal be reasonable as touching vs consyderinge that ye be allyed togyder and also the more suertie for you For though that the ryght be at the furste sight lyke and egall betwene them and vs as concernynge you for the reason abouesaide yet the dede ys greately dyuers For if they agaynste whom warre ys made for fault to haue bene by you succoured be vainquished and the other vainquishors and ouercommers what other thynge maye be sayde than that by your absence the one hath bene ouercomed and the other haue not bene prohybited or left to do euyll Therfore lordes it shal be muche better done for to ayde those whome men wolde oppresse whiche be your parentes and neyghbours in defending the comon welth of all Sycille and not to suffer the Athenians to offende than not to meddle wyth nother partie And for to shewe you in fewe wordes all that we woll saye insomuche as there nede not many wordes for to declare to you or to any other that which ye vnderstande of yourself we praye and require youe for to ayde vs in thys present busynes And we protest that if youe do it not ye shal suffre vs to be wasted and destroyed by the Ionyens our perpetuall ennemyes And being Doryens as we be ye habandone forsake vs noughtly And if we be vaynquyshed by the Athenyans it shal be youre faulte and they shalle haue the glorye of the victory And as touchynge the huyer or rewarde it shal be none othere but the same that hath geuene the victorye And if we ouercomme ye shall suffer the payne for that that ye haue bene cause of the dangeire where in we shall haue bene Consider than the whole and chose ye presently aythere to incurre and submit yourself into the seruitude presented without any danger or in ouercommynge thys people both to eskape wyth vs from beinge their subiectes and also not to be for a right longe tyme our ennemyes After that Hermocrates had thus spokene Euphemus the Athenyan arose vp and dydde speake in thys manner ¶ The Oration of Euphemus the Athenyan to the Camerins ☞ The .xv. Chapter WE were comme hider Lordes Camerins onely for to renewe the ancyent amytie allyaÌ„ce that we haue with you But sithens that this same Syracusaine hath charged and maliciously spoken agaynst vs It is here nedefull to speake of our Empire and howe by good and iuste cause and reasone we haue obteygned it whereof thys same here who hath spoken beareth good wytnes by that which he hath said that the Ionyens haue al waies ben enemys of the Doriens but it muste be vnderstande how it is We be truly Ionyens and the Peloponesyans Doriens And for that that they be in greater nomber than we and our neyghbours we haue trauailled to kepe oureselues that they shulde not bringe vs into their subiection For this cause after the warre of the Medes hauinge our army by sea we wythdrewe ourselfe from the Empire and conducte of the Lacedemonyans which were capytaines of all the armye of Grece for that that it was not more reasonable that we shulde be vnder them than they vnder vs but for that that they haue bene more puissant than we And consequently beinge made prynces and superiours of Grekes who before tyme were subiectes vnto the Medes we haue kepte and maignteigned oure reygne knowynge that whan we shall haue asmuche puissance as they for to resyste their force that than we shall in nothynge be bounde vnto them And for to speke more clerely we haue vpon good cause brought into our obeissance and subiection the Ionyans and the Islanders though that they be oure parentes as the Syracusains do say But it was for thys cause that they came wyth the Medes agaynste our cytie whyche is their Metrip olitaine and from whence they be descended for feare of losynge of their houses and domestycall goodes hadde not the hardynes to forsake their townes and Cyties for to conserue and kepe their lybertie as we dyd but rather they loued better to be bondemen and subiectes of the Medes for to saue their goodes and also to comme wyth them agaynste vs for to brynge vs into the self seruytude and bondage For thies reasons we haue well deserued to haue the seignyorye and rule ouer the other For also for trouthe and wythoute anye difficultie we fournished in that same warre more ships and shewed more harte courage than all the other cyties of Grece And chiefly we desarued to haue the rule dominyon ouer yâ— Ionyens who did vnto vs the euyll that they coulde beynge ioygned wyth the Medes Wherefore if we desire to encrease our force agaynst the Peloponesians and not to be more vnder the conducte and charge of others we
to be vaynquished and chased by the Ionyans and Islanders and other people gathered togiders oute of all sortes beinge in as great noÌ„ber as they And afterwards whan he thought it tyme he ledde them fourthe agayne to battaylle Nycias also had determyned if they wolde not haue issuedde fourth to haue gone to presente theym battaille For he was determyned not to suffre them to fynishe their rampares and wals that they made nygh vnto theirs the whyche were already so farre forwardes as thiers and they parceyued well that if they suffredde that they shulde extende them further those same Athenyans shulde be more assieged by the Syracusains than the Syracusains by theym and in danger to be vainquished Therfore he likewise yssued fourth to the battaille Nowe Gylippus had ordeynedde his horsmen casters of darts to be more further â—ro the walles thaÌ„ they had bene at the other tyme in a spaâ—ious place where the walles and rampares on both sydes failled from the coast of thennemyes Who after the battaill was begonne came to russhe and charge vpon the lefte poinct of the Athenyans and put them to flyght wherby it chanced that the Syracusains and Peloponesians had the victorie for that that the other partie seinge the Athenyans flye dyd the lyke wythdrewe themself into their fortes and holdes And the nyghte ensuynge the Syracusains made their walle egall with the same of thennemyes and yet further and greatter so that the ennemyes coulde not empesche nor lette them but that they myghte make and extende their sayd wall so farre and so large as they woolde and though afterwardes they had bene vainquished in battail yet could they be no more enclosed wyth walle Sone after arryued the shipps of the Corynthians of the Leucadyans and of the Ambracians to the nomber of twelue wherof Thrasonides the Corynthian was chief who had deceyued the AtheniaÌ„s shippes that came to rencounter theym and ayded the Syracusayns to fynyshe their walle whyche they hadde begonne vnto the same that came ouerthwarte yt That done Gylippus perceyuing the towne to be in suertie did go fromtheÌ„ce through the other cyties of Sycille practisinge theÌ„ to enter into allyance against the Athenyans those that were in doubte or that vtterly abhorredde the warre And besydes thys the Syracusains and the Corynthians that were comme to their ayde sente Ambassadours to Lacedemonye and to Corynthe to haue newe succours in whatsoeuer manner that they myght were it in galleys in Barques or other shipps what that they were so that they brought men of warre On the other syde the Syracusains presupposinge that the Athenyans woolde lykewise sende some newe succours to their campe equipped and tacled their shyppes for to fyght with them by sea and made all necessary preparatyons for warre Whiche parceyued by Nycias and that the force and strength of hys ennemyes dyd daylly increase and hys decrease and lessene he determyned lykewyse for to sende to Athens to do them to vnderstande the estate wherin they were in the campe whyche was suche that he reputed them to be but vainquished and destroyed if ayther that they were not caused to retyre orels that succours were sente vnto them so puissante and mighty as they were And â—earynge that those whyche he sente shulde not happely haue eloquence for to expouÌ„de and declare their charge or that they shulde forgett one parte thereof or rathere shulde feare to telle the whole for displeasynge of the comynaltie he determyned to aduertyse the whole by hys letters presupposynge that whan the comons shuld intierly vnderstande the trouth they wolde determyne therin as the case required And so the Ambassadours wente fromthence wyth hys letters and instructions vnto Athens And in the meane time Nycias toke more care and studie to warde kepe his campe than for to go to assaille hys ennemyes In that same somer Euetion Athenyan Duke wâ—th Perdiccas and many Thracyens wente to assiege the Cytie of Amphipolis but seinge that he coulde not take it by lande he causedde Gallions to passe and mounte vp the ryuer of Strymone whyche he made to comme out of Imereum and this endurynge ended the sommer In begynnynge of wynter the messengers whyche Nycias hadde despeched arryuedde at Athenes and hauynge declaredde their charge they afterwardes answered to that wherof they were demaunded but furste they presented the letters of Nycias whyche were of thys tenoure The tenour of the letters of Nycias to the Athenyans and the prouysion that they had made vpon the contenue of the same ☞ The seconde Chapter YOue haue bene aduertised lordes Athenyans by our former letters of all that whych before tyme hath chaunced in thies quarters And presently I ryght hartely requyre you to vouchesaulfe to be infourmed of the estate wherin we be for to determyne well therin Whiche ys suche After that we haue had certayne victories against the Syracusains made a walle nighe to their cytie wythin the whyche walle we nowe be Gylipvus the Lacedemonyan arryued wyth an hoste aswell of the Peloponesyans as of certen other cyties of thys countrey of Sycille whom at the furst encontring we vaynquished but afterwardes through force of the horsmen and casters of dartes whyche he hath we haue bene constrayned to retyre into oure sayd wall where we nowe remayne wythout doynge any thinge for that that we coulde not contynue our sayde walle aboute the sayde cytie the ennemyes beinge in so great noÌ„ber for we might not leade all our people vnto the felde forsomuche as it was necessarye to leaue alwayes one parte of them for to warde oure walles and tampares And on the othere syde the ennemyes haue all readye reysedde vpp an simple walle nighe vnto oure walle whyche letteth vs for to fynishe yt excepte that we shulde furste wythe a greate puissance beate and rase downe the sayde walle by force of armes In suche sorte that we whiche holde thys Cytie assieged be more assieged on the lande syde than they For by meane of the great nomber of horsmen that they haue we cannot yssue farre out of our campe Moreouer they haue sente Ambassadoures into Peloponese for to haue newe succours of people And Gylippus is goone to the Cyties of Sycille whiche be not yet on their partie for to practyse and wynne theym And by that whyche I can lerne they haue determyned for to assaulte oure rampares and fortes all at one instante aswell by sea as by laÌ„de Also ye ought not to iudge and thinke it straÌ„ge that I doo saye that they wyll assaulte vs from the coaste of the sea For though that our armye by sea was at the begynâ—ynge greate and excellente aswelle for that that the shippes where very whole and clene as also our men helthfull and gallant yet neuerthelas at this presente our sayde shipps by hauynge long ben in discouert and abroade be in a manner vtterly putrefyed rotten and a greate parte of the maronners deade and also it
in the shippes than of those that muste conducte and gouerne them and for you it is conuenient to vainquishe at this instante lyke as ye haue done many other tymes fayghtinge on lande And as touchinge youe maronners I pray and requyre youe that ye be not faynte harted nother discourayged for the losse which youe haue made at the other battaille seynge that youe haue greater preparatioÌ„ for warre in shyppes than youe at that tyme had and muche greater nomber of people but rather be myndefull to go couraygyously to the busynes and to repute yourselues woorthy for to conserue youre honnor And those among you that be holden for Athenyans by the talke of the language and also for the selfe fourme of lyuinge though that ye be not of them and by that meane haue bene in greate reputacâ—on in all Grece and besydes that partakers of our empire euery one in hys parsone in somuche as was expedyent for hys proffitt to wytt for to haue obeyssance of your subiectes and for to be in suertie of your neyghbours ye ought nowe to take good hede not to habandone and forsake at thys stroake our empyre and seygnyorye wherof youe onely be parttakers and compaygnyons and to contempne those whome you haue so oftymes vaynquished to wyt the Corynthians and the Syracusayns None of whome haue euer had anny audacytie for to resiste vs so longe as our armye by sea was in his vigeur and force and to shewe them that your hardynes and scyence of saillinge is greater in your parsons although you be diseased and that you haue bene vaynquished than in theirs that be hoole and also haue had the victorie And for those amoÌ„ge youe that be Athenyans I brynge to remembrance that we haue nother more here in our arceâ—all or haâ—on nor other shippes lyke to thies whyche we haue here nother other warryours on lande but that small nomber whyche we haue lefte there wyth oure baguages wherfore if we haue not the victorie oure ennemyes wyll go incontynently agaynste theym who shall not be hable for to defende both agaynst those that shal descende out of the ships of the ennemys and agaynst the other that shall come from of the lande And by that meane ye shall come partly into the power of the Syracusains agaynste whome ye know wel for what intent ye be come and partly of the Lacedemonyans whyche be wyth them Wherfore beynge brought to suche termes or yssue that youe muste chose aither to vainquishe or ells to come to this extremytie I praye youe that if euer in tymes passed youe haue shewed your vertue and hardynes be wyllyng to parforce yourself to shewe it nowe and to haue remembrance all togiders and euery one for hymself that here ys and lyeth all the armye by sea all the shippes all the force of men and for effecte all the cytie all the empyer and fynallye all the greate renomme of the Athenyans For to warrante and defende all the whyche thinges if there be any of youe that excedeth and surmounteth the other be he of any industrie or experyence or of hardynes he shall neuer shewe himself in better tyme than in this iourney nor more vnto the nede of himself and of othere After that Nycias had thus spoken he caused his people incontynently to mouÌ„te into their shyppes wherof Gylippus the Syracusains were suffycyently aduertysedde for that that they perceyued theyme wyth the eye to prepare for to fyghte and were aduysedde of the graspes of yronne that they dydde putt into their shyppes Wherfore they prouyded themselfe of remedyes aswell agaynste that as also agaynste all the other preparations of the ennemys For they couered the former parte and the mooste parte of their deckes with Copper to the ende that the graspes shulde not fasten in them but rather shulde slippe and slyde aboue of the copper And after that all their case was putt in order Gylippus and the other capytains exhorted their souldyars or warryours wythe thies or lyke woordes The exhortation of Gylippus and of the Syracusayns to their men at armes YOue knowe Lordes Syracusains and youe other oure frendes and allyes that we haue hyâ—herto done in thys warre as men of honestie and that yt is nedefull at thys present to do yet greater thynges For yf that hadde not bene youe shulde not haue bene so readye to haue employedde youreselfe therein Neuerthelas leste there be anny that vnderstandeth not fullye the affayre I wolle well declare yt vnto hym The Athenyans came frome the begynnynge hyther to the intente to subdewe Sycille furste yf they myghte afterwardes Peloponese and consequentlye the remanaunte of Grece Who albeit that they hadde a great and puissant Empyre and that they hadde bene moore puissante than all the othere Grekes that hadde bene byfore thies whyche presentlye be yet youe haue many tymes vainquishedde theym by sea whyche was whooly in their power whyche thinge no man euer dydde and yet at thys presente youe shall vaynquishe theym as it is fullye apparante For whan any people doo fynde theymselfe vainquished in the thynge wherein they perswadedde themselfe to excede the othere they loose greatelye theire reputatyon And fromthensforwardes there opynion and hope ys therby lesser in themself than yf they had not from the begynning had such presumption confideÌ„ce And perceyuynge themself depryued agaynst their opynyon of the glory which they attrybuted to themself the harte coueteth it yet more than the force like as it is to be bileued that it is now chauÌ„ced to the Athenyans And by the contrary you that haue had the hardynes to resiste them by sea although that youe had not greate practyse therin be become more hardy for the opynyon whyche youe haue conceiued through your prowesse For this that youe vaynquished theym that were reputed the most puissant most exercysed therin wherby youe oughte to haue double hope which shall proffytt you greatly For they that go to assaill in greate hoape come vnto yt muche more ioyfully And if our enemys haue lerned of vs to make the apparaylle and preparation of theire shyppes as we had made ours at the other battaylle the same oughte not to abaâ—â—he vs. For we be therin alreadye accustomed and so they shalle not fynde vs nâ—â—e to seke in the thinge that they shall do And somuche as they shall put greater nomber of people in the Castelles and ouerlopps of their shypps they shal be the more oppressed as in a battail by land And also the AcarnanieÌ„s the other archers or darte casters shal not know how to aide them with their darts shot being all bestowed by that meane there thronged the greate nomber shal make their shyppes vnprofytable and letting the one the other shall put themself into disorder And it maye helpe them but smally that they haue greater nomber of shyppes than we nother youe oughte for that to be estonyed For howe muche that they haue greater
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
shoulde be greate honnoure vnto theym to be parttakers of the victory And as touchynge those that were declaredde to be wyth the Lacedemonyans they offred theymself more readely than they hadde bifore tyme done hopynge that the victorye shoulde brynge theyme oute of all necessities and oute of all dangers And also those whiche were subiectes of the Athenyans were the more determynedde for to rebelle and for to doo agaynâ—â—e them further than their power extended for a greate hatred and euyll wil whiche they hadde agaynste theym and also for thys that for any reasone that men coulde alleage they woulde not vnderstande that those Athenyans myghte eskape to be destroyed and ouerthrowen the somer followinge For all the â—hiche thynges the cytie of Lacedemonie dyd conceyue greate hope to obteigne victorye agaynste the sayd Athenyans And specially for that that it was to bileue that the Sycilians being their allyes and hauynge so greate nomber of shipps aswell of theirs as of those whiche they hadde gottene fro the Athenyans shulde come in the sprynge tyme vnto their ayde And so hauyng hope on all sydes they determyned not to make anny delay in the warre makynge their accompte that if they had the victory at that same time they shulde be alwayes in suertie out of the danger wherein they shoulde haue bene if the Athenyans hadde gottone Sycille For it is fully clere that if they had subdewed it they would haue made themself Lordes of all Grece Followynge than this determynation Agis king of the Lacedemonyans departed that same wynter out of Decelea and sailled by sea through the cyties of the allyes for to cause them to contrybute monney for to make newe shyppes And passynge through the greate Goulphe of Oetes named Melinee he toke there a greate prize of theyme by cause of the auncyente ennemytie that the Lacedemonyans hadde wyth theym whyche prize he tourned into monney And that done he constreyned the Achees the Pththiotes and the other nygh borderyng people subiectes to the Thessaliens to delyuer a good some of monney and also certaine nomber of hostages for that that he suspected theym agaynste the wyll of the sayed Thessaliens Whiche hostages he sente into Corynthe and for effecte the Lacedemonyans ordeyned one houndred galleys to be made by theym and their allyes and taxedde vnto euery one for hys rate a portion to wytte to theym xxv and to the Beotians asmanye to the Phociens Locriens and Corynthyans xxx to the Arcadians Peloponesians Sycioniens Megarens Trezeniens Epidauriens and Hermioniens xx and moreouer they made prouisioâ— of all other thinges to the intente to begynne warre incontinentlye as the sprynge time shoulde come On the other syde the Athenyans that self same wynter ensuynge that whiche they had determynedde vsed all diligence to make and tacle shyppes and those that had matter or stuffe dyd furnyshe yt wythoute difficultie They moreouer enclosedde their poarte of Sunium wyth walles to the ende that the shyppes that shulde brynge them victuallles might come in suertie And they habandonedde and left the rampars and fortes whiche they hadde made in Laconique whan they went into Sycille destitute and voyde And in the rest they deuysed to refrayne expences in all that wherin it shulde semâ— vnto theÌ„ that they might excede But aboue all thynges they were myndeful to kepe and defende that their subiectes allyes shulde not rebell Howe the Lacedemonians were required and instanced by those of Chio of Lesbos and of Hellesponte to sende vnto them an army by sea for to resist the Athenyans against whom they were wylling to rebell the order that therupon was geuen ☞ The .ii. Chapter IN the meane tyme that thies thynges were done on the one syde and on the other and that they were attentife and diligent in their prepation asmuche as if the warre shulde begyn at the self houre specially the Eubeens bifore all the other allyes of the Athenyens sent messengers vnto Agis for to iogine with the Lacedemonians who receyued them gentlely and comanded two pryncipall men of Lacedemonie to come vnto him for to sende theym into Eubee that is to wytt Alcamenes sone of Stenclaide and Melanthus who came with foore houndredde freemen The Lesbyans also whiche desired to rebell fro theÌ„ sent likewise vnto Agis to demauÌ„de men of hym for to sende into their towne who at the perswatioÌ„ of the Beotians agrede vnto them in the meane time suspended the enterprise of Eubee And he sent Alcamenes who shuld go thider vnto Lesbos with xx ships wherof Agis furnished tenne and the Beotians tenne And Agis did al this without causinge the Lacedemonyans to knowe any thyng therof For he had auctoritie to sende people to what place that he woulde and to assemble and leuie lykewyse for to recouer monney and employ yt so as he shulde thinke expediente so longe as he shulde be at Decelea During whiche time all the allyes dyd obey him somewhat more than the cytie of Lacedemonie for that that hauing the army at his will he caused it to go whider he would And so he agrede with the Lesbyans as it is abouesayd On the other syde those of Chio and those of Erithree whiche were mynded likewise to rebell from the Athenians made their treatie with the officers and counsaillours of the cytie of Lacedemonie withoute knowlaige of Agis with whome was come into the sayd cytie Thissaphernes that was prouoste of the inferiour prouynce for the kynge Dareus sonne of Artaxarxes who solycited the Peloponesians to make warrre against the Atheniens and promysed to fournishe theÌ„ with monney wherof he had the comoditie for that that by the comandement of the king his maister he had a lytle bâ—fore exacted a tribute of his prouynce to the intent for to employ the monney against the Athenyans Whome he hated much for that that those were they that had empesched him to make Grece trybutairie vnto hym and it semedde to the sayed Thissaphernes that more easely he shulde recouer the sayd trybute insomuche as he was mynded to employe ytt against the Athenyans and also by that meane that he shoulde make allyance bitwene the Lacedemonians and the kynge Dareus besydes this that he shulde haue in his power Amorges bastarde sonne of Pyssuthnes Who beyng prouost of the countrey of Carie for the kynge was rebelled againste him and he hadde comanded the sayd Thissaphernes that he shulde take paine to haue him lyuing or deade And thereupon Thissaphernes agrede with theym of Chio. In the selfe season Calligetus sonne of Leophon of Megare Tymagoras sonne of Athenagoras of Cizine who were both chased out of their countrey came vnto Lacedemonie vnto Pharnabasus sonne of Pharnacus who had withdrawin theÌ„ thider to demauÌ„de of the Lacedemonyans ships for to carye theÌ„ into Hellesponte offring them to make all his power to get the cyties of his prouynce which
ledde conduicted by the feare of God for the daunger of that which might chaunce then for to suffre the sensuall appetite to ronne on the bridelle ouerthrowen by the lefte waye and displeaâ—ante to God as I do take it For this cause and hauing good opinion of your Royall maiestie I haue heretofore bene parforced to cause to comme to your knowlaige many prophane histories which ye had not sene nor knowen before for that they were not translated into the frenche tongue for some of theÌ„ were in Greke as the same of zenophone of the voiage of Cyrus and the same of Diodorus of the successours of Alexandre the other had bene furst writtone in Greke and afterwardes translated into Latyne as the same of Appyan of Alexandria And thother wryttone furste in latyne but neuer were translated into Frenche as the same of Iustine All the whiche besydes the pleasure that maye be taken in readynge of them be full of teachynges and documentes to hym that woll taste dygeste and reduce them vnto a morall sense For there maye be perceyued many passages which maye greatly serue to the conducte of publique affayres aswell in the tyme of peace as in the tyme of warre And yet neuertheles consyderynge my Ecclesiasticall estate and also the seruytude that I beare towardes youe whiche is suche that I holde and repute my selfe bounden to desyre and procure youre soule helthe chiefly and also the prosperytie and felycyte of youre temporall estate as muche as any subiecte or seruaunte that youe haue for many greate goodnes which of youre grace and mere motion you haue done vnto me wythoute anye myne merytes in all poyntes vndeserued and for the affectyon and confydence whiche youe haue shewed and shewe to haue in me muche more greate than my small seruyces maye haue deserued I thought it not conuenable that I had laboured so farre in translatynge for youe humayne hystoryes excepte that I employed my tyme and laboure in some spyrytuall thyng And therby was moued to translate the Ecclesiasticall hystorye of Ruffinus Acquilesian which is all full of good doctryne and of good examples seruynge for oure faythe and for the edification of our consciences And albeit that I addressed the sayd translatyon to the ryght happy remembred the late quene youre wyfe for the singularitie excellencye of her vertues and of her deuotyon and towardnes to thynges spyrytuall whereby she hath lefte to them nowe lyuinge a memoryall and renoÌ„me perpetuall and an example of goodnes and vertue to all ladyes and women of all estates yet I well perceyâ—ed that suche thynges were common betwene youe two as all other were And that for pleasure whiche youe shewe of youre grace to take in my translatyons and also vnderstandynge the dignitie and excellencye of the matter youe woulde see and cause it to be redde and therin wolde take asmuche or more delectation than at other And notwythstandynge afterwardes hauynge no other matter in hande whiche semed vnto me worthy of translation for to presente vnto youe wherof youe haue not had knowlayge and that I haue not founde in your librairy in olde bookes which haue benhertofore translated into Frenche by many diuers excelleÌ„t authours I haue fynally chosen the hstory of Thucydides the Athenyan which he hath wrytton in .viii. bokes of the warre of Peloponese and of the Lacedemoniens whiche semeth ryghte singulier vnto me not so muche for the declaratyon of the hystory althoughe that it be very fayre rare ynough to Frenche men which haue not had many of the bokes of the hystoryes of Grekes at large in theyr language as for the profundytie and excellencye of the orations and propositioÌ„s which be called concioÌ„s conteygned in the same Whiche comprehende generall teachynge of all wayghty thynges and the hole arte efficacite of Eloquence as all authours aswell Grekes as Latyns do shewe vs. Specyally Cicero who is the Prynce of Eloquence amongest the Latins Thinking that I haue done nothyng by the traÌ„slations aforesaid yf I had not translated thys hystorye which so greatly is celebrated by all them whiche haue had knowlayge of the sayd orations coÌ„cions And yet for all that after I had ouerrunne the sayde hystorye I therin founde so many difficulties specially in the vnderstandyng of the said orations concions whiche haue alwayes seamed right harde to all them that haue redde theÌ„ albeit that they were excelleÌ„t in lernyng as Cicero him self acknowlaigeth that I purposed to repeÌ„t to withdrawe me froÌ„ my enterpryse so much the more that the translatyon which was made out of Greke by Laurencius Ualle seamed to me very obscure hard truly so had I done had not bene M. Iohn lascarf Deuising with whome of this matter by meanes of coÌ„municatyon whiche I had had with him in translation of the other Greke hystoryes purifyed or traÌ„slated out of Greke into Latin wherof I haue made mention afore shewyng him the difficultie that I founde in the sayde matter he gaue me courage to intende vnto it magnifying greatly vnto me the excellencye of the sayd hystorye further promysyng me that he woulde correct the latyne translatyon of the same in places passages which he thought to haue be altered or darkened In such sorte yâ— with good diligence I myght take oute the true sense And so hauing accomplyshed the sayd translation I might saye that I had done one principall worke in the FreÌ„che tongue Which promyses persuasyons gaue me such courage Ioyned the desyre that I haue to be hable to presente vnto you one thing singulier in him self not knowen to Frenche men that I enterprysed to parfaycteit by helpe of the annotacyons and correction of the said Laskary without whiche for trouth I coulde neuer haue knowen howe to comme vnto the ende asweâ—l for the dyfficultye of the matter as for the imperfectyon of the Latyne translation in many circuÌ„stances specially in the moste harde Therfor I most humbly requyre you my redoubted souuerayne Lorde that it maye be youre pleasure to take in good parte this translation and to accepte it for the chief oâ— the workes of my labourem thys arte of translatyon specyally for humayne histories aswell for this that I cannot fynde other matter whiche shal not appere grosse as concerning this as also that my estate my age togethers with the busynes in which you haue geuen me charges in Ambassades that you haue coÌ„mitted vnto me for your principal affayres whan they haue bene most troublesome haue taken fro me fantasye facultye to attende or be vacant hereafter to such workes which apperteygne to yonge people endewed with good wytt syngulyer doctryne that haue no other busynes to withdrawe theyr fantasyes Also souuerayne Lorde I hope that God of hys goodnes hauynge regarde to youre intente woll change the wille of Princes people which haue these yeares passed made moued warre against youe through ambitioÌ„ couetice as I do
coniecture vsing great ingratytude agaynste you as it is well knowen in such wise that knowyng the greate goodnes and playsures that you haue done to them and the malyce deceyte of theÌ„ that haue bene promoters and occasyoÌ„ of the said warre discensions together wyth the euils whiche haue chaunced be to happen yf it endure also your puyssaunce armye so strong that soner they maye therin loose than wynne lyke as they haue perceyued these two yeares passed shal cause theÌ„ to requyre pair Which God by his meane shall easely do hauyng alwaies bene desyred or purchassed on your behalfe or els froÌ„ theÌ„ that he shall knowe to be obstynate shall take away their strength meanes to execute it by such remedies perpepuell or temporall as his diuine prouidence shall knowe to be most conuenyent for the vnyuersal wealthe of Christendome as he hath already done to some of theÌ„ In such sorte that you may vse the remanante of youre daies in suertie reste to the great reioysing of your good faythfull subiectes to the prosperitie augmentacioÌ„ of your royaulme to the perpetuall glory of your Royall victoryous name in thys world and fynally after all to the eternall felicitie of your soule And I who vnto this my age which draweth to oldnes haue not hytherto discharged my self in any charge that God hath geueÌ„ me chiefly in the churche but haue employed all my time in temporal and worldly negotiations affayres requyre hym that I may in this that it shall please hym to lende me lyfe hereafter supplye after my frayltie to the faultes paste in hys seruyce wythout therfore to be withdrawen froÌ„ yours ther where it shal please you to employe me that I shall perceyue that I maye serue you your Royâ—ulme according to my estate and condition Wherunto I holde and repute my selfe bounden in conscience and cannot foresake so to do wythout incurryng the detestable synne of ingratitude which aboue all other I haue alwayes abhorred as the selfe thyng that I esteme to be most displeasaunt to God To whom I praye right souuerayne Lorde that it may please hym to order our operations and workes in the waye of hys commaundementes Here followe the Chapiters of the fyrste boke of Thucidides of the hystoryes of Peloponese c. IN the fyrst Chapter the Author doth shewe that the warre whereof he woll speake hath bene more greate then any other that the Grekes had euer had within theyr countrey or wythout and recyteth the begynnynge and vpcommynge of the countrey of Grece and of all the warres that they had had afore thys same Cap. i. The begynnynge of the growynge of the warre of Grece whiche began betwene the Corinthiens and the Corciriens and howe the Corinthiens hauynge bene vainquished by sea and preparynge them selues to begynne battayle agayne Ambassadours were sent by aither of both partes to the Athenyens to get their fauour or confederacyon Capit. ii The oration of the Corcyriens before the counsell of Athenes Capit. iii. The aunswere of the Corinthians Cap. iiii Howe the Athenians receyued the Corciriens into theyr allyance and sente theÌ„ succours and howe the Corinthiens and Corciriens had a battayle by sea in the whiche aâ—ther of them toke it that he had the vyctorye cap. v. The other quarells and occasions of warre that happened betwene the Athenians and Corinthyans by meanes wherof al the Peloponesians were assembled at Lacedemonie to conclude warre agaynst the sayd Athenians cap. vi The declaratyon or proposition of the Corinthians to the counsell of Lacedemonye agaynste the Athenians cap. vii The declaration of the Athenyans vnto the Lacedemonians cap. viii The narration and proposition of Sthenelaydes in folowyng wherof warre was concluded agaynste the Athenyans cap. x. Howe the Athenyans after the warre agaynst the Medians dyd buylde agayne theyr cytie and the begynnynge of theyr Empire or GouernauÌ„ce in Grece ca xi Of warres that the Carthagians had after the same of the Medyans vntyll thys present warre aswell agaynst straungers as agaynst the Grekes by meanes wherof they encreased theyr Empyre and auctorytie cap. xii The narratyon or proposition of the Corinthyans to the counsaylle of Lacedemonians before thassemblye of all the confederates Cap. xiii Howe the warre beynge concluded agaynste the Athenians by all the Peloponesians in the cytye of Sparte the Lacedemonyans sent theyr Ambassadours towardes the Athenians for to summone them of certayne thynges cap. xiiii Here Thauctour sheweth incidently the Trahisone that Pausanias woulde haue done agaynste the Grekes and howe he was slayne cap. xv Howe Themistocles duke of the Athenyens beynge persecuted aswell by them as also by the Lacedemonyans wente or fledde to the Kyng Artaxerses there ended hys lyfe cap. xvi Howe after many goynges and commynges the Athenians toke deliberation whyder they ought rather to accepte warre or to obey to the Requestes of the Lacedemonyans Cap. xvii The speakynge and the opynyon of Pericles in the counsaylle of the AtheniaÌ„s accordyng wherunto the aunswere was made vnto the LacedemoniaÌ„s ca. xviii ¶ The Chapitres of the seconde boke of Thucidides HOwe the Beotians before the warre was begonne dyd pryuely take the cytye of Platea whiche helde wyth the Athenyans and howe they were dryuen from thence and the more part of them that were entred with in were slayne Cap. i. The great preparatyon of warre whiche is made aswell on the behaulf of the Athenyens as also of the same of Peloponesians and the cytyes that toke part of th one syde and the other Cap. ii The narration of Archidamus Kynge of Athenyens Cap. iii. Howe after the persuasyons and exhortacyons of Pericles vnto the warres all the Athenyans that dwelt in the feldes wythdrewe themselues and theyr goodes into the cytye and dysposed them selues to the affayres of warre Cap. iiii Howe the Peloponesians dyd furste enter the lande of Athenes and the pyllages that they there made and how the Athenyans by the counsaylle of Pericles were letted to yssue or go oute reserued the men on horsebacke whiche were ouercomme Cap. v. Of many eâ—ployctes of warre that the Athenians dyd aswel by sea as by lande the sommer that the warre beganne and the wynter folowyng and also of some allyaunces and newe amyties that they made in Thracia and Macedonia and fynally of the Publique buryals or funerals that they celebrated at Athenes for them that dyed or were slayne in the same warre Cap. vi The funerall narration of Pericles Cap. vii Of the pestilence whiche was the sommer folowynge in the cytye and lande of the Athenyans and also of the feates of warre that were done of th one syde and of the other and of the despayre wherein the Athenyans were fallen Ca. viii The narration and preposition of Pericles to the people of Athenes for to appayse them to exhorte them to followe the warre and to indure and suffre the presente incommodites Cap. ix Of the vertues and