The hystory writtone by Thucidides the Athenyan of the warre, whiche was betwene the Peloponesians and the Athenyans, translated oute of Frenche into the Englysh language by Thomas Nicolls citezeine and goldesmyth of London

Howe the Athenians at the per∣suatiō of Brasidas, lefte the partie, of the Athenians. And did take the same of the Peloponesians. The .xi. Chapter.

SOone after that, a lytle bifore the vintage, that selfe somer, Brasidas hauing the Chalcydes with him, came to make warre against the cy∣tie of Acanthe,* 1.1 which was a colonie of the Andrians. And the citizens were in great controuersie, whider they shuld receyue him into the cy∣tie or not. To wirt those, that toke parte w^t the Chalcides on the one syde, and the comon people on the other partie. But bicause of this, that the fruytes were yet in the feldes, the comon people, vpon the perswation, was content that he shulde enter into y^e towne alone, & speake what he would. And afterwardes they would determyne what they had to do. Who, being entred and come to the assemblie of the people, he spake veray sagely, as he welle coulde do. For that, that he was a Lacedemonian, and sayd vnto them in this manner.

The oracion of Brasidas to the Acanthyans.

THis, that I haue been here sent with this armye by the Lacedemoni∣ans (Lordes Acanthiens) declareth sufficiētly: that the cause, for the whiche we haue proclaymed and published from the begynnyng, to haue moued the warre against the Athenians: is true & veritable: to wytt, for to delyuer Grece out of seruitude. And if we haue slacked to come hy∣ther, being deceiued by the hope, that we haue had to haue vainquished y^e Athe∣nians more sonner: we ought not therefore to be reprehended. Considered, that thereby ye arne not incurred into any dāgier. And we come nowe whā we may, for to defeate the Athenians, with you, through our power. But I am greatly abashed of this, that ye shutt me out of the gates, where I thought to be by you receyuedde with greate ioy, and that ye shulde haue desired greatly my coming. For we other Lacedemonians, thynkyng of the occasion and chance of thynges, that we haue made to come hither, as to oure good frendes, and to those, that shulde desire oure comyng: we haue enterprised this voiage, without hauing re∣garde to dāgers, wherein we did putt our self, by passyng through so long space of lande and of strange countreis, for to shewe the good wille, that we haue to∣wardes you. And if you haue an other wille, or be mynded to resist them, that shoulde purchase the lybertie of all Grece: ye shall do naughtely. Aswell for that, that ye shall empesche youre oune lybertie, as also for thys, that ye shall geue yll example vnto other, not to obey and receyue vs. Whiche shall bee a thynge vn••yttyng for this cytie, whiche is puissante and reputed prudente. That we being firste addressed vnto the same, ye haue notte hadde wylle to receyue vs. And also I cannot thynke that ye haue any reasonable cause to do it

except it should be sayd that aither I would perswade you to an vn••ust and vn∣reasonable lybertie: orells that we be not puissant ynough for to defende you a∣gainst the Athenians, if they would herefore inuade you. Which thing ye ought not to feare. For if I, being come to the succours of Nysee with this armye that I haue here, they durst not come to fight w^t me, truly it is is not to be beleued, y^t they woll sende hither so great an armye by lande, as they sent thider by sea. And as to the other poynct, I do aduertis you, y^t I am hider sente by the Lacedemo∣nians, not for to do hurte nother damage vnto Grece: but for to restore it into lybertie. And I haue made greate othes into the hādes of our officers, to suffre: al thē, that I shall bring into our allyance to lyue in libertie, & af••er their lawes. Wherefore ye ought welle to knowe, that I am not come for to drawe you by force or by deceite & trompery, vnto our allyance: but the contrary, in delyuering you from the saruitude of the Atheniās, for to ioigne you in this warre with vs, against thē. And therefore I thinke that ye ought to haue confidence in me that make vnto you so great fayth of that, whiche I speake. And for to geue you cou∣raige, I am come puissante ynough, for to defende you. And if there be any that doubteth herein, fearing for his particularitie, that I woll not geue & deliuer the gouernement of the towne to any one particuler amonges you, I wou••d that he had more confidence & suertie, than thoder. For I do certifie you that I am not come to moue any sedicion, nor mutyne among you. But also me thinketh, that I shulde not restore you into free and true lybertie, if changing youre aunciente fourme of lyuing, I shuld putt the cōmon people into the subieccion of any par∣ticulers, or any perticulers to the subieccion of the comon people. For that, that I vnderstande welle, that the same dominion & rule shulde be more odious and hated vnto you, than that same of estrangers. And thereby vnto vs Lacedemo∣nians, shuld not be due any pleasure nor huyer for the payne, that we haue taken for your cause. But in stede of the glory and honor, that we attende and loke for thereby, we ought to be blaymed, and shulde be charged of the self vice, that we impute vnto the Athenians. Whiche shulde be somuche more vnsittyng & more worthy of reprehension vnto vs than vnto them: that we attribute to our selues this vertue, and prayse, to witt, not to vse tromperie or deceite. Which thing they do not. For albeit that deceite be vnsittyng in al men: yett is it more vnsemely in them, that be in moste dignitie. And also it is woorse & more d••shonnest than vio∣lēce it self. For that•• that violence ouercometh by vertue, & auctoritie of the force, that fortune geueth to the one, ouer the other: but tromperie and deceyte proce∣deth and cometh of an vnreasonable, mischeuous and very malyce. To all which thinges we haue a great circumspection and a great regarde, in treatyng and cō∣ductyng the great affaries. And also I wolle not that you trust so muche in my othe, as in the experience of thinges, & to that, whereof you shall see the effectes, correspondent to reasons, whiche is ryght requisitt for you, as I haue shewed you. But also vnderstāde, that if you hauing harde this my proposicion woll ex∣cuse yourself, saying that ye cannot do that, which we woll: & that ye woll require vs, as your frendes, that we retire without doing any hurt or damage vnto you, pretending that you haue this lybertie without danger and that it ought to bee offred and presented to them, that maye haue it without danger, and that none shuld be cōstrayned to take it: I will protest bifore the goddes and the sainctes, whiche haue this cytie in keping, y^e being come hider for your welth, I coulde no∣thing proffitt with you by wordes. And I woll essay by wasting and destroying your feldes, whider that I may constrayne you thereunto. Perswadyng my self to do it for a good and iust cause, and not wrongfully, for two necessary reasons.

The one for the welth of the Lacedemonians, to the ende y^t they shuld not suffer damage for your loue, permitting you in this sorte, paying the monney, whiche you fournishe to the Atheniās: the other for y^e weale of al the Grekes, to thintent that by you, they be not lett & empesched to recouer their libertie. For if that were not, we shuld well vnderstāde, that no mā ought to be constraigned by force to sett himself againe into libertie (and specially we Lacedemonians) if it be not, for some comon and publique wealth. And yet neuerthelas we wolle not haue any other gouernance or rule ouer you, but to delyuer you from the subiection of o∣ther. And we shulde do iniury vnto many: if by restoring to all other their right of lybertie, we shuld leaue you in this estate, & shuld endure your resistēce. wher∣fore Lordes, take good aduyse herin, & be authors vnto al y^• Grekes. And shewe them the waye to recouer their lybertie, aswel for to acquire & gett this perpetu∣ell glory to haue bene the first: as also for to exchue y^e damage, that otherwayes may chaunce vnto you in your perticuler goodes: & moreouer to thende, that ye geue to this your citie a right honest & glorious name, to be a franke & free citie. After that Brasidas had thus spoken vnto the people, they debated longe, vpon this mater. And finally they came to geue vp their opinions by small billes se∣cretly. And the greatest parte were founde of opinion to departe frō the allyance of the Athenians, aswell for the persuation of Brasidas, as also for feare to lose their goodes, that were in the feldes. And hauing receiued othe of the same Bra∣sidas, that he had comission of the Lacedemonians, for to sett them againe into their lybertie, that shuld render themself vnto him, and to suffer them to lyue ac∣cording to their lawes: they su••••red his armye to enter into the citie. And the lyke thing soone afterwardes did those of Stagire,* 1.2 which is an other towne and Co∣lonie of the Andrians. Theis be the thinges that were done the same sommer.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Acan∣thus.
• * 1.2

  Stagi∣rus.