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 Peloponesians didde enter ennemylike into the countrey of Athenyans and enclosed the towne of Decelea wyth walles. And of the suc∣cours that was sente into Sycille, aswell on the behalf of the Athenyans, as also of the Peloponesyans. ☞The .iii. Chapter.

AFter that the Athenyans had appoyncted their sayde prouysions for Sycille, they sente twenty galleis aboute Peloponese, for to defende and wythstande, that no ships shulde passe fromthence out of Corin∣the into Sycille. For the Corinthyans after that the Ambassadours of the Syracusayns, whyche were comme for to require newe succours were ar∣ryued vnderstandynge the affayres of Sycille to be in better estate, dyd yet take more couraige, and semed vnto theym that the armye, whyche they had sente bi∣fore, was come all in tyme. For that cause they prepared for to sende thider ren∣forte or newe succours of men in the platt Barques, and the Lacedemonyans wyth the reste of the Peloponesians did the lyke. So the Corynthyans armed xxv. galleys for to accompaygnye their Barques, and to defende them agaynste the galleys of the Athenyans, whyche attended and lay in wayte for them in the passage at Naupacte. As touchyng the Lacedemonyans, as they prepared their succours, beynge vrgently moued aswell by the Syracusains, as by the Coryn∣thyans: vnderstandinge moreouer that the Athenyans sente newe succours into Sycille, for to empesche that, and chiefly through the counsail of Alcibiades, they determyned for to enter into the lande of the sayd Athenyans, and at the begin∣nynge to mure and walle in Decelea. And the Lacedemonyans enterprysed that same wyth the better couraige, by cause that they thoughte that the Athenyans hauynge greate warre in twoo coastes: to wytt, in Sycille and in their oune con∣trey,

shulde be the moore easely subdewed and vaynquished. And also that they hadde iuste quarelle, forsomuche as the Athenyans hadde furste broken the ap∣poinctement: whiche thynge was whole contrary to the other former appoync∣tement. For the rotture or breache beganne on the bihalf of the Lacedemonians, for that, that the Thebains, had inuaded Platea, without breaking the appoinc∣tement. And though that it was ordonned by the same, that warre shulde not be moued agaynste hym, that submitted hymself to the iudgement of the other confederated Cyties and that the Athenyans offredde to stande therunto: yet al∣wayes the Lacedemonyans wolde not accepte the offre: by occasion wherof, they thought that, w^t good cause, they hadde receiued many mischances in the warre, whyche than was made, and speciallye at Pylus. But after the laste appoincte∣ment, the Athenyans had sente thirty ships out of their sea and wasted one par∣tie of the terry••orie of the Epidaurians and of the Prasyens: and also of some other countreys, and kepte men at Pylus, who robbed and spoylled the confede∣rates wythout any ceassynge. And whan the Lacedemonyans sente vnto Athens for to demande restytution of the goodes, that were takene, and in case of refusal that they shulde commytt the thynge to knowlaige accordynge to the artycles of appoynctemente: yet wolde they neuer doo yt. For thys cause yt semedde to the Lacedemonyans, that as the fault & offence of the breache, which was in the former warre, was cōmytted on their bihalfe, so was i•• nowe in the partie of the Athenians: by meane wherof they went against them w^t the better harte. And so they commaunded to the other Pelonesyans that they shulde make prouysyon of Irons for the walles at Decelea, in the meane tyme, that they prouydedde for other matter therunto necessarie: and moreouer constrayned theym to fournishe monney for to sende succours into Sycille for their portion, lyke as the self La¦cedemonyās did. And in thies enterfeats ended the wynter, whych was the .xviii yeare of the warre, whych Thucydides had wryttonne. In begynnynge of spring tyme, the Lacedemonyans wyth their allyes entred soubdaynely into the lande of the Athenyās, vnder conducte of Agis sonne of Archidamus kyng of the same Lacedemonyans. And at the furste arryuall they wasted and pillaiged the platte countrey, that was at the entrynge, and afterwardes dyd geue themselfe to en∣close Decelea wyth walle, and delyuered to euery of the Cyties confederated ac∣cordynge to hys quantytie, to make one quarter of the sayde walle. Nowe the same cytie is afarre of from Athens aboutes seuene skore stades, and well nighe asmuche out of the countrey of Beotie. And for that cause, beynge enclosed with walle and garnished wyth men, one might, oute of the same, pillage & ouerronne the plat coūtrey vnto the Cytie of Athens. In thys same tyme that the walles of Decelea was in buildinge, the Peloponesyans, that taryed in the countrey sent the succours into Sycille in their Barques. To wytt, the Lacedemonyans, sixe houndred of the moste gentle compaignyons of their esklaues, and of their labo∣rers, vnder the conducte of Eurytus of Sparte.* 1.1 The Beotians three houndred, vnder the conducte of zenon and of Nycon of Phebes and Egesander the Thes∣pian.* 1.2 Thies here were the furste that at there departure frome Tenara in Laco∣nium laūched into the meane sea. Sone after, the Corynthians sente fyue houn∣dred men, aswell of their people, as of the Arcadyans, whyche they had soulded or hnyred, of whome Alexarchus the Corynthian was Chief:* 1.3 and wyth them, there were two houndred Scycionians vnder the conduct of Sargeus Sycio∣nien.* 1.4 On the other syde the .xxv. galleys, whyche the Corynthians hadde sent the wynter precedynge agaynste the twenty of the Athenyans that abodde at Nau∣pacte for to kepe the passage, were foranempste the sayde Naupacte, so longe as

the Barques, whyche ca••yedde their souldyars passed by. At the self same begin∣nynge of the sprynge tyme, whan the walles were buildinge about Decelea: the Athenyans sente .xxx. galleys aboute Peloponese vnder the conducte of Chary∣cles,* 1.5 to whome they comomaunded, that he shulde go fromthence in their name vnto the Argiues to requyre them that they woolde sende and fournishe wyth men for to fylle the sayde galleys accordynge to their allyance: and on the other syde in ensuing their determynation touching the affayres of Sycille, that they shulde sende thider Demosthenes wyth .lx. shippes of theirs, and fyue of those of Chio. In the whyche there was twelue houndred warryours Athenyans, and of the Islanders, asmanye as they coulde assemble: and of theire othere allyes, all those that they myght recouer beinge men of warre: and commaunde the sayde Demosthenes that in passynge he shulde ioygne wyth Charicles, and bothe to∣giders shulde pillaige and ouerronne the coūtrey Marytimate of Laconie. The whyche Demosthenes, sailled fromthence straight to the poarte of Egyne, wher∣in he attended those of his souldyars, that were not yet come, and lykewyse the retourne of Charicles, who was gone vnto the Argyues.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Euri∣tus.
• * 1.2

  xenon.

  Nycon.

  Egesan∣der.
• * 1.3

  Alexar∣thus.
• * 1.4

  Sar∣geus.
• * 1.5

  Chari∣cles.