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 certene of the Pelopone∣sians shyppes were repoulsed by the Athenyans in the porte of Pyerus. And howe the cyties of Chio, of Erythree, of Mylet and many other tourned vnto the cōfederation of the Pelopone••ians. And howe the furst allyance was made bitwene the kyng Dareus, and the Lacedemonyans. ☞The .iii. Chapter.

ENsuyng that same deliberation, those, whiche hadde charge thereof, passedde the distreate with .xxi. galleys. And thoughe that they made great instance to the Corinthyans, that they shulde passe with them yet they woulde not do it, for that, that the feast, whiche is called Is∣thmie, dyd drawe nygh, the whiche they were wyllyng to celebrate bifore their departure. Which perceiuedde, Agis, that they shulde not breake the othe, by the whiche they had made trefues with the Athenians vntill after that same feaste, offred to take thē in his name, wherunto they also woulde not agree. And in the meane time that they debated hereupon, the Athenyans, being aduertised of the treatie that the Chiens did make, sent vnto them one of their officers, named A∣ristocrates,* 1.1 for to declare vnto thē, that they dyd naughtely. And forsomuche as they denied the case, he cōmanded them, that they shulde sende their shyps to A∣thens, lyke as they were bounde by vertue of their allyance, whiche thynge they durst not refuse, and sent thider seuen galleys, wherof certene, whiche dydde not knowe the other treatie, were authors, and also they that knewe yt, who feared to putt theymself in danger and to declare the case vnto the comminaltie, vntyll they myghte haue some puissance, for to resiste yt, if that it woulde ryse vppe, not hopynge more that the Peloponesians woulde haue come, sithens that they ta∣ryed so longe. Durynge this tyme, the solempne playes were made at the feaste of Isthmie, wherat the Athenyans were, for that, that they had hadde suertie or saulf conducte to come thider. And so they lernedde there more clerely howe the Chiens practysedde to rebell frome them. For this cause, after that they were re∣tourned vnto Athenes, they prepared their shyppes for to defende, that those of thennemyes shulde not departe out of Cenchree without their knowlaige.* 1.2 And ryght sone after the feast, they sent thider .xxi. galleys for to encounter the other xxi, wherof Alcamenes had the conduct. And after that they did see them, they en∣forced themself to tull them into the mayne sea, faigning themself to retyre. Ne∣uerthelas after that the Peloponesians had followed them a lytle further, they retourned backe, whiche sene, the Athenyans dydde lykewyse retyre, forsomuche as they trusted not seuen shyps which they had from Chio in their compaignie of .xxi. But being afterwardes come vnto thē an other newe succours with .xxxvii other shyps, they followed the ennemyes vntill the deserte & habandoned porte, which is in the extremyties or furthest parte of the lande of Epidaurians, which they called Pyreus,* 1.3 within the which porte the Peloponesians ships were rety∣red, reserued one, whiche was loste in the mayne sea. At which place the Atheny∣ans came to assaille theym by sea, and also landedde one parte of their men, who fearedde theyme greatly, and crusshed manye of their shyppes and dyd slay ma∣nany men, among whome was Alcamenes, also a certene nomber of their peo∣ple dyed bifore that they departed, but fynally the Athenyans retyredde. And for to kepe the ennemyes assiegedde, they lefte suche nomber, as they thoughte good in a lytle Islande there adioignynge, wherein they lodgeddde theymeselfe, and sente wyt h dilygence by a brigantyne to the Athenyans, that they shoulde

sende theyme newe succours: durynge this tyme and the daye followynge the Corinthians did comme to the ayde of the Peloponesians, and sone after, those of the other allyes: who seinge, that it shulde be veray harde for them for to kep•• that same desarte place, were in greate perplexitie, and at the furste brunte did speake of burning their ships. But fynally they determyned to wythdraw them towards the lande, & to cause their men to lande for to warde them vntill that they shulde see oportunytie for to saue them. Agis beinge aduertysed of the whi∣che thynges, sente vnto them a cytezeine of Sparte, named Thermon.* 1.4 Nowe the Lacedemonyans hadde bene aduertysed of the departure of the shipps out of the destreate, for that, that the Trybuns of the people had cōmanded Alca∣menes that he shulde aduertyse them, immediatly whan he departed. For this cause they sence wyth all dylygence fyue ships after, vnder the conducte of Chal∣cideus and of Alcibiades. But afterwardes beinge aduertysed howe their men and shippes were fledde, they were all astonyed and da••shedde oute of counte∣nance, that their furst enterpryse of warre in the sea Ionium, had myshappened, in suche sorte that they were determyned not to sende any more an army by sea out of their lande, and to reuoke or calle backe the same, whiche they had alrea∣dy sente thider. Whyche perceyued, Alcibiades perswaded eftsones to Endius, that he shulde not suftre the enterpryse of Chio to be brokene of, nother to waxe colde. For it mighte arryue there, before that the Chiens were aduertysed of the inconuenyence of the other shyppes. And if he himselfe saylled into Ionum, he was hable to cause ryght easely the cyties, whyche toke parte wyth the Atheny∣ans to rebelle, sygnefyinge vnto them the debilitie and lowe estate of the Atheny∣ans, and the puissance, togyders with the enterpryses of the Lacedemonyans: for somuche as he had greate creditt w^t them. And besydes this, Alcibiades, shewed to Endius perticulerly, that it shulde be greate honnor and greate glorye vnto hym, that by hys meane the contrey of Ionum shulde rebelle from the Atheny∣ans to the confederatyon wyth the Lacedemonyens: and that by that meane he shulde be compaignyon wyth Agys kinge, and so haue done yt wythoute the sayde Agis, vnto whom the same Endius was aduersary: and Alcibiades so per¦swaded Endius and the other Trybuns, that the charge of fyue shippes, wyth Chalcideus the Lacedemonyan, was delyuered vnto hym for to go in that same partie, whiche they did in a ryght small tyme. Nowe chaūced it in that self time that Gylippus after the victorie comynge agayne oute of Sycille into Grece w^t xvi. Peloponesians shipps, he encountred nighe to Leucade .xxvii. shippes of the Athenyans: wherof Hippocles,* 1.5 sonne of Menippus, was chief, who was sente thi∣der to thys ende, to wytt, for to encounter and spoylle the shippes, whych came oute of Sycille, and though that he did them greate displeasure and greatly fea∣red them, yet neuerthelas they eskaped all, resarued one, and sailled to lande at Corinthe. In the meane tyme Chalcideus & Alcibiades in making their voiage, did take all the shippes, whyche they encountred, of whatsoeuer sorte that they were: to the intente that their passage shulde not be knowin: the whyche neuer∣thelas they dyd afterwardes suffer to departe, byfore they arryued at the place of Coricque,* 1.6 whyche is in mayne lande, and hauinge treated wyth certene of the Chiens that ministred to the treatie, they were aduertysed not to speke therof to any whatsoeuer parsone: whiche thinge they dyd in suche sorte, that they arriued at the Cytie of Chio, byfore that any parson knewe any thinge therof. The Cyte∣zeins beyng much astonyed therof, they were perswaded by some for to assemble the counsaille of the towne, for to heare, what they, whyche were arryued, wold say. And the same beinge assembled Chalcideus and Alcibiades declaredde vnto

them, how many of the Peloponesians ships did come after vnto them, w^toute makyng mention of those, that were assieged in Pyreus. The Chiens vnderstan∣ding whichch thinge, made allyance wyth the Lacedemonians, departing them self from the same of the Athenians: & the lyke they caused incontynently after to be made by the Erethriens,* 1.7 and consequently by the Clazomeniens,* 1.8 who w^out any further delay passed fourthwith into the mayne lande, and builded there a small towne, to the ende, that if any shulde come to ouerrōne them in the Island, they might haue some place for to witdraw thēself into. And for effecte all those that rebelled, were attentiue & diligente for to fortefie their walls, & to prouyde thēself w^t all thinges for to resiste the Athenians, if they did come to assaill them. Whan y^e Athenyās were aduertised of y^e rebellyō of the Chiēs, they were in great sorow & doubt, that their allyes perceyuing that same great cytie rebelled, wold do the like. For this cause, albeit that they had layd a part a thousande talentes & had made a decree y^t no man shuld speke or purpose vnder the great paynes to touche or to take therof during all y^e warre: yet neuerthelas for the feare, y^t they had of that same case, they reuoked their decre, & ordeyned that men shulde take a great part therof, wherwith that they might make and tacle a great nōber of ships: & moreouer caused eyghte of those that were in Pyreus to dislodge vnder the conduict of Strōbichides sone of Diotimus for to follow those,* 1.9 which Chal¦cideus and Alcibiades did conducte: but they coulde not ouertake them, for they were already come agayne fromthence. And sone after they sent for the same ef∣fecte twelue other ships vnder the conducte of Thra••ides, which likewise were departed frō the Siege of those, that were in Pireus. For vnderstanding the re∣belliō of y^e Chiens, they seased the .xvii. ships, which they had of thē at the said Py∣reus: & restored to libertie the esklaues that were w^tin them: but they did take y^e cytezeins prisoners. And in stede of the other, which had geuē vp & forsaken that same siege, there were other fourth w^t sent thider at great charges, & also they had determyned to arme .xxx. & vpwards of them: which to do they vsed so great dyli∣gence, y^t it semed that they estemed nothing to be sufficient inough for to recouer Chio. During this time Stronbichides w^t .viii. ships sailled to Samū, & hauing there taken also one shippe, which he founde there, he sailled to Tea,* 1.10 and prayed the cytezeins that they wolde be firme and constant, & not to make any nouelty. Unto which place Chalcideus dyd come frō Chio with .xxiii ships, in the whiche he had charged a great nomber of fotemen, aswell of Erythree, as also of Clazo∣menie. Stronbichides, being aduertysed therof, he departed incontynently from Tea, & whan he had taken the mayne sea, seing afarre of so great nōber of ships he retired into Samie, where he saued himself, although that the other did geue him the chase. Which perceyued, the Theriens although that at beginning they had refused to receyue garnyson into their cytie, receyued it after Stronbichides was fledde fromthence. And there were lefte the fotemen Erithryens and Clazo¦meniens: who hauynge certen dayes attended the retourne of Chalcideus, that followed Stronbichides, and seynge that he came not, they dyd rase downe the walles of the towne, whiche the Athenyans had made frome of the coaste of the mayne lande. And that did they, wyth the ayde and perswation of certaine stran∣gers that came thider in the meane time vnder conducte of Stages, lieutenāt of Cissaphernes. In this meane time Chalcideus & Alcibiades, hauing chased Strō••bychides into the porte of Samie, they retourned fromthence to Chio, & there left their maroners in garnisō, whō they armed as souldears. And hauing in their stede put into their ships men of y^e countrey & moreouer armed .xx. other shipps, they sailled fromthence to Mylet, trusting to cause the towne to rebelle. For Alci∣biades,

who had great amytie w^t many of the pryncipall cytezeins therof, wolde gladly do that acte, byfore that the shyps of the Peloponesians shulde be sente thyder for that same cause, and to haue that same honnour, aswell for him as for Chalcydeus and also for those of Chio, whome they hadde in their compaignie, and moreouer for Endius, who was author of hys voiage: that by their meane, many Cyties, whyche toke parte wyth the Athenyans, shulde rebelle. Hauynge than made greate dyligence by sea the moste secretly that they myght, they arry∣ued at the said Milet a lytle before Stronbichides and Thrasicleas,* 1.11 who were sente thider by the Athenyans wyth .xii. shippes, and caused the towne inconty∣nently to tourne to their confederatie. Sone after arryued other nynetene ships of the Athenyans, whyche followed those here, the whyche not beinge receyued by the Mylesians, they retyred into an Islande there adioygning, named Lada.* 1.12 Sone after the rebellyon of Mylet, the furst alliance was made betwene the king Dareus & the Lacedemonyans by Tyssaphernes & Chalcideus in this manner.

The tenour of the allyaunce betwene the kinge Dareus and the Lacedemonians.

IN thies enterfaictes, the Lacedemonyens and their allyes, made al∣lyaunce wyth the kynge Dareus and Tyssaphernes hys prouoste, in this manner. That the cyties, landes, countreys and seigniories, that the Athenyans helde, those same, whyche the kynge or hys pre∣decessours had holdene, shulde remayne vnto hym: and that all the reuenue that those Athenyans dyd take therof, shulde be enioyed by the kynge and the Lace∣demonyans togiders, and that they shulde defende that no parte thereof shulde cometo the proffitt of the Athenyans. That the kynge and the Lacedemony∣ans wyth their allyes shulde make warre commonlye agaynste the Athenyans: and that the one shulde not conclude peace w^t them wythoute the othere. And that if any of the kynges subiectes rebelledde agaynste hym, the Lacedemony∣ans and their allyes shulde holde them for their ennemyes: and of the subiectes of the Lacedemonyans and allyes, if they rebelled, the kynge shulde take theym for hys. Such was the somme of the allyaunce bytwene them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Aristo∣crates.
• * 1.2

  Cēchree.
• * 1.3

  Pyreus
• * 1.4

  Ther∣mon.
• * 1.5

  Hippo∣cles.
• * 1.6

  Coricus
• * 1.7

  Erithrei
• * 1.8

  Clazo∣menes
• * 1.9

  Strōbi∣chides
• * 1.10

  Tea.
• * 1.11

  Thrasi∣cleas.
• * 1.12

  Lada.