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 Alcibiades beinge come into suspition of the Lacedemonyans, dyd repaire to Tyssaphernes, and perswaded hym to forsake the partie of the Pelo∣ponesyans, and to really or confederate hymself with the Athe∣nyans. And howe ambassadours were sente by the sayd Athenyans vnto Thissaphernes for to conclude yt. ☞The .viii. Chapter.

DUryng this tyme, and bifore the rebellion of Rhodes, after the death of Chalcideus, and the battaille, that was made at Milet: the Lace∣demonyans had Alcibades in greate suspition, so that they did wryte to Astyochus, to cause hym to dye, for he was ennemye of Agis their kynge, and in the reste he was reputed a man of lytle fayth. But he beyng aduer∣tised herof, had withdrawin hymself, euen at begynnynge as he had knowlaige of yt, towardes Tissaphernes, with whome, he had practised, all that he coulde agaynste the Peloponesians, and had declared vnto hym all that he had lerned of their affaire, and also he was the cause to make hym to abate and dymynyshe the soulde or wages that he payde vnto the souldiars, and in stede of a groate of Athenes, whiche he shulde haue payde them for the daye: to delyuer theym three half pence onely, whereof he also dyd oftentymes faille the paymente, and by in∣formation of the sayd Alcibiades, he excused himself, saying that the Athenians, whiche had better vnderstandyng in the feate by sea than they, dydde paye vnto their maronners, but the sayd wages: and that he would not bryng them ther∣unto, aswell for to space the monney: (not for annye lacke that he had therof) as also not to geue them occassion, to abuse ytt, and to become more lascyuious and delycate, somuche the more, that the surplusage of that whiche shulde be necessa∣rye for them to lyue wythin their vesselles, shulde not by theym be expended in superfluous thynges, whereby they shulde be the more weakened. And where that he deteigned from thē for a certene tyme, one parte of the payment, yt was to the ende that they shulde haue no occasion to departe & habandone the shyps, if nothynge were due vnto them, whyche thynge they durste not do, whan they shulde perceyue themself contregaiged with any parte of their soulde. And for to be hable to obteigne and perswade this same vnto the Peloponesians, the same Tissaphernes, by the counsaille of the said Alcibiades, had gotton all the patrons of the shyppes and all the capytaines of the townes for monney, resarued, that same Hermocrates of the Syracusayns, who onely dyd resiste agaynste yt with all hys power, in the name of all their confederates. And moreouer the selfe Alci∣biades, speakynge for Tyssaphernes, dyd with reasone confute the cyties whiche demanded monney of the other confederates, for to kepe and defende them. And furst he said to the Chiens, that they ought to haue shame for to demande mon∣ney, considered that they were the richest of Grece, & also that they were sett into lybertie and exempted from the subiection of the Athenyans, throughe the ayde of the Peloponesians, wherfore there was no apparance to demande that the o∣ther cyties shulde brynge into danger their parsones and also their goodes and monney for to consarue the lybertie of that same cytie. And as touchynge the o∣ther cyties, that were also lykewyse rebelled agaynste the sayed Athenyans, that they dyd greate wronge not to be wyllyng to paye for the defence of their lyber∣tie, that, which they had accustomed to pay to the Athenyans by ta••e or by sub∣sedie. And moreouer he sayde that to the surplusaige, Tyssaphernes had reasone

to spare the monney in that manner for to susteigne the charges of the warre, at the least vntill he shulde haue newes frō the kynge, whider that he intended that the soulde shuld be entierly payde or not, and than if he comanded him to pay the whole, there shulde be no lacke therin, & also shulde recompense the cyties parti∣culerly euery one accordinge to his deserte. And moreouer the sayed Alcibiades counsailled Tyssaphernes, that he shulde not go aboute to make by any meanes an ende of that same warre, & also that he shulde not cause the ships that he had caused to be tacled in Phenice to come, nother those which he had caused to be ar∣med in Grece to ioigne with the same of the Peloponesians, for in that doyng he shulde make them lordes both of the sea, & of the lande. But rather that he shuld maignteigne them alwayes in strife & in warre, forsomuche as by that meane he shulde be alwayes in his puissance to prouoke the one of the parties againste the other, which shuld haue offēded him. But if he suffred that the one of the parties were destroyed, & that the other might haue the dominion in sea and in lande: he shulde fynde none, that might ayde him againste those same, if he would chastise them, and it shulde be forced y^t he himself in that case shulde onely take the aduē∣ture with greate danger & greate expences. Wherfore it was better, with smal ex∣pence to enterteigne them in controuersie, & by that meane to haue hys estate in full suertie. And also he shewed further to the sayed Tyssaphernes that the ally∣ance of the Athenians shulde be muche more comely for the king, than the same of the Lacedemoniens, for that, that the same Athenians went not about to rule on lande. And their intent and facyon of making warre, was muche more proffy∣table for the kyng, than the same of the other, for this, y^t the Grekes, whiche they shulde subdue in the sea, beynge his allyes, shulde redute and bringe them partly into their seruitude, and those that were in the lāde, inhabyting in the prouynces of the king, shulde remaine his subiectes, where the Lacedemoniens proceded di∣rectly to a contrary ende, to wytt, to restore all the Grekes into lybertie, where∣fore it was to beleue that those, whiche went about, to bring the Grekes oute of seruitude of the self Grekes, that they would not suffre that they shulde remayne in the lyke bondage of barbarous or estrangers, & so would go about to sette in lybertie all those, that bifore tyme were not restored therunto, which thā were in the subiection of the kinge. Wherfore he counsailled him y^t he shulde suffre the one partie to weaken & destroy the other. For after that the Athenians shal haue lost the greatest parte of their force, the Peloponesians shuld be so weakened, that he shulde easely chase them out of Grece. Tyssaphernes did easely agree to thies in∣structions, and knewe suffyciently that Alcibiades had tolde him the trouth, for∣somuche as he might cōprehende & perceiue it by the affaires that occured. And insuing his counsaille, he furst payde the soulde to the Peloponesians. But for al that he would not suffre theym to make warre, but rather, he sometyme shewed them that they must attende the ships of the Pheneciās that shulde come, some∣tyme that they were to hoate & to ayger to fight. And by that meane he troubled all the enterpryse, and made the same armye, that was so fayer and puissante, in manner as vnproffitable. And also in other thynges he declared moste openly wyth woordes, sayinge that he vnwyllyngly made warre in compa••gnie of the sayed allyes, wholy by instruction of the sayed Alcibiades, who iudgynge the same to be a good thing, did perswade it aswel to the king as to Tyssaphernes, whan that he was wyth them. And that dyd he pryncipally for the desyre that he had to retourne into hys countrey, whiche thyng he hoped at some tyme to ob∣teigne, if yt were not vtterly destroyed. And somuche the more, whan men shulde vnderstande that he had greate amytie with Tyssaphernes, lyke as it happened.

For as the souldyars Athenyans, that were at Samie, vnderstode the famylia∣ritie that he had with the said Tissaphernes with this•• that he had alread•• prac∣tised the principalles to sett ••orwarde hys restorynge towardes theym that had moste auctorytie in the towne, & to brynge the gouernance therof to a smal nom∣ber of the most honnest men, doing thē to vnderstāde that by that meane This∣saphernes would the sonner lynke & ioigne in their amytie the more parte of the patrons and capytaines of the shyps & also of the other pryncipalles that were in the army, who, of theymself hated the comons estate: they agrede thereunto, and after that the matter was broughte into the campe, the bruytt thereof did ronne through out the cytie of Athenes and chiefly that it had bene ordeyned, by those that were in Samie, that some of them shulde go vnto Alcibiades for to treate and parlament with him of that same matter, like as it was done. Who assured them furste to make Tyssaphernes their frende•• and a••terwardes the kyng, pro∣uyded that they shulde change their cōmon gouernment, & shulde comyt it into the handes of honnest substanciall mē, as is afore sayd, for by that meane he sayd that the king would take and conceiue the greater suertie, & trust in them, where∣unto those which were sent vnto him, did readely agree, aswell for that, that it se∣med to them•• that by that meane the Athenians might haue the victory of that same warre: as also for this, that they themself that were of the pryncipalles of the cytie, hoped that, by that meane, the admynistracion shulde come into their handes, where bifore they had bene oftimes persecuted by the com••naltie. Being than come again to Samie, after that they had treated and perswaded the thing vnto them that were there, they sailled to Athenes, and shewed the cōmons that in calling againe Alcibiades, and cōmytting the gouernement into the handes of the pryncipalles of the cytie, they shulde wynne the kyng on their syde, who shuld fournishe them with monney for to soulde & paye their men, in that same warre. Wherunto•• although at the furst sight, that the people were vnwilling to cōdes∣cende and agree, yet the charge, which they susteigned for the warre, in paymente of the warryours, vnderstanding that the kyng would pay them, caused them to enclyne and co••sente vnto yt. And therunto those, which stomacked the matter dyd greatly helpe, aswelle for the loue of Alcibiades, as for their particuler prof∣fytt. And so declared, all that which Alcibiades had sayd to them, vnto the people right amply, which semed in many thinges right greate, and ryght assured. But Phrynicus, who was yet Duke of the Athenyans, founde nothynge good, whi∣che came to that purpose. And it semedde to hym, that Alcibiades in the estate, wherin he was, desired not more the gouernance of the pryncipalles, than of the comon estate, but rather that his ende and intente, was to make some sedition in the cytie, hoping that by one of the parties, he shulde be called againe, and wholy restored, where agaynst the sayd Phrynicus mynded well to withstande, aswelle for his particuler interest, as for to exchue the deuysion of the cytie. And moreo∣uer he coulde not vnderstande, howe the king would departe from the amytie of the Peloponesians, for to allye hymself wyth the Athenyans, considered that the sayd Peloponesians had already asmuche practise & puissance in the sea, as the A∣thenians, & also y^t they possessed many of the cyties within the kynges countrey•• wherfore for to ioigne himself with the Athenians, in whome he might skarce••y haue confydence, it shulde be vnto hym but charge & tra••aille. And that it were a muche more easy thyng for him and more conuenable for to enterteigne the a∣mytie w^t the Peloponesiās, who had in nothing offēded him. On the other parte he sayd that he knewe that the other cyties, whā they shulde vnderstāde, that the gou••••••••nce of that same Athens was altered and translated from the cōmons,

to a small nomber of men, and that they must lyue of the self sorte: the same that were already tourned frome them, would not therfore come againe to the amy∣tie and obeyssance of the Athenyans. And those, whyche had not done yt, woulde not therfore lette to do yt. For where they hoped to recouer there lybertie by the meane of the Peloponesians, hauynge the victory: they would not choose to re∣mayne in subiection of the Athenyans, in whatsoeuer manner that their estate shulde be gouerned, were it by the comons or by the pryncipalles. And on the o∣ther syde, that those, whiche were reputed for the most honnest & for the pryncy∣palles, cōsidered that they shulde suffre no lesse the gouernāce, being in the power of a small nomber, than they dyd whan the same was in the handes of all the cō∣mons. For they shulde be asmuche troubled, by those, whiche vsed guiftes and corruptions, and that were inuentours and conductours of all euyll thynges for to make their particuler proffyt, as they were in the cōmons es••ate. And also the citizeins shulde vnder the auctorytie of those, whyche shulde haue this gouerne∣ment, be punisshed and putt to death without hearing their offences, where they than had recourse to the people whiche punysshed suche violences, and that the same was the opynyon of the othere cyties, whiche were in their obeyssance or a∣mytie, which had knowyn yt by experience. Phrynicus sayd that he was well in∣fourmed of all thies thynges, and therby not to fynde any thynge of that good, whiche Alcibiades dyd than sett forwarde. Yet alwayes those, whiche frome the begynnynge had bene of the contrarye opynyon, all that same notwithstanding, perseuered styll therin, & so ordeyned to sende messengers vnto Athens, amōgest whome was Pysander for to propone and declare vnto the cōmons,* 1.1 the restitu∣tion and restoryng of Alcibiades, & the abolysshynge of the comon estate. Where∣upon Phrynicus, seynge and knowyng of what sorte the messengers shulde pro∣pone & declare the brynging againe of Alcibiades, & doubtinge least the cōmons would accepte it, and if it were so, that euill shulde chance to him, for the resistēce that he had made to the contrary, Alcibiades hauing the pryncipall auctorytie, he deuysed one suche a practique. Which is, that he secretly sent one of his men to A∣styochus, chief of the army by sea, of the Peloponesians, which was yet at Milet, whome he aduertised by his letters of manye thinges, and amonge o••her howe Alcibiades destroyed all the affaire of the sayd Peloponesians, and treatedde to make allyance bitwene Tyssaphernes and the Athenians, and by the said letters declared that he was to be pardoned in that he aduertysed and did counsaille the thyng, whiche was to the disaduantage of hys cytie and countrey, insomuche as he dyd yt for to noye his ennemye. Astyochus, hauing receyued his letters, dydde not greatly esteme them. For yt was not in his puissance to punyshe Alcibiades, for that, that he did no more come to him. But he went to Tissaphernes and the sayd Alcibiades, which were in the cytie of Magnesia,* 1.2 and seignifyed vnto them what was wryttone to hym oute of Samie, makynge hymself wytnes of that, whiche had bene addressed vnto hym, by that meane for to gratefie Tyssapher∣nes: and as men dyd iudge to make his particuler proffytt thereby, and also that, vnto that ende, he suffred that the paymente of the souldyars was delayed by the sayd Tyssaphernes. Alcibiades, hauinge recouered the letters of Phrynicus, sent them incontinently to the officers & chiefest that were in Samie, admonysshing and requirynge theym, that they shulde putt Phrynicus to death. Who, beynge herof aduertised, and perceyuyng hymself in greate danger, he did wryte eftsones to Asteochus, complayning of this, that he had discoueredde and delyuered hys letters to hys ennemyes, offryng vnto hym an other partie, to wytt, to brynge in∣to hys power all the army, that he had at Samie, for to cause theym all to dye.

delyueryng hym sufficient easy meanes, for that that the towne had not walles, and he excused himself afreshe vnto him saying, that no mā ought to repute him wicked, whider that he did the same or whatsoeuer any other thing, for to exchue the danger of his lyfe, wherin he was, by procurement of his mortall ennemyes. Astyochus caused eftsones this treat••e to be knowin to Tissaphernes and Alcibi∣ades. Phrynicus being aduertised herof, & that the same Alcibiades had not yet had his later letters in his handes, he toke & furst practised the other capytaines that were at Samie, & sayd vnto thē that he was aduertised how the enemyes, considering y^t the same cytie was not enclosed with walles, & that the porte was so lytle that all the ships that they had there, coulde not be within it: were deter∣myned for to assaille their campe, wherfore he was of opini••n y^t incon••inently the walles shulde be reysed rounde aboutes the towne, and in the rest to make great watch & great warde, & y^t he, for the auctorytie, which he had ouer thē by meane of his charge, shuld constraine thē to do it. Which thing they did willingly aswell for to exchue the danger y^t was presēt, as also for to be hable to warde & consarue it in time to come. Sone after, the letters of Alcibiades did come to the other ca∣pitains of the army, by the which he aduertised thē of the treat••e of Phrynicus, & how y^t he would betray & deliuer thē al into the hādes of thennemis, who would right sone saile to assault thē. But the said capitaines & other that vnderstoode it would not credytt it, but rather iudged y^t he did write it but for hatred & that he charged Phrynicus to haue intelligence & confederatiō wyth thennemys of that thing, which the same Alcibiades knew wel y^t they would do, and by that meane the letters of Alcibiades did in nothing hurt the sayd Phrynicus, but rather they did Auerre & credit that, which he had alredy discouered of thenterprise of y^e sayd enemys. After y^t, Alcibiades cessed not to perswade Tissaphernes, y^t he shulde con∣clude amitie w^t the Athenians, wherunto he redely enclined, for that, y^t he alredye was in feare of the Lacedimoniās, seing that they were more puissant by sea, thā the Athenians. And neuerthels Alcibiades wēt about to get auctoritie towardes Tissaphernes, in manner that he shuld geue faith vnto him. And chiefly after that he had vnderstāde the difference, y^t had bene bitwene Tissaphernes & the comissa∣ries Lacedemoniās at Cnidus,* 1.3 touching the articles of allyāce made by Thera∣menes, which differēce had already bene moued bifore y^t the said Peloponesians came to the Rhodes. And also bifore that same, Alcibiades had vttred y^e purpose, wherof we haue spokē, to Tissaphernes, shewing vnto hym that the Lacedemo∣nians went about to restore & set al the grekishe cyties in lybertie, wherby, being afterwardes chāced the proposition y^t Lychas had at the assēble of Cnidus, who sayd that y^e same article was not to be holden, by the which it was spokene y^t the king shuld recouer to his obeissāce al y^e cyties, which he or his predecessours had gouerned: he fortefied his opiniō more & more. And by such meanes, Alcibiades, as a mā that intended great thinges, wēt about to shewe himself in all sortes, af∣fectioned to y^e said Tissaphernes. During this time, y^e messengers which were sēt with Pysāder by the Athenians y^t were at Samie, to y^e citie of Athēs, being there arriued proponed & declared to y^e comons y^t which they had in charge, touching sō marely the principal poinctes, & chiefly that in doinge this, whiche was demaū∣ded of thē, they might haue y^e king on their syde, & by y^t meane obteigne y^e victory against the Peloponesiās, to wit, in calling again Alcibiades & in chāging the go¦uernance of y^e towne, like as hath bene said. Against the which thinges many of y^• peple did speake w^t great instāce, aswel for the affecciō which they had to y^e comon estate, as also for thenmytye y^t they had against Alcibiades. And they said that it shuld be a thing tomuch to their reproch for to restore to auctorite him, who had violated & broken their lawes, & against whom, those y^t pronoūced the hallowed

thynges had borne wytnes of the corruptyng, and violation of their ceremonies. By reasone wherof, perceyuynge hymself cou••pable, he wyllyngly bannysshedde hymself, and therefore the same cytizeins were bounde to greate curssynges and punyshmentes towardes the goddes, in case that they shulde calle hym againe. Wherupon Pysander, seynge the greate multitude of the Againesayers, he went thider, where the greatest preasse of them was, and takyng theym by the hande the one after the other, he demaunded of theym if they had any hope of victorye agaynste the Peloponesians by other meane, seynge that they had so greate an armye by sea, as theirs, and greate nomber of cyties of Grece in their allyance, and moreouer the kynge and Tyssaphernes, who fournysshed them wyth mon∣ney, wherof the Athenians had no more, nother coulde hope to haue, but on the kynges bihaulf. Wherunto al those, whome he demaunded, aunswered him that they perceyued none othere meane. Than he replyed vnto theym that the same coulde not be done, if they refourmed not the gouernance of the cytye, & dyd not cōmytt it into the hande of a smalle nomber, and that the kynge desyred it for to be more suer of the cytie. Wherefore he required theym that they shoulde not be wyllyng to haue more regarde to the gouernaunce of the tytie, than to to welth of the same. For afterwardes, wyth the tyme, it shoulde be in their facultie and power for to change yt, if they thought good. Lett vs than call agayne, sayed he, at thys presente Alcibiades, who alone hath power to do yt. Through thies de∣clarations and perswations of Pysander, the people, whiche at the begynnynge dyd take this change of the estate and gouernance to be strange, vnderstandyng by the proposition of the same Pysander, that there was no other meane to saue the Empire and the cytie, partly in feare and partly in hope, they were contente that the gouernance shulde be commytted into the hande of a smalle nomber of men. And the decree was made, wherby the people dyd geue charge and comissi∣on to Pysander, wyth tenne other cytizeins for to go to Tyssaphernes and Al∣cibiades, for to create and accorde wyth them, touchyng the same, in suche sorte as shulde seme vnto them moste proffitable for the cytie. And by the self decree, Phrynicus wyth hys compaignion Sciron,* 1.4 who had been accused by the sayed Pysander, was deposed frome their charge, and in their stede were placed Dio∣medon and Leon,* 1.5 who were sente vnto the army in the sea. And the charge, whi∣che Pysander had layed agaynst Phrynicus, was that he suffred Amorges to be betrayed and lost and it semed to hym that he was not sufficient for to conducte the thynges, that shoulde be treated wyth Alcibiades. Pysander hauynge than sett fourth all the coniurations and fourme of doynges, whi∣che were in the begynnynge, bifore that the common estate had auctorytie, aswelle touchynge the iudgementes as also the officers, and done somuche that the peo∣ple being assembled, had consented to the abo∣lysshyng & abrogating of the comons estate, and moreouer prouyded for all thynges that semed to hym necessarye for the state of the thynges presente: he launched fourth into the sea wyth hys tenne compaig∣nions and sailled from∣thence to Tys∣sapher∣nes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pisāder
• * 1.2

  Magne∣sia.
• * 1.3

  Cnidus
• * 1.4

  Sciron
• * 1.5

  Diome∣don.

  Leon.