Today's Passage
This passage describes the second year of the Peloponnesian War (430 BCE), focusing on the intersection of military strategy and the devastating plague in Athens.
Crawley Translation (1910)
A Dorian war shall come and with it death.
So a dispute arose as to whether dearth and not death had not been the word in the verse; but at the present juncture, it was of course decided in favour of the latter; for the people made their recollection fit in with their sufferings. I fancy, however, that if another Dorian war should ever afterwards come upon us, and a dearth should happen to accompany it, the verse will probably be read accordingly. The oracle also which had been given to the Lacedaemonians was now remembered by those who knew of it. When the god was asked whether they should go to war, he answered that if they put their might into it, victory would be theirs, and that he would himself be with them. With this oracle events were supposed to tally. For the plague broke out as soon as the Peloponnesians invaded Attica, and never entering Peloponnese (not at least to an extent worth noticing), committed its worst ravages at Athens, and next to Athens, at the most populous of the other towns. Such was the history of the plague.
After ravaging the plain, the Peloponnesians advanced into the Paralian region as far as Laurium, where the Athenian silver mines are, and first laid waste the side looking towards Peloponnese, next that which faces Euboea and Andros. But Pericles, who was still general, held the same opinion as in the former invasion, and would not let the Athenians march out against them.
However, while they were still in the plain, and had not yet entered the Paralian land, he had prepared an armament of a hundred ships for Peloponnese, and when all was ready put out to sea. On board the ships he took four thousand Athenian heavy infantry, and three hundred cavalry in horse transports, and then for the first time made out of old galleys; fifty Chian and Lesbian vessels also joining in the expedition. When this Athenian armament put out to sea, they left the Peloponnesians in Attica in the Paralian region. Arriving at Epidaurus in Peloponnese they ravaged most of the territory, and even had hopes of taking the town by an assault: in this however they were not successful. Putting out from Epidaurus, they laid waste the territory of Troezen, Halieis, and Hermione, all towns on the coast of Peloponnese, and thence sailing to Prasiai, a maritime town in Laconia, ravaged part of its territory, and took and sacked the place itself; after which they returned home, but found the Peloponnesians gone and no longer in Attica.
During the whole time that the Peloponnesians were in Attica and the Athenians on the expedition in their ships, men kept dying of the plague both in the armament and in Athens. Indeed it was actually asserted that the departure of the Peloponnesians was hastened by fear of the disorder; as they heard from deserters that it was in the city, and also could see the burials going on. Yet in this invasion they remained longer than in any other, and ravaged the whole country, for they were about forty days in Attica.
Modern Translation
A Dorian war shall come, and with it death.
This line sparked debate about whether the original word was "death" (loimos) or "famine" (limos). Predictably, given current circumstances, people insisted it said "death," since they interpreted the prophecy through the lens of their present suffering. I suspect, however, that if another Dorian war occurs in the future accompanied by famine rather than plague, the verse will conveniently be remembered as predicting "famine." People also recalled the oracle given to the Spartans. When they consulted the god about whether to wage war, he replied that if they fought with full commitment, victory would be theirs, and he himself would fight alongside them. Current events seemed to confirm this prophecy, since the plague erupted immediately after the Peloponnesians invaded Attica. The disease never significantly penetrated the Peloponnese, instead devastating Athens most severely, followed by other densely populated cities. Such was the plague's history.
After devastating the plain, the Peloponnesians advanced into the coastal district as far as Laurium, where Athens' silver mines were located. They first ravaged the area facing the Peloponnese, then the region looking toward Euboea and Andros. But Pericles, still serving as general, maintained his previous strategy and refused to let the Athenians engage them in battle.
While the enemy remained in the plain before entering the coastal region, Pericles had already prepared a fleet of one hundred ships to attack the Peloponnese. When preparations were complete, he launched the expedition. The ships carried four thousand Athenian heavy infantry and three hundred cavalry in specially converted horse-transport vessels—an innovation using modified old warships. Fifty Chian and Lesbian ships joined the expedition. As this Athenian armada departed, they left the Peloponnesians still in Attica's coastal region. Reaching Epidaurus in the Peloponnese, they ravaged most of its territory and nearly captured the city by assault, though ultimately failing. Sailing from Epidaurus, they devastated the territories of Troezen, Halieis, and Hermione—all coastal Peloponnesian cities. They then sailed to Prasiae, a Laconian coastal town, ravaging its territory and sacking the town itself before returning home to find the Peloponnesians had already withdrawn from Attica.
Throughout the Peloponnesian occupation of Attica and the Athenian naval expedition, the plague continued killing people both in the fleet and in Athens. Some claimed the Peloponnesians' departure was hastened by fear of the disease, having heard reports from deserters and witnessed the constant funerals. Nevertheless, this invasion lasted longer than any previous one—approximately forty days—during which they thoroughly ravaged the countryside.
Historical Context
This passage describes the second year of the Peloponnesian War (430 BCE), focusing on the intersection of military strategy and the devastating plague in Athens. While Spartan forces under King Archidamus ravage Attica, Pericles maintains his defensive strategy, refusing land battle while launching a retaliatory naval expedition against Peloponnesian coastal cities. The plague, which began as the Spartans invaded, continues to devastate Athens. Thucydides reflects on how people interpret prophecies to match current events, showing his skepticism about divine causation. The passage demonstrates Athens' naval superiority and Pericles' strategic vision, even as the plague undermines Athenian strength. This section illustrates key themes of Thucydides' work: the relationship between power and circumstance, the human tendency to rationalize events, and the impact of unexpected factors like disease on warfare.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
The Plague of Athens
The plague struck Athens in 430 BCE during the Peloponnesian War, killing approximately one-third of the population. Modern scholars debate its identity, with theories including typhoid, smallpox, or ebola. The disease devastated Athens when rural populations crowded within city walls following Pericles' strategy.
Learn more →Laurium Silver Mines
The silver mines at Laurium were crucial to Athenian power, funding the fleet that defeated Persia and maintained the empire. Their revenue enabled Athens to build its navy and sustain prolonged warfare. The mines' strategic importance explains why the Peloponnesians targeted this region.
Learn more →Periclean Strategy
Pericles' defensive strategy avoided land battles against superior Spartan forces, instead relying on Athens' walls, naval supremacy, and financial resources. Citizens abandoned the countryside for the city's protection while the fleet raided enemy coasts. This strategy proved controversial as it led to overcrowding and plague.
Learn more →Ancient Greek Oracles
Oracles, especially at Delphi, played crucial roles in Greek decision-making. Cities consulted them before major undertakings like war or colonization. Thucydides' skeptical treatment of oracular interpretation reflects his rationalist approach to history, contrasting with traditional Greek religious attitudes.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Pericles (34-35)
Plutarch describes the same period, emphasizing how the plague turned Athenians against Pericles' strategy. He provides personal details about Pericles losing his sons to the plague and the political opposition he faced.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.45-46)
Diodorus covers the second invasion and plague, though with less detail than Thucydides. He emphasizes the plague's divine origin as punishment for impiety, contrasting with Thucydides' naturalistic approach.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (2.3.1-3)
While describing later events, Xenophon mentions how Athens never fully recovered demographically from the plague, showing its long-term impact on Athenian military capacity and political stability.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Thucydides' analysis of the oracle interpretation reveal his views on human psychology and the relationship between prophecy and historical events?
- What does Pericles' maintenance of his defensive strategy despite the plague suggest about leadership during crisis? Was his consistency admirable or stubborn?
- How might the plague have affected the balance of power between Athens and Sparta beyond immediate military casualties?
- What does this passage reveal about the relationship between religious belief and rationalist historical analysis in ancient Greek thought?