Today's Passage
This passage describes the civil war (stasis) in Corcyra in 427 BCE, one of the most significant internal conflicts during the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
The next day passed in skirmishes of little importance, each party sending into the country to offer freedom to the slaves and to invite them to join them. The mass of the slaves answered the appeal of the commons; their antagonists being reinforced by eight hundred mercenaries from the continent.
After a day’s interval hostilities recommenced, victory remaining with the commons, who had the advantage in numbers and position, the women also valiantly assisting them, pelting with tiles from the houses, and supporting the melee with a fortitude beyond their sex. Towards dusk, the oligarchs in full rout, fearing that the victorious commons might assault and carry the arsenal and put them to the sword, fired the houses round the marketplace and the lodging-houses, in order to bar their advance; sparing neither their own, nor those of their neighbours; by which much stuff of the merchants was consumed and the city risked total destruction, if a wind had come to help the flame by blowing on it. Hostilities now ceasing, both sides kept quiet, passing the night on guard, while the Corinthian ship stole out to sea upon the victory of the commons, and most of the mercenaries passed over secretly to the continent.
The next day the Athenian general, Nicostratus, son of Diitrephes, came up from Naupactus with twelve ships and five hundred Messenian heavy infantry. He at once endeavoured to bring about a settlement, and persuaded the two parties to agree together to bring to trial ten of the ringleaders, who presently fled, while the rest were to live in peace, making terms with each other, and entering into a defensive and offensive alliance with the Athenians. This arranged, he was about to sail away, when the leaders of the commons induced him to leave them five of his ships to make their adversaries less disposed to move, while they manned and sent with him an equal number of their own. He had no sooner consented, than they began to enroll their enemies for the ships; and these, fearing that they might be sent off to Athens, seated themselves as suppliants in the temple of the Dioscuri. An attempt on the part of Nicostratus to reassure them and to persuade them to rise proving unsuccessful, the commons armed upon this pretext, alleging the refusal of their adversaries to sail with them as a proof of the hollowness of their intentions, and took their arms out of their houses, and would have dispatched some whom they fell in with, if Nicostratus had not prevented it. The rest of the party, seeing what was going on, seated themselves as suppliants in the temple of Hera, being not less than four hundred in number; until the commons, fearing that they might adopt some desperate resolution, induced them to rise, and conveyed them over to the island in front of the temple, where provisions were sent across to them.
Modern Translation
The following day was spent in minor skirmishes, with both sides venturing into the countryside to proclaim freedom for the slaves and urge them to join their cause. The majority of slaves responded to the democratic faction's call, while the oligarchs received reinforcement from eight hundred mercenaries from the mainland.
After a day's pause, fighting resumed with the democrats emerging victorious, having superiority in both numbers and tactical position. The women courageously joined the battle, hurling roof tiles from the houses and enduring the combat with remarkable bravery that exceeded expectations of their gender. As evening approached, the oligarchs were completely routed. Fearing that the triumphant democrats would storm the arsenal and massacre them, they set fire to the buildings surrounding the marketplace and the boarding houses to block their advance. They spared neither their own property nor their neighbors' in this desperate act. Consequently, vast quantities of merchants' goods were destroyed, and the entire city faced potential annihilation—only the absence of wind to spread the flames prevented total disaster. With hostilities suspended, both factions remained vigilant through the night. Meanwhile, the Corinthian vessel slipped away to sea following the democratic victory, and most of the mercenaries secretly crossed to the mainland.
The next day, the Athenian commander Nicostratus, son of Diitrephes, arrived from Naupactus with twelve warships and five hundred Messenian heavy infantry. He immediately attempted to mediate a settlement and convinced both parties to agree that ten principal instigators should stand trial—these promptly fled—while the remainder would live peacefully, establishing mutual terms and forming both defensive and offensive alliances with Athens. Having arranged this, he prepared to depart when the democratic leaders persuaded him to leave five of his ships behind to discourage any hostile moves from their opponents, while they would crew and send an equal number of their own vessels with him. Upon his agreement, they began conscripting their enemies for naval service. These men, terrified they would be shipped to Athens, took sanctuary as suppliants in the temple of the Dioscuri. When Nicostratus failed to reassure them or convince them to leave, the democrats seized this as a pretext to arm themselves, claiming their opponents' refusal to sail proved their treacherous intentions. They confiscated weapons from their enemies' homes and would have killed some they encountered if Nicostratus hadn't intervened. Witnessing these developments, the remaining oligarchic faction—numbering at least four hundred—sought refuge as suppliants in Hera's temple. The democrats, anxious they might attempt something desperate, persuaded them to leave and transported them to the island facing the temple, where they arranged for provisions to be sent.
Historical Context
This passage describes the civil war (stasis) in Corcyra in 427 BCE, one of the most significant internal conflicts during the Peloponnesian War. The struggle between oligarchs (supported by Corinth and Sparta) and democrats (backed by Athens) exemplifies how the larger war between Athens and Sparta destabilized Greek city-states internally. The violence escalates from political conflict to urban warfare, with both sides attempting to recruit slaves, demonstrating the breakdown of social order. The arrival of the Athenian commander Nicostratus represents Athens' attempt to maintain control over its ally while preventing complete chaos. This episode becomes Thucydides' paradigmatic example of how civil war corrupts political life and human nature, leading to his famous analysis of stasis that follows this narrative.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Slavery in Greek Warfare
The recruitment of slaves by both factions represents a radical departure from normal Greek practice. Slaves rarely participated in warfare, and their potential liberation threatened the economic foundation of Greek society. This desperate measure indicates the severity of the civil conflict.
Learn more →Women in Ancient Warfare
The participation of women in combat, throwing tiles from rooftops, was highly unusual in Greek warfare. Thucydides' comment about their 'fortitude beyond their sex' reflects contemporary gender expectations while acknowledging their crucial role in the democratic victory.
Learn more →Temple Asylum
Greek temples provided sacred asylum (asylia) to suppliants. Violating this sanctuary was considered sacrilege. The oligarchs' flight to the temples of the Dioscuri and Hera demonstrates both the religious conventions that still operated during civil war and the desperation of the defeated faction.
Learn more →Athenian Imperial Control
Nicostratus's intervention illustrates how Athens maintained its empire through a combination of military presence and political manipulation. His attempt to broker peace while ensuring democratic (pro-Athenian) dominance shows the complex dynamics of Athenian hegemony.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.57)
Diodorus provides a parallel account of the Corcyraean civil war, though with less detail than Thucydides. He emphasizes the savagery of the conflict and its impact on Greek political culture.
Read passage →Aristotle: Politics (5.3.1303b)
Aristotle uses Corcyra as an example of how civil strife (stasis) arises from conflicts between rich and poor, and how external powers exploit internal divisions in city-states.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (1.1.18)
Xenophon describes similar patterns of civil conflict in other cities during the Peloponnesian War, showing how the Athens-Sparta conflict repeatedly triggered internal strife between democratic and oligarchic factions.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the recruitment of slaves by both factions challenge our understanding of Greek social hierarchies? What does this tell us about the nature of civil war?
- Why might Thucydides have specifically noted the women's participation 'with a fortitude beyond their sex'? What does this reveal about gender roles and their suspension during extreme crisis?
- How does Nicostratus's intervention illustrate the challenges of imperial management? Could he have handled the situation differently?
- What role does religious sanctuary play in limiting violence during civil conflict? How effective was this traditional protection in Corcyra?