Today's Passage
This passage describes the brutal conclusion of the Corcyraean civil war (stasis) in 427 BCE, one of the most horrific episodes Thucydides records.
Crawley Translation (1910)
As many as sixty men were taken out and killed in this way without the knowledge of their friends in the building, who fancied they were merely being moved from one prison to another. At last, however, someone opened their eyes to the truth, upon which they called upon the Athenians to kill them themselves, if such was their pleasure, and refused any longer to go out of the building, and said they would do all they could to prevent any one coming in. The Corcyraeans, not liking themselves to force a passage by the doors, got up on the top of the building, and breaking through the roof, threw down the tiles and let fly arrows at them, from which the prisoners sheltered themselves as well as they could. Most of their number, meanwhile, were engaged in dispatching themselves by thrusting into their throats the arrows shot by the enemy, and hanging themselves with the cords taken from some beds that happened to be there, and with strips made from their clothing; adopting, in short, every possible means of self-destruction, and also falling victims to the missiles of their enemies on the roof. Night came on while these horrors were enacting, and most of it had passed before they were concluded. When it was day the Corcyraeans threw them in layers upon wagons and carried them out of the city. All the women taken in the stronghold were sold as slaves. In this way the Corcyraeans of the mountain were destroyed by the commons; and so after terrible excesses the party strife came to an end, at least as far as the period of this war is concerned, for of one party there was practically nothing left. Meanwhile the Athenians sailed off to Sicily, their primary destination, and carried on the war with their allies there.
At the close of the summer, the Athenians at Naupactus and the Acarnanians made an expedition against Anactorium, the Corinthian town lying at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf, and took it by treachery; and the Acarnanians themselves, sending settlers from all parts of Acarnania, occupied the place.
Summer was now over. During the winter ensuing, Aristides, son of Archippus, one of the commanders of the Athenian ships sent to collect money from the allies, arrested at Eion, on the Strymon, Artaphernes, a Persian, on his way from the King to Lacedaemon. He was conducted to Athens, where the Athenians got his dispatches translated from the Assyrian character and read them. With numerous references to other subjects, they in substance told the Lacedaemonians that the King did not know what they wanted, as of the many ambassadors they had sent him no two ever told the same story; if however they were prepared to speak plainly they might send him some envoys with this Persian. The Athenians afterwards sent back Artaphernes in a galley to Ephesus, and ambassadors with him, who heard there of the death of King Artaxerxes, son of Xerxes, which took place about that time, and so returned home.
Modern Translation
About sixty men were taken out and killed in this manner without their comrades in the building realizing what was happening—they assumed the prisoners were simply being transferred to another location. Eventually, however, someone discovered the truth. When they did, they appealed to the Athenians to execute them directly, if that was their intention, and refused to leave the building anymore, declaring they would do everything in their power to prevent anyone from entering. The Corcyraeans, unwilling to force their way through the doors, climbed onto the roof of the building, broke through it, and began shooting arrows down at those inside. The prisoners tried to shield themselves as best they could. Meanwhile, most of them set about killing themselves—some by driving into their throats the very arrows being shot at them, others by hanging themselves with cords torn from beds they found there, or with strips fashioned from their own clothing. In short, they employed every conceivable method of suicide, while also falling victim to the projectiles from their enemies above. These horrors continued through the night, and it was mostly over before they ended. When daylight came, the Corcyraeans loaded the bodies onto carts in layers and transported them outside the city. All the women captured in the fortress were sold into slavery. Thus the Corcyraean oligarchs from the mountain were annihilated by the democratic faction, and the civil war reached its conclusion—at least for this phase of the larger war—since virtually nothing remained of one side. The Athenians then sailed on to Sicily, their original destination, to continue military operations alongside their allies there.
At summer's end, the Athenians stationed at Naupactus, together with the Acarnanians, launched an assault on Anactorium, a Corinthian settlement at the entrance to the Ambracian Gulf, capturing it through betrayal. The Acarnanians then dispatched colonists from throughout their territory to settle the town.
Summer had now concluded. In the following winter, Aristides, son of Archippus, commanding one of the Athenian vessels deployed to collect tribute from allied states, intercepted a Persian named Artaphernes at Eion on the Strymon River, as he traveled from the Persian King to Sparta. He was brought to Athens, where the Athenians had his dispatches translated from Persian script and examined them. Among various other matters, the essential message to the Spartans was that the King could not understand their intentions, since their numerous ambassadors all presented different proposals; if they wished to communicate clearly, they should send proper representatives along with this Persian. The Athenians subsequently returned Artaphernes by ship to Ephesus, accompanied by their own ambassadors. There they learned of the recent death of King Artaxerxes, son of Xerxes, and consequently returned home.
Historical Context
This passage describes the brutal conclusion of the Corcyraean civil war (stasis) in 427 BCE, one of the most horrific episodes Thucydides records. The democratic faction, supported by Athens, systematically murdered the oligarchic prisoners who had taken refuge in a temple. When the prisoners discovered they were being executed rather than transferred, they chose mass suicide over execution. This event exemplifies the extreme violence that characterized Greek civil wars during the Peloponnesian War. The passage then shifts to other military operations, including the capture of Anactorium and a diplomatic incident involving Persian-Spartan negotiations. The interception of Artaphernes reveals Sparta's attempts to secure Persian support against Athens, while highlighting Persian frustration with inconsistent Spartan diplomacy.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Greek Civil War (Stasis)
Stasis was endemic in Greek city-states during the Peloponnesian War, often pitting democratic factions (supported by Athens) against oligarchic ones (supported by Sparta). These conflicts were characterized by extreme brutality and the breakdown of traditional religious and social constraints.
Learn more →Persian Diplomacy
The interception of Artaphernes reveals ongoing Persian-Spartan negotiations. Persia's wealth could tip the balance in the Peloponnesian War, making Persian support crucial for both sides. The King's frustration with contradictory Spartan messages reflects the challenges of Greek diplomatic coordination.
Learn more →Ancient Slavery
The enslavement of captured women was standard practice in ancient warfare. This casual mention illustrates how integral slavery was to Greek society and how war provided a constant supply of slaves through the capture of defeated populations.
Learn more →Sanctuary Violation
The prisoners had likely sought sanctuary in a temple, making their execution a religious violation. Such violations became increasingly common during the Peloponnesian War as traditional constraints broke down under the pressure of prolonged conflict.
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 role of class conflict and the brutality of the democratic faction's revenge.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (2.3.11-56)
Xenophon describes the rule of the Thirty Tyrants in Athens (404-403 BCE), another example of extreme civil violence. Like Corcyra, it shows how civil war led to mass executions and the breakdown of civic order.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Nicias (28-29)
Plutarch describes Athenian atrocities in Sicily, showing how the brutalization of warfare affected all participants. The systematic violence at Corcyra prefigures later Athenian actions.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the mass suicide of the Corcyraean prisoners reflect the breakdown of social and religious norms during civil war? What does this tell us about the limits of human endurance?
- Why does Thucydides juxtapose the horror at Corcyra with routine military operations and diplomatic affairs? What effect does this create?
- The Persian King's frustration with contradictory Spartan messages reveals diplomatic challenges. How does this compare to modern international relations?
- What does the casual mention of enslaving women reveal about ancient Greek values and the acceptability of certain forms of violence?