Today's Passage
This passage describes Athenian raids along the Peloponnesian coast in 425 BCE, following their victory at Pylos.
Crawley Translation (1910)
Accordingly they now allowed the Athenians to ravage their seaboard, without making any movement, the garrisons in whose neighbourhood the descents were made always thinking their numbers insufficient, and sharing the general feeling. A single garrison which ventured to resist, near Cotyrta and Aphrodisia, struck terror by its charge into the scattered mob of light troops, but retreated, upon being received by the heavy infantry, with the loss of a few men and some arms, for which the Athenians set up a trophy, and then sailed off to Cythera. From thence they sailed round to Epidaurus Limera, ravaged part of the country, and so came to Thyrea in the Cynurian territory, upon the Argive and Laconian border. This district had been given by its Lacedaemonian owners to the expelled Aeginetans to inhabit, in return for their good offices at the time of the earthquake and the rising of the Helots; and also because, although subjects of Athens, they had always sided with Lacedaemon.
While the Athenians were still at sea, the Aeginetans evacuated a fort which they were building upon the coast, and retreated into the upper town where they lived, rather more than a mile from the sea. One of the Lacedaemonian district garrisons which was helping them in the work, refused to enter here with them at their entreaty, thinking it dangerous to shut themselves up within the wall, and retiring to the high ground remained quiet, not considering themselves a match for the enemy. Meanwhile the Athenians landed, and instantly advanced with all their forces and took Thyrea. The town they burnt, pillaging what was in it; the Aeginetans who were not slain in action they took with them to Athens, with Tantalus, son of Patrocles, their Lacedaemonian commander, who had been wounded and taken prisoner. They also took with them a few men from Cythera whom they thought it safest to remove. These the Athenians determined to lodge in the islands: the rest of the Cytherians were to retain their lands and pay four talents tribute; the Aeginetans captured to be all put to death, on account of the old inveterate feud; and Tantalus to share the imprisonment of the Lacedaemonians taken on the island.
The same summer, the inhabitants of Camarina and Gela in Sicily first made an armistice with each other, after which embassies from all the other Sicilian cities assembled at Gela to try to bring about a pacification. After many expressions of opinion on one side and the other, according to the griefs and pretensions of the different parties complaining, Hermocrates, son of Hermon, a Syracusan, the most influential man among them, addressed the following words to the assembly:
Modern Translation
As a result, they now permitted the Athenians to devastate their coastline without offering resistance. The garrisons near where the raids occurred consistently believed their forces were too small and shared the widespread sense of helplessness. Only one garrison, stationed near Cotyrta and Aphrodisia, dared to oppose them. Their charge terrified the dispersed light-armed troops, but when confronted by the heavy infantry, they retreated, losing several men and some equipment. The Athenians erected a trophy to commemorate their victory before sailing to Cythera. From there, they sailed around to Epidaurus Limera, plundered portions of the territory, and proceeded to Thyrea in the Cynurian region, located on the border between Argive and Laconian territory. The Spartans had granted this district to the exiled Aeginetans as compensation for their assistance during the earthquake and the Helot revolt, and because, despite being Athenian subjects, they had consistently supported Sparta.
While the Athenians were still approaching by sea, the Aeginetans abandoned a coastal fortification they were constructing and withdrew to their main settlement inland, approximately a mile and a half from the shore. A Spartan garrison unit that had been assisting with the construction declined their request to join them inside the walls, considering it too risky to be trapped within. Instead, they retreated to higher ground and remained inactive, judging themselves no match for the enemy. The Athenians landed and immediately advanced with their entire force, capturing Thyrea. They burned the town and looted its contents. The surviving Aeginetans were taken to Athens, along with Tantalus, son of Patrocles, their wounded Spartan commander who had been captured. They also seized several Cytherians deemed too dangerous to leave behind. The Athenians decided to distribute these prisoners among the islands. The remaining Cytherians were allowed to keep their property in exchange for paying four talents in tribute. All captured Aeginetans were to be executed due to the longstanding hostility between the two peoples, while Tantalus would share the fate of the other Spartan prisoners from Sphacteria.
During the same summer, the people of Camarina and Gela in Sicily initially established a truce between themselves. Subsequently, representatives from all other Sicilian cities gathered at Gela to attempt a general peace settlement. After numerous speakers presented various perspectives, reflecting the complaints and demands of different factions, Hermocrates, son of Hermon, a Syracusan and the most influential figure present, delivered the following address to the assembly:
Historical Context
This passage describes Athenian raids along the Peloponnesian coast in 425 BCE, following their victory at Pylos. The Athenians are systematically attacking Spartan territory and its allies, exploiting Sparta's inability to defend its extensive coastline. The capture of Thyrea and the execution of the Aeginetans represents both strategic warfare and the settling of old scores - Aegina had been a persistent enemy of Athens before the war. The passage then shifts to Sicily, where Greek cities are attempting to negotiate peace among themselves, partly in response to Athenian intervention in Sicilian affairs. This juxtaposition highlights how the war's effects rippled throughout the Greek world, with Athens' aggressive imperialism prompting defensive reactions even in distant regions.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Aeginetan-Athenian Enmity
The 'old inveterate feud' between Athens and Aegina dated back decades. Aegina had been a major naval rival of Athens in the early 5th century BCE, leading to conflicts in the 490s and 450s. Athens forcibly incorporated Aegina into its empire in 457 BCE and expelled its population in 431 BCE at the war's start.
Learn more →Helot Revolt
The earthquake and Helot uprising (c. 464 BCE) was a catastrophic event for Sparta. A massive earthquake devastated the city, and the Helot slave population seized the opportunity to revolt. This crisis weakened Sparta significantly and led to the breakdown of the Hellenic League when Athens was dismissed from helping suppress the revolt.
Learn more →Sicilian Congress at Gela
This conference represents an attempt by Sicilian Greeks to unite against external threats, particularly Athenian intervention. Hermocrates would become the leading advocate for Sicilian unity and later play a crucial role in defeating the Athenian expedition to Sicily (415-413 BCE).
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Nicias (Chapter 6)
Plutarch describes the same period of Athenian naval dominance and mentions the raids on the Peloponnesian coast, providing additional context about Athenian strategy and morale during this successful phase of the war.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (Book 12.65)
Diodorus provides an account of the Congress at Gela and Hermocrates' speech, offering a different perspective on Sicilian attempts to maintain independence from Athenian imperialism.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the treatment of the Aeginetans reflect the escalating brutality of the Peloponnesian War? What does this suggest about how prolonged conflict affects moral constraints?
- Why might Thucydides juxtapose the Athenian raids in Greece with the peace conference in Sicily? What commentary might he be making about power and its effects?
- How does the Spartan garrison's refusal to help defend the Aeginetans illustrate the strategic dilemmas faced by Sparta during this phase of the war?
- What does the different treatment of the Cytherians versus the Aeginetans reveal about Athenian imperial policy and the role of historical grievances in wartime decision-making?