Today's Passage
This passage describes the Athenian expedition against Mende in 423 BCE during the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
On his return from Macedonia to Torone, Brasidas found the Athenians already masters of Mende, and remained quiet where he was, thinking it now out of his power to cross over into Pallene and assist the Mendaeans, but he kept good watch over Torone. For about the same time as the campaign in Lyncus, the Athenians sailed upon the expedition which we left them preparing against Mende and Scione, with fifty ships, ten of which were Chians, one thousand Athenian heavy infantry and six hundred archers, one hundred Thracian mercenaries and some targeteers drawn from their allies in the neighbourhood, under the command of Nicias, son of Niceratus, and Nicostratus, son of Diitrephes. Weighing from Potidæa, the fleet came to land opposite the temple of Poseidon, and proceeded against Mende; the men of which town, reinforced by three hundred Scionaeans, with their Peloponnesian auxiliaries, seven hundred heavy infantry in all, under Polydamidas, they found encamped upon a strong hill outside the city. These Nicias, with one hundred and twenty light-armed Methonaeans, sixty picked men from the Athenian heavy infantry, and all the archers, tried to reach by a path running up the hill, but received a wound and found himself unable to force the position; while Nicostratus, with all the rest of the army, advancing upon the hill, which was naturally difficult, by a different approach further off, was thrown into utter disorder; and the whole Athenian army narrowly escaped being defeated. For that day, as the Mendaeans and their allies showed no signs of yielding, the Athenians retreated and encamped, and the Mendaeans at nightfall returned into the town.
Modern Translation
When Brasidas returned from Macedonia to Torone, he discovered that the Athenians had already seized control of Mende. Recognizing that he could no longer cross into the Pallene peninsula to aid the Mendaeans, he remained where he was and focused on defending Torone. Around the same time as the Lyncestian campaign, the Athenians launched the expedition we previously mentioned they were preparing against Mende and Scione. Their force consisted of fifty ships (including ten Chian vessels), one thousand Athenian hoplites, six hundred archers, one hundred Thracian mercenaries, and additional light-armed troops from allied territories. The commanders were Nicias, son of Niceratus, and Nicostratus, son of Diitrephes. Setting sail from Potidaea, they landed near Poseidon's temple and advanced on Mende. The defenders—comprising Mendaeans reinforced by three hundred Scionaeans and their Peloponnesian allies, totaling seven hundred hoplites under Polydamidas—had taken position on a formidable hill outside the city. Nicias attempted to assault this position via a hillside path with one hundred and twenty light-armed Methonaeans, sixty elite Athenian hoplites, and all the archers, but was wounded and failed to take the hill. Meanwhile, Nicostratus led the remaining forces in an attack from a more distant but naturally challenging route, resulting in complete chaos; the entire Athenian army came dangerously close to defeat. Since the Mendaeans and their allies held firm, the Athenians withdrew to establish camp that day, while the defenders returned to the city under cover of darkness.
Historical Context
This passage describes the Athenian expedition against Mende in 423 BCE during the Peloponnesian War. Following Brasidas's successful campaign in northern Greece, several cities had revolted from Athens, including Mende and Scione. The Athenians, concerned about losing their empire in the Chalcidice region, dispatched a major force under Nicias and Nicostratus to reclaim these rebellious cities. The initial assault on Mende failed due to strong defensive positions and coordinated resistance from Peloponnesian forces. This setback demonstrates the challenges Athens faced in maintaining imperial control during the war, particularly against cities supported by Spartan military advisors. The passage also highlights Brasidas's strategic limitations—despite his earlier successes, he could not assist every city that had joined the Spartan cause.