Today's Passage
This passage occurs in 415 BCE as Athens contemplates the disastrous Sicilian Expedition.
Crawley Translation (1910)
Himera was founded from Zancle by Euclides, Simus, and Sacon, most of those who went to the colony being Chalcidians; though they were joined by some exiles from Syracuse, defeated in a civil war, called the Myletidae. The language was a mixture of Chalcidian and Doric, but the institutions which prevailed were the Chalcidian. Acrae and Casmenae were founded by the Syracusans; Acrae seventy years after Syracuse, Casmenae nearly twenty after Acrae. Camarina was first founded by the Syracusans, close upon a hundred and thirty-five years after the building of Syracuse; its founders being Daxon and Menecolus. But the Camarinaeans being expelled by arms by the Syracusans for having revolted, Hippocrates, tyrant of Gela, some time later receiving their land in ransom for some Syracusan prisoners, resettled Camarina, himself acting as its founder. Lastly, it was again depopulated by Gelo, and settled once more for the third time by the Geloans.
Such is the list of the peoples, Hellenic and barbarian, inhabiting Sicily, and such the magnitude of the island which the Athenians were now bent upon invading; being ambitious in real truth of conquering the whole, although they had also the specious design of succouring their kindred and other allies in the island. But they were especially incited by envoys from Egesta, who had come to Athens and invoked their aid more urgently than ever. The Egestaeans had gone to war with their neighbours the Selinuntines upon questions of marriage and disputed territory, and the Selinuntines had procured the alliance of the Syracusans, and pressed Egesta hard by land and sea. The Egestaeans now reminded the Athenians of the alliance made in the time of Laches, during the former Leontine war, and begged them to send a fleet to their aid, and among a number of other considerations urged as a capital argument that if the Syracusans were allowed to go unpunished for their depopulation of Leontini, to ruin the allies still left to Athens in Sicily, and to get the whole power of the island into their hands, there would be a danger of their one day coming with a large force, as Dorians, to the aid of their Dorian brethren, and as colonists, to the aid of the Peloponnesians who had sent them out, and joining these in pulling down the Athenian empire. The Athenians would, therefore, do well to unite with the allies still left to them, and to make a stand against the Syracusans; especially as they, the Egestaeans, were prepared to furnish money sufficient for the war. The Athenians, hearing these arguments constantly repeated in their assemblies by the Egestaeans and their supporters, voted first to send envoys to Egesta, to see if there was really the money that they talked of in the treasury and temples, and at the same time to ascertain in what posture was the war with the Selinuntines.
Modern Translation
Himera was established by colonists from Zancle under the leadership of Euclides, Simus, and Sacon. While the majority of the settlers were Chalcidians, they were joined by political exiles from Syracuse known as the Myletidae, who had been defeated in civil strife. The colony developed a hybrid language combining Chalcidian and Doric elements, though Chalcidian customs and political structures ultimately dominated. The Syracusans went on to found Acrae seventy years after their own establishment, and Casmenae approximately twenty years after Acrae. Camarina's history proved more turbulent: originally founded by Syracuse about one hundred and thirty-five years after that city's establishment under the leadership of Daxon and Menecolus, its inhabitants were later forcibly expelled by the Syracusans for rebellion. Subsequently, Hippocrates, the tyrant of Gela, acquired their territory as ransom for Syracusan prisoners and refounded the city. The settlement was destroyed yet again by Gelo, only to be reestablished a third time by colonists from Gela.
Such were the diverse Greek and non-Greek peoples inhabiting Sicily, and such was the scope of the island that the Athenians now determined to invade. While their true ambition was complete conquest, they maintained the pretense of supporting their kinsmen and allies on the island. The immediate catalyst came from envoys from Egesta, who arrived in Athens with urgent appeals for military assistance. The Egestaeans had entered into conflict with neighboring Selinus over marriage disputes and territorial boundaries. The Selinuntines had secured Syracuse as an ally and were pressing Egesta severely by both land and sea. The Egestaean ambassadors reminded Athens of their alliance dating from Laches' command during the previous Leontine conflict, pleading for naval support. Among their various arguments, they emphasized one particularly compelling point: if Syracuse were permitted to destroy Leontini with impunity, eliminate Athens' remaining Sicilian allies, and consolidate control over the entire island, they might eventually join forces with their Dorian kinsmen and Peloponnesian founders to threaten the Athenian empire itself. The Egestaeans assured Athens that they possessed sufficient funds to finance the campaign. Swayed by these arguments, repeatedly presented in the assembly by the Egestaeans and their Athenian supporters, the citizens voted to dispatch envoys to Egesta. These representatives would verify whether the promised funds actually existed in the treasury and temples, while also assessing the military situation with Selinus.
Historical Context
This passage occurs in 415 BCE as Athens contemplates the disastrous Sicilian Expedition. Thucydides provides background on Sicily's complex ethnic and political landscape before describing how Egesta's appeal for help against Selinus and Syracuse became the pretext for Athenian intervention. The Egestaeans cleverly frame their local conflict as a threat to Athens' broader imperial interests, warning that Syracuse might eventually join Sparta against Athens. This manipulation of Athenian fears and ambitions would lead to one of the greatest military disasters in ancient history. The passage reveals how smaller states could draw major powers into their conflicts through skillful diplomacy and how imperial ambitions could be masked as defensive measures.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Sicilian Greek Colonies
Sicily was extensively colonized by various Greek city-states from the 8th century BCE onward. The island became a complex patchwork of settlements with different origins, dialects, and political systems. This diversity often led to conflicts that could draw in their mother cities from mainland Greece.
Learn more →Athenian Imperialism
By 415 BCE, Athens had transformed the Delian League into an empire. The decision to invade Sicily represents the peak of Athenian imperial ambition, driven by desire for resources, strategic advantage, and the intoxicating prospect of controlling the wealthy island.
Learn more →The Sicilian Expedition
The Athenian invasion of Sicily (415-413 BCE) ended in complete disaster, with the loss of over 200 ships and 50,000 men. This catastrophe marked the beginning of Athens' decline and ultimate defeat in the Peloponnesian War.
Learn more →Dorian vs Ionian Greeks
The Greek world was divided between Dorian peoples (including Sparta, Syracuse) and Ionians (including Athens). These ethnic divisions often influenced alliance patterns, though realpolitik frequently overrode ethnic solidarity, as seen when Dorian Egesta appealed to Ionian Athens.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (Book 12.82-83)
Diodorus provides an alternative account of the Egestaean embassy and the Athenian decision to invade Sicily, including details about the deception regarding Egesta's wealth.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Nicias (Chapters 12-13)
Plutarch focuses on the political dynamics in Athens, particularly the rivalry between Nicias and Alcibiades, and how this influenced the decision to launch the expedition.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Alcibiades (Chapter 17)
Provides insight into Alcibiades' role in promoting the expedition and the ambitious scope of Athenian designs on Sicily and potentially Carthage.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Thucydides' detailed account of Sicily's colonization history serve his larger narrative purpose? What is he trying to show his readers about the complexity of the situation Athens was entering?
- Analyze the Egestaean arguments for Athenian intervention. How do they appeal to both Athenian fears and ambitions? What does this reveal about the dynamics of alliance-making in the ancient world?
- The Athenians vote to send envoys to verify Egesta's financial resources. What does this tell us about Athenian decision-making processes and the tension between rhetoric and reality in democratic deliberation?
- Consider the role of ethnic identity (Dorian vs. Ionian) in this passage. When does shared ethnicity matter in Greek interstate relations, and when do other factors override it?