Today's Passage
This passage describes Athenian diplomatic maneuvers in 431 BCE, early in the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
The same summer, at the beginning of a new lunar month, the only time by the way at which it appears possible, the sun was eclipsed after noon. After it had assumed the form of a crescent and some of the stars had come out, it returned to its natural shape.
During the same summer Nymphodorus, son of Pythes, an Abderite, whose sister Sitalces had married, was made their proxenus by the Athenians and sent for to Athens. They had hitherto considered him their enemy; but he had great influence with Sitalces, and they wished this prince to become their ally. Sitalces was the son of Teres and King of the Thracians. Teres, the father of Sitalces, was the first to establish the great kingdom of the Odrysians on a scale quite unknown to the rest of Thrace, a large portion of the Thracians being independent. This Teres is in no way related to Tereus who married Pandion’s daughter Procne from Athens; nor indeed did they belong to the same part of Thrace. Tereus lived in Daulis, part of what is now called Phocis, but which at that time was inhabited by Thracians. It was in this land that the women perpetrated the outrage upon Itys; and many of the poets when they mention the nightingale call it the Daulian bird. Besides, Pandion in contracting an alliance for his daughter would consider the advantages of mutual assistance, and would naturally prefer a match at the above moderate distance to the journey of many days which separates Athens from the Odrysians. Again the names are different; and this Teres was king of the Odrysians, the first by the way who attained to any power. Sitalces, his son, was now sought as an ally by the Athenians, who desired his aid in the reduction of the Thracian towns and of Perdiccas. Coming to Athens, Nymphodorus concluded the alliance with Sitalces and made his son Sadocus an Athenian citizen, and promised to finish the war in Thrace by persuading Sitalces to send the Athenians a force of Thracian horse and targeteers. He also reconciled them with Perdiccas, and induced them to restore Therme to him; upon which Perdiccas at once joined the Athenians and Phormio in an expedition against the Chalcidians. Thus Sitalces, son of Teres, King of the Thracians, and Perdiccas, son of Alexander, King of the Macedonians, became allies of Athens.
Modern Translation
That same summer, at the beginning of a new lunar month—the only time, incidentally, when such a phenomenon seems possible—a solar eclipse occurred after midday. The sun took on a crescent shape and some stars became visible, before returning to its normal appearance.
During this same summer, the Athenians appointed Nymphodorus, son of Pythes from Abdera, as their proxenos and summoned him to Athens. His sister was married to Sitalces, and though they had previously regarded him as hostile, he wielded considerable influence with Sitalces, whom they now wished to secure as an ally. Sitalces was the son of Teres and king of the Thracians. His father Teres had been the first to forge the extensive Odrysian kingdom on a scale previously unknown in Thrace, where many tribes remained independent.
This Teres must not be confused with Tereus who married Procne, daughter of the Athenian Pandion—they were entirely unrelated and came from different regions of Thrace. Tereus inhabited Daulis, in the area now called Phocis but then populated by Thracians. It was there that the women committed their terrible deed against Itys, which is why many poets refer to the nightingale as the 'Daulian bird.' Moreover, when Pandion sought a marriage alliance for his daughter, he would have considered the practical benefits of mutual support and naturally preferred a connection at such a manageable distance rather than the many days' journey separating Athens from the Odrysians. The names themselves are different, and this Teres was king of the Odrysians—the first, in fact, to achieve significant power.
The Athenians now courted his son Sitalces as an ally, seeking his assistance in subduing the Thracian cities and dealing with Perdiccas. Upon arriving in Athens, Nymphodorus formalized the alliance with Sitalces and arranged for his son Sadocus to receive Athenian citizenship. He promised to resolve the Thracian conflict by persuading Sitalces to provide Athens with Thracian cavalry and light-armed troops. He also mediated a reconciliation with Perdiccas, convincing the Athenians to return Therme to him. In response, Perdiccas immediately joined forces with the Athenians and Phormio in their campaign against the Chalcidians. Thus both Sitalces, son of Teres and king of the Thracians, and Perdiccas, son of Alexander and king of the Macedonians, became allied with Athens.
Historical Context
This passage describes Athenian diplomatic maneuvers in 431 BCE, early in the Peloponnesian War. Athens seeks to secure northern allies against Sparta by recruiting Sitalces, the powerful Thracian king, through the mediation of Nymphodorus. The Athenians also reconcile with Perdiccas of Macedon, who had been oscillating between Athens and Sparta. Thucydides includes a scholarly digression distinguishing the historical Thracian king Teres from the mythical Tereus, demonstrating his concern for historical accuracy. The solar eclipse mentioned (August 3, 431 BCE) serves as a chronological marker. These alliances were crucial for Athens' northern strategy, securing grain routes through the Hellespont and pressuring Sparta's allies in the region.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Proxenos System
The proxenos was a citizen who represented another city-state's interests in his own polis, similar to a modern consul. Nymphodorus' appointment shows how personal connections facilitated interstate diplomacy in ancient Greece, especially when family ties crossed political boundaries.
Learn more →Solar Eclipse of 431 BCE
This eclipse, occurring on August 3, 431 BCE, provides precise dating for Thucydides' narrative. Ancient historians often used astronomical events as chronological anchors, and modern astronomers have confirmed this eclipse's occurrence.
Learn more →Odrysian Kingdom
The Odrysian kingdom was the most powerful Thracian state, controlling much of modern Bulgaria and European Turkey. Under Sitalces, it became a major regional power capable of fielding armies of over 100,000 men, making it a valuable ally for Athens.
Learn more →Tereus and Procne Myth
Thucydides corrects a common confusion between the historical Teres and the mythical Tereus, who raped his sister-in-law Philomela. Procne killed their son Itys in revenge, and all were transformed into birds—explaining the nightingale's mournful song.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.50)
Diodorus also describes Sitalces' alliance with Athens and his later massive invasion of Macedonia with 150,000 troops, providing additional details about the scale of Thracian military power.
Read passage →Aristophanes: Acharnians (lines 141-150)
Aristophanes mentions Sitalces' son Sadocus receiving Athenian citizenship, providing contemporary confirmation of this diplomatic arrangement from a comic perspective.
Read passage →Herodotus: Histories (4.80)
Herodotus describes the earlier Thracian kingdoms and customs, providing background for understanding the Odrysian state's development and the significance of Teres' unification.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Thucydides' digression about Teres versus Tereus reflect his historical methodology and concern for accuracy?
- What does the proxenos system reveal about how interstate relations functioned in the absence of permanent embassies?
- Why might Athens have considered securing Thracian and Macedonian alliances crucial at this early stage of the war?
- How does the granting of citizenship to Sadocus illustrate the flexibility of Athenian citizenship policies for diplomatic purposes?