The History of the Peloponnesian War

THE HISTORY OF THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR by Thucydides 431 BC

translated by Richard Crawley

With Permission to CONNOP THIRLWALL Historian of Greece This Translation of the Work of His Great Predecessor is Respectfully Inscribed by -The Translator-

CONTENTS

BOOK I

CHAPTER I The state of Greece from the earliest Times to the Commencement of the Peloponnesian War

CHAPTER II Causes of the War - The Affair of Epidamnus - The Affair of Potidaea

CHAPTER III Congress of the Peloponnesian Confederacy at Lacedaemon

CHAPTER IV From the End of the Persian to the Beginning of the Peloponnesian War - The Progress from Supremacy to Empire

CHAPTER V Second Congress at Lacedaemon - Preparations for War and Diplomatic Skirmishes - Cylon - Pausanias - Themistocles

BOOK II

CHAPTER VI Beginning of the Peloponnesian War - First Invasion of Attica - Funeral Oration of Pericles

CHAPTER VII Second Year of the War - The Plague of Athens - Position and Policy of Pericles - Fall of Potidaea

CHAPTER VIII Third Year of the War - Investment of Plataea - Naval Victories of Phormio - Thracian Irruption into Macedonia under Sitalces

BOOK III

CHAPTER IX Fourth and Fifth Years of the War - Revolt of Mitylene

CHAPTER X Fifth Year of the War - Trial and Execution of the Plataeans - Corcyraean Revolution

CHAPTER XI Sixth Year of the War - Campaigns of Demosthenes in Western Greece - Ruin of Ambracia

BOOK IV

CHAPTER XII Seventh Year of the War - Occupation of pylos - Surrender of the Spartan Army in Sphacteria

CHAPTER XIII Seventh and Eighth Years of the War - End of Corcyraean Revolution - Peace of Gela - Capture of Nisaea

CHAPTER XIV Eighth and Ninth Years of the War - Invasion of Boeotia - Fall of Amphipolis - Brilliant Successes of Brasidas

BOOK V

CHAPTER XV Tenth Year of the War - Death of Cleon and Brasidas - Peace of Nicias

CHAPTER XVI Feeling against Sparta in Peloponnese - League of the Mantineans, Eleans, Argives, and Athenians - Battle of Mantinea and breaking up of the League

CHAPTER XVII Sixteenth Year of the War - The Melian Conference - Fate of Melos

BOOK VI

CHAPTER XVIII Seventeenth Year of the War - The Sicilian Campaign - Affair of the Hermae - Departure of the Expedition

CHAPTER XIX Seventeenth Year of the War - Parties at Syracuse - Story of Harmodius and Aristogiton - Disgrace of Alcibiades

CHAPTER XX Seventeenth and Eighteenth Years of the War - Inaction of the Athenian Army - Alcibiades at Sparta -Investment of Syracuse

BOOK VII

CHAPTER XXI Eighteenth and Nineteenth Years of the War - Arrival of Gylippus at Syracuse - Fortification of Decelea - Successes of the Syracusans

CHAPTER XXII Nineteenth Year of the War - Arrival of Demosthenes - Defeat of the Athenians at Epipolae - Folly and Obstinacy of Nicias

CHAPTER XXIII Nineteenth Year of the War - Battles in the Great Harbour - Retreat and Annihilation of the Athenian Army

BOOK VIII

CHAPTER XXIV Nineteenth and Twentieth Years of the War - Revolt of Ionia - Intervention of Persia - The War in Ionia

CHAPTER XXV Twentieth and Twenty-first Years of the War - Intrigues of Alcibiades - Withdrawal of the Persian Subsidies - Oligarchical Coup d'Etat at Athens - Patriotism of the Army at Samos

CHAPTER XXVI Twenty first Year of the War - Recall of Alcibiades to Samos - Revolt of Euboea and Downfall of the Four Hundred - Battle of Cynossema

BOOK I

CHAPTER I

_The State of Greece from the earliest Times to the Commencement of the Peloponnesian War_

Thucydides, an Athenian, wrote the history of the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, beginning at the moment that it broke out, and believing that it would be a great war and more worthy of relation than any that had preceded it. This belief was not without its grounds. The preparations of both the combatants were in every department in the last state of perfection; and he could see the rest of the Hellenic race taking sides in the quarrel; those who delayed doing so at once having it in contemplation. Indeed this was the greatest movement yet known in history, not only of the Hellenes, but of a large part of the barbarian world--I had almost said of mankind. For though the events of remote antiquity, and even those that more immediately preceded the war, could not from lapse of time be clearly ascertained, yet the evidences which an inquiry carried as far back as was practicable leads me to trust, all point to the conclusion that there was nothing on a great scale, either in war or in other matters.