History of the Peloponnesian War

But most of all had they gained confidence, because they thought that the Athenians, being engaged in a two-fold war with both themselves and the Siceliots, would be more easily subdued; and also because they considered them to have first broken the truce. For in the former course of hostilities they thought the guilt lay more on their own side, both because the Thebans had entered Plataea during a time of truce; and because, when it had been specified in the former treaty, that none should take up arms against others, if they were willing to submit to a judicial decision, they themselves had not listened to the Athenians when appealing to such a decision. On which account they considered that they were justly unsuccessful, and made both their misfortune at Pylus, and whatever other might have befallen them, a subject of [*]( Or, of religious scruple, as in some other passages.) serious reflection.

But when the Athenians had set out from Argos with those thirty ships, and ravaged a part of Epidaurus, Prasiae, and some other places, at the same time that they were also [*](ἐλῃστεύοντο.] Or, as Arnold renders it, they, the Lacedaemonians. were continually being plundered; referring to V. 14. 2, ληστευομένης τῆς χώρας ἐκ τῆς πύλου. Poppo prefers the active sense, and is inclined to admit ἐλήστευον as Becker has done on the authority of one MS., the middle form not being used elsewhere. As both the preceding and following verbs refer to the Athenians, the change of subject is certainly very harsh, if ἐληστεύοντο be referred to the Lacedaemonians; even more so, I think, than in that remarkable instance which occurs II. ZZZ. 3.) spreading devastation from Pylus; and when they refused to intrust the matter to arbitration, though the Lacedaemonians. as often as differences had arisen concerning any of the debatable points in the treaty, appealed to a judicial decision; then, indeed, the Lacedaemonians thought that the violation of the law, which in the former instance had been committed by themselves, had now, again, come in the same way to attach to the Athenians, and they were, therefore, eager for hostilities.

Accordingly, during this winter they sent round to their allies orders for iron, and were getting all the tools ready for building their fort. At the same time they were themselves raising supplies, and compelling the rest of the Peloponnesians to do so, with a view to despatching in the merchantmen succours to those in Sicily. And so the winter ended, and the eighteenth year of this war, of which Thucydides wrote the history.

The following spring, at its very commencement, the Lacedaemonians and their allies made a very early incursion into Attica, under the command of Agis son of Archidamus, king of the Lacedaemonians. In the first place, then, they ravaged the parts of the country about the plain, and then proceeded to fortify Decelea, dividing the work amongst the contingents of the different states.

The place is distant from the city of Athens about a hundred and twenty stades, and about the same, or not much more, from Boeotia. Now the fortress was raised for the annoyance of the plain and the richest parts of the country, being visible as far as Athens.