§8.92.1διόπερ καὶ τὸ τεῖχος τοῦτο καὶ πυλίδας ἔχον καὶ ἐσόδους καὶ ἐπεσαγωγὰς τῶν πολεμίων ἐτείχιζόν τε προθύμως καὶ φθῆναι ἐβούλοντο ἐξεργασάμενοι.
For this reason they were eagerly building this wall, which had posterns, entrances, and ways for introducing the enemy, and they wished to complete it before anyone could prevent them.
§8.92.2πρότερον μὲν οὖν κατ’ ὀλίγους τε καὶ κρύφα μᾶλλον τὰ λεγόμενα ἦν·
Previously, what was said had been kept rather secret and confined to a few.
ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ Φρύνιχος ἥκων ἐκ τῆς ἐς Λακεδαίμονα πρεσβείας πληγεὶς ὑπ’ ἀνδρὸς τῶν περιπόλων τινὸς ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ πληθούσῃ καὶ οὐ πολὺ ἀπὸ τοῦ βουλευτηρίου ἀπελθὼν ἀπέθανε παραχρῆμα, καὶ ὁ μὲν πατάξας διέφυγεν, ὁ δὲ ξυνεργὸς Ἀργεῖος ἄνθρωπος ληφθεὶς καὶ βασανιζόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν τετρακοσίων οὐδενὸς ὄνομα τοῦ κελεύσαντος εἶπεν οὐδὲ ἄλλο τι ἢ ὅτι εἰδείη πολλοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ ἐς τοῦ περιπολάρχου καὶ ἄλλοσε κατ’ οἰκίας ξυνιόντας, τότε δὴ οὐδενὸς γεγενημένου ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ νεωτέρου καὶ ὁ Θηραμένης ἤδη θρασύτερον καὶ Ἀριστοκράτης καὶ ὅσοι ἄλλοι τῶν τετρακοσίων αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἦσαν ὁμογνώμονες ᾖσαν ἐπὶ τὰ πράγματα.
But when Phrynichus, on his return from the embassy to Lacedaemon, was struck down by a plotter—one of the patrolmen—in the full market-place and not far from the council-chamber, and died immediately, the assassin escaped, but his accomplice, an Argive, was caught and tortured by the Four Hundred, yet named no one as having given the order, nor said anything except that he knew many people met both at the house of the commander of the patrol and in other private houses; then indeed, since nothing more revolutionary resulted from this event, Theramenes now became bolder, and Aristocrates, along with all the others of the Four Hundred themselves and those outside who agreed with them, proceeded to take action.
§8.92.3ἅμα γὰρ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Λᾶς αἱ νῆες ἤδη περιπεπλευκυῖαι καὶ ὁρμισάμεναι ἐς τὴν Ἐπίδαυρον τὴν Αἴγιναν κατεδεδραμήκεσαν· καὶ οὐκ ἔφη ὁ Θηραμένης εἰκὸς εἶναι ἐπ’ Εὔβοιαν πλεούσας αὐτὰς ἐς Αἴγιναν κατακολπίσαι καὶ πάλιν ἐν Ἐπιδαύρῳ ὁρμεῖν, εἰ μὴ παρακληθεῖσαι ἥκοιεν ἐφ’ οἷσπερ καὶ αὐτὸς αἰεὶ κατηγόρει· οὐκέτι οὖν οἷόν τε εἶναι ἡσυχάζειν.
For at the same time the ships from Las had already sailed round and, having anchored at Epidaurus, had overrun Aegina; and Theramenes said it was not likely that ships sailing to Euboea would have put into the gulf of Aegina and be lying at anchor again in Epidaurus, unless they had come by invitation for the very purposes which he himself had always been denouncing; it was therefore no longer possible to remain quiet.
§8.92.4τέλος δὲ πολλῶν καὶ στασιωτικῶν λόγων καὶ ὑποψιῶν προσγενομένων καὶ ἔργῳ ἤδη ἥπτοντο τῶν πραγμάτων· οἱ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Πειραιεῖ τὸ τῆς Ἠετιωνείας τεῖχος ὁπλῖται οἰκοδομοῦντες, ἐν οἷς καὶ ὁ Ἀριστοκράτης ἦν ταξιαρχῶν καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φυλὴν ἔχων, ξυλλαμβάνουσιν Ἀλεξικλέα στρατηγὸν ὄντα ἐκ τῆς ὀλιγαρχίας καὶ μάλιστα πρὸς τοὺς ἑταίρους τετραμμένον, καὶ ἐς οἰκίαν ἀγαγόντες εἶρξαν.
At last, after many factional speeches and suspicions had accumulated, they began to take active measures; for the hoplites who were building the wall of Eetioneia in Piraeus—among whom was Aristocrates, commanding as taxiarch his own tribe—seized Alexicles, who was a general belonging to the oligarchical party and particularly devoted to the political clubs, and taking him to a house, imprisoned him.
§8.92.5ξυνεπελάβοντο δὲ αὐτοῖς ἅμα καὶ ἄλλοι καὶ Ἕρμων τις τῶν περιπόλων τῶν Μουνιχίασι τεταγμένων ἄρχων· τὸ δὲ μέγιστον, τῶν ὁπλιτῶν τὸ στῖφος ταῦτα ἐβούλετο.
In this they were assisted by others, including a certain Hermon, commander of the patrolmen stationed at Munychia; but the most important thing was that the mass of the hoplites wished for this.
§8.92.6ὡς δὲ ἐσηγγέλθη τοῖς τετρακοσίοις (ἔτυχον δὲ ἐν τῷ βουλευτηρίῳ ξυγκαθήμενοι), εὐθύς, πλὴν ὅσοις μὴ βουλομένοις ταῦτ’ ἦν, ἑτοῖμοι ἦσαν ἐς τὰ ὅπλα ἰέναι καὶ τῷ Θηραμένει καὶ τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ ἠπείλουν.
When this was reported to the Four Hundred, who happened to be sitting together in the council-chamber, immediately all, except those who did not disapprove of the act, were ready to run to arms, and they threatened Theramenes and those with him.
ὁ δὲ ἀπολογούμενος ἑτοῖμος ἔφη εἶναι ξυναφαιρησόμενος ἰέναι ἤδη.
But he, defending himself, said that he was ready to go at once and assist in rescuing the prisoner.
καὶ παραλαβὼν ἕνα τῶν στρατηγῶν ὃς ἦν αὐτῷ ὁμογνώμων ἐχώρει ἐς τὸν Πειραιᾶ· ἐβοήθει δὲ καὶ Ἀρίσταρχος καὶ τῶν ἱππέων νεανίσκοι.
Accordingly, taking with him one of the generals who was of the same mind as himself, he proceeded to Piraeus; and Aristarchus also went to the rescue, along with some young men of the cavalry.
§8.92.7ἦν δὲ θόρυβος πολὺς καὶ ἐκπληκτικός· οἵ τε γὰρ ἐν τῷ ἄστει ἤδη ᾤοντο τόν τε Πειραιᾶ κατειλῆφθαι καὶ τὸν ξυνειλημμένον τεθνάναι, οἵ τε ἐν τῷ Πειραιεῖ τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ ἄστεως ὅσον οὔπω ἐπὶ σφᾶς παρεῖναι.
There was a great and terrifying tumult; for those in the city already believed that Piraeus had been seized and that the prisoner had been put to death, while those in Piraeus expected that the men from the city would arrive to attack them at any moment.
§8.92.8μόλις δὲ τῶν τε πρεσβυτέρων διακωλυόντων τοὺς ἐν τῷ ἄστει διαθέοντας καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ὅπλα φερομένους καὶ Θουκυδίδου τοῦ Φαρσαλίου τοῦ προξένου τῆς πόλεως παρόντος καὶ προθύμως ἐμποδών τε ἑκάστοις γιγνομένου καὶ ἐπιβοωμένου μὴ ἐφεδρευόντων ἐγγὺς τῶν πολεμίων ἀπολέσαι τὴν πατρίδα, ἡσύχασάν τε καὶ σφῶν αὐτῶν ἀπέσχοντο.
With difficulty, however, as the older men checked those in the city who were running about and rushing to arms, and as Thucydides of Pharsalus, the proxenus of the city, was present and eagerly threw himself in the way of everyone, crying out that they must not ruin their country when the enemy was waiting close at hand to take advantage of them, they quieted down and refrained from attacking one another.
§8.92.9καὶ ὁ μὲν Θηραμένης ἐλθὼν ἐς τὸν Πειραιᾶ (ἦν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς στρατηγός), ὅσον καὶ ἀπὸ βοῆς ἕνεκα, ὠργίζετο τοῖς ὁπλίταις· ὁ δὲ Ἀρίσταρχος καὶ οἱ ἐναντίοι τῷ ἀληθεῖ ἐχαλέπαινον.
And Theramenes, having come to Piraeus (for he himself was also a general), as far as mere shouting went, showed anger at the hoplites; but Aristarchus and those of the opposite party were in real earnest furious.
§8.92.10οἱ δὲ ὁπλῖται ὁμόσε τε ἐχώρουν οἱ πλεῖστοι τῷ ἔργῳ καὶ οὐ μετεμέλοντο, καὶ τὸν Θηραμένη ἠρώτων εἰ δοκεῖ αὐτῷ ἐπ’ ἀγαθῷ τὸ τεῖχος οἰκοδομεῖσθαι καὶ εἰ ἄμεινον εἶναι καθαιρεθέν.
The hoplites, however, for the most part held to their purpose and showed no regret, and they asked Theramenes whether he thought the wall was being built for any good end and if it would not be better demolished.
ὁ δέ, εἴπερ καὶ ἐκείνοις δοκεῖ καθαιρεῖν, καὶ ἑαυτῷ ἔφη ξυνδοκεῖν.
He replied that if they thought it had better be demolished, he agreed with them.
καὶ ἐντεῦθεν εὐθὺς ἀναβάντες οἵ τε ὁπλῖται καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν ἐκ τοῦ Πειραιῶς ἀνθρώπων κατέσκαπτον τὸ τείχισμα.
Thereupon the hoplites and many of the people from Piraeus immediately mounted the wall and began to pull down the fortification.
§8.92.11ἦν δὲ πρὸς τὸν ὄχλον ἡ παράκλησις ὡς χρή, ὅστις τοὺς πεντακισχιλίους βούλεται ἄρχειν ἀντὶ τῶν τετρακοσίων, ἰέναι ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον.
The exhortation addressed to the crowd was that whoever wished the Five Thousand to rule instead of the Four Hundred should join in the work.
ἐπεκρύπτοντο γὰρ ὅμως ἔτι τῶν πεντακισχιλίων τῷ ὀνόματι, μὴ ἄντικρυς δῆμον ὅστις βούλεται ἄρχειν ὀνομάζειν, φοβούμενοι μὴ τῷ ὄντι ὦσι καὶ πρός τινα εἰπών τίς τι ἀγνοίᾳ σφαλῇ.
For they still concealed themselves under the name of the Five Thousand, and did not openly name 'whoever wished the democracy to rule,' fearing lest the Five Thousand might actually exist and someone, in speaking to another, might make a mistake through ignorance.
καὶ οἱ τετρακόσιοι διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἤθελον τοὺς πεντακισχιλίους οὔτε εἶναι οὔτε μὴ ὄντας δήλους εἶναι, τὸ μὲν καταστῆσαι μετόχους τοσούτους ἄντικρυς ἂν δῆμον ἡγούμενοι, τὸ δ’ αὖ ἀφανὲς φόβον ἐς ἀλλήλους παρέξειν.
And for this same reason the Four Hundred did not want the Five Thousand either to exist or to be known not to exist; for they thought that to make so many people partners in the government would be downright democracy, while keeping the matter obscure would inspire them with fear of one another.