§11.64.1οἱ δὲ Μεσσήνιοι μετὰ τῶν Εἱλώτων συνταχθέντες τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ὥρμησαν ἐπὶ τὴν Σπάρτην, ὑπολαμβάνοντες αὐτὴν αἱρήσειν διὰ τὴν ἐρημίαν τῶν βοηθησόντων·
The Messenians, having drawn up their forces together with the Helots, at first marched against Sparta, supposing that they would capture it because of the absence of anyone to come to its aid.
ὡς δʼ ἤκουσαν τοὺς ὑπολελειμμένους μετʼ Ἀρχιδάμου τοῦ βασιλέως συντεταγμένους ἑτοίμους εἶναι πρὸς τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος ἀγῶνα, ταύτης μὲν τῆς ἐπιβολῆς ἀπέστησαν, καταλαβόμενοι δὲ τῆς Μεσσηνίας χωρίον ὀχυρόν, ἐκ τούτου τὴν ὁρμὴν ποιούμενοι κατέτρεχον τὴν Λακωνικήν.
But when they heard that the survivors had been drawn up with King Archidamus and were ready for the struggle on behalf of their fatherland, they abandoned this attempt, and occupying a stronghold in Messenia, they made their incursions from it and ravaged Laconia.
§11.64.2οἱ δὲ Σπαρτιᾶται καταφυγόντες ἐπὶ τὴν παρὰ τῶν Ἀθηναίων βοήθειαν προσελάβοντο παρʼ αὐτῶν δύναμιν· οὐδὲν δʼ ἧττον καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων συμμάχων ἀθροίσαντες δυνάμεις ἀξιόμαχοι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐγενήθησαν.
The Spartans, having recourse to the aid of the Athenians, received a force from them; and gathering forces no less from their other allies as well, they became a match for the enemy in battle.
καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον πολὺ προεῖχον τῶν πολεμίων, ὕστερον δὲ ὑποψίας γενομένης ὡς τῶν Ἀθηναίων μελλόντων ἀποκλίνειν πρὸς τοὺς Μεσσηνίους, ἀπέλυσαν αὐτῶν τὴν συμμαχίαν, φήσαντες ἱκανοὺς ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν ἐφεστῶτα κίνδυνον τοὺς ἄλλους συμμάχους.
And at first they were far superior to the enemy, but later, when a suspicion arose that the Athenians were about to lean towards the Messenians, they dissolved their alliance with them, saying that they had the other allies sufficient for the facing danger.
§11.64.3οἱ δὲ Ἀθηναῖοι δόξαντες ἑαυτοὺς ἠτιμάσθαι, τότε μὲν ἀπηλλάγησαν· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀλλοτρίως ἔχοντες τὰ πρὸς τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἀεὶ μᾶλλον τὴν ἔχθραν ἐξεπύρσευον.
The Athenians, feeling that they had been insulted, departed at that time; but after this, being hostile in their relations towards the Lacedaemonians, they continually fanned their hatred more and more.
διὸ καὶ ταύτην μὲν ἀρχὴν ἔλαβον τῆς ἀλλοτριότητος,ὕστερον δὲ αἱ πόλεις διηνέχθησαν, καὶ μεγάλους ἐπανελόμεναι πολέμους ἔπλησαν ἅπασαν τὴν Ἑλλάδα μεγάλων ἀτυχημάτων.
Therefore, this indeed was the beginning of their alienation, and later the cities fell out with each other, and undertaking great wars, they filled the whole of Greece with great misfortunes.
ἀλλὰ γὰρ περὶ τούτων τὰ κατὰ μέρος ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις χρόνοις ἀναγράψομεν.
However, concerning these matters, we shall record the details in their proper times.
§11.64.4τότε δὲ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι στρατεύσαντες ἐπὶ τὴν Ἰθώμην μετὰ τῶν συμμάχων ἐπολιόρκουν αὐτήν.
At that time, the Lacedaemonians, having marched against Ithome with their allies, besieged it.
οἱ δʼ Εἵλωτες πανδημεὶ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων ἀφεστῶτες συνεμάχουν τοῖς Μεσσηνίοις, καὶ ποτὲ μὲν ἐνίκων, ποτὲ δὲ ἡττῶντο.
And the Helots, having revolted en masse from the Lacedaemonians, fought as allies of the Messenians, and sometimes they were victorious, but sometimes they were defeated.
ἐπὶ δὲ ἔτη δέκα τοῦ πολέμου μὴ δυναμένου διακριθῆναι, διετέλουν τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον ἀλλήλους κακοποιοῦντες.
And for ten years, as the war could not be decided, they continued during this time to inflict injuries upon one another.