§12.84.1πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλα διαλεχθέντος αὐτοῦ τῆς προκειμένης ὑποθέσεως οἰκεῖα, τῆς ἐναντίας γνώμης προεστηκὼς Ἀλκιβιάδης, ἐπιφανέστατος Ἀθηναίων, ἔπεισε τὸν δῆμον ἐπανελέσθαι τὸν πόλεμον· ἦν γὰρ ὁ ἀνὴρ οὗτος δεινότατος μὲν εἰπεῖν τῶν πολιτῶν, εὐγενείᾳ δὲ καὶ πλούτῳ καὶ στρατηγίᾳ διωνομασμένος.
Although Nicias spoke at length on many other matters appropriate to the proposed subject, Alcibiades, the most illustrious of the Athenians, who stood at the head of the opposite opinion, persuaded the people to undertake the war; for this man was the most skilled in speech among the citizens, and was renowned for his noble birth, wealth, and military skill.
§12.84.2εὐθὺς οὖν ὁ δῆμος στόλον ἀξιόχρεων κατεσκεύασε, τριάκοντα μὲν τριήρεις παρὰ τῶν συμμάχων λαβών, ἰδίας δʼ ἑκατὸν καταρτίσας.
Immediately, therefore, the people prepared a worthy fleet, taking thirty triremes from the allies and equipping one hundred of their own.
§12.84.3ταύτας δὲ κοσμήσας πᾶσι τοῖς εἰς πόλεμον χρησίμοις κατέλεξεν ὁπλίτας εἰς πεντακισχιλίους, στρατηγοὺς δὲ τρεῖς ἐχειροτόνησεν ἐπὶ ταύτην τὴν στρατηγίαν, Ἀλκιβιάδην καὶ Νικίαν καὶ Λάμαχον.
Having equipped these with everything useful for war, they enrolled about five thousand hoplites, and elected three generals for this command: Alcibiades, Nicias, and Lamachus.
§12.84.4Ἀθηναῖοι μὲν οὖν περὶ ταῦτα ἦσαν.
Now the Athenians were occupied with these matters.
ἡμεῖς δὲ παρόντες ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ πολέμου τοῦ συστάντος Ἀθηναίοις καὶ Συρακοσίοις, κατὰ τὴν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρόθεσιν τὰς ἑπομένας πράξεις εἰς τὴν ἐχομένην βίβλον κατατάξομεν.
But since we have arrived at the beginning of the war that arose between the Athenians and the Syracusans, we shall, in accordance with our original plan, arrange the subsequent events in the following book.