§8.1Neque tamen a caritate patriae potuit recedere.
However, he could not withdraw from his love for his fatherland.
nam cum apud Aegos flumen Philocles, praetor Atheniensium, classem constituisset suam neque longe abesset Lysander, praetor Lacedaemoniorum, qui in eo erat occupatus ut bellum quam diutissime duceret, quod ipsis pecunia a rege suppeditabatur, contra Atheniensibus exhaustis praeter arma et naves nihil erat super, §8.2Alcibiades ad exercitum venit Atheniensium ibique praesente vulgo agere coepit: si vellent, se coacturum Lysandrum dimicare aut pacem petere; Lacedaemonios eo nolle classe confligere, quod pedestribus copiis plus quam navibus valerent; §8.3sibi autem esse facile Seuthem, regem Thraecum, adducere ut eum terra depelleret: quo facto necessario aut classe conflicturum aut bellum compositurum.
For when Philocles, the general of the Athenians, had stationed his fleet at the Goat's River, and Lysander, the general of the Lacedaemonians, was not far away—who was occupied in prolonging the war as long as possible, because money was supplied to them by the king, whereas, on the contrary, nothing was left to the exhausted Athenians except their arms and ships— Alcibiades came to the army of the Athenians and there, in the presence of the common soldiers, began to propose: that if they wished, he would force Lysander either to fight or to seek peace; that the Lacedaemonians were unwilling to clash with their fleet for this reason, that they were stronger in land forces than in ships; and that it was easy for him to induce Seuthes, the king of the Thracians, to drive him from the land; which being done, he would of necessity either clash with his fleet or bring the war to an end.
§8.4id etsi vere dictum Philocles animadvertebat, tamen postulata facere noluit, quod sentiebat se Alcibiade recepto nullius momenti apud exercitum futurum et, si quid secundi evenisset, nullam in ea re suam partem fore, contra ea, si quid adversi accidisset, se unum eius delicti futurum reum.
Although Philocles perceived that this was spoken truly, yet he refused to grant the requests, because he felt that, if Alcibiades were received, he himself would be of no importance in the army, and if anything favorable should happen, his own share in that matter would be nothing, whereas, on the contrary, if anything adverse should occur, he alone would be held accused of the failure.
§8.5ab hoc discedens Alcibiades 'quoniam' inquit 'victoriae patriae repugnas, illud moneo, ne iuxta hostem castra habeas nautica: periculum est enim, ne immodestia militum vestrorum occasio detur Lysandro vestri opprimendi exercitus'. §8.6neque ea res illum fefellit.
Departing from him, Alcibiades said, "Since you oppose the victory of your fatherland, I give this warning: do not keep your naval camp near the enemy; for there is a danger lest, through the lack of discipline of your soldiers, an opportunity be given to Lysander to overwhelm your army." Nor did this expectation deceive him.
nam Lysander, cum per speculatores comperisset vulgum Atheniensium in terram praedatum exisse navesque paene inanes relictas, tempus rei gerendae non dimisit eoque impetu bellum totum delevit.
For Lysander, when he had learned through scouts that the common soldiers of the Athenians had gone ashore to plunder and that the ships were left almost empty, did not let the time for action slip away, and with that onset destroyed the whole war.