HISTORY OF THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
by
Thucydides
translated by Richard Crawley
[ABRIDGED VERSION]
Editor's Note
The History of the Peloponnesian War (Crawley translation) is available here is an abridged version prepared by Ian Johnston of Malaspina University-College, Nanaimo, BC (now Vancouver Island University), for use of Liberal Studies and Classics students. This e-text includes about one third of Thucydides' complete work.
Note that in these selections there are a number of silent changes to Crawley's text, apart from the omissions. These affect certain names: Sparta and Spartan have replaced Lacedaemonia and Lacedaemonian, Troy has replaced Ilium, Persian has replaced Median, and so on. Moreover, some of Crawley's longer paragraphs have been broken up into shorter units. There are also a few explanatory editorial insertions (indicated by square brackets and italics), headings for different sections and for well known set speeches, and numbers indicating the appropriate year of the event described. The paragraphs have also been numbered for ease of reference.
This document is in the public domain and may be used by anyone, in whole or in part, without permission and without charge.
For questions, comments, suggestions please contact Ian Johnston.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION I: Background to and Preparations for War
Chapter
I
The State of Greece from the Earliest Times to the Commencement of the
Peloponnesian War
CHAPTER II
Causes of the War - The Affair of Epidamnus - The Affair of Potidaea
CHAPTER III
Congress of the Peloponnesian Confederacy at Sparta
CHAPTER IV
From the end of the Persian to the beginning of the Peloponnesian War - The
Progress from Supremacy to Empire
CHAPTER V
Second Congress at Sparta – Preparations for War and Diplomatic Skirmishes -
Cylon Pausanias – Themistocles
_________________________
SECTION II: The Outbreak of Hostilities and the Early Part of the War
CHAPTER VI
Beginning of the Peloponnesian War - First Invasion of Attica - Funeral Oration
of Pericles
CHAPTER VII
Second Year of the War - The Plague of Athens- Position and Policy of Pericles
– Fall of Potidaea
CHAPTER VIII
Third Year of the War - Investment of Plataea - Naval Victories of Phormio -
Thracian Irruption into Macedonia under Sitalces
_________________________
SECTION III: Consequences of War
CHAPTER
IX
Fourth and Fifth Years of the War - Revolt of Mytilene
CHAPTER X
Fifth Year of the War - Trial and Execution of the Plataeans - Corcyraean
Revolution
CHAPTER XI
Sixth Year of the War - Campaigns of Demosthenes in Western Greece - Ruin of
Ambracia
CHAPTER XII
Seventh Year of the War - Occupation of Pylos - Surrender of the Spartan Army in
Sphacteria
CHAPTER XIII
Seventh and Eighth Years of the War - End of Corcyraean Revolution - Peace of
Gela - Capture of Nisaea
CHAPTER XIV
Eighth and Ninth Years of the War - Invasion of Boeotia - Fall of Amphipolis -
Brilliant Successes of Brasidas
CHAPTER XV
Tenth Year of the War - Death of Cleon and Brasidas - Peace of Nicias
CHAPTER XVI.
Feeling against Sparta in Peloponnese - League of the Mantineans, Eleans,
Argives, and Athenians - Battle of Mantinea and breaking up of the League
CHAPTER XVII.
Sixteenth Year of the War - The Melian Conference - Fate of Melos
_________________________
SECTION IV: The Sicilian Expedition
CHAPTER XVIII
. Seventeenth Year of the War - The Sicilian Campaign - Affair of the Hermae -
Departure of the Expedition
CHAPTER XIX.
Seventeenth Year of the War - Parties at Syracuse - Story of Harmodius and
Aristogiton - Disgrace of Alcibiades
CHAPTER XX
Seventeenth and Eighteenth Years of the War - Inaction of the Athenian Army –
Alcibiades at Sparta - Investment of Syracuse
CHAPTER XXI
Eighteenth and Nineteenth Years of the War - Arrival of Gylippus at Syracuse -
Fortification of Decelea - Successes of the Syracusans
CHAPTER XXII
Nineteenth Year of the War - Arrival of Demosthenes - Defeat of the Athenians at
Epipolae - Folly and Obstinancy of Nicias
CHAPTER XXIII
Nineteenth Year of the War - Battles in the Great Harbour - Retreat and
Annihilation of the Athenian Army
CHAPTER XXIV
Nineteenth and Twentieth Years of the War - Revolt of Ionia - Intervention of
Persia - The War in Ionia
CHAPTER
XXV
Twentieth and Twenty - first Years of the War - Intrigues of Alcibiades -
Withdrawal of the Persian Subsidies - Oligarchical Coup d'Etat at Athens -
Patriotism of the Army at Samos
CHAPTER
XXVI
Twenty-first Year of the War - Recall of Alcibiades to Samos - Revolt of
Euboea and Downfall of the Four Hundred - Battle of Cynossema
[EDITOR'S EPILOGUE]
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