- Source
- Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.27.1-1.27.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Describes how the Corinthians prepared an expedition and a colony for Epidamnus, and requested ships and money from various allied cities to build their forces.
Κορίνθιοι δ᾽, ὡς αὐτοῖς ἐκ τῆς Ἐπιδάμνου ἦλθον ἄγγελοι ὅτι πολιορκοῦνται, παρεσκευάζοντο στρατείαν, καὶ ἅμα ἀποικίαν ἐς τὴν Ἐπίδαμνον ἐκήρυσσον ἐπὶ τῇ ἴσῃ καὶ ὁμοίᾳ1 τὸν βουλόμενον ἰέναι· εἰ δέ τις τὸ παραυτίκα μὲν μὴ ἐθέλει ξυμπλεῖν, μετέχειν δὲ βούλεται τῆς ἀποικίας, πεντήκοντα δραχμὰς καταθέντα2 Κορινθίας μένειν. ἦσαν δὲ καὶ οἱ πλέοντες πολλοὶ καὶ οἱ τἀργύριον καταβάλλοντες.
But the Corinthians, when messengers came to them from Epidamnus saying that they were being besieged, began to prepare an expedition, and at the same time proclaimed a colony to Epidamnus, for anyone who wished to go on equal and like terms. And if anyone did not wish to sail immediately, but wished to have a share in the colony, they proclaimed that he might remain by depositing fifty Corinthian drachmas. And those who sailed were many, as were also those who deposited the money.
ἐδεήθησαν δὲ καὶ τῶν Μεγαρέων ναυσὶ σφᾶς ξυμπροπέμψαι, εἰ ἄρα κωλύοιντο3 ὑπὸ Κερκυραίων πλεῖν· οἱ δὲ παρεσκευάζοντο αὐτοῖς ὀκτὼ ναυσὶ ξυμπλεῖν, καὶ Παλῆς Κεφαλλήνων τέσσαρσιν. καὶ Ἐπιδαυρίων ἐδεήθησαν, οἳ παρέσχον πέντε, Ἑρμιονῆς δὲ μίαν καὶ Τροιζήνιοι δύο, Λευκάδιοι δὲ δέκα καὶ Ἀμπρακιῶται ὀκτώ. Θηβαίους δὲ χρήματα ᾔτησαν καὶ Φλειασίους, Ἠλείους δὲ ναῦς τε κενὰς4 καὶ χρήματα. αὐτῶν δὲ Κορινθίων νῆες παρεσκευάζοντο τριάκοντα καὶ τρισχίλιοι ὁπλῖται.
They also requested the Megarians to convoy them with ships, in case they should be prevented from sailing by the Corcyraeans; and they prepared to sail with them with eight ships, and the Paleans of Cephallenia with four. They also requested the Epidaurians, who provided five, and the Hermioneans one, and the Troezenians two, and the Leucadians ten, and the Ambraciots eight. And they asked the Thebans and Phliasians for money, and the Eleans for both empty ships and money. Of the Corinthians themselves, thirty ships and three thousand hoplites were being prepared.
- 1.27.1ἐπὶ τῇ ἴσῃ καὶ ὁμοίᾳ
Meaning 'on equal and like terms'. A formal expression of the period in colonization, indicating that the new settlers would be guaranteed political and civil rights equal to those of the existing citizens.
- 1.27.1καταθέντα
Aorist active participle, masculine singular accusative. Since the apodosis following the present indicative condition (εἰ... μὴ ἐθέλει... βούλεται) is in indirect command (accusative with infinitive) dependent on the main verb ἐκήρυσσον, the participle agrees in the accusative with the indefinite subject (τινά) of the infinitive μένειν.
- 1.27.2εἰ ἄρα κωλύοιντο
Present passive optative with εἰ ἄρα ('if by any chance'). This is an oblique optative (optativus obliquus) in indirect speech dependent on the historical main verb ἐδεήθησαν ('requested'), representing a future possibility of prevention from the past point of view of the main clause.
- 1.27.2ναῦς κενάς
Literally 'empty ships', meaning vessels without crews (rowers or soldiers). A technical term indicating that the Corinthians requested only the hulls from the Eleans, along with financial aid.