- 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-grc2:1.85.1-1.85.3
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-25
Archidamus concludes his speech by urging the Spartans to maintain their traditional deliberation, to send envoys to Athens for arbitration, and simultaneously to prepare for war. Sthenelaidas, an ephor, then steps forward to speak last.
‘ταύτας οὖν ἃς οἱ πατέρες τε ἡμῖν παρέδοσαν μελέτας1 καὶ αὐτοὶ διὰ παντὸς ὠφελούμενοι ἔχομεν μὴ παρῶμεν, μηδὲ ἐπειχθέντες ἐν βραχεῖ μορίῳ ἡμέρας περὶ πολλῶν σωμάτων καὶ χρημάτων καὶ πόλεων καὶ δόξης βουλεύσωμεν, ἀλλὰ καθ᾽ ἡσυχίαν. ἔξεστι δ’ ἡμῖν μᾶλλον ἑτέρων διὰ ἰσχύν.
’Therefore, let us not abandon these practices which our fathers handed down to us and which we ourselves have always possessed to our benefit; nor let us, in a hurry, during a small fraction of a day, make a decision concerning many lives, riches, cities, and glory, but rather in calmness. It is permitted to us more than to others because of our strength.
καὶ πρὸς τοὺς Ἀθηναίους πέμπετε μὲν περὶ τῆς Ποτειδαίας, πέμπετε δὲ περὶ ὧν οἱ ξύμμαχοί φασιν ἀδικεῖσθαι, ἄλλως τε καὶ ἑτοίμων ὄντων αὐτῶν δίκας δοῦναι·2 ἐπὶ δὲ τὸν διδόντα οὐ πρότερον νόμιμον ὡς ἐπ’ ἀδικοῦντα ἰέναι.3 παρασκευάζεσθε δὲ τὸν πόλεμον ἅμα. ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ κράτιστα βουλεύσεσθε καὶ τοῖς ἐναντίοις φοβερώτατα.’
And send envoys to the Athenians concerning Potidaea, and send also concerning the grievances which our allies say they are suffering, especially since they themselves are ready to submit to arbitration; and it is not lawful to proceed against one who offers arbitration beforehand as against a wrongdoer. But at the same time, prepare for war. For this will be both the best decision for yourselves and the most formidable to your adversaries.’
καὶ ὁ μὲν Ἀρχίδαμος τοιαῦτα εἶπεν· παρελθὼν δὲ Σθενελαΐδας τελευταῖος,4 εἷς τῶν ἐφόρων τότε ὤν, ἔλεξεν [τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις ] ὧδε.
Archidamus spoke to this effect; but Sthenelaidas, one of the ephors at that time, came forward last and spoke to the Lacedaemonians as follows.
- 1.85.1ταύτας οὖν ἃς οἱ πατέρες τε ἡμῖν παρέδοσαν μελέτας
The antecedent noun μελέτας is incorporated into the relative clause ἃς...παρέδοσαν (attraction or incorporation of the antecedent). Syntactically, it functions as the object of μὴ παρῶμεν, equivalent to ταύτας οὖν τὰς μελέτας, ἃς...
- 1.85.2ἑτοίμων ὄντων αὐτῶν δίκας δοῦναι
Genitive absolute. The phrase δίκας δοῦναι here means to submit to legal arbitration or peaceful settlement, rather than to suffer punishment.
- 1.85.2ἐπὶ δὲ τὸν διδόντα οὐ πρότερον νόμιμον ὡς ἐπ’ ἀδικοῦντα ἰέναι
The participle τὸν διδόντα is used substantively with δίκας understood from the previous clause, meaning 'one who offers arbitration'. The adverb πρότερον indicates 'beforehand' or 'previously', meaning it is unlawful to attack before attempting the offered judicial process.
- 1.85.3τελευταῖος
The adjective agrees with the subject Σθενελαΐδας, but is used predicatively with adverbial force meaning 'last' or 'finally'.