- 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-grc2:2.20.1-2.20.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-22
The reason why Archidamus remained near Acharnae and did not descend into the plain is explained, detailing his calculations regarding the reactions of the Athenians, the Acharnian hoplites, and the potential divisions among them.
γνώμῃ δὲ τοιᾷδε λέγεται τὸν Ἀρχίδαμον περί τε τὰς Ἀχαρνὰς ὡς ἐς μάχην ταξάμενον μεῖναι1 καὶ ἐς τὸ πεδίον ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἐσβολῇ οὐ καταβῆναι·
It is said that Archidamus, with the following intention, remained near Acharnae, drawn up as if for battle, and did not descend into the plain during this invasion.
τοὺς γὰρ Ἀθηναίους ἤλπιζεν, ἀκμάζοντάς τε νεότητι πολλῇ καὶ παρεσκευασμένους ἐς πόλεμον ὡς οὔπω πρότερον, ἴσως ἂν ἐπεξελθεῖν καὶ τὴν γῆν οὐκ ἂν περιιδεῖν2 τμηθῆναι.
For he hoped that the Athenians, flourishing with many young men and prepared for war as never before, would probably march out and would not allow their land to be ravaged.
ἐπειδὴ οὖν αὐτῷ ἐς Ἐλευσῖνα καὶ τὸ Θριάσιον πεδίον οὐκ ἀπήντησαν, πεῖραν ἐποιεῖτο περὶ τὰς Ἀχαρνὰς καθήμενος εἰ ἐπεξίασιν·
Therefore, when they did not meet him at Eleusis and the Thriasian plain, he made a trial by encamping near Acharnae to see if they would march out.
ἅμα μὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ ὁ χῶρος ἐπιτήδειος ἐφαίνετο ἐνστρατοπεδεῦσαι, ἅμα δὲ καὶ οἱ Ἀχαρνῆς μέγα μέρος ὄντες τῆς πόλεως (τρισχίλιοι γὰρ ὁπλῖται ἐγένοντο) οὐ περιόψεσθαι ἐδόκουν τὰ σφέτερα διαφθαρέντα, ἀλλ’ ὁρμήσειν καὶ τοὺς πάντας ἐς μάχην.3 εἴ τε καὶ μὴ ἐπεξέλθοιεν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἐσβολῇ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι, ἀδεέστερον ἤδη ἐς τὸ ὕστερον τό τε πεδίον τεμεῖν καὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν τὴν πόλιν χωρήσεσθαι· τοὺς γὰρ Ἀχαρνέας ἐστερημένους τῶν σφετέρων οὐχ ὁμοίως προθύμους ἔσεσθαι ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν ἄλλων κινδυνεύειν, στάσιν δ’ ἐνέσεσθαι τῇ γνώμῃ.4
For on the one hand, the place seemed to him suitable for encamping, and on the other hand, the Acharnians, being a large part of the city (for they numbered three thousand hoplites), were not expected to look on while their own property was destroyed, but to impel all the others also to battle. And even if the Athenians did not march out during this invasion, they would thereafter with less fear ravage the plain and advance against the city itself; for the Acharnians, deprived of their own property, would not be equally eager to face danger for that of others, and division would arise in their counsels.
τοιαύτῃ μὲν διανοίᾳ ὁ Ἀρχίδαμος περὶ τὰς Ἀχαρνὰς ἦν.
With such an intention, Archidamus remained near Acharnae.
- 2.20.1λέγεται τὸν Ἀρχίδαμον ... μεῖναι
The impersonal verb λέγεται ('it is said') is followed by the accusative and infinitive (A.c.I.) construction, with τὸν Ἀρχίδαμον as the subject accusative, and μεῖναι and καταβῆναι as the infinitives.
- 2.20.2ἴσως ἂν ἐπεξελθεῖν καὶ τὴν γῆν οὐκ ἂν περιιδεῖν
In the infinitive clauses depending on the verb of hoping ἤλπιζεν, the particle ἄν modifies the infinitives ἐπεξελθεῖν and περιιδεῖν, representing a potential optative (ἂν ἐπεξέλθοιεν / ἂν περιίδοιεν) of the direct discourse, indicating a future probability.
- 2.20.4οὐ περιόψεσθαι ἐδόκουν ... ἀλλ’ ὁρμήσειν καὶ τοὺς πάντας ἐς μάχην
The subject of ἐδόκουν ('they were expected') is οἱ Ἀχαρνῆς, to which the infinitives οὐ περιόψεσθαι and ἀλλ’ ὁρμήσειν depend. Here, ὁρμήσειν functions transitively, taking the accusative τοὺς πάντας ('all the others') as its object, meaning 'to impel/urge everyone else also to battle.'
- 2.20.4στάσιν δ’ ἐνέσεσθαι τῇ γνώμῃ
An infinitive clause in indirect discourse. The subject of ἐνέσεσθαι (future infinitive of ἔνειμι, 'to be in') is the accusative στάσιν ('division, discord'). The dative τῇ γνώμῃ refers to 'their opinion/counsel' (of the Athenians as a whole), meaning 'division would arise in their minds/counsel.'