- 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-grc2:2.72.1-2.72.3
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-23
Archidamus proposes peace to the Plataeans on the condition of their neutrality, but they decline due to their families in Athens and fear of enemies. Archidamus then offers a new proposal to hold their property in trust and pay them rent while they temporarily evacuate during the war.
τοσαῦτα εἰπόντων τῶν Πλαταιῶν Ἀρχίδαμος ὑπολαβὼν εἶπεν· ‘δίκαια λέγετε, ὦ ἄνδρες Πλαταιῆς, ἢν ποιῆτε ὁμοῖα τοῖς λόγοις. καθάπερ γὰρ Παυσανίας ὑμῖν παρέδωκεν, αὐτοί τε αὐτονομεῖσθε καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ξυνελευθεροῦτε,1 ὅσοι μετασχόντες τῶν τότε κινδύνων ὑμῖν τε ξυνώμοσαν καὶ εἰσὶ νῦν ὑπ’ Ἀθηναίοις, παρασκευή τε τοσήδε καὶ πόλεμος γεγένηται αὐτῶν ἕνεκα καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐλευθερώσεως. ἧς μάλιστα μὲν μετασχόντες2 καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐμμείνατε τοῖς ὅρκοις· εἰ δὲ μή, ἅπερ καὶ πρότερον ἤδη προυκαλεσάμεθα, ἡσυχίαν ἄγετε νεμόμενοι τὰ ὑμέτερα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔστε μηδὲ μεθ’ ἑτέρων, δέχεσθε δὲ ἀμφοτέρους φίλους, ἐπὶ πολέμῳ δὲ μηδετέρους. καὶ τάδε ἡμῖν ἀρκέσει.’
When the Plataeans had spoken thus, Archidamus answered and said: ‘Your words are just, men of Plataea, if you act in accordance with them. For just as Pausanias delivered it to you, do you yourselves enjoy independence and help to liberate the others, as many as shared the dangers of those times, swore oaths with you, and are now under the Athenians; indeed, this great preparation and war have been undertaken for their sake and for the liberation of the others. In this liberation, join yourselves by preference, and remain true to your oaths. Otherwise, as we have already proposed to you before, remain quiet, enjoying your own property, and be on neither side, but receive both as friends, and for purposes of war, neither. And this will satisfy us.’
ὁ μὲν Ἀρχίδαμος τοσαῦτα εἶπεν· οἱ δὲ Πλαταιῶν πρέσβεις ἀκούσαντες ταῦτα ἐσῆλθον ἐς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ τῷ πλήθει τὰ ῥηθέντα κοινώσαντες ἀπεκρίναντο αὐτῷ ὅτι ἀδύνατα σφίσιν εἴη ποιεῖν ἃ προκαλεῖται ἄνευ Ἀθηναίων (παῖδες γὰρ σφῶν καὶ γυναῖκες παρ’ ἐκείνοις εἶεν), δεδιέναι δὲ3 καὶ περὶ τῇ πάσῃ πόλει μὴ ἐκείνων ἀποχωρησάντων Ἀθηναῖοι ἐλθόντες σφίσιν οὐκ ἐπιτρέπωσιν, ἢ Θηβαῖοι, ὡς ἔνορκοι ὄντες4 κατὰ τὸ ἀμφοτέρους δέχεσθαι, αὖθις σφῶν τὴν πόλιν πειράσωσι καταλαβεῖν.
Archidamus spoke thus; and the Plataean envoys, having heard these words, went into the city, and after communicating what had been said to the multitude, answered him that it was impossible for them to do what he proposed without the Athenians, since their children and wives were with them; and they said they also feared for the whole city, lest when the Peloponnesians had departed, the Athenians should come and not permit them to remain neutral, or the Thebans, claiming that they were bound by the oath under the agreement to receive both sides, should attempt to seize their city again.
ὁ δὲ θαρσύνων αὐτοὺς πρὸς ταῦτα ἔφη· ‘ὑμεῖς δὲ πόλιν μὲν καὶ οἰκίας ἡμῖν παράδοτε τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις, καὶ γῆς ὅρους ἀποδείξατε καὶ δένδρα ἀριθμῷ τὰ ὑμέτερα καὶ ἄλλο εἴ τι δυνατὸν ἐς ἀριθμὸν ἐλθεῖν· αὐτοὶ δὲ μεταχωρήσατε ὅποι βούλεσθε, ἕως ἂν ὁ πόλεμος ᾖ· ἐπειδὰν δὲ παρέλθῃ, ἀποδώσομεν ὑμῖν ἃ ἂν παραλάβωμεν. μέχρι δὲ τοῦδε ἕξομεν παρακαταθήκην, ἐργαζόμενοι καὶ φορὰν φέροντες ἣ ἂν ὑμῖν μέλλῃ ἱκανὴ ἔσεσθαι.’
But he, encouraging them, said in reply: ‘Deliver your city and houses to us, the Lacedaemonians, and point out the boundaries of your land, and count your trees, and whatever else can be numbered; and do you yourselves withdraw wherever you please as long as the war lasts. But when it is over, we will restore to you whatever we have received. Until then, we will hold it as a deposit, cultivating it and paying you such rent as shall be sufficient for you.’
- 2.72.1αὐτονομεῖσθε καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ξυνελευθεροῦτε
Morphologically, these forms can be interpreted as either present indicative or present imperative. However, given the parallel with the subsequent aorist imperative ἐμμείνατε (remain true) and the hortatory context of Archidamus’ proposal, they are best understood as imperatives.
- 2.72.1ἧς μάλιστα μὲν μετασχόντες
The relative pronoun ἧς (genitive feminine singular) refers back to the preceding noun ἐλευθερώσεως (liberation) and is governed in the genitive by the participle μετασχόντες.
- 2.72.2δεδιέναι δὲ
The infinitive δεδιέναι is introduced as part of the indirect discourse continuing from ἀπεκρίναντο ὅτι... (they answered that...), expressing the further thoughts and fears of the Plataean envoys.
- 2.72.2ὡς ἔνορκοι ὄντες
The construction of ὡς with the participle ὄντες expresses a subjective reason or pretext that the Thebans might use, namely that they are bound by the oath to receive both sides.