- 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-grc2:2.74.1-2.74.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-23
After the Plataeans resolved to maintain their alliance with Athens and rejected the Lacedaemonian proposals, King Archidamus invoked the local gods and heroes, declaring the justice of his cause and the violation of the oath by the Plataeans.
τοιαῦτα τῶν πρέσβεων ἀπαγγειλάντων οἱ Πλαταιῆς ἐβουλεύσαντο Ἀθηναίους μὴ προδιδόναι, ἀλλ’ ἀνέχεσθαι καὶ γῆν τεμνομένην, εἰ δεῖ, ὁρῶντας καὶ ἄλλο πάσχοντας1 ὅτι ἂν ξυμβαίνῃ· ἐξελθεῖν τε μηδένα ἔτι, ἀλλ’ ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους ἀποκρίνασθαι ὅτι ἀδύνατα σφίσι ποιεῖν ἐστὶν ἃ Λακεδαιμόνιοι προκαλοῦνται.
When the envoys had reported this, the Plataeans resolved not to betray the Athenians, but to endure even seeing their land ravaged, if necessary, and suffering whatever else might happen; and they decided that no one should go out anymore, but that they should answer from the wall that it was impossible for them to do what the Lacedaemonians proposed.
ὡς δὲ ἀπεκρίναντο, ἐντεῦθεν δὴ πρῶτον μὲν ἐς ἐπιμαρτυρίαν καὶ θεῶν καὶ ἡρώων τῶν ἐγχωρίων Ἀρχίδαμος ὁ βασιλεὺς κατέστη, λέγων ὧδε· ‘θεοὶ ὅσοι γῆν τὴν Πλαταιίδα ἔχετε καὶ ἥρωες, ξυνίστορές ἐστε ὅτι οὔτε τὴν ἀρχὴν2 ἀδίκως, ἐκλιπόντων δὲ τῶνδε προτέρων τὸ ξυνώμοτον, ἐπὶ γῆν τήνδε ἤλθομεν, ἐν ᾗ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν εὐξάμενοι ὑμῖν Μήδων ἐκράτησαν καὶ παρέσχετε αὐτὴν εὐμενῆ ἐναγωνίσασθαι τοῖς Ἕλλησιν,3 οὔτε νῦν, ἤν τι ποιῶμεν, ἀδικήσομεν· προκαλεσάμενοι γὰρ πολλὰ καὶ εἰκότα οὐ τυγχάνομεν. ξυγγνώμονες δὲ ἔστε τῆς μὲν ἀδικίας κολάζεσθαι τοῖς ὑπάρχουσι προτέροις, τῆς δὲ τιμωρίας τυγχάνειν τοῖς ἐπιφέρουσι νομίμως.’4
When they had answered thus, thereupon King Archidamus first of all proceeded to call to witness the gods and heroes of the country, speaking as follows: “All ye gods and heroes who possess the land of Plataea, be witnesses that it was neither unjustly at the first, but because these men first abandoned the common oath, that we came against this land, whereon our fathers prayed to you and conquered the Medes, and which you rendered favorable for the Greeks to fight in, nor now shall we do any wrong in whatever we may do; for though we have made many reasonable proposals, we do not obtain our request. Grant your consent, then, that those who were the first to begin the injustice may be punished for it, and that those who are lawfully bringing vengeance may attain their revenge.”
- 2.74.1ἀνέχεσθαι καὶ γῆν τεμνομένην, εἰ δεῖ, ὁρῶντας καὶ ἄλλο πάσχοντας
The infinitive ἀνέχεσθαι ("to endure") takes the participles ὁρῶντας and πάσχοντας as complements (agreeing with the implied accusative subject of the infinitive). Furthermore, γῆν τεμνομένην serves as the accusative object of the participle ὁρῶντας ("seeing the land being ravaged").
- 2.74.2τὴν ἀρχὴν
An accusative noun used adverbially (adverbial accusative). Especially in negative sentences, it means "at all," "originally," or "at first." Here, it modifies the verb ἤλθομεν, meaning "we did not come unjustly at the very first."
- 2.74.2παρέσχετε αὐτὴν εὐμενῆ ἐναγωνίσασθαι τοῖς Ἕλλησιν
The adjective εὐμενῆ ("favorable") is used predicatively with the object αὐτήν (referring to the land). The infinitive ἐναγωνίσασθαι expresses purpose or result, which, combined with the dative τοῖς Ἕλλησιν, means "rendered it favorable for the Greeks to fight in."
- 2.74.2ξυγγνώμονες δὲ ἔστε τῆς μὲν ἀδικίας κολάζεσθαι τοῖς ὑπάρχουσι προτέροις, τῆς δὲ τιμωρίας τυγχάνειν τοῖς ἐπιφέρουσι νομίμως
The imperative ξυγγνώμονες ἔστε ("be consenting/forgiving") governs two symmetrical structures of [dative + infinitive], meaning "grant your consent that [dative subject] may [infinitive]." The first clause refers to "those who first began (τοῖς ὑπάρχουσι προτέροις) being punished (κολάζεσθαι, passive) for their injustice (τῆς ἀδικίας, genitive of cause)." The second clause refers to "those who lawfully bring (τοῖς ἐπιφέρουσι νομίμως) attaining (τυγχάνειν) their vengeance (τῆς τιμωρίας, genitive object of τυγχάνειν)."