- 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-grc2:3.14.1-3.14.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-25
The Mytilenian envoys conclude their speech by appealing to Spartan honor, the expectations of Greece, and Olympian Zeus to receive them as allies and send immediate aid.
‘αἰσχυνθέντες1 οὖν τάς τε τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐς ὑμᾶς ἐλπίδας καὶ Δία τὸν Ὀλύμπιον, ἐν οὗ τῷ ἱερῷ ἴσα καὶ ἱκέται ἐσμέν,2 ἐπαμύνατε Μυτιληναίοις ξύμμαχοι γενόμενοι, καὶ μὴ προῆσθε ἡμᾶς ἴδιον μὲν τὸν κίνδυνον τῶν σωμάτων παραβαλλομένους, κοινὴν δὲ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ κατορθῶσαι ὠφελίαν ἅπασι δώσοντας, ἔτι δὲ κοινοτέραν τὴν βλάβην, εἰ μὴ πεισθέντων ὑμῶν σφαλησόμεθα.3
’Therefore, showing respect both for the hopes of the Greeks in you and for Olympian Zeus, in whose temple we are virtually suppliants, come to the aid of the Mytilenians by becoming allies, and do not abandon us, who are risking our own personal lives in danger, yet are going to give the benefit arising from success as a common good to all, and a damage still more common to all, if we fail because you are not persuaded.
γίγνεσθε δὲ ἄνδρες οἵουσπερ ὑμᾶς οἵ τε Ἕλληνες ἀξιοῦσι καὶ τὸ ἡμέτερον δέος βούλεται.’
And prove yourselves to be such men as the Greeks expect you to be and as our fear wishes you to be.’
- 3.14.1αἰσχυνθέντες
Passive in form but with active meaning (deponent-like), taking the following accusatives 'hopes' (ἐλπίδας) and 'Zeus' (Δία) as direct objects. Here it expresses the sense of showing respect or reverence, rather than merely feeling ashamed.
- 3.14.1ἴσα καὶ ἱκέται ἐσμέν
ἴσα is used adverbially, combining with the conjunction καί to mean 'just as' or 'equally with'. The entire phrase means 'we are virtually in the position of suppliants (in his temple)'.
- 3.14.1παραβαλλομένους... δώσοντας... σφαλησόμεθα
The present participle παραβαλλομένους (introduced by μέν) and the future participle δώσοντας (introduced by δέ) are placed in contrast, both modifying the object pronoun ἡμᾶς. The future participle δώσοντας governs both 'benefit' (ὠφελίαν) and 'damage' (βλάβην) as its objects, while the conditional clause εἰ μὴ... σφαλησόμεθα (if we should fail) conditions the realization of the latter damage.