- 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-grc2:3.44.1-3.44.4
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-26
Diodotus argues that the debate over the fate of the Mytilenaeans should focus on Athens' own self-interest rather than moral injustice, disputing Cleon's claim that the death penalty serves as a future deterrent.
‘ἐγὼ δὲ παρῆλθον οὔτε ἀντερῶν περὶ Μυτιληναίων οὔτε κατηγορήσων. οὐ γὰρ περὶ τῆς ἐκείνων ἀδικίας ἡμῖν ὁ ἀγών, εἰ σωφρονοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας εὐβουλίας.
’I have come forward neither to speak in opposition on behalf of the Mytilenaeans, nor to accuse them. For our dispute is not about their injustice, if we are wise, but about our own good counsel.
ἤν τε γὰρ ἀποφήνω πάνυ ἀδικοῦντας αὐτούς, οὐ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἀποκτεῖναι κελεύσω, εἰ μὴ ξυμφέρον, ἤν τε καὶ ἔχοντάς τι ξυγγνώμης † εἶεν1 †, εἰ τῇ πόλει μὴ ἀγαθὸν φαίνοιτο.
For even if I should show them to be utterly unjust, I would not for that reason bid you put them to death, unless it were to our advantage; and even if they should have some claim to pardon, I would not advise it if it did not appear to be good for the city.
νομίζω δὲ περὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος ἡμᾶς μᾶλλον βουλεύεσθαι ἢ τοῦ παρόντος. καὶ τοῦτο ὃ μάλιστα Κλέων ἰσχυρίζεται, ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν ξυμφέρον ἔσεσθαι πρὸς τὸ ἧσσον ἀφίστασθαι θάνατον ζημίαν προθεῖσι,2 καὶ αὐτὸς περὶ τοῦ ἐς τὸ μέλλον καλῶς ἔχοντος ἀντισχυριζόμενος τἀναντία γιγνώσκω.
And I think we are deliberating rather about the future than the present. As for this very point which Cleon most strongly insists upon—that it will be advantageous for the future, in order to make rebellions less frequent, to establish death as the penalty—I myself, in opposition to him, strongly maintaining what is best for the future, hold the contrary opinion.
καὶ οὐκ ἀξιῶ ὑμᾶς τῷ εὐπρεπεῖ τοῦ ἐκείνου λόγου τὸ χρήσιμον τοῦ ἐμοῦ ἀπώσασθαι. δικαιότερος γὰρ ὢν αὐτοῦ ὁ λόγος πρὸς τὴν νῦν ὑμετέραν ὀργὴν ἐς Μυτιληναίους τάχ’ ἂν ἐπισπάσαιτο· ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐ δικαζόμεθα πρὸς αὐτούς, ὥστε τῶν δικαίων δεῖν,3 ἀλλὰ βουλευόμεθα περὶ αὐτῶν, ὅπως χρησίμως ἕξουσιν.
And I ask you not to reject the utility of my speech for the fair appearance of his. For his speech, being more just, might perhaps win you over, in view of your present anger against the Mytilenaeans; but we are not at law with them, so as to need what is just, but we are deliberating about them, how they may be of use to us.’
- 3.44.2ἤν τε καὶ ἔχοντάς τι ξυγγνώμης † εἶεν †
The word εἶεν in the manuscripts is grammatically problematic and marked with daggers. Syntactically, it forms a conditional clause in contrast with the preceding ἤν... ἀποφήνω ('even if they should have some claim to pardon'). The corresponding apodosis ('I would not advise you to pardon them') is omitted and must be supplied from the context of the previous clause ('I would not bid you put them to death').
- 3.44.3πρὸς τὸ ἧσσον ἀφίστασθαι θάνατον ζημίαν προθεῖσι
The dative participle phrase θάνατον ζημίαν προθεῖσι ('for those who establish death as the penalty') modifies the adjective ξυμφέρον ('advantageous'). The phrase πρὸς τὸ ἧσσον ἀφίστασθαι ('with a view to making rebellions less frequent') is a prepositional phrase expressing purpose or direction, where the substantivized infinitive is governed by πρὸς.
- 3.44.4ὥστε τῶν δικαίων δεῖν
The infinitive δεῖν of the impersonal verb δεῖ introduces a result clause with ὥστε. The verb δεῖ governs the genitive τῶν δικαίων, meaning 'there is need of what is just'. It expresses the logical consequence of the main clause, 'we are not at law with them'.