- 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-grc2:3.54.1-3.54.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-26
In response to the Spartans' brief query, the Plataeans challenge the premise of the trial based on whether they are viewed as enemies or friends. They assert their innocence and past loyalty by recalling their unique contributions during the Persian Wars and their crucial military aid to Sparta during the Helot revolt.
παρεχόμενοι δὲ ὅμως ἃ ἔχομεν δίκαια πρός τε τὰ Θηβαίων διάφορα καὶ ἐς ὑμᾶς καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους Ἕλληνας, τῶν εὖ δεδραμένων ὑπόμνησιν ποιησόμεθα καὶ πείθειν πειρασόμεθα.
Nevertheless, by presenting the just claims we have in regard to our differences with the Thebans, and towards you and the other Greeks, we shall remind you of our good deeds and attempt to persuade you.
‘φαμὲν γὰρ πρὸς τὸ ἐρώτημα τὸ βραχύ, εἴ τι Λακεδαιμονίους καὶ τοὺς ξυμμάχους ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ τῷδε ἀγαθὸν πεποιήκαμεν, εἰ μὲν ὡς πολεμίους ἐρωτᾶτε, οὐκ ἀδικεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς μὴ εὖ παθόντας, φίλους δὲ νομίζοντας αὐτοὺς ἁμαρτάνειν μᾶλλον τοὺς ἡμῖν ἐπιστρατεύσαντας.1
‘For in answer to that brief question, whether we have done any good to the Lacedaemonians and their allies in this war, we say that if you ask us as enemies, you are not being wronged by not receiving good treatment from us, but if you consider yourselves as friends, then those who marched against us have rather committed a wrong.
τὰ δ’ ἐν τῇ εἰρήνῃ καὶ πρὸς τὸν Μῆδον ἀγαθοὶ γεγενήμεθα, τὴν μὲν οὐ λύσαντες νῦν πρότεροι, τῷ δὲ ξυνεπιθέμενοι τότε2 ἐς ἐλευθερίαν τῆς Ἑλλάδος μόνοι Βοιωτῶν.
On the other hand, both in time of peace and against the Mede we have behaved well, not being the first to break the former now, and having then joined with you against the latter for the freedom of Greece, alone among the Boeotians.
καὶ γὰρ ἠπειρῶταί τε ὄντες ἐναυμαχήσαμεν ἐπ’ Ἀρτεμισίῳ, μάχῃ τε τῇ ἐν τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ γῇ γενομένῃ παρεγενόμεθα ὑμῖν τε καὶ Παυσανίᾳ· εἴ τέ τι ἄλλο κατ’ ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον ἐγένετο ἐπικίνδυνον τοῖς Ἕλλησι, πάντων παρὰ δύναμιν μετέσχομεν.
For indeed, though we were land-dwellers, we fought on board ship at Artemisium, and we were present with you and Pausanias in the battle that took place in our own land; and if any other danger arose for the Greeks at that time, we took part in all of them beyond our strength.
καὶ ὑμῖν, ὦ Λακεδαιμόνιοι, ἰδίᾳ, ὅτεπερ δὴ μέγιστος φόβος περιέστη τὴν Σπάρτην μετὰ τὸν σεισμὸν τῶν ἐς Ἰθώμην Εἱλώτων ἀποστάντων, τὸ τρίτον μέρος ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἐξεπέμψαμεν ἐς ἐπικουρίαν· ὧν οὐκ εἰκὸς ἀμνημονεῖν.3
And to you, Lacedaemonians, in particular, when indeed the greatest fear surrounded Sparta after the earthquake, when the Helots revolted and fled to Ithome, we sent out a third part of our own forces to your assistance; of which things it is not right that you should be unmindful.’
- 3.54.2φίλους δὲ νομίζοντας αὐτοὺς ἁμαρτάνειν μᾶλλον τοὺς ἡμῖν ἐπιστρατεύσαντας
The accusative participle νομίζοντας agrees with the unexpressed subject of the infinitive ἁμαρτάνειν, referring to 'you (Lacedaemonians)'. αὐτούς ('yourselves') is the object of νομίζοντας ('considering yourselves as friends'). The grammatical subject of ἁμαρτάνειν is τοὺς ἡμῖν ἐπιστρατεύσαντας ('those who marched against us'), which refers back to the Lacedaemonians themselves.
- 3.54.3τὴν μὲν οὐ λύσαντες νῦν πρότεροι, τῷ δὲ ξυνεπιθέμενοι τότε
Syntax of pronouns referring back to the previous sentence. τὴν μὲν (feminine accusative singular) refers back to τῇ εἰρήνῃ (the peace), while τῷ δὲ (masculine dative singular) refers back to τὸν Μῆδον (the Mede/Persian), serving as the dative object of the participle ξυνεπιθέμενοι (assailing together).
- 3.54.5ὧν οὐκ εἰκὸς ἀμνημονεῖν
The relative pronoun ὧν is neuter plural genitive, referring back to the series of good deeds and services mentioned in the preceding sections (sections 4 and 5). It is in the genitive case because the governing infinitive ἀμνημονεῖν (to be unmindful of, to forget) takes a genitive object.