- 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-grc2:5.23.1-5.23.6
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-02
The specific clauses of the fifty-year alliance treaty between Athens and Lacedaemon are presented, detailing mutual defense, assistance against slave revolts, annual oath-renewals, erection of stone pillars, and provisions for treaty amendments.
‘κατὰ τάδε ξύμμαχοι ἔσονται Λακεδαιμόνιοι 〈καὶ Ἀθηναῖοι〉 πεντήκοντα ἔτη. ἢν [δέ] τινες ἴωσιν ἐς τὴν γῆν πολέμιοι τὴν Λακεδαιμονίων καὶ κακῶς ποιῶσι Λακεδαιμονίους, ὠφελεῖν1 Ἀθηναίους Λακεδαιμονίους τρόπῳ ὁποίῳ ἂν δύνωνται ἰσχυροτάτῳ κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν· ἢν δὲ δῃώσαντες οἴχωνται, πολεμίαν εἶναι ταύτην τὴν πόλιν Λακεδαιμονίοις καὶ Ἀθηναίοις καὶ κακῶς πάσχειν ὑπὸ ἀμφοτέρων, καταλύειν δὲ ἅμα ἄμφω τὼ πόλεε. ταῦτα δ’ εἶναι δικαίως καὶ προθύμως καὶ ἀδόλως.
’The Lacedaemonians and 〈Athenians〉 shall be allies for fifty years on the following terms. If any enemies invade the territory of the Lacedaemonians and do harm to the Lacedaemonians, the Athenians shall assist the Lacedaemonians in whatever strongest way they can, to the best of their power; and if they should depart after having ravaged the land, that state shall be an enemy to both Lacedaemonians and Athenians, and shall suffer harm from both, and both states shall bring the war to an end together. These terms shall be observed justly, zealously, and without guile.
καὶ ἤν τινες ἐς τὴν Ἀθηναίων γῆν ἴωσι πολέμιοι καὶ κακῶς ποιῶσιν Ἀθηναίους, ὠφελεῖν Λακεδαιμονίους 〈Ἀθηναίους 〉 τρόπῳ ὅτῳ ἂν δύνωνται ἰσχυροτάτῳ κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν· ἢν δὲ δῃώσαντες οἴχωνται, πολεμίαν εἶναι ταύτην τὴν πόλιν Λακεδαιμονίοις καὶ Ἀθηναίοις καὶ κακῶς πάσχειν ὑπ’ ἀμφοτέρων, καταλύειν δὲ ἅμα ἄμφω τὼ πόλεε.
And if any enemies invade the territory of the Athenians and do harm to the Athenians, the Lacedaemonians shall assist 〈the Athenians〉 in whatever strongest way they can, to the best of their power; and if they should depart after having ravaged the land, that state shall be an enemy to both Lacedaemonians and Athenians, and shall suffer harm from both, and both states shall bring the war to an end together.
ταῦτα δ’ εἶναι δικαίως καὶ προθύμως καὶ ἀδόλως. ἢν δὲ ἡ δουλεία2 ἐπανιστῆται, ἐπικουρεῖν Ἀθηναίους Λακεδαιμονίοις παντὶ σθένει κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν.
These terms shall be observed justly, zealously, and without guile. And if the slave population should rise in rebellion, the Athenians shall assist the Lacedaemonians with all their might to the best of their power.
ὀμοῦνται δὲ ταῦτα οἵπερ καὶ τὰς ἄλλας σπονδὰς ὤμνυον ἑκατέρων. ἀνανεοῦσθαι δὲ 〈τὸν ὅρκον〉 κατ’ ἐνιαυτὸν Λακεδαιμονίους μὲν ἰόντας ἐς Ἀθήνας πρὸς τὰ Διονύσια, Ἀθηναίους δὲ ἰόντας ἐς Λακεδαίμονα πρὸς τὰ Ὑακίνθια.
These oaths shall be sworn on both sides by the very same persons who swore to the other treaty. And they shall renew 〈the oath〉 every year, the Lacedaemonians going to Athens at the time of the Dionysia, and the Athenians going to Lacedaemon at the time of the Hyacinthia.
στήλην δὲ ἑκατέρους στῆσαι, τὴν μὲν ἐν Λακεδαίμονι παρ’ Ἀπόλλωνι ἐν Ἀμυκλαίῳ, τὴν δὲ ἐν Ἀθήναις ἐν πόλει παρ’ Ἀθηνᾷ.
Both sides shall erect a stone pillar, one at Lacedaemon by the temple of Apollo in the Amyclaeum, and the other at Athens on the Acropolis by the temple of Athena.
ἢν δέ τι δοκῇ Λακεδαιμονίοις καὶ Ἀθηναίοις προσθεῖναι καὶ ἀφελεῖν περὶ τῆς ξυμμαχίας, ὅτι ἂν δοκῇ, εὔορκον ἀμφοτέροις εἶναι.3
And if it should seem good to the Lacedaemonians and Athenians to add to or subtract anything from the alliance, whatever they agree upon shall be consistent with their oaths for both parties.’
- 5.23.1ὠφελεῖν
An infinitive used as an imperative (imperative infinitive) in the clauses of the treaty, expressing legal obligation or instruction, with the governing verb of decree or obligation omitted. This usage continues with subsequent infinitives in this chapter (e.g., εἶναι, πάσχειν, καταλύειν, ἐπικουρεῖν, ἀνανεοῦσθαι, στῆσαι).
- 5.23.3ἡ δουλεία
The abstract noun 'slavery' or 'bondage' (ἡ δουλεία) is used collectively to denote 'the slave population,' specifically referring to the Helots in Lacedaemon. It indicates a crucial agreement in which Athens promises aid against a Helot revolt, which Lacedaemon constantly feared.
- 5.23.6εὔορκον ἀμφοτέροις εἶναι
An impersonal expression with the adjective εὔορκος ('consistent with one's oath' or 'not violating the oath'). It means 'it shall be consistent with the oaths of both parties,' constituting an amendment clause that legally permits future mutually agreed-upon modifications (additions or subtractions) to the treaty.