Rise of Alcibiades and His Secret Overture to Argos — Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War Book 5 (5.43.1–5.43.3), Greek & English

§5.43.1

κατὰ τοιαύτην δὴ διαφορὰν ὄντων τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων πρὸς τοὺς Ἀθηναίους, οἱ ἐν ταῖς Ἀθήναις αὖ βουλόμενοι λῦσαι τὰς σπονδὰς εὐθὺς ἐνέκειντο.

While the Lacedaemonians were in such a state of disagreement with the Athenians, those in Athens who in turn wished to break the treaty immediately pressed their advantage.

§5.43.2

ἦσαν δὲ ἄλλοι τε καὶ Ἀλκιβιάδης ὁ Κλεινίου, ἀνὴρ ἡλικίᾳ μὲν ἔτι τότε ὢν νέος ὡς ἐν ἄλλῃ πόλει,¹ ἀξιώματι δὲ προγόνων τιμώμενος· ᾧ ἐδόκει μὲν καὶ ἄμεινον εἶναι πρὸς τοὺς Ἀργείους μᾶλλον χωρεῖν, οὐ μέντοι ἀλλὰ καὶ φρονήματι φιλονικῶν ἠναντιοῦτο, ὅτι Λακεδαιμόνιοι διὰ Νικίου καὶ Λάχητος ἔπραξαν τὰς σπονδάς, ἑαυτὸν κατά τε τὴν νεότητα ὑπεριδόντες καὶ κατὰ τὴν παλαιὰν προξενίαν ποτὲ οὖσαν οὐ τιμήσαντες, ἣν τοῦ πάππου ἀπειπόντος² αὐτὸς τοὺς ἐκ τῆς νήσου αὐτῶν αἰχμαλώτους θεραπεύων διενοεῖτο ἀνανεώσασθαι.

Among them were others and especially Alcibiades, son of Cleinias, a man who was still young at that time in respect of age, as he would be considered in any other city, but held in honor for the prestige of his ancestors. He indeed believed that it was better to turn rather to the Argives, yet he also opposed the Lacedaemonians out of pride and a spirit of rivalry, because they had negotiated the treaty through Nicias and Laches, looking down on him because of his youth and not honoring the ancient proxeny that had once existed, which, though his grandfather had renounced it, he himself had intended to renew by taking care of their prisoners from the island.

§5.43.3

πανταχόθεν τε νομίζων ἐλασσοῦσθαι τό τε πρῶτον ἀντεῖπεν, οὐ βεβαίους φάσκων εἶναι Λακεδαιμονίους, ἀλλ’ ἵνα Ἀργείους σφίσι σπεισάμενοι ἐξέλωσι καὶ αὖθις ἐπ’ Ἀθηναίους μόνους ἴωσι, τούτου ἕνεκα σπένδεσθαι αὐτούς, καὶ τότε, ἐπειδὴ ἡ διαφορὰ ἐγεγένητο, πέμπει εὐθὺς ἐς Ἄργος ἰδίᾳ, κελεύων ὡς τάχιστα ἐπὶ τὴν ξυμμαχίαν προκαλουμένους ἥκειν μετὰ Μαντινέων καὶ Ἠλείων, ὡς καιροῦ ὄντος³ καὶ αὐτὸς ξυμπράξων⁴ τὰ μάλιστα.

Believing himself to be slighted from every side, he had opposed them in the first place, declaring that the Lacedaemonians were not reliable, but that they were making peace for this very purpose: that having made a treaty with the Argives they might destroy them and then go against the Athenians alone. And then, when the disagreement had arisen, he immediately sent privately to Argos, bidding them to come as quickly as possible with the Mantineans and Eleans to propose an alliance, on the grounds that it was a favorable opportunity and promising that he himself would cooperate to the utmost.

Syntax notes4 items

5.43.2ὡς ἐν ἄλλῃ πόλει
A limiting use of ὡς ("as/for..."). It indicates that Alcibiades' age (thought to be in his early thirties) would be considered "young" by the standards of other Greek city-states (which generally favored older leaders for political guidance), while implying that in democratic Athens he was already at an age to play a leading role.
5.43.2τοῦ πάππου ἀπειπόντος
Genitive absolute. Inserted within the relative clause introduced by the relative pronoun ἣν (whose antecedent is τὴν παλαιὰν προξενίαν, "the ancient proxeny"), expressing concession or time: "although his grandfather had renounced it."
5.43.3ὡς καιροῦ ὄντος
An impersonal genitive absolute introduced by ὡς expressing subjective reason. Accompanied by the participle ὄντος with καιρός ("favorable opportunity") as the subject, meaning "on the grounds that it was a favorable opportunity."
5.43.3ξυμπράξων
A future participle (nominative, singular, masculine) under the influence of the preceding ὡς, indicating the intention or promise of the subject (Alcibiades). It conveys his subjective resolve that "he himself would cooperate to the utmost."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.43.1-5.43.3