- 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-grc2:5.79.1-5.79.4
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-03
The specific terms of the fifty-year treaty of alliance and peace between Sparta and Argos are detailed, defining the status of allies inside and outside the Peloponnese, procedures for dispute resolution, and provisions for joint expeditions.
‘καττάδε ἔδοξε τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις καὶ Ἀργείοις σπονδὰς καὶ ξυμμαχίαν ἦμεν1 πεντήκοντα ἔτη, ἐπὶ τοῖς ἴσοις καὶ ὁμοίοις δίκας διδόντας καττὰ πάτρια· ταὶ δὲ ἄλλαι πόλιες ταὶ ἐν Πελοποννάσῳ κοινανεόντων τᾶν σπονδᾶν καὶ τᾶς ξυμμαχίας αὐτόνομοι καὶ αὐτοπόλιες, τὰν αὐτῶν ἔχοντες,2 καττὰ πάτρια δίκας διδόντες τὰς ἴσας καὶ ὁμοίας.
’It was resolved by the Lacedaemonians and the Argives to make a treaty and alliance for fifty years on the following terms: they shall submit to arbitration on fair and equal terms according to their ancestral customs. The other cities in the Peloponnese shall participate in the treaty and alliance, being independent and autonomous, possessing their own territory, and submitting to arbitration on fair and equal terms according to their ancestral customs.
ὅσσοι δὲ ἔξω Πελοποννάσω Λακεδαιμονίοις ξύμμαχοί ἐντι, ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐσσίονται τοῖσπερ καὶ τοὶ Λακεδαιμόνιοι· καὶ τοὶ τῶν Ἀργείων ξύμμαχοι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐσσίονται τῷπερ καὶ τοὶ Ἀργεῖοι, τὰν αὐτῶν ἔχοντες.
All those who are allies of the Lacedaemonians outside the Peloponnese shall be on the same terms as the Lacedaemonians themselves; and the allies of the Argives shall be on the same terms as the Argives themselves, possessing their own territory.
αἰ δέ ποι στρατείας δέῃ κοινᾶς, βουλεύεσθαι3 Λακεδαιμονίως καὶ Ἀργείως ὅπᾳ κα δικαιότατα κρίναντας τοῖς ξυμμάχοις.
If there should be a need for a joint expedition anywhere, the Lacedaemonians and the Argives shall deliberate how they may decide most justly for the allies.
αἰ δέ τινι τᾶν πολίων ᾖ ἀμφίλλογα, ἢ τᾶν ἐντὸς ἢ τᾶν ἐκτὸς Πελοποννάσω, αἴτε περὶ ὅρων αἴτε περὶ ἄλλω τινός, διακριθῆμεν. αἰ δέ τις τῶν ξυμμάχων πόλις πόλι ἐρίζοι, ἐς πόλιν ἐλθῆν ἅντινα ἴσαν ἀμφοῖν ταῖς πολίεσσι δοκείοι. τὼς δὲ ἔτας4 καττὰ πάτρια δικάζεσθαι.’
If there should be any dispute for any of the cities, either within or without the Peloponnese, whether concerning boundaries or any other matter, it shall be settled. And if any allied city should dispute with another city, they shall go to whatever city seems neutral to both cities. Private individuals shall be judged according to ancestral customs.’
- 5.79.1ἦμεν
Doric infinitive corresponding to the Attic εἶναι. It forms the infinitive clause introduced by ἔδοξε.
- 5.79.1ἔχοντες
Although modifying the feminine plural noun ταὶ δὲ ἄλλαι πόλιες, this is a masculine plural participle. This is an instance of construction according to the sense (ad sensum), referring to the citizens of the cities rather than the abstract cities. The same applies to διδόντες in the same section.
- 5.79.3βουλεύεσθαι
An infinitive used as an imperative (infinitive for imperative) to express obligation or command in official documents. It takes the accusative subjects Λακεδαιμονίως καὶ Ἀργείως (Doric accusative plural corresponding to Attic -ους). The infinitives διακριθῆμεν and δικάζεσθαι in 5.79.4 are also used in this manner.
- 5.79.4ἔτας
Doric accusative plural (corresponding to τοὺς ἰδιώτας), meaning 'citizens' or 'townsmen', here equivalent to the Attic ἰδιώτας (private individuals or litigants), as opposed to the inter-state disputes mentioned in the preceding sentence.