- 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-grc2:5.92.1
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-04
The Melians counter the Athenians by asking how submission could possibly be as beneficial for the ruled as ruling is for the rulers.
ΜΗΛ. καὶ πῶς χρήσιμον ἂν ξυμβαίη1 ἡμῖν δουλεῦσαι, ὥσπερ καὶ ὑμῖν ἄρξαι;2
MELIANS And how could it turn out to be useful for us to serve, just as it is for you to rule?
- 5.92.1ἂν ξυμβαίη
The potential optative (optative aorist + ἄν) of the impersonally used συμβαίνει (to turn out, to happen), used with the interrogative πῶς to express a strong rhetorical question ('how could it possibly turn out...?'). The infinitive clause ἡμῖν δουλεῦσαι functions as the subject (or complement) of this verb.
- 5.92.1ὥσπερ καὶ ὑμῖν ἄρξαι
After ὥσπερ καὶ, the predicate elements χρήσιμον [ἂν ξυμβαίη / ἐστι] from the preceding clause are omitted. This structure contrasts the perspective of the rulers (ὑμῖν ἄρξαι) with that of the ruled (ἡμῖν δουλεῦσαι), replying to the Athenians' previous claim of mutual advantage (χρησίμως... ἀμφοτέροις).