- 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-grc2:6.80.1-6.80.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-07
The Syracusan envoy warns the Camarinaeans that maintaining neutrality is a specious policy that benefits Athenian aggression, urging them as fellow Dorians to stand together or face either subjugation or lasting enmity.
ὥστε οὐχ ἁθρόους γε ὄντας εἰκὸς ἀθυμεῖν, ἰέναι δὲ ἐς τὴν ξυμμαχίαν προθυμότερον, ἄλλως τε καὶ ἀπὸ Πελοποννήσου παρεσομένης ὠφελίας, οἳ τῶνδε κρείσσους εἰσὶ τὸ παράπαν τὰ πολέμια· καὶ μὴ ἐκείνην τὴν προμηθίαν δοκεῖν τῳ ἡμῖν μὲν ἴσην εἶναι, ὑμῖν δὲ ἀσφαλῆ, τὸ μηδετέροις δὴ ὡς καὶ ἀμφοτέρων ὄντας ξυμμάχους βοηθεῖν.1
Therefore, it is not reasonable for us to be discouraged when we are united; rather, we should enter into this alliance more eagerly, especially since assistance will be present from the Peloponnesus, who are entirely superior to these men in military matters. And let no one think that that precaution—namely, helping neither side on the ground that you are allies of both—is fair to us and safe for you.
οὐ γὰρ ἔργῳ ἴσον ὥσπερ τῷ δικαιώματί ἐστιν. εἰ γὰρ δι’ ὑμᾶς μὴ ξυμμαχήσαντας ὅ τε παθὼν σφαλήσεται καὶ ὁ κρατῶν περιέσται, τί ἄλλο ἢ τῇ αὐτῇ ἀπουσίᾳ τοῖς μὲν οὐκ ἠμύνατε σωθῆναι,2 τοὺς δὲ οὐκ ἐκωλύσατε κακοὺς γενέσθαι; καίτοι κάλλιον τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις καὶ ἅμα ξυγγενέσι προσθεμένους τήν τε κοινὴν ὠφελίαν τῇ Σικελίᾳ φυλάξαι καὶ τοὺς Ἀθηναίους φίλους δὴ ὄντας μὴ ἐᾶσαι ἁμαρτεῖν.
For it is not as fair in fact as it is in its legal claim. For if, through your failure to ally with us, the victim falls and the victor prevails, what else have you done by this same absence than fail to help the former to be saved, and fail to prevent the latter from doing evil? And yet, it is far nobler, by taking the side of the wronged who are also your kinsmen, to preserve the common safety of Sicily and not to allow the Athenians, who are indeed your friends, to commit a crime.
‘ξυνελόντες τε λέγομεν οἱ Συρακόσιοι ἐκδιδάσκειν μὲν οὐδὲν ἔργον εἶναι σαφῶς οὔτε ὑμᾶς οὔτε τοὺς ἄλλους περὶ ὧν αὐτοὶ οὐδὲν χεῖρον γιγνώσκετε· δεόμεθα δὲ καὶ μαρτυρόμεθα ἅμα, εἰ μὴ πείσομεν, ὅτι ἐπιβουλευόμεθα μὲν ὑπὸ Ἰώνων αἰεὶ πολεμίων, προδιδόμεθα δὲ ὑπὸ ὑμῶν Δωριῆς Δωριῶν.
”To sum up, we Syracusans say that there is no need to explain clearly either to you or to the others about things which you yourselves know no worse than we do. But we entreat you and at the same time bear witness, if we do not persuade you, that we are being plotted against by Ionians, our constant enemies, and are being betrayed by you, Dorians by Dorians.
καὶ εἰ καταστρέψονται ἡμᾶς Ἀθηναῖοι, ταῖς μὲν ὑμετέραις γνώμαις κρατήσουσι, τῷ δ᾽ αὑτῶν ὀνόματι τιμηθήσονται, καὶ τῆς νίκης οὐκ ἄλλον τινὰ ἆθλον ἢ τὸν τὴν νίκην παρασχόντα3 λήψονται· καὶ εἰ αὖ ἡμεῖς περιεσόμεθα, τῆς αἰτίας τῶν κινδύνων οἱ αὐτοὶ τὴν τιμωρίαν ὑφέξετε.
And if the Athenians conquer us, they will prevail through your decisions, but they will be honored in their own name, and they will take as the prize of their victory no other than the very one who provided them with the victory. And if on the other hand we survive, you yourselves, as the causes of our dangers, will undergo the punishment.
σκοπεῖτε οὖν καὶ αἱρεῖσθε ἤδη ἢ τὴν αὐτίκα ἀκινδύνως δουλείαν ἢ κἂν περιγενόμενοι μεθ’ ἡμῶν τούσδε τε μὴ αἰσχρῶς δεσπότας λαβεῖν καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἔχθραν μὴ ἂν βραχεῖαν γενομένην4 διαφυγεῖν.’
Consider, therefore, and choose now either immediate slavery without danger, or, by surviving with us, to avoid taking these men as shameful masters and to escape our enmity, which would not be of short duration.”
- 6.80.1τὸ μηδετέροις δὴ ὡς καὶ ἀμφοτέρων ὄντας ξυμμάχους βοηθεῖν
This articular infinitive clause is in apposition to the preceding ἐκείνην τὴν προμηθίαν ('that precaution'), explaining its content. It functions as the subject of the infinitive δοκεῖν (used as an imperative).
- 6.80.2τοῖς μὲν οὐκ ἠμύνατε σωθῆναι
The verb ἀμύνω in the active voice with a dative (τοῖς μέν) means 'to help someone' or 'to ward off for someone', and here with the infinitive σωθῆναι it means 'to help them to be saved'. Note the contrast with the subsequent τοὺς δὲ οὐκ ἐκωλύσατε, where κωλύω governs the accusative (τοὺς δέ).
- 6.80.4τὸν τὴν νίκην παρασχόντα
The participial phrase τὸν ... παρασχόντα refers to the prize (ἆθλον) of victory that the Athenians will receive, which is the Camarinaeans themselves—those who by abandoning Syracuse ultimately provided victory to Athens. It ironically points out that the very people who helped Athens win will end up as their subjects.
- 6.80.5μὴ ἂν βραχεῖαν γενομένην
The particle ἄν with the participle γενομένην indicates that the participle represents the apodosis of a conditional sentence (expressing potentiality or equivalent to ἂν γένοιτο). It implies 'which would not prove to be of short duration (if it should occur)'.