- 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-grc2:7.83.1-7.83.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
Upon learning of the surrender of Demosthenes' forces, Nicias proposes to release his own army in exchange for paying war expenses and offering hostages, but the enemy rejects the terms, forcing his men to attempt a night escape that is quickly detected.
οἱ δὲ Συρακόσιοι τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ καταλαβόντες αὐτὸν ἔλεγον ὅτι οἱ μετὰ Δημοσθένους παραδεδώκοιεν σφᾶς αὐτούς, κελεύοντες κἀκεῖνον τὸ αὐτὸ δρᾶν· ὁ δ’ ἀπιστῶν σπένδεται ἱππέα πέμψαι1 σκεψόμενον.
On the next day, the Syracusans overtook Nicias and told him that those with Demosthenes had surrendered, ordering him to do the same. But he, disbelieving it, made a treaty to send a horseman to see.
ὡς δ’ οἰχόμενος ἀπήγγειλε πάλιν παραδεδωκότας, ἐπικηρυκεύεται Γυλίππῳ καὶ Συρακοσίοις εἶναι ἑτοῖμος ὑπὲρ Ἀθηναίων ξυμβῆναι, ὅσα ἀνήλωσαν χρήματα Συρακόσιοι ἐς τὸν πόλεμον, ταῦτα ἀποδοῦναι, ὥστε τὴν μετ’ αὐτοῦ στρατιὰν ἀφεῖναι αὐτούς·2 μέχρι οὗ δ’ ἂν τὰ χρήματα ἀποδοθῇ, ἄνδρας δώσειν Ἀθηναίων ὁμήρους, ἕνα κατὰ τάλαντον.
And when the messenger, having gone, returned and reported that they had indeed surrendered, Nicias sent a herald to Gylippus and the Syracusans, stating that he was ready to make terms on behalf of the Athenians, to repay all the expenses that the Syracusans had incurred for the war, on condition that they should let the army with him go; and that until the money should be repaid, he would give Athenian hostages, one man for every talent.
οἱ δὲ Συρακόσιοι καὶ Γύλιππος οὐ προσεδέχοντο τοὺς λόγους, ἀλλὰ προσπεσόντες καὶ περιστάντες πανταχόθεν ἔβαλλον καὶ τούτους μέχρι ὀψέ.
But Gylippus and the Syracusans did not accept these terms; instead, falling upon them and surrounding them on all sides, they pelted them also until late in the evening.
εἶχον δὲ καὶ οὗτοι πονηρῶς σίτου τε καὶ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἀπορίᾳ. ὅμως δὲ τῆς νυκτὸς φυλάξαντες τὸ ἡσυχάζον ἔμελλον πορεύσεσθαι. καὶ ἀναλαμβάνουσί τε τὰ ὅπλα καὶ οἱ Συρακόσιοι αἰσθάνονται3 καὶ ἐπαιάνισαν.
These men too were in a wretched state from the lack of food and other necessaries. Nevertheless, watching for the quiet of the night, they were about to march. And no sooner did they take up their arms than the Syracusans perceived it and raised the paean.
γνόντες δὲ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ὅτι οὐ λανθάνουσι, κατέθεντο πάλιν πλὴν τριακοσίων μάλιστα ἀνδρῶν· οὗτοι δὲ διὰ τῶν φυλάκων βιασάμενοι ἐχώρουν τῆς νυκτὸς ᾗ ἐδύναντο.
The Athenians, finding that they were not unobserved, laid down their arms again, except for about three hundred men; but these forced their way through the guards and went on during the night as best they could.
- 7.83.1σπένδεται ἱππέα πέμψαι
The verb σπένδεται (middle, 'makes a treaty/truce') is followed by the infinitive πέμψαι, which expresses the purpose or terms of the agreement. This indicates that Nicias agreed on a temporary truce with the enemy to safely dispatch a messenger.
- 7.83.2ὥστε τὴν μετ’ αὐτοῦ στρατιὰν ἀφεῖναι αὐτούς
The construction is ὥστε followed by the infinitive ἀφεῖναι (expressing result or condition). The subject of the infinitive is the accusative αὐτούς (referring to the Syracusans), and its direct object is τὴν μετ' αὐτοῦ (with αὐτοῦ referring to Nicias) στρατιάν.
- 7.83.4ἀναλαμβάνουσί τε τὰ ὅπλα καὶ οἱ Συρακόσιοι αἰσθάνονται
The paratactic coordination using τε... καί... ('both... and...') here functions as 'no sooner... than...', vividly conveying the immediate succession and simultaneity of the two actions: taking up arms and being noticed.