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§9.46.1-9.46.3

Pausanias's Proposal to Swap Wings with the Athenians

Upon hearing of the Persian attack plan from the Athenian generals, Pausanias proposes swapping the positions of the Athenians and Spartans due to their differing experience with the enemy, a suggestion which the Athenians gladly accept.

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§9.46.1

οἱ δὲ στρατηγοὶ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ τὸ δεξιὸν κέρας ἔλεγον Παυσανίῃ τά περ ἤκουσαν Ἀλεξάνδρου. ὁ δὲ τούτῳ τῷ λόγῳ καταρρωδήσας τοὺς Πέρσας ἔλεγε τάδε.

​The generals of the Athenians, having gone to the right wing, told Pausanias exactly what they had heard from Alexander. And he, having been struck with fear of the Persians by this message, spoke as follows:

§9.46.2

ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἐς ἠῶ ἡ συμβολὴ γίνεται, ὑμέας μὲν χρεόν ἐστι τοὺς Ἀθηναίους στῆναι κατὰ τοὺς Πέρσας, ἡμέας δὲ κατὰ τοὺς Βοιωτούς τε καὶ τοὺς κατʼ ὑμέας τεταγμένους Ἑλλήνων, τῶνδε εἵνεκα· ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε τοὺς Μήδους καὶ τὴν μάχην αὐτῶν ἐν Μαραθῶνι μαχεσάμενοι,1 ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄπειροί τε εἰμὲν καὶ ἀδαέες τούτων τῶν ἀνδρῶν· Σπαρτιητέων γὰρ οὐδεὶς πεπείρηται Μήδων· ἡμεῖς δὲ Βοιωτῶν καὶ Θεσσαλῶν ἔμπειροι εἰμέν.

”Since, then, the battle will take place at dawn, it is proper for you Athenians to stand opposite the Persians, and for us to stand opposite the Boeotians and those of the Greeks who are stationed opposite you, for the following reason. You know the Medes and their manner of fighting, having fought at Marathon, whereas we are inexperienced in and ignorant of these men; for no one of the Spartans has made trial of the Medes. But we are experienced in dealing with the Boeotians and Thessalians.

§9.46.3

ἀλλʼ ἀναλαβόντας2 τὰ ὅπλα χρεόν ἐστι ἰέναι ὑμέας ἐς τόδε τὸ κέρας, ἡμέας δὲ ἐς τὸ εὐώνυμον. πρὸς δὲ ταῦτα εἶπαν οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι τάδε. καὶ αὐτοῖσι ἡμῖν πάλαι ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, ἐπείτε εἴδομεν κατʼ ὑμέας τασσομένους τοὺς Πέρσας, ἐν νόῳ ἐγένετο εἰπεῖν ταῦτα τά περ ὑμεῖς φθάντες3 προφέρετε· ἀλλὰ ἀρρωδέομεν μὴ ὑμῖν οὐκ4 ἡδέες γένωνται οἱ λόγοι. ἐπεὶ δʼ ὦν αὐτοὶ ἐμνήσθητε, καὶ ἡδομένοισι ἡμῖν οἱ λόγοι γεγόνασι καὶ ἕτοιμοι εἰμὲν ποιέειν ταῦτα.

​Therefore, taking up your arms, you must go to this wing, and we to the left.” To this the Athenians replied as follows: “To us ourselves also, long ago from the very beginning, when we saw the Persians being stationed opposite you, it occurred to our mind to say the very things which you have anticipated us in proposing; but we were afraid lest our words might not be pleasing to you. But since you yourselves have mentioned it, your words have indeed come to us with pleasure, and we are ready to do this.”

Syntax notes4 items
  1. 9.46.2μαχεσάμενοι

    A nominative plural participle (aorist) agreeing with the subject of the main clause ὑμεῖς, functioning adverbially to express the reason ("since you fought") or means for the verb ἐπίστασθε.

  2. 9.46.3ἀναλαβόντας

    In the accusative-and-infinitive construction governed by the impersonal expression χρεόν ἐστι, this participle takes the accusative plural to agree with ὑμέας, the subject accusative of the infinitive ἰέναι.

  3. 9.46.3φθάντες

    The participle of the verb φθάνω (to anticipate) is used in combination with the main verb προφέρετε to express temporal priority adverbially ("which you have anticipated us in proposing").

  4. 9.46.3μὴ ... οὐκ

    Introduced by the verb of fearing ἀρρωδέομεν, the conjunction μὴ (lest) is combined with the negative οὐκ modifying ἡδέες, expressing the apprehension that the words "might not be pleasing" (i.e., might be displeasing).

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
  • 2026-09-21 AI review — note 1
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.46.1-9.46.3