Refutation of the Similarity Between Crete and Sparta — Polybius, The Histories Book 6 (6.45.1–6.45.5), Greek & English

§6.45.1

ἐπὶ δὲ τὴν Κρηταιῶν μεταβάντας¹ ἄξιον ἐπιστῆσαι² κατὰ δύο τρόπους πῶς οἱ λογιώτατοι τῶν ἀρχαίων συγγραφέων, Ἔφορος, Ξενοφῶν, Καλλισθένης, Πλάτων, πρῶτον μὲν ὁμοίαν εἶναί φασι καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν τῇ Λακεδαιμονίων, δεύτερον δʼ ἐπαινετὴν ὑπάρχουσαν ἀποφαίνουσιν·

Having passed on to the constitution of the Cretans, it is worth directing our attention in two ways to how the most illustrious of the ancient writers, Ephorus, Xenophon, Callisthenes, and Plato, first say that it is similar to and indeed the same as that of the Lacedaemonians, and second, represent it as being praiseworthy;

§6.45.2

ὧν οὐδέτερον ἀληθὲς εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ.

neither of which claims seems to me to be true.

§6.45.3

σκοπεῖν δʼ ἐκ τούτων πάρεστι. καὶ πρῶτον ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀνομοιότητος διέξιμεν. τῆς μὲν δὴ Λακεδαιμονίων πολιτείας ἴδιον εἶναί φασι πρῶτον μὲν τὰ περὶ τὰς ἐγγαίους κτήσεις, ὧν οὐδενὶ μέτεστι πλεῖον, ἀλλὰ πάντας τοὺς πολίτας ἴσον ἔχειν δεῖ τῆς πολιτικῆς χώρας, δεύτερον τὰ περὶ τὴν τοῦ διαφόρου³ κτῆσιν, ἧς εἰς τέλος ἀδοκίμου παρʼ αὐτοῖς ὑπαρχούσης ἄρδην ἐκ τῆς πολιτείας ἀνῃρῆσθαι συμβαίνει τὴν περὶ τὸ πλεῖον καὶ τοὔλαττον φιλοτιμίαν.

And we may observe this from the following points. And first we shall discuss the dissimilarity. For they say that it is a peculiarity of the Lacedaemonian constitution, first, in regard to the possession of land, in which no one has a larger share than another, but all citizens must have an equal share of the public territory, second, in regard to the possession of money, which being entirely discredited among them, it happens that ambition concerning the “more” and the “less” is completely eradicated from the state.

§6.45.5

τρίτον παρὰ Λακεδαιμονίοις οἱ μὲν βασιλεῖς ἀΐδιον ἔχουσι τὴν ἀρχήν, οἱ δὲ προσαγορευόμενοι γέροντες διὰ βίου, διʼ ὧν καὶ μεθʼ ὧν πάντα

Third, among the Lacedaemonians the kings hold their office permanently, and those called the elders hold theirs for life, through whom and with whom all things

Syntax notes3 items

6.45.1μεταβάντας
An accusative participle functioning as the logical subject (referring to "us" or readers in general) of the infinitive ἐπιστῆσαι, which depends on the impersonal expression ἄξιον [ἐστί].
6.45.1ἐπιστῆσαι
Used intransitively here, but it is an idiomatic expression that historically omits an object such as τὸν νοῦν (mind, attention), meaning "to direct one's attention" or "to observe."
6.45.4τοῦ διαφόρου
Used as a substantivized neuter noun; while it generally means "difference," in Polybius's usage it specifically refers to "money," "cash," or "specie."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.45.1-6.45.5