- Source
- Polybius. Vols. 1-4. Büttner-Wobst, Theodor, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1893.
- 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:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.40.1-9.40.6
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-07
The text describes the Athenian argument concerning their alliance, and the desperate oath made by the Acarnanians, facing an Aetolian invasion, never to receive any fugitives.
τὸ γὰρ τοιοῦτον ἦθος αἰεὶ βούλεται διαφυλάττειν ἡ τῶν Ἀθηναίων πόλις.
For the city of the Athenians always wishes to preserve such a character.
προθυμίαν γὰρ φίλων συμφόρως μὲν γινομένην μεγάλην παρέχεσθαι1 χρείαν, ἐφελκομένην δὲ καὶ καθυστεροῦσαν τελέως ἀνωφελῆ ποιεῖν τὴν ἐπικουρίαν.
For the zeal of friends, when shown opportunely, provides great service, but when it drags on and is too late, it makes the assistance completely useless.
εἴπερ οὖν βούλονται μὴ τοῖς γράμμασι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις τηρεῖν τὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς συμμαχίαν οἱ δὲ Ἀκαρνᾶνες, πυνθανόμενοι τὴν τῶν Αἰτωλῶν ἔφοδον ἐπὶ σφᾶς, τὰ μὲν ἀπαλγοῦντες ταῖς ἐλπίσι, τὰ δὲ καὶ θυμομαχοῦντες,2 ἐπί τινα παράστασιν κατήντησαν. εἰ δέ τις λειπόμενος μὴ θάνοι, φύγοι δὲ τὸν κίνδυνον, τοῦτον μήτε πόλει δέχεσθαι μήτε πῦρ ἐναύειν.3
If, therefore, they wish to keep their alliance with them not only in writing but also in deeds, And the Acarnanians, learning of the invasion of the Aetolians against them, partly despairing of their hopes, and partly fighting with desperate courage, came to a certain desperate resolution. And if anyone, surviving, should not die, but should flee the danger, that no city should receive him, nor kindle a fire for him.
περὶ τούτων ἀρὰς ἐποιήσαντο πᾶσι μέν, μάλιστα δὲ τοῖς Ἠπειρώταις, εἰς τὸ μηδένα τῶν φευγόντων δέξασθαι τῇ χώρᾳ.
Concerning these things they made solemn imprecations upon all, but especially upon the Epirotes, to the effect that they should not receive any of the fugitives into their territory.
- 9.40.2προθυμίαν γὰρ φίλων... παρέχεσθαι
The entire sentence is in the accusative and infinitive construction (indirect speech), with the governing verb of speaking (e.g., 'the Athenians said') omitted. The accusative προθυμίαν acts as the subject of the infinitive παρέχεσθαι and the subsequent ποιεῖν.
- 9.40.4τὰ μὲν ἀπαλγοῦντες... τὰ δὲ καὶ θυμομαχοῦντες
The phrases τὰ μὲν ... τὰ δὲ function as adverbial accusatives ('partly... partly...'), modifying the participles ἀπαλγοῦντες (despairing) and θυμομαχοῦντες (fighting with desperate courage) to express the contrasting emotional states of the Acarnanians.
- 9.40.5μήτε πόλει δέχεσθαι μήτε πῦρ ἐναύειν
These infinitives δέχεσθαι and ἐναύειν represent the content of a decree or oath in indirect speech. They describe the terms of the oath taken by the Acarnanians, with an implied general subject (such as 'anyone').