§1.85.1‘ταύτας οὖν ἃς οἱ πατέρες τε ἡμῖν παρέδοσαν μελέτας καὶ αὐτοὶ διὰ παντὸς ὠφελούμενοι ἔχομεν μὴ παρῶμεν, μηδὲ ἐπειχθέντες ἐν βραχεῖ μορίῳ ἡμέρας περὶ πολλῶν σωμάτων καὶ χρημάτων καὶ πόλεων καὶ δόξης βουλεύσωμεν, ἀλλὰ καθ᾽ ἡσυχίαν.
'Therefore, let us not abandon these practices which our fathers handed down to us and which we ourselves have always possessed to our benefit; nor let us, in a hurry, during a small fraction of a day, make a decision concerning many lives, riches, cities, and glory, but rather in calmness.
ἔξεστι δ’ ἡμῖν μᾶλλον ἑτέρων διὰ ἰσχύν.
It is permitted to us more than to others because of our strength.
§1.85.2καὶ πρὸς τοὺς Ἀθηναίους πέμπετε μὲν περὶ τῆς Ποτειδαίας, πέμπετε δὲ περὶ ὧν οἱ ξύμμαχοί φασιν ἀδικεῖσθαι, ἄλλως τε καὶ ἑτοίμων ὄντων αὐτῶν δίκας δοῦναι· ἐπὶ δὲ τὸν διδόντα οὐ πρότερον νόμιμον ὡς ἐπ’ ἀδικοῦντα ἰέναι.
And send envoys to the Athenians concerning Potidaea, and send also concerning the grievances which our allies say they are suffering, especially since they themselves are ready to submit to arbitration; and it is not lawful to proceed against one who offers arbitration beforehand as against a wrongdoer.
παρασκευάζεσθε δὲ τὸν πόλεμον ἅμα.
But at the same time, prepare for war.
ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ κράτιστα βουλεύσεσθε καὶ τοῖς ἐναντίοις φοβερώτατα. ’ §1.85.3καὶ ὁ μὲν Ἀρχίδαμος τοιαῦτα εἶπεν· παρελθὼν δὲ Σθενελαΐδας τελευταῖος, εἷς τῶν ἐφόρων τότε ὤν, ἔλεξεν [τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις ] ὧδε.
For this will be both the best decision for yourselves and the most formidable to your adversaries.' Archidamus spoke to this effect; but Sthenelaidas, one of the ephors at that time, came forward last and spoke to the Lacedaemonians as follows.