Humanitext Reader

Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §3.93.1-3.93.2

The Decline of Heracleia and Its Causes

Passage 342 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Athenians initially feared the founding of Heracleia as a threat to Euboea, but it ultimately posed no danger. This was because the city was severely weakened by constant attacks from the neighboring Thessalians and by the harsh administration of the Lacedaemonian governors themselves.

§3.93.1οἱ δὲ Ἀθηναῖοι τῆς πόλεως ταύτης ξυνοικιζομένης τὸ πρῶτον ἔδεισάν τε καὶ ἐνόμισαν ἐπὶ τῇ Εὐβοίᾳ μάλιστα καθίστασθαι, ὅτι βραχύς ἐστιν ὁ διάπλους πρὸς τὸ Κήναιον τῆς Εὐβοίας.
When this city was first being established, the Athenians were both afraid and believed that it was being founded especially to threaten Euboea, because the crossing to Kenaion in Euboea is short.
ἔπειτα μέντοι παρὰ δόξαν αὐτοῖς ἀπέβη· οὐ γὰρ ἐγένετο ἀπ’ αὐτῆς δεινὸν οὐδέν.
Later, however, the outcome turned out contrary to their expectation; for no danger arose from it.
§3.93.2αἴτιον δὲ ἦν οἵ τε Θεσσαλοὶ ἐν δυνάμει ὄντες τῶν ταύτῃ χωρίων, καὶ ὧν ἐπὶ τῇ γῇ ἐκτίζετο, φοβούμενοι μὴ σφίσι μεγάλῃ ἰσχύι παροικῶσιν, ἔφθειρον καὶ διὰ παντὸς ἐπολέμουν ἀνθρώποις νεοκαταστάτοις, ἕως ἐξετρύχωσαν γενομένους τὸ πρῶτον καὶ πάνυ πολλούς (πᾶς γάρ τις Λακεδαιμονίων οἰκιζόντων θαρσαλέως ᾔει, βέβαιον νομίζων τὴν πόλιν)·
The reason was that the Thessalians, who held power in those parts and on whose land the city was being built, fearing lest they should dwell near them with great power, continually harassed and waged war against the newly settled people until they wore them out, though they had been very numerous at first (for everyone went there confidently when the Lacedaemonians were colonizing it, thinking the city to be secure).
οὐ μέντοι ἥκιστα οἱ ἄρχοντες αὐτῶν τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων οἱ ἀφικνούμενοι τὰ πράγματά τε ἔφθειρον καὶ ἐς ὀλιγανθρωπίαν κατέστησαν, ἐκφοβήσαντες τοὺς πολλοὺς χαλεπῶς τε καὶ ἔστιν ἃ οὐ καλῶς ἐξηγούμενοι, ὥστε ῥᾷον ἤδη αὐτῶν οἱ πρόσοικοι ἐπεκράτουν.
Moreover, not least, the Lacedaemonian governors themselves who arrived ruined the affairs and reduced the city to a state of depopulation, by frightening away the multitude through harsh and sometimes unjust administration, so that their neighbors henceforth overcame them more easily.

Notes

  1. §3.93.1ἐπὶ τῇ Εὐβοίᾳ μάλιστα καθίστασθαι — The preposition ἐπί with the dative case expresses hostile intent or disadvantage ("against" or "to threaten Euboea"). The subject of the infinitive καθίστασθαι is omitted but understood from the preceding genitive absolute (τῆς πόλεως ταύτης) as an accusative.
  2. §3.93.2αἴτιον δὲ ἦν οἵ τε Θεσσαλοὶ — Following the impersonal phrase αἴτιον δὲ ἦν ("and the reason was"), the author uses an independent indicative clause with nominative subjects (οἵ τε Θεσσαλοὶ... ἔφθειρον...) instead of the expected subordinate clause introduced by ὅτι or an accusative with infinitive construction, presenting a mild anacoluthon.
  3. §3.93.2ὧν ἐπὶ τῇ γῇ ἐκτίζετο — The antecedent ἐκείνων of the relative pronoun ὧn (genitive plural) is omitted. The phrase means "and of those on whose land the city was being built."
  4. §3.93.2ἔστιν ἃ οὐ καλῶς ἐξηγούμενοι — The idiom ἔστιν ἃ (literally "there are things which") functions adverbially to mean "in some respects" or "sometimes." The participle ἐξηγούμενοι refers to the governors' role in "interpreting, executing, or administering" laws and regulations.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §3.93.1-3.93.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.93.1-3.93.2

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