Humanitext Reader

Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §5.107.1

The Dangers of Honor and Spartan Aversion to Risk

Passage 607 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Athenians point out that the pursuit of interest is accompanied by safety whereas that of justice and honor involves danger, a risk which the Lacedaemonians are least willing to take.

§5.107.1ΑΘ. οὔκουν οἴεσθε τὸ ξυμφέρον μὲν μετ’ ἀσφαλείας εἶναι, τὸ δὲ δίκαιον καὶ καλὸν μετὰ κινδύνου δρᾶσθαι·
ATH. Do you not think, then, that interest is accompanied by safety, while the practice of justice and honor involves danger?
ὃ Λακεδαιμόνιοι ἥκιστα ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ τολμῶσιν.
And this is a thing which the Lacedaemonians, as a general rule, are least of all willing to venture.

Notes

  1. 5.107.1οὔκουν οἴεσθε — The negative particle οὔκουν in questions expects an affirmative answer ('Is it not therefore the case that...?'). Here, the Athenians urge the Melians to recognize the reality that pursuing interest goes with safety, whereas practicing justice and honor entails danger.
  2. 5.107.1ὃ — The relative pronoun ὃ (neuter singular) takes the entire preceding infinitive clause τὸ δὲ δίκαιον καὶ καλὸν μετὰ κινδύνου δρᾶσθαι ('practicing justice and honor with danger') as its antecedent.
  3. 5.107.1ἥκιστα ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ τολμῶσιν — ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ is an adverbial phrase meaning 'as a general rule' or 'for the most part'. It qualifies the verb τολμῶσιν ('they venture/dare') accompanied by the superlative adverb ἥκιστα ('least of all'), meaning 'a thing which, as a general rule, they are least of all willing to venture.'

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §5.107.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.107.1

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