Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §5.113.1

Athenian Departure and Prophecy of Melian Ruin

Passage 613 of 917 · Greek

Summary

In response to the Melians' rejection, the departing Athenians criticize them for prioritizing uncertain hopes and alliances over clear realities, predicting their ultimate ruin.

§5.113.1οἱ μὲν δὴ Μήλιοι τοσαῦτα ἀπεκρίναντο· οἱ δὲ Ἀθηναῖοι διαλυόμενοι ἤδη ἐκ τῶν λόγων ἔφασαν ‘ἀλλ’ οὖν μόνοι γε ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν βουλευμάτων, ὡς ἡμῖν δοκεῖτε, τὰ μὲν μέλλοντα τῶν ὁρωμένων σαφέστερα κρίνετε, τὰ δὲ ἀφανῆ τῷ βούλεσθαι ὡς γιγνόμενα ἤδη θεᾶσθε, καὶ Λακεδαιμονίοις καὶ τύχῃ καὶ ἐλπίσι πλεῖστον δὴ παραβεβλημένοι καὶ πιστεύσαντες πλεῖστον καὶ σφαλήσεσθε. ’

The Melians indeed answered thus; and the Athenians, as they were now departing from the conference, said: 'Well then, judging from these decisions, as you seem to us, you are the only ones who judge the future to be clearer than what is before your eyes, and look upon what is unseen as already happening merely because of your wishing it; and since you have staked the most and trusted the most in Lacedaemonians and fortune and hopes, you will also experience the greatest fall.'

Notes

§5.113.1τῶν ὁρωμένων — Genitive of comparison dependent on the comparative adjective σαφέστερα, meaning 'than what is actually before one's eyes'.
§5.113.1τῷ βούλεσθαι — Dative of the articular infinitive representing means or cause, translated as 'by wishing' or 'because of your wishing'.
§5.113.1παραβεβλημένοι — Perfect middle-passive participle of παραβάλλω (to stake, risk, or venture), governing the datives Λακεδαιμονίοις καὶ τύχῃ καὶ ἐλπίσι, meaning 'having staked everything on...'.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §5.113.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.113.1

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