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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §5.74.1-5.74.3

Erection of the Trophy and the Toll of Casualties

Passage 574 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The conclusion of the Battle of Mantinea and the breakdown of casualties on both sides, with the Lacedaemonians erecting a trophy and burying their dead in Tegea.

§5.74.1καὶ ἡ μὲν μάχη τοιαύτη καὶ ὅτι ἐγγύτατα τούτων ἐγένετο, πλείστου δὴ χρόνου μεγίστη δὴ τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν καὶ ὑπὸ ἀξιολογωτάτων πόλεων ξυνελθοῦσα.
Such was the battle, and it took place as nearly as possible in this manner, being indeed the greatest battle that had occurred among the Greeks for a very long time, and fought by the most notable states.
§5.74.2οἱ δὲ Λακεδαιμόνιοι προθέμενοι τῶν πολεμίων νεκρῶν τὰ ὅπλα τροπαῖον εὐθὺς ἵστασαν καὶ τοὺς νεκροὺς ἐσκύλευον, καὶ τοὺς αὑτῶν ἀνείλοντο καὶ ἀπήγαγον ἐς Τεγέαν, οὗπερ ἐτάφησαν, καὶ τοὺς τῶν πολεμίων ὑποσπόνδους ἀπέδοσαν.
The Lacedaemonians, having set up in front of them the arms of the enemy's dead, immediately erected a trophy and despoiled the corpses; they also took up their own dead and carried them away to Tegea, where they were buried, and restored those of the enemy under a truce.
§5.74.3ἀπέθανον δὲ Ἀργείων μὲν καὶ Ὀρνεατῶν καὶ Κλεωναίων ἑπτακόσιοι, Μαντινέων δὲ διακόσιοι, καὶ Ἀθηναίων ξὺν Αἰγινήταις διακόσιοι καὶ οἱ στρατηγοὶ ἀμφότεροι.
There fell of the Argives, Orneatae, and Cleonaeans seven hundred; of the Mantineans two hundred; and of the Athenians, including the Aeginetans, two hundred, as well as both their generals.
Λακεδαιμονίων δὲ οἱ μὲν ξύμμαχοι οὐκ ἐταλαιπώρησαν ὥστε καὶ ἀξιόλογόν τι ἀπογενέσθαι· αὐτῶν δὲ χαλεπὸν μὲν ἦν τὴν ἀλήθειαν πυθέσθαι, ἐλέγοντο δὲ περὶ τριακοσίους ἀποθανεῖν.
On the Lacedaemonian side, their allies did not suffer enough for any considerable number to be slain; and as for themselves, it was difficult to learn the truth, but they were said to have lost about three hundred men.

Notes

  1. §5.74.1ὅτι ἐγγύτατα τούτων — The combination of ὅτι and the superlative adverb (ἐγγύτατα) means 'as ... as possible.' The genitive neuter plural τούτων refers to the preceding account of the battle, meaning 'as nearly as possible in this manner.'
  2. §5.74.1πλείστου δὴ χρόνου — A genitive of time within which. It means 'for a very long time indeed' or 'within the longest period,' qualifying μεγίστη (the greatest).
  3. §5.74.3ὥστε καὶ ἀξιόλογόν τι ἀπογενέσθαι — A result clause introduced by ὥστε with the infinitive. ἀπογενέσθαι is the aorist infinitive of ἀπογίγνομαι (to be lost, to die). Literally, 'so as for any considerable number to be lost.'
  4. §5.74.3ἐλέγοντο δὲ περὶ τριακοσίους ἀποθανεῖν — A personal construction where the subject (the Lacedaemonians themselves, implied) is the subject of the passive verb ἐλέγοντο with the infinitive ἀποθανεῖν, rather than an impersonal construction (e.g., 'it was said that...').

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §5.74.1-5.74.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.74.1-5.74.3

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