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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §5.79.1-5.79.4

Terms of the Fifty-Year Alliance between Sparta and Argos

Passage 579 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The specific terms of the fifty-year treaty of alliance and peace between Sparta and Argos are detailed, defining the status of allies inside and outside the Peloponnese, procedures for dispute resolution, and provisions for joint expeditions.

§5.79.1‘καττάδε ἔδοξε τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις καὶ Ἀργείοις σπονδὰς καὶ ξυμμαχίαν ἦμεν πεντήκοντα ἔτη, ἐπὶ τοῖς ἴσοις καὶ ὁμοίοις δίκας διδόντας καττὰ πάτρια·
'It was resolved by the Lacedaemonians and the Argives to make a treaty and alliance for fifty years on the following terms: they shall submit to arbitration on fair and equal terms according to their ancestral customs.
ταὶ δὲ ἄλλαι πόλιες ταὶ ἐν Πελοποννάσῳ κοινανεόντων τᾶν σπονδᾶν καὶ τᾶς ξυμμαχίας αὐτόνομοι καὶ αὐτοπόλιες, τὰν αὐτῶν ἔχοντες, καττὰ πάτρια δίκας διδόντες τὰς ἴσας καὶ ὁμοίας.
The other cities in the Peloponnese shall participate in the treaty and alliance, being independent and autonomous, possessing their own territory, and submitting to arbitration on fair and equal terms according to their ancestral customs.
§5.79.2ὅσσοι δὲ ἔξω Πελοποννάσω Λακεδαιμονίοις ξύμμαχοί ἐντι, ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐσσίονται τοῖσπερ καὶ τοὶ Λακεδαιμόνιοι· καὶ τοὶ τῶν Ἀργείων ξύμμαχοι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐσσίονται τῷπερ καὶ τοὶ Ἀργεῖοι, τὰν αὐτῶν ἔχοντες.
All those who are allies of the Lacedaemonians outside the Peloponnese shall be on the same terms as the Lacedaemonians themselves; and the allies of the Argives shall be on the same terms as the Argives themselves, possessing their own territory.
§5.79.3αἰ δέ ποι στρατείας δέῃ κοινᾶς, βουλεύεσθαι Λακεδαιμονίως καὶ Ἀργείως ὅπᾳ κα δικαιότατα κρίναντας τοῖς ξυμμάχοις.
If there should be a need for a joint expedition anywhere, the Lacedaemonians and the Argives shall deliberate how they may decide most justly for the allies.
§5.79.4αἰ δέ τινι τᾶν πολίων ᾖ ἀμφίλλογα, ἢ τᾶν ἐντὸς ἢ τᾶν ἐκτὸς Πελοποννάσω, αἴτε περὶ ὅρων αἴτε περὶ ἄλλω τινός, διακριθῆμεν.
If there should be any dispute for any of the cities, either within or without the Peloponnese, whether concerning boundaries or any other matter, it shall be settled.
αἰ δέ τις τῶν ξυμμάχων πόλις πόλι ἐρίζοι, ἐς πόλιν ἐλθῆν ἅντινα ἴσαν ἀμφοῖν ταῖς πολίεσσι δοκείοι.
And if any allied city should dispute with another city, they shall go to whatever city seems neutral to both cities.
τὼς δὲ ἔτας καττὰ πάτρια δικάζεσθαι. ’
Private individuals shall be judged according to ancestral customs.'

Notes

  1. 5.79.1ἦμεν — Doric infinitive corresponding to the Attic εἶναι. It forms the infinitive clause introduced by ἔδοξε.
  2. 5.79.1ἔχοντες — Although modifying the feminine plural noun ταὶ δὲ ἄλλαι πόλιες, this is a masculine plural participle. This is an instance of construction according to the sense (ad sensum), referring to the citizens of the cities rather than the abstract cities. The same applies to διδόντες in the same section.
  3. 5.79.3βουλεύεσθαι — An infinitive used as an imperative (infinitive for imperative) to express obligation or command in official documents. It takes the accusative subjects Λακεδαιμονίως καὶ Ἀργείως (Doric accusative plural corresponding to Attic -ους). The infinitives διακριθῆμεν and δικάζεσθαι in 5.79.4 are also used in this manner.
  4. 5.79.4ἔτας — Doric accusative plural (corresponding to τοὺς ἰδιώτας), meaning 'citizens' or 'townsmen', here equivalent to the Attic ἰδιώτας (private individuals or litigants), as opposed to the inter-state disputes mentioned in the preceding sentence.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §5.79.1-5.79.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.79.1-5.79.4

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