Humanitext Reader

Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §5.85.1

Athenian Proposal for Point-by-Point Dialogue

Passage 585 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Athenian ambassadors acknowledge that they are excluded from speaking to the general public, and suggest an interactive dialogue instead of long speeches, proposing that the Melian leaders interrupt and judge them point by point.

§5.85.1οἱ δὲ τῶν Ἀθηναίων πρέσβεις ἔλεγον τοιάδε. ‘ἐπειδὴ οὐ πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος οἱ λόγοι γίγνονται, ὅπως δὴ μὴ ξυνεχεῖ ῥήσει οἱ πολλοὶ ἐπαγωγὰ καὶ ἀνέλεγκτα ἐσάπαξ ἀκούσαντες ἡμῶν ἀπατηθῶσιν (γιγνώσκομεν γὰρ ὅτι τοῦτο φρονεῖ ἡμῶν ἡ ἐς τοὺς ὀλίγους ἀγωγή), ὑμεῖς οἱ καθήμενοι ἔτι ἀσφαλέστερον ποιήσατε.
The Athenian ambassadors spoke as follows: 'Since our words are not to be addressed to the multitude, apparently in order that the crowd may not be deceived by hearing from us a single continuous speech with seductive and uncontradicted arguments (for we understand that this is the meaning of your bringing us before the few), do you who sit here adopt a still safer course.
καθ’ ἕκαστον γὰρ καὶ μηδ’ ὑμεῖς ἑνὶ λόγῳ, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ μὴ δοκοῦν ἐπιτηδείως λέγεσθαι εὐθὺς ὑπολαμβάνοντες κρίνετε.
For do not you, either, make a single long speech, but deal with us point by point, interrupting us immediately at any statement that does not seem to be to the purpose, and judge.
καὶ πρῶτον εἰ ἀρέσκει ὡς λέγομεν εἴπατε. ’
And first, tell us if you approve of our proposal.'

Notes

  1. 5.85.1ὅπως δὴ μὴ ... ἀπατηθῶσιν — A purpose clause with the subjunctive `ἀπατηθῶσιν` (passive of `ἀπατάω`, to deceive). The Athenians ironically point out the Melians' unexpressed motive (to prevent the crowd from being swayed by uninterrupted Athenian rhetoric). This serves as the premise leading up to the main imperative `ἔτι ἀσφαλέστερον ποιήσατε` (adopt a still safer course).
  2. 5.85.1ἡμῶν ἡ ἐς τοὺς ὀλίγους ἀγωγή — The genitive `ἡμῶν` (of us) is an objective genitive dependent on the verbal noun `ἀγωγή` (leading, bringing). Together with the prepositional phrase `ἐς τοὺς ὀλίγους` (before the few), it forms the meaning "your bringing of us before the few."
  3. 5.85.1εὐθὺς ὑπολαμβάνοντες — The present participle `ὑπολαμβάνοντες` (from `ὑπολαμβάνω`, meaning here "to interrupt" or "to take up another's words") represents the act of breaking in on the speech of the interlocutor in a dialogue, as opposed to a single continuous speech (`ξυνεχεῖ ῥήσει`).

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §5.85.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.85.1

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