Humanitext Reader

Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §5.91.1-5.91.2

Athenians on Mutual Advantage in Rule and Preservation

Passage 591 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Athenians state that they are willing to take the risk of their empire's potential collapse, arguing that their current proposal aims at both easy rule for Athens and the preservation of Melos for the benefit of both sides.

§5.91.1ΑΘ. ἡμεῖς δὲ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀρχῆς, ἢν καὶ παυθῇ, οὐκ ἀθυμοῦμεν τὴν τελευτήν·
ATHENIANS As for our empire, even if it should come to an end, we are not downhearted about its conclusion.
οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἄρχοντες ἄλλων, ὥσπερ καὶ Λακεδαιμόνιοι, οὗτοι δεινοὶ τοῖς νικηθεῖσιν (ἔστι δὲ οὐ πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους ἡμῖν ὁ ἀγών), ἀλλ’ ἢν οἱ ὑπήκοοί που τῶν ἀρξάντων αὐτοὶ ἐπιθέμενοι κρατήσωσιν.
For it is not those who rule over others, like the Lacedaemonians (though our struggle is not against Lacedaemonians), who are terrible to the vanquished, but rather if subjects themselves should anywhere attack and overcome their rulers.
§5.91.2ΑΘ. καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτου ἡμῖν ἀφείσθω κινδυνεύεσθαι·
ATHENIANS And on this point, let the risk be left to us.
ὡς δὲ ἐπ’ ὠφελίᾳ τε πάρεσμεν τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ νῦν τοὺς λόγους ἐροῦμεν τῆς ὑμετέρας πόλεως, ταῦτα δηλώσομεν, βουλόμενοι ἀπόνως μὲν ὑμῶν ἄρξαι, χρησίμως δ’ ὑμᾶς ἀμφοτέροις σωθῆναι.
But that we are here for the benefit of our own empire, and that we shall now speak for the preservation of your city, this we will make clear; for we wish to rule over you without trouble, and that you should be saved to the advantage of us both.

Notes

  1. 5.91.1τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀρχῆς — This genitive modifies the subsequent accusative τὴν τελευτήν (its conclusion), but is placed at the very beginning of the sentence for emphasis. Functioning proleptically, it introduces the main topic of the sentence as 'as for our empire'.
  2. 5.91.1ἀλλ’ ἢν — Following the adversative conjunction ἀλλ’, the predicate δεινοί (or an impersonal δεινόν ἐστιν) from the previous clause is omitted. The structure forms a contrast: 'it is not... who are terrible, but rather [it is terrible] if...'.
  3. 5.91.2ἡμῖν ἀφείσθω κινδυνεύεσθαι — ἀφείσθω is the third-person singular perfect passive imperative of ἀφίημι. Combined with the passive/middle infinitive κινδυνεύεσθαι and the dative of agent ἡμῖν, it expresses concession: 'let the running of risks be left to us' or 'let it be risked by us'.
  4. 5.91.2χρησίμως δ’ ὑμᾶς ἀμφοτέροις σωθῆναι — This is the second infinitive clause governed by the participle βουλόμενοι (wishing). ὑμᾶς (accusative) serves as the subject of the passive infinitive σωθῆναι (to be saved), while the dative of advantage ἀμφοτέροις (for both parties) complements the adverb χρησίμως (beneficially).

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §5.91.1-5.91.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.91.1-5.91.2

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