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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §5.92.1

Melians on Whether Subjection Can Benefit the Ruled

Passage 592 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Melians counter the Athenians by asking how submission could possibly be as beneficial for the ruled as ruling is for the rulers.

§5.92.1ΜΗΛ. καὶ πῶς χρήσιμον ἂν ξυμβαίη ἡμῖν δουλεῦσαι, ὥσπερ καὶ ὑμῖν ἄρξαι;
MELIANS And how could it turn out to be useful for us to serve, just as it is for you to rule?

Notes

  1. 5.92.1ἂν ξυμβαίη — The potential optative (optative aorist + ἄν) of the impersonally used συμβαίνει (to turn out, to happen), used with the interrogative πῶς to express a strong rhetorical question ('how could it possibly turn out...?'). The infinitive clause ἡμῖν δουλεῦσαι functions as the subject (or complement) of this verb.
  2. 5.92.1ὥσπερ καὶ ὑμῖν ἄρξαι — After ὥσπερ καὶ, the predicate elements χρήσιμον [ἂν ξυμβαίη / ἐστι] from the preceding clause are omitted. This structure contrasts the perspective of the rulers (ὑμῖν ἄρξαι) with that of the ruled (ἡμῖν δουλεῦσαι), replying to the Athenians' previous claim of mutual advantage (χρησίμως... ἀμφοτέροις).

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §5.92.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.92.1

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