Humanitext Reader

Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §6.20.1-6.20.4

Nicias on the Strength of the Sicilian Cities

Passage 636 of 917 · Greek

Summary

Nicias warns the Athenians by pointing out that the Sicilian cities they intend to attack are free, powerful, and equipped with military forces and resources comparable to their own.

§6.20.1‘ἐπειδὴ πάντως ὁρῶ ὑμᾶς, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, ὡρμημένους στρατεύειν, ξυνενέγκοι μὲν ταῦτα ὡς βουλόμεθα, ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ παρόντι ἃ γιγνώσκω σημανῶ.
"Since I see you, Athenians, utterly determined on this campaign, may these things turn out as we wish; but for the present, I will declare what I think.
§6.20.2ἐπὶ γὰρ πόλεις, ὡς ἐγὼ ἀκοῇ αἰσθάνομαι, μέλλομεν ἰέναι μεγάλας καὶ οὔθ’ ὑπηκόους ἀλλήλων οὔτε δεομένας μεταβολῆς, ᾗ ἂν ἐκ βιαίου τις δουλείας ἄσμενος ἐς ῥᾴω μετάστασιν χωροίη, οὐδ’ ἂν τὴν ἀρχὴν τὴν ἡμετέραν εἰκότως ἀντ’ ἐλευθερίας προσδεξαμένας, τό τε πλῆθος ὡς ἐν μιᾷ νήσῳ πολλὰς τὰς Ἑλληνίδας.
For we are about to go against cities which, as I learn by report, are great, and neither subject to one another nor in need of a change—by which one would gladly pass from a forced servitude to an easier transition—nor likely to accept our rule in place of freedom; and in number, they are many for Greek cities to be on a single island.
§6.20.3πλὴν γὰρ Νάξου καὶ Κατάνης, ἃς ἐλπίζω ἡμῖν κατὰ τὸ Λεοντίνων ξυγγενὲς προσέσεσθαι, ἄλλαι εἰσὶν ἑπτά, καὶ παρεσκευασμέναι τοῖς πᾶσιν ὁμοιοτρόπως μάλιστα τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ δυνάμει, καὶ οὐχ ἥκιστα ἐπὶ ἃς μᾶλλον πλέομεν, Σελινοῦς καὶ Συράκουσαι.
For, apart from Naxos and Catana, which I expect will join us because of their kinship with Leontini, there are seven other cities, equipped in every way very much like our own power, and not least those against which we are especially sailing, Selinus and Syracuse.
§6.20.4πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ ὁπλῖται ἔνεισι καὶ τοξόται καὶ ἀκοντισταί, πολλαὶ δὲ τριήρεις καὶ ὄχλος ὁ πληρώσων αὐτάς.
For there are in them many hoplites, archers, and javelin-men, and many triremes with the crowds to man them.
χρήματά τ’ ἔχουσι τὰ μὲν ἴδια, τὰ δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἐστὶ Σελινουντίοις, Συρακοσίοις δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ βαρβάρων τινῶν ἀπαρχὴ ἐσφέρεται·
They have money, partly of private individuals, and partly also, in the case of the Selinuntines, in their temples, while the Syracusans also receive tribute of first-fruits from certain barbarians.
ᾧ δὲ μάλιστα ἡμῶν προύχουσιν, ἵππους τε πολλοὺς κέκτηνται καὶ σίτῳ οἰκείῳ καὶ οὐκ ἐπακτῷ χρῶνται.
But that in which they especially surpass us is that they possess many horses and use their own grain, not imported."

Notes

  1. §6.20.2οὐδ’ ἂν τὴν ἀρχὴν τὴν ἡμετέραν εἰκότως ἀντ’ ἐλευθερίας προσδεξαμένας — The participle προσδεξαμένας modifies πόλεις, and accompanied by the particle ἂν, it expresses potentiality or conditionality ('would not accept'). This is equivalent to an optative with ἂν (ἂν προσδέξαιντο).
  2. §6.20.2τό τε πλῆθος ὡς ἐν μιᾷ νήσῳ πολλὰς τὰς Ἑλληνίδας — The phrase τό τε πλῆθος is an accusative of respect. The words ὡς ἐν μιᾷ νήσῳ function as a limiting expression ('for a single island'). πολλὰς modifies Ἑλληνίδας (πόλεις), together forming an independent accusative construction or apposition at the end of the sentence.
  3. §6.20.4ὁ πληρώσων — The future active participle with the article expresses purpose or expectation ('destined to man' or 'who will fill'), modifying the preceding noun ὄχλος.
  4. §6.20.4ᾧ δὲ μάλιστα ἡμῶν προύχουσιν — The relative pronoun ᾧ in the dative case (expressing respect or means) means 'the point in which they especially surpass us,' anticipating the specific facts mentioned next (possession of horses and use of domestic grain).

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §6.20.1-6.20.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.20.1-6.20.4

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.