Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §6.83.1-6.83.4

Athenian Security and Mutual Benefit in Sicily

Passage 699 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Athenian envoy Euphemus argues that their empire is justified by their services to Greece and their security needs, explaining that their intervention in Sicily is intended both for Athens' safety and for the benefit of their allies.

§6.83.1ἀνθ’ ὧν ἄξιοί τε ὄντες ἅμα ἄρχομεν, ὅτι τε ναυτικὸν πλεῖστόν τε καὶ προθυμίαν ἀπροφάσιστον παρεσχόμεθα ἐς τοὺς Ἕλληνας, καὶ διότι καὶ τῷ Μήδῳ ἑτοίμως τοῦτο δρῶντες οὗτοι ἡμᾶς ἔβλαπτον, ἅμα δὲ τῆς πρὸς Πελοποννησίους ἰσχύος ὀρεγόμενοι.

For which reasons we both rule as being worthy of it, because we provided the largest fleet and unhesitating zeal for the Greeks, and because these men, by readily doing this for the Mede, did us harm, and at the same time because we are aiming at strength against the Peloponnesians.

§6.83.2καὶ οὐ καλλιεπούμεθα ὡς ἢ τὸν βάρβαρον μόνοι καθελόντες εἰκότως ἄρχομεν ἢ ἐπ᾽ ἐλευθερίᾳ τῇ τῶνδε μᾶλλον ἢ τῶν ξυμπάντων τε καὶ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ αὐτῶν κινδυνεύσαντες.

And we do not make fine speeches, claiming either that we justly rule because we alone overthrew the barbarian, or that we risked danger for the freedom of these men rather than for that of all Greeks and of ourselves.

πᾶσι δὲ ἀνεπίφθονον τὴν προσήκουσαν σωτηρίαν ἐκπορίζεσθαι.

But it is blameless for everyone to secure their own fitting safety.

καὶ νῦν τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀσφαλείας ἕνεκα καὶ ἐνθάδε παρόντες ὁρῶμεν καὶ ὑμῖν ταὐτὰ ξυμφέροντα.

And now we see that we are present here too for our own security, and that these same things are also advantageous to you.

§6.83.3ἀποφαίνομεν δὲ ἐξ ὧν οἵδε τε διαβάλλουσι καὶ ὑμεῖς μάλιστα ἐπὶ τὸ φοβερώτερον ὑπονοεῖτε, εἰδότες τοὺς περιδεῶς ὑποπτεύοντάς τι λόγου μὲν ἡδονῇ τὸ παραυτίκα τερπομένους, τῇ δ’ ἐγχειρήσει ὕστερον τὰ ξυμφέροντα πράσσοντας.

And we will demonstrate this from the very things with which these men slander us and which you especially suspect with greater fear, knowing that those who suspect something with excessive fear, though they may be pleased for the moment by the pleasure of a speech, afterwards in action do what is advantageous.

§6.83.4τήν τε γὰρ ἐκεῖ ἀρχὴν εἰρήκαμεν διὰ δέος ἔχειν καὶ τὰ ἐνθάδε διὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ἥκειν μετὰ τῶν φίλων ἀσφαλῶς καταστησόμενοι, καὶ οὐ δουλωσόμενοι, μὴ παθεῖν δὲ μᾶλλον τοῦτο κωλύσοντες.

For we have said that we hold our empire there through fear, and that we have come to establish affairs here securely with our friends for the same reason, not to enslave others, but rather to prevent ourselves from suffering this.'

Notes

6.83.1ἀνθ’ ὧν — Referring to the actions of the Ionians described in 6.82.4, where they sided with the Persians against Athens and accepted slavery. The relative pronoun ὧν is neuter plural, taking the preceding statement as its antecedent.
6.83.1ὅτι τε ... καὶ διότι ... ἅμα δὲ ... ὀρεγόμενοι — Elements expressing the reasons for the main verb ἄρχομεν ("we rule"). While the first two are subordinate clauses introduced by ὅτι and διότι, the third is expressed by the nominative participle phrase ὀρεγόμενοι, showing a grammatical asymmetry (anacoluthon).
6.83.2ὡς ἢ ... ἄρχομεν ἢ ... κινδυνεύσαντες — Clauses introduced by ὡς expressing the content or alleged reasons of the fine phrases. The first member is a clause with the indicative verb ἄρχομεν, while the second member is a nominative participle κινδυνεύσαντες, showing an asymmetrical structure coordinated by ἤ ... ἤ ...
6.83.4ἥκειν — The infinitive ἥκειν depends on the verb εἰρήκαμεν ("we have said") from the first half of the sentence, forming an accusative-and-infinitive construction in indirect speech (τὰ ἐνθάδε ... ἥκειν, "[we have said] that we have come here..."). While some interpret it as dependent on the preceding ἀποφαίνομεν, the parallel structure of the sentence (τήν τε ... and τὰ ἐνθάδε ...) strongly suggests it depends on εἰρήκαμεν.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §6.83.1-6.83.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.83.1-6.83.4

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