Humanitext Reader

Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §6.9.1-6.9.3

Nicias' Plea to Reconsider the Sicilian Expedition

Passage 625 of 917 · Greek

Summary

Nicias addresses the Athenian assembly, urging them to reconsider whether they should undertake an unnecessary war under the influence of foreigners before finalizing preparations for the Sicilian expedition.

§6.9.1‘ἡ μὲν ἐκκλησία περὶ παρασκευῆς τῆς ἡμετέρας ἥδε ξυνελέγη, καθ’ ὅτι χρὴ ἐς Σικελίαν ἐκπλεῖν· ἐμοὶ μέντοι δοκεῖ καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ τούτου ἔτι χρῆναι σκέψασθαι, εἰ ἄμεινόν ἐστιν ἐκπέμπειν τὰς ναῦς, καὶ μὴ οὕτω βραχείᾳ βουλῇ περὶ μεγάλων πραγμάτων ἀνδράσιν ἀλλοφύλοις πειθομένους πόλεμον οὐ προσήκοντα ἄρασθαι.
'This assembly was met, indeed, to consider our preparations, and how we are to sail for Sicily; to me, however, it seems that we ought still to consider this very question, whether it is better to send the ships at all, and not, on such brief deliberation concerning great matters, to be persuaded by foreigners and undertake a war that does not concern us.
§6.9.2καίτοι ἔγωγε καὶ τιμῶμαι ἐκ τοῦ τοιούτου καὶ ἧσσον ἑτέρων περὶ τῷ ἐμαυτοῦ σώματι ὀρρωδῶ, νομίζων ὁμοίως ἀγαθὸν πολίτην εἶναι ὃς ἂν καὶ τοῦ σώματός τι καὶ τῆς οὐσίας προνοῆται· μάλιστα γὰρ ἂν ὁ τοιοῦτος καὶ τὰ τῆς πόλεως δι’ ἑαυτὸν βούλοιτο ὀρθοῦσθαι.
And yet I myself gain honor from such things and fear for my own life less than others, thinking that he who takes some thought for his own life and property is equally a good citizen; for such a man would, for his own sake, most of all desire the affairs of the city to prosper.
ὅμως δὲ οὔτε ἐν τῷ πρότερον χρόνῳ διὰ τὸ προτιμᾶσθαι εἶπον παρὰ γνώμην οὔτε νῦν, ἀλλὰ ᾗ ἂν γιγνώσκω βέλτιστα, ἐρῶ.
Nevertheless, neither in the past have I ever spoken against my conviction for the sake of being honored, nor shall I do so now, but I will speak in the way that I judge to be best.
§6.9.3καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς τρόπους τοὺς ὑμετέρους ἀσθενὴς ἄν μου ὁ λόγος εἴη, εἰ τά τε ὑπάρχοντα σῴζειν παραινοίην καὶ μὴ τοῖς ἑτοίμοις περὶ τῶν ἀφανῶν καὶ μελλόντων κινδυνεύειν· ὡς δὲ οὔτε ἐν καιρῷ σπεύδετε οὔτε ῥᾴδιά ἐστι κατασχεῖν ἐφ’ ἃ ὥρμησθε, ταῦτα διδάξω.
And against your character my words would be weak, if I were to advise you to preserve what you have and not to risk what is present for things unseen and future; but that you are hastening out of season, and that the objects of your ambition are not easy to conquer, this I will show.'

Notes

  1. §6.9.1μὴ οὕτω βραχείᾳ βουλῇ περὶ μεγάλων πραγμάτων ἀνδράσιν ἀλλοφύλοις πειθομένους πόλεμον οὐ προσήκοντα ἄρασθαι — The infinitive ἄρασθαι is interpreted as depending on χρῆναι, parallel with σκέψασθαι ('it seems to me that we ought still to consider... and not to undertake...'). Although it could theoretically be coordinated with ἄμεινόν ἐστιν under the indirect question introduced by εἰ ('whether it is better... and [whether we ought] not to undertake...'), coordinating it directly with χρῆναι (meaning 'we ought not to undertake') better emphasizes Nicias' strong disapproval and the prescriptive force of the negative μὴ.
  2. §6.9.2δι’ ἑαυτὸν — The prepositional phrase διά with the accusative of the reflexive pronoun, which typically denotes cause ('because of oneself'), here functions to mean 'for his own sake' or 'on his own account.' In this context, it explains how a good citizen's concern for his own preservation and property naturally aligns with his desire for the city's welfare, making 'for his own sake' the most logical interpretation.
  3. §6.9.3μὴ τοῖς ἑτοίμοις περὶ τῶν ἀφανῶν καὶ μελλόντων κινδυνεύειν — The verb κινδυνεύειν takes the dative τοῖς ἑτοίμοις to mean 'to risk what is at hand' or 'to jeopardize present possessions.' The prepositional phrase περὶ τῶν ἀφανῶν... ('concerning unseen things') indicates the object of the venture or the goal. Thus, the syntax sets up a contrast between risking certain, present assets (τοῖς ἑτοίμοις) and venturing for the sake of uncertain, future prospects.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §6.9.1-6.9.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.9.1-6.9.3

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