§3.53.1ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦ χρόνου προβαίνοντος ὅ τε Περίανδρος παρηβήκεε καὶ συνεγινώσκετο ἑωυτῷ οὐκέτι εἶναι δυνατὸς τὰ πρήγματα ἐπορᾶν τε καὶ διέπειν, πέμψας ἐς τὴν Κέρκυραν ἀπεκάλεε τὸν Λυκόφρονα ἐπὶ τὴν τυραννίδα· ἐν γὰρ δὴ τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ τῶν παίδων οὔκων ἐνώρα, ἀλλά οἱ κατεφαίνετο εἶναι νωθέστερος.
But as time went on, Periander grew past his prime and was conscious within himself that he was no longer able to oversee and manage affairs, so he sent to Corcyra and recalled Lycophron to the tyranny; for in the elder of his sons he saw no capability, but he appeared to him to be rather dull-witted.
§3.53.2ὁ δὲ Λυκόφρων οὐδὲ ἀνακρίσιος ἠξίωσε τὸν φέροντα τὴν ἀγγελίην.
But Lycophron did not even deem the bearer of the message worthy of a response.
Περίανδρος δὲ περιεχόμενος τοῦ νεηνίεω δεύτερα ἀπέστειλε ἐπʼ αὐτὸν τὴν ἀδελφεήν, ἑωυτοῦ δὲ θυγατέρα, δοκέων μιν μάλιστα ταύτῃ ἂν πείθεσθαι.
Periander, however, clinging to the youth, sent to him a second time his sister, who was his own daughter, thinking that Lycophron would be most persuaded by her.
§3.53.3ἀπικομένης δὲ ταύτης καὶ λεγούσης,
ὦ παῖ, βούλεαι τήν τε τυραννίδα ἐς ἄλλους πεσεῖν καὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρὸς διαφορηθέντα μᾶλλον ἢ αὐτός σφεα ἀπελθὼν ἔχειν;
And when she had arrived, she said: "Brother, do you wish the tyranny to fall into the hands of others, and your father's house to be plundered, rather than to go back and possess them yourself?
ἄπιθι ἐς τὰ οἰκία, παῦσαι σεωυτὸν ζημιῶν.
Go back to the house; cease punishing yourself.
§3.53.4φιλοτιμίη κτῆμα σκαιόν.
Ambition is a troublesome possession.
μὴ τῷ κακῷ τὸ κακὸν ἰῶ.
Do not cure ill with ill.
πολλοὶ τῶν δικαίων τὰ ἐπιεικέστερα προτιθεῖσι, πολλοὶ δὲ ἤδη τὰ μητρώια διζήμενοι τὰ πατρώια ἀπέβαλον.
Many among those who demand justice prefer more moderate terms, and many before now, while seeking their mother's inheritance, have lost their father's.
τυραννὶς χρῆμα σφαλερόν, πολλοὶ δὲ αὐτῆς ἐρασταί εἰσι, ὁ δὲ γέρων τε ἤδη καὶ παρηβηκώς· μὴ δῷς τὰ σεωυτοῦ ἀγαθὰ ἄλλοισι. §3.53.5ἣ μὲν δὴ τὰ ἐπαγωγότατα διδαχθεῖσα ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς ἔλεγε πρὸς αὐτόν· ὁ δὲ ὑποκρινάμενος ἔφη οὐδαμὰ ἥξειν ἐς Κόρινθον, ἔστʼ ἂν πυνθάνηται περιεόντα τὸν πατέρα.
Tyranny is a slippery thing, and many are lovers of it, while our father is already old and past his prime; do not give your own goods to others." She indeed said to him the most persuasive arguments, having been taught by her father; but he in reply said that he would never come to Corinth so long as he should hear that his father was alive.
§3.53.6ἀπαγγειλάσης δὲ ταύτης ταῦτα, τὸ τρίτον Περίανδρος κήρυκα πέμπει βουλόμενος αὐτὸς μὲν ἐς Κέρκυραν ἥκειν, ἐκεῖνον δὲ ἐκέλευε ἐς Κόρινθον ἀπικόμενον διάδοχον γίνεσθαι τῆς τυραννίδος.
And when she had reported this, for the third time Periander sent a herald, wishing himself to come to Corcyra, and bidding him go to Corinth and become his successor in the tyranny.
§3.53.7καταινέσαντος δὲ ἐπὶ τούτοισι τοῦ παιδός, ὁ μὲν Περίανδρος ἐστέλλετο ἐς τὴν Κέρκυραν, ὁ δὲ παῖς οἱ ἐς τὴν Κόρινθον.
And when the youth had agreed to these terms, Periander prepared to set out for Corcyra, and his son for Corinth on his behalf.
μαθόντες δὲ οἱ Κερκυραῖοι τούτων ἕκαστα, ἵνα μή σφι Περίανδρος ἐς τὴν χώρην ἀπίκηται, κτείνουσι τὸν νεηνίσκον.
But when the Corcyraeans learned each of these things, lest Periander should come to their country, they killed the young man.
ἀντὶ τούτων μὲν Περίανδρος Κερκυραίους ἐτιμωρέετο.
In return for this, Periander took vengeance on the Corcyraeans.