§3.72.1λέγει πρὸς ταῦτα Ὀτάνης, ἐπειδὴ ὥρα σπερχόμενον Δαρεῖον,
ἐπείτε ἡμέας συνταχύνειν ἀναγκάζεις καὶ ὑπερβάλλεσθαι οὐκ ἐᾷς, ἴθι ἐξηγέο αὐτὸς ὅτεῳ τρόπῳ πάριμεν ἐς τὰ βασιλήια καὶ ἐπιχειρήσομεν αὐτοῖσι.
To this Otanes said, when he saw Darius in haste: "Since you force us to hasten and do not allow us to delay, come, explain yourself in what way we shall enter the palace and make our attempt upon them.
φυλακὰς γὰρ δὴ διεστεώσας οἶδάς κου καὶ αὐτός, εἰ μὴ ἰδών, ἀλλʼ ἀκούσας· τὰς τέῳ τρόπῳ περήσομεν; ἀμείβεται Δαρεῖος τοῖσιδε. §3.72.2Ὀτάνη, ἦ πολλά ἐστι τὰ λόγῳ μὲν οὐκ οἷά τε δηλῶσαι, ἔργῳ δέ· ἄλλα δʼ ἐστὶ τὰ λόγῳ μὲν οἷά τε, ἔργον δὲ οὐδὲν ἀπʼ αὐτῶν λαμπρὸν γίνεται.
For you yourself also surely know of the guards posted there, if not by having seen them, at least by hearsay; in what way shall we pass them?" Darius replied with these words: "Otanes, indeed there are many things which cannot be made clear by words, but can by action; and there are other things which are possible in word, but no brilliant deed comes from them.
ὑμεῖς δὲ ἴστε φυλακὰς τὰς κατεστεώσας ἐούσας οὐδὲν χαλεπὰς παρελθεῖν.
But you should know that the guards who are posted are in no way difficult to pass.
§3.72.3τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ ἡμέων ἐόντων τοιῶνδε οὐδεὶς ὅστις οὐ παρήσει, τὰ μέν κου καταιδεόμενος ἡμέας, τὰ δέ κου καὶ δειμαίνων· τοῦτο δὲ ἔχω αὐτὸς σκῆψιν εὐπρεπεστάτην τῇ πάριμεν, φὰς ἄρτι τε ἥκειν ἐκ Περσέων καὶ βούλεσθαί τι ἔπος παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς σημῆναι τῷ βασιλέι.
For first, since we are men of such rank, there is no one who will not let us pass, partly perhaps out of respect for us, and partly also out of fear; and secondly, I myself have a most plausible pretext by which we may pass, by saying that I have just come from Persia and wish to deliver a message from my father to the king.
§3.72.4ἔνθα γάρ τι δεῖ ψεῦδος λέγεσθαι, λεγέσθω.
For where a lie must be told, let it be told.
τοῦ γὰρ αὐτοῦ γλιχόμεθα οἵ τε ψευδόμενοι καὶ οἱ τῇ ἀληθείῃ διαχρεώμενοι.
For we strive after the same thing, both those who lie and those who use the truth.
οἳ μέν γε ψεύδονται τότε ἐπεάν τι μέλλωσι τοῖσι ψεύδεσι πείσαντες κερδήσεσθαι, οἳ δʼ ἀληθίζονται ἵνα τῇ ἀληθείῃ ἐπισπάσωνται κέρδος καί τι μᾶλλόν σφι ἐπιτράπηται.
For some lie when they are likely to gain something by persuading with their lies, while others speak the truth so that they may draw gain to themselves by the truth and something more may be entrusted to them.
οὕτω οὐ ταὐτὰ ἀσκέοντες τὠυτοῦ περιεχόμεθα.
Thus, though practicing different things, we hold to the same end.
§3.72.5εἰ δὲ μηδὲν κερδήσεσθαι μέλλοιεν, ὁμοίως ἂν ὅ τε ἀληθιζόμενος ψευδὴς εἴη καὶ ὁ ψευδόμενος ἀληθής.
But if they were likely to gain nothing, the truth-teller would be a liar and the liar a truth-teller just the same.
ὃς ἂν μέν νυν τῶν πυλουρῶν ἑκὼν παριῇ, αὐτῷ οἱ ἄμεινον ἐς χρόνον ἔσται· ὃς δʼ ἂν ἀντιβαίνειν πειρᾶται, δεικνύσθω ἐνθαῦτα ἐὼν πολέμιος, καὶ ἔπειτα ὠσάμενοι ἔσω ἔργου ἐχώμεθα.
Now, whoever of the gatekeepers shall let us pass of his own free will, it will be better for him in the future; but whoever tries to oppose us, let him be marked there as an enemy, and then, having forced our way inside, let us set to our work."