§9.45.1οἳ δὲ ἐπεὶ ταῦτα ἤκουσαν, αὐτίκα εἵποντο ἐς τὰς φυλακάς· ἀπικομένοισι δὲ ἔλεγε Ἀλέξανδρος τάδε. ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, παραθήκην ὑμῖν τὰ ἔπεα τάδε τίθεμαι, ἀπόρρητα ποιεύμενος πρὸς μηδένα λέγειν ὑμέας ἄλλον ἢ Παυσανίην, μή με καὶ διαφθείρητε·
\nWhen they heard this, they immediately followed to the outposts; and when they arrived, Alexander spoke to them as follows:\n"Men of Athens, I place these words as a deposit with you, making them a secret and bidding you to tell no one else but Pausanias, lest you bring about my ruin.
οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἔλεγον, εἰ μὴ μεγάλως ἐκηδόμην συναπάσης τῆς Ἑλλάδος. §9.45.2αὐτός τε γὰρ Ἕλλην γένος εἰμὶ τὠρχαῖον καὶ ἀντʼ ἐλευθέρης δεδουλωμένην οὐκ ἂν ἐθέλοιμι ὁρᾶν τὴν Ἑλλάδα.
For I would not speak, if I did not care greatly for the whole of Greece.\n\nFor I myself am of Greek descent from of old, and I should not wish to see Greece enslaved instead of free.
λέγω δὲ ὦν ὅτι Μαρδονίῳ τε καὶ τῇ στρατιῇ τὰ σφάγια οὐ δύναται καταθύμια γενέσθαι· πάλαι γὰρ ἂν ἐμάχεσθε.
I tell you, then, that the sacrifices cannot become favorable to Mardonius and his army; for otherwise you would have been fighting long ago.
νῦν δέ οἱ δέδοκται τὰ μὲν σφάγια ἐᾶν χαίρειν, ἅμʼ ἡμέρῃ δὲ διαφωσκούσῃ συμβολὴν ποιέεσθαι· καταρρώδηκε γὰρ μὴ πλεῦνες συλλεχθῆτε, ὡς ἐγὼ εἰκάζω.
But now, he has resolved to disregard the sacrifices and to make an attack at early dawn; for he fears, as I guess, lest more of you should assemble.
πρὸς ταῦτα ἑτοιμάζεσθε.
Prepare yourselves, therefore, for this.
ἢν δὲ ἄρα ὑπερβάληται τὴν συμβολὴν Μαρδόνιος καὶ μὴ ποιέηται, λιπαρέετε μένοντες· ὀλιγέων γάρ σφι ἡμερέων λείπεται σιτία. §9.45.3ἢν δὲ ὑμῖν ὁ πόλεμος ὅδε κατὰ νόον τελευτήσῃ, μνησθῆναι τινὰ χρὴ καὶ ἐμεῦ ἐλευθερώσιος πέρι, ὃς Ἑλλήνων εἵνεκα οὕτω ἔργον παράβολον ἔργασμαι ὑπὸ προθυμίης, ἐθέλων ὑμῖν δηλῶσαι τὴν διάνοιαν τὴν Μαρδονίου, ἵνα μὴ ἐπιπέσωσι ὑμῖν ἐξαίφνης οἱ βάρβαροι μὴ προσδεκομένοισί κω.
But if Mardonius should delay the battle and not fight, remain and hold out; for but few days' provisions are left for them.\n\nAnd if this war should end according to your mind, someone must remember me also with regard to my liberation, who for the sake of the Greeks have performed so hazardous a deed out of zeal, wishing to reveal to you the mind of Mardonius, so that the barbarians may not fall upon you suddenly when you are not yet expecting them.
εἰμὶ δὲ Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ Μακεδών. ὃ μὲν ταῦτα εἴπας ἀπήλαυνε ὀπίσω ἐς τὸ στρατόπεδον καὶ τὴν ἑωυτοῦ τάξιν.
And I am Alexander the Macedonian."\nHaving said this, he rode back to the camp and to his own post.