§9.8.1ὡς δὲ ἄρα ἤκουσαν οἱ ἔφοροι ταῦτα, ἀνεβάλλοντο ἐς τὴν ὑστεραίην ὑποκρίνασθαι, τῇ δὲ ὑστεραίῃ ἐς τὴν ἑτέρην· τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ δέκα ἡμέρας ἐποίεον, ἐξ ἡμέρης ἐς ἡμέρην ἀναβαλλόμενοι.
When the ephors heard these things, they postponed replying until the next day, and on the next day to the day after; this they did for ten days, postponing from day to day.
ἐν δὲ τούτῳ τῷ χρόνῳ τὸν Ἰσθμὸν ἐτείχεον σπουδὴν ἔχοντες πολλὴν πάντες Πελοποννήσιοι, §9.8.2καί σφι ἦν πρὸς τέλεϊ.
During this time all the Peloponnesians were fortifying the Isthmus, showing great zeal, and it was near completion for them.
οὐδʼ ἔχω εἰπεῖν τὸ αἴτιον διότι ἀπικομένου μὲν Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ Μακεδόνος ἐς Ἀθήνας σπουδὴν μεγάλην ἐποιήσαντο μὴ μηδίσαι Ἀθηναίους, τότε δὲ ὤρην ἐποιήσαντο οὐδεμίαν, ἄλλο γε ἢ ὅτι ὁ Ἰσθμός σφι ἐτετείχιστο καὶ ἐδόκεον Ἀθηναίων ἔτι δεῖσθαι οὐδέν· ὅτε δὲ Ἀλέξανδρος ἀπίκετο ἐς τὴν Ἀττικήν, οὔκω ἀπετετείχιστο, ἐργάζοντο δὲ μεγάλως καταρρωδηκότες τοὺς Πέρσας.
And I cannot state the reason why, when Alexander the Macedonian arrived in Athens, they made a great effort to prevent the Athenians from medizing, but then they paid no regard at all, unless it was because the Isthmus had been fortified for them and they thought they no longer had any need of the Athenians; for when Alexander had arrived in Attica, the wall was not yet finished, but they were working hard, being in great dread of the Persian.