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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §13.32.1-13.32.6

Exposing Nicias's Hypocrisy and the Perils of Clemency

Passage 211 of 723 · Greek

Summary

The speaker exposes Nicias's past anti-war stance as hypocritical in light of his aggressive actions in Syracuse and demands that the Athenian prisoners be punished. He also warns that releasing them would betray the Lacedaemonians and invite another future invasion by a recovered Athens.

§13.32.1νὴ Δία, ἀλλὰ Νικίας ὑπὲρ Συρακοσίων ἐπολιτεύσατο καὶ μόνος συνεβούλευσε μὴ πολεμεῖν. τὸν μὲν ἐκεῖ γεγενημένον λόγον ἀκούομεν, τὰ δʼ ἐνταῦθα πεπραγμένα τεθεωρήκαμεν.
Yes, by Zeus, but someone will say, "Nicias pursued a policy in favor of the Syracusans and was the only one who advised not to make war." We hear the speech made by him over there, but we have witnessed the deeds done over here.
§13.32.2ὁ γὰρ ἀντειπὼν ἐκεῖ περὶ τῆς στρατείας, ἐνταῦθα στρατηγὸς ἦν τῆς δυνάμεως· καὶ ὁ πολιτευόμενος ὑπὲρ Συρακοσίων, ἀπετείχισεν ὑμῶν τὴν πόλιν· καὶ ὁ φιλανθρώπως διακείμενος πρὸς ὑμᾶς, Δημοσθένους καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων βουλομένων λῦσαι τὴν πολιορκίαν, μόνος ἐβιάσατο μένειν καὶ πολεμεῖν.
For the very man who spoke against the expedition over there was the general of the force over here; and the one who pursued a policy in favor of the Syracusans walled off your city; and the one who was kindly disposed toward you, when Demosthenes and all the others wished to raise the siege, alone forced them to remain and fight.
διόπερ ἔγωγε νομίζω μὴ δεῖν παρʼ ὑμῖν πλέον ἰσχῦσαι τὸν μὲν λόγον τῶν ἔργων, τὴν δʼ ἀπαγγελίαν τῆς πείρας, τὰ δʼ ἀφανῆ τῶν ὑπὸ πάντων ἑωραμένων.
Therefore, I at least think that among you speech should not have more weight than deeds, nor report than experience, nor unseen things than what has been seen by everyone.
§13.32.3νὴ Δίʼ, ἀλλὰ καλὸν μὴ ποιεῖν τὴν ἔχθραν αἰώνιον. οὐκοῦν μετὰ τὴν τῶν ἠδικηκότων κόλασιν, ἐὰν ὑμῖν δοκῇ, προσηκόντως διαλύσεσθε τὴν ἔχθραν.
Yes, by Zeus, but someone will say, "It is a noble thing not to make enmity eternal." Well then, after the punishment of those who did wrong, if it seems good to you, you will dissolve the enmity in a fitting manner.
οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον, ὅταν μὲν κρατῶσιν, ὡς δούλοις χρῆσθαι τοῖς ἡλωκόσιν, ὅταν δὲ κρατηθῶσιν, ὡς οὐδὲν ἠδικηκότας συγγνώμης τυγχάνειν.
For it is not just that, when they are victorious, they treat those captured as slaves, but when they are defeated, they receive pardon as if they had done no wrong.
καὶ τοῦ μὲν δοῦναι δίκην ὧν ἔπραξαν ἀφεθήσονται, λόγῳ δʼ εὐσχήμονι καθʼ ὃν ἂν χρόνον αὐτοῖς συμφέρῃ τῆς φιλίας μνημονεύσουσιν.
And they will be released from paying the penalty for what they did, while they will recall the friendship with a specious speech at whatever time it is advantageous to them.
§13.32.4ἐῶ γὰρ ὅτι τοῦτο πράξαντες σὺν πολλοῖς ἄλλοις καὶ τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἀδικήσετε, ὑμῶν χάριν κἀκεῖ τὸν πόλεμον ἐπανῃρημένους καὶ ἐνταῦθα συμμαχίαν ἀποστείλαντας· ἐξῆν γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἀγαπητῶς ἄγειν εἰρήνην καὶ περιορᾶν τὴν Σικελίαν πορθουμένην.
For I pass over the fact that by doing this, along with many others, you will also wrong the Lacedaemonians, who for your sake renewed the war over there and sent an alliance over here; for it was possible for them to keep peace contentedly and look on while Sicily was being ravaged.
§13.32.5διόπερ ἐὰν τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἀφέντες φιλίαν συνάπτησθε, προδόται φανήσεσθε τῶν συμμαχησάντων, καὶ τοὺς κοινοὺς ἐχθροὺς δυνάμενοι ταπεινῶσαι, τοσούτους στρατιώτας ἀποδόντες πάλιν ἰσχυροὺς κατασκευάσετε.
Therefore, if you release the prisoners and conclude a friendship, you will appear as betrayers of those who fought alongside you, and though you are able to humble the common enemies, by returning so many soldiers you will make them strong again.
οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτʼ ἔγωγε πιστεύσαιμι, ὡς Ἀθηναῖοι τηλικαύτην ἔχθραν ἐπανῃρημένοι βεβαίαν φυλάξουσι τὴν φιλίαν, ἀλλʼ ἀσθενεῖς μὲν ὄντες ὑποκριθήσονται τὴν εὔνοιαν, ἀναλαβόντες δʼ αὑτοὺς τὴν ἀρχαίαν προαίρεσιν εἰς τέλος ἄξουσιν.
For I, at least, would never believe that the Athenians, having taken up such great enmity, will keep the friendship secure; rather, while they are weak, they will pretend goodwill, but when they have recovered themselves, they will carry out their ancient purpose to the end.
§13.32.6ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν, ὦ Ζεῦ καὶ πάντες θεοί, μαρτύρομαι πάντας ὑμᾶς μὴ σώζειν τοὺς πολεμίους, μὴ ἐγκαταλιπεῖν τοὺς συμμάχους, μὴ πάλιν ἕτερον ἐπάγειν τῇ πατρίδι κίνδυνον.
I, therefore, O Zeus and all the gods, call upon you all to witness and adjure you not to save your enemies, not to abandon your allies, and not to bring another danger upon your fatherland.
ὑμεῖς δέ, ὦ ἄνδρες Συρακόσιοι, τούτους ἀφέντες, ἐὰν ἀποβῇ τι δυσχερές, οὐδʼ ἀπολογίαν ἑαυτοῖς εὐσχήμονα καταλείψετε.
And you, men of Syracuse, if you release these men and some difficulty results, you will not even leave a specious defense for yourselves.

Notes

  1. 13.32.1νὴ Δία, ἀλλὰ — A rhetorical idiom used to introduce a hypothetical counterargument that the speaker intends to refute immediately. Translated as "yes, but" or "indeed, but". It is repeated in 13.32.3.
  2. 13.32.2τὸν μὲν λόγον τῶν ἔργων — In the accusative-with-infinitive construction dependent on the verbal phrase νομίζω μὴ δεῖν ("I think it is not necessary that..."), the comparative adverb πλέον takes the genitive of comparison τῶν ἔργων ("than deeds"), while the accusative τὸν μὲν λόγον acts as the subject of the infinitive ἰσχῦσαι. The subsequent two contrasts (report vs. experience, unseen vs. seen things) follow the exact same grammatical structure.
  3. 13.32.3ὡς οὐδὲν ἠδικηκότας — A participial phrase introduced by the conjunction ὡς ("as if"). The perfect active participle ἠδικηκότας (masculine plural accusative) agrees in gender, number, and case with the implied subject of the infinitive τυγχάνειν (referring to the Athenians). It criticizes them for expecting to receive pardon as if they themselves had committed no wrong when defeated.
  4. 13.32.4ἐῶ γὰρ ὅτι — A classic rhetorical device known as praeteritio (or paralipsis). By declaring that he passes over or omits the point introduced by the ὅτι clause (which serves as the direct object of ἐῶ), the speaker actually emphasizes and draws attention to its importance.
  5. 13.32.6μαρτύρομαι — Meaning "I call to witness" or "I solemnly adjure." The verb takes the accusative of persons (πάντας ὑμᾶς, referring to the gods and the audience) as its object, followed by the negative infinitives (μὴ σώζειν, μὴ ἐγκαταλιπεῖν, μὴ ἐπάγειν) which express the contents of the solemn charge: "I call you all to witness and adjure you not to..."

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §13.32.1-13.32.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:13.32.1-13.32.6

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