§1.24.1ὡς δὲ ἀπενεχθέντα τὸν χρησμὸν ἔμαθον, οὐκ εἶχον τὰ λεγόμενα συμβαλεῖν.
When they learned of the oracle that had been brought back, they were unable to understand what was said.
ἀμηχανοῦσι δὲ αὐτοῖς τῶν γεραιτέρων τις λέγει συμβαλὼν τὸ λόγιον, ὅτι τοῦ παντὸς ἡμαρτήκασιν, εἰ οἴονται τοὺς θεοὺς ἀδίκως αὐτοῖς ἐγκαλεῖν.
But as they were at a loss, one of the elders, having understood the oracle, said to them that they were completely mistaken if they thought the gods were accusing them unjustly.
χρημάτων μὲν γὰρ ἀποδεδόσθαι τὰς ἀπαρχὰς αὐτοῖς ἁπάσας ὀρθῶς τε καὶ σὺν δίκῃ, ἀνθρώπων δὲ γονῆς τὸ λάχος, χρῆμα παντὸς μάλιστα θεοῖς τιμιώτατον, ὀφείλεσθαι· εἰ δὲ δὴ καὶ τούτων λάβοιεν τὴν δικαίαν μοῖραν, τέλος ἕξειν σφίσι τὸ λόγιον. §1.24.2τοῖς μὲν δὴ ὀρθῶς ἐδόκει λέγεσθαι ταῦτα, τοῖς δὲ ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς συγκεῖσθαι ὁ λόγος·
For while all the first-fruits of their possessions had been paid by them rightly and justly, the portion of human offspring—a thing most precious to the gods above all else—was still owed; and if the gods should receive the just portion of these as well, the oracle would be fulfilled for them. To some, indeed, these words seemed to be spoken rightly, but to others the speech seemed to be framed out of plot.
εἰσηγησαμένου δέ τινος τὴν γνώμην, τὸν θεὸν ἐπερέσθαι, εἰ αὐτῷ φίλον ἀνθρώπων δεκάτας ἀπολαμβάνειν, πέμπουσι τὸ δεύτερον θεοπρόπους, καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἀνεῖλεν οὕτω ποιεῖν.
But when someone proposed the opinion that they should inquire further of the god whether it was pleasing to him to receive tenths of human beings, they sent messengers a second time, and the god answered that they should do so.
ἐκ δὲ τούτου στάσις αὐτοὺς καταλαμβάνει περὶ τοῦ τρόπου τῆς δεκατεύσεως.
From this, a factional strife seized them concerning the manner of paying the tithes.
καὶ ἐν ἀλλήλοις οἱ προεστηκότες τῶν πόλεων τὸ πρῶτον ἐταράχθησαν· §1.24.3ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν πλῆθος διʼ ὑποψίας τοὺς ἐν τέλει ἐλάμβανεν.
And first, the leaders of the cities were thrown into confusion among themselves; then the rest of the multitude also began to view the magistrates with suspicion.
ἐγίνοντό τε οὐδενὶ κόσμῳ αἱ ἀπαναστάσεις, ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ εἰκὸς οἴστρῳ καὶ θεοβλαβείᾳ ἀπελαυνόμεναι, καὶ πολλὰ ἐφέστια ὅλα ἐξηλείφθη μέρους αὐτῶν μεθισταμένου· οὐ γὰρ ἐδικαίουν οἱ προσήκοντες τοῖς ἐξιοῦσιν ἀπολείπεσθαί τε τῶν φιλτάτων καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐχθίστοις ὑπομένειν. §1.24.4πρῶτοι μὲν δὴ οὗτοι μεταναστάντες ἐξ Ἰταλίας εἴς τε τὴν Ἑλλάδα καὶ τῆς βαρβάρου πολλὴν ἐπλανήθησαν.
And the departures from the country took place in no order, but, as was natural, as if driven away by madness and divine delusion, and many entire households were utterly wiped out when a part of them emigrated; for the relatives of those who went out did not think it right to be left behind by their dearest ones and to remain behind among their bitterest enemies. First, then, these migrated from Italy and wandered both to Greece and into many parts of the barbarian land.
μετὰ δὲ τοὺς πρώτους ἕτεροι ταὐτὸν ἔπαθον, καὶ τοῦτο διετέλει γινόμενον ὁσέτη.
After the first, others suffered the same fate, and this continued to happen every year.
οὐ γὰρ ἀνίεσαν οἱ δυναστεύοντες ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι τῆς ἀνδρουμένης ἀεὶ νεότητος ἐξαιρούμενοι τὰς ἀπαρχάς, τοῖς τε θεοῖς τὰ δίκαια ὑπουργεῖν ἀξιοῦντες καὶ στασιασμοὺς ἐκ τῶν διαλαθόντων δεδιότες.
For the rulers in the cities did not cease selecting the first-fruits of the youth who were constantly growing into manhood, deeming it right to render the gods their due and fearing the seditions of those who had escaped the selection.
ἦν δὲ πολὺ καὶ τὸ πρὸς ἔχθραν σὺν προφάσει εὐπρεπεῖ ἀπελαυνόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν διαφόρων· ὥστε πολλαὶ αἱ ἀπαναστάσεις ἐγίνοντο καὶ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον γῆς τὸ Πελασγικὸν γένος διεφορήθη.
There was also a large number of those who, because of enmity, were driven out under a plausible pretext by their adversaries; so that many departures occurred, and the Pelasgian race was dispersed over the greatest part of the earth.