§2.2.21Μενδαῖοι δὲ τὰ μὲν ἀπὸ λιμένων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τελῶν αὐτοῖς προσπορευόμενα ἐχρῶντο εἰς διοίκησιν τῆς πόλεως, τὰ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς καὶ οἰκιῶν τέλη οὐκ ἔπραττον, ἀλλʼ ἀνέγραφον τοὺς ἔχοντας· ὁπότε δὲ δεηθεῖεν χρημάτων, ἀπεδίδοσαν οι ὀφείλοντες·
The Mendaeans used the revenues coming to them from the harbors and other customs duties for the administration of the city, but they did not collect the taxes on land and houses, but simply registered those who owned them; whenever they were in need of money, those who owed the taxes paid them.
ἐκέρδαινον οὖν τὸν παρεληλυθότα χρόνον ἀτόκοις τοῖς χρήμασιν ἀποκεχρημένοι.
Thus, they made a profit during the past period by having made use of the money without interest.
πολεμοῦντες τὲ πρὸς Ὀλυνθίους καὶ δεόμενοι χρημάτων, ὄντων αὐτοῖς ἀνδραπόδων, ἐψηφίσαντο καταλειπομένων ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ θήλεος καὶ ἄρρενος τὰ ἄλλα ἀποδόσθαι τῇ πόλει, ὡς ἐκδανεῖσαι τοὺς ἰδιώτας χρήματα.
And when they were at war with the Olynthians and in need of money, since they possessed slaves, they voted that, while leaving one female and one male slave to each person, they would sell the rest to the city, so that the private individuals would lend money to the city.
§2.2.22Καλλίστρατος ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ πωλουμένου τοῦ ἐλλιμενίου ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ εἴκοσι ταλάντων, ἐποίησεν εὑρεῖν τὸ διπλάσιον·
Callistratus in Macedonia, when the harbor tax was usually sold for twenty talents, caused it to fetch double that amount.
κατιδὼν γὰρ ὠνουμένους τοὺς εὐπορωτέρους ἀεὶ διὰ τὸ δεῖν ταλαντιαίους καθιστάναι τοὺς ἐγγύους τῶν εἴκοσι ταλάντων, προεκήρυξεν ὠνεῖσθαι τὸν βουλόμενον καὶ τοὺς ἐγγύους καθιστάναι τοῦ τρίτου μέρους καὶ καθʼ ὁπόσον ἕκαστος δύνηται πείθειν.
For observing that the wealthier men always bought it because it was necessary to provide guarantors for the whole twenty talents, he made a proclamation that anyone who wished could buy it, and that they should provide guarantors for only a third part, and for as much as each was able to persuade.
§2.2.23Τιμόθεος Ἀθηναῖος πολεμῶν πρὸς Ὀλυνθίους καὶ ἀπορούμενος ἀργυρίου, κόψας χαλκὸν διεδίδου τοῖς στρατιώταις.
Timotheus the Athenian, when at war with the Olynthians and in short supply of silver, struck a copper coinage and distributed it to the soldiers.
ἀγανακτούντων δὲ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἔφη αὐτοῖς τοὺς ἐμπόρους τε καὶ ἀγοραίους ἅπαντα ὡσαύτως πωλήσειν.
When the soldiers were indignant, he told them that the merchants and market-traders would sell everything to them in the same way.
τοῖς δʼ ἐμπόροις προεῖπεν, ὃν ἄν τις λάβῃ χαλκόν, τούτου πάλιν ἀγοράζειν τά τʼ ἐκ τῆς χώρας ὤνια καὶ τὰ ἐκ τῶν λειῶν ἀγόμενα· ὃς δʼ ἂν περιλειφθῇ αὐτοῖς χαλκός, πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀναφέροντας ἀργύριον λαμβάνειν.
And he forewarned the merchants that they could use whatever copper they received to buy back again the goods for sale from the territory and the booty brought in; and that whatever copper remained with them, they should bring it back to him and receive silver in exchange.
περὶ Κέρκυραν δὲ πολεμῶν καὶ ἀπόρως διακείμενος καὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν αἰτούντων τοὺς μισθοὺς καὶ ἀπειθούντων αὐτῷ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ὑπεναντίους φασκόντων ἀποπορεύεσθαι, ἐκκλησίαν συναγαγὼν ἔφησεν οὐ δύνασθαι διὰ τοὺς χειμῶνας παραγενέσθαι αὑτῷ ἀργύριον, ἐπεὶ τοσαύτην εἶναι περὶ αὑτὸν εὐπορίαν, ὥστε τὴν προδεδομένην τριμήνου σιταρχίαν δωρεὰν αὐτοῖς διδόναι· οἱ δὲ ὑπολαβόντες οὐκ ἄν ποτε προέσθαι τοσαῦτα χρήματα τὸν Τιμόθεον αὐτοῖς, εἰ μὴ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ προσδόκιμα ἦν τὰ χρήματα πρὸς αὐτόν, ἡσυχίαν εἶχον ὑπὲρ τῶν μισθῶν ἕως ἐκεῖνος διῳκήσατο ἃ ἐβούλετο.
And when he was at war around Corcyra and was in a difficult situation, and the soldiers were demanding their pay, refusing to obey him, and declaring that they would go over to the enemy, he called an assembly and said that because of the winter storms silver could not arrive for him, but since there was such an abundance of wealth about him, he would give them as a free gift the three months' allowance of food that had already been issued; and they, supposing that Timotheus would never throw away so much money on them unless money was truly expected by him, kept quiet about their pay until he had managed what he wished.
Σάμον δὲ πολιορκῶν τοὺς καρποὺς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀγρῶν ἀπεδίδοτο αὐτοῖς τοῖς Σαμίοις, ὥστε εὐπόρησε χρημάτων εἰς μισθοὺς τοῖς στρατιώταις.
And when he was besieging Samos, he sold the crops and the produce on the fields back to the Samians themselves, so that he was well supplied with money for the soldiers' pay.
τῶν τε ἐπιτηδείων ἐπεὶ σπάνις ἦν ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ διὰ τοὺς ἀφικνουμένους, ἀπηγόρευσε μὴ πωλεῖν σῖτον ἀληλεσμένον μηδὲ μέτρον ἔλασσον ἢ μέδιμνον, μηδὲ τῶν ὑγρῶν μηθὲν ἔλαττον ἢ μετρητήν.
And when there was a shortage of provisions in the camp because of those who were arriving, he forbade anyone to sell ground corn, or any measure less than a medimnus, or any liquid less than a metretes.
οἱ μὲν οὖν ταξίαρχοί τε καὶ λοχαγοὶ ἀγοράζοντες ἀθρόα διεδίδοσαν τοῖς στρατιώταις, οἱ δὲ εἰσαφικνούμενοι ἦγον αὑτοῖς τὰ ἐπιτήδεια· ὁπότε δὲ ἀπαλλάττοιντο, εἴ τι περίλοιπον εἴη αὐτοῖς, ἐπώλουν.
So the commanders and captains bought in bulk and distributed to the soldiers, while those who arrived brought their own provisions for themselves, and whenever they departed, if they had anything left over, they sold it.
ὥστε συνέβαινεν εὐπορεῖσθαι τοὺς στρατιώτας τῶν ἐπιτηδείων.
Thus it happened that the soldiers were well supplied with provisions.
§2.2.24Διδάλης Πέρσης ἔχων στρατιώτας τὰ μὲν καθʼ ἡμέραν πορίζειν ἐδύνατο ἐκ τῆς πολεμίας αὐτοῖς, νόμισμα δὲ οὐκ ἔχων διδόναι, ἀπαιτούμενος δέ, χρόνου γενομένου οὗ ὤφειλε, τεχνάζει τοιόνδε.
Didales the Persian, having soldiers under him, was able to procure their daily provisions from the enemy's country, but having no coin to give them, and being demanded when the time came when he owed it, devised the following scheme.
ἐκκλησίαν συναγαγὼν ἔφη οὐκ ἀπορεῖσθαι χρημάτων, ἀλλʼ εἶναι αὑτῷ ἐν χωρίῳ τινί, λέγων ἐν ᾧ εἴη.
Gathering an assembly, he said he was not in want of money, but that he had some in a certain place, naming where it was.
καὶ ἀναζεύξας ἐβάδιζεν ἐπʼ αὐτό· εἶτα, ὡς ἐγγὺς τοῦ χωρίου ἐγένετο, προελθὼν εἰς αὐτὸ ἔλαβεν ἐκ τῶν ἐνόντων ἱερῶν ὅσος ἐνῆν κοῖλος ἄργυρος· εἶτʼ ἐπισκευάσας τὰς ἡμιόνους ὡς ἀγούσας ἀργύριον παραφαινούσας τε ταῦτα ἐβάδιζεν.
And breaking camp, he marched towards it; then, when he was near the place, he went ahead into it and took all the hollow silver that was in the temples there; then, having loaded the mules as though they were carrying silver, and letting it be partially seen, he marched on.
ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ στρατιῶται καὶ νομίσαντες ἅπαντα εἶναι ἄργυρον τὰ ἀγόμενα, ἐθάρρησαν ὡς κομιούμενοι τὸν μισθόν.
The soldiers, seeing this and thinking that all that was being carried was silver, took courage in the belief that they would receive their pay.
ὁ δὲ ἔφη δεῖν εἰς Ἀμισὸν ἐλθόντας ἐπισημήνασθαι· ἦν δʼ εἰς τὴν Ἀμισὸν ὁδὸς πολλῶν τε ἡμερῶν καὶ χειμέριος· τὸν δὴ χρόνον τοῦτον ἀπεχρᾶτο τῷ στρατοπέδῳ τὰ ἐπιτήδεια μόνον διδούς.
But he said that they must go to Amisus and have it stamped; and the way to Amisus was both of many days' journey and wintry; so for this period of time he made use of the army, giving them only their provisions.
τούς τε τεχνίτας τοὺς ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ αὐτὸς εἶχε καὶ τοὺς καπήλους τοὺς μεταβαλλομένους τι· ἄλλῳ δὲ οὐκ ἦν οὐθενὶ οὐθὲν τούτων ποιεῖν.
And he kept the artisans in the camp and the retail traders who resold things under his own control; and it was not permitted for anyone else to do any of these things.