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Theophrastus · Fragments §136.1

Aristeides: Private Justice and Public Expediency

Passage 141 of 196 · Greek

Summary

Theophrastus describes Aristeides as extremely just in private but willing to compromise for the state's interest, citing the transfer of the Delian treasury, and notes that he remained poor and valued the reputation of poverty.

§136.1Fr. 136 Θ. φησιν Ἀριστείδην περὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα καὶ τοὺς πολίτας ἄκρως ὄντα δίκαιον ἐν τοῖς κοινοῖς πολλὰ πρᾶξαι πρὸς τὴν ὑπόθεσιν τῆς πατρίδος ὡς συχνῆς ἀδικίας δεομένην.
Fr. 136 Theophrastus says that Aristeides, while being extremely just in his private affairs and towards his fellow citizens, did many things in public affairs in accordance with the policy of his fatherland, on the ground that it required frequent injustice.
Καὶ γὰρ τὰ χρήματά φησιν ἐκ Δήλου βουλευομένῳ Ἀθήναζε κομίσαι παρὰ τὰς συνθήκας καὶ Σαμίων εἰσηγουμένων εἰπεῖν ἐκεῖνον ὡς οὐ δίκαιον μὲν συμφέρον δὲ τοῦτʼ ἐστί.
For he says that when it was being deliberated to transfer the funds from Delos to Athens contrary to the treaties, and when the Samians proposed it, he said that this was not just, but advantageous.
Καὶ τέλος εἰς τὸ ἄρχειν ἀνθρώπων πάντων καταστήσας τὴν πόλιν αὐτὸς ἐνέμεινε τῇ πενίᾳ καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ πένης εἶναι δόξαν οὐδὲν ἧττον ἀγαπῶν τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν τροπαίων διετέλεσε.
And finally, having established the city in the rule over all men, he himself remained in poverty, and continued to cherish the reputation resulting from being poor no less than that from his trophies.

Notes

  1. §136.1ὡς συχνῆς ἀδικίας δεομένην — The present participle δεομένην is feminine accusative singular, agreeing with the preceding τὴν ὑπόθεσιν. The conjunction ὡς indicates the subjective reason or condition, meaning 'on the ground that it (the policy) required frequent injustice'.
  2. §136.1βουλευομένῳ — The present participle βουλευομένῳ (middle/passive, masculine dative singular) agrees with the implied dative referring to the agent (Aristeides), meaning 'when he was deliberating' or 'consulting'.
  3. §136.1τοῦ πένης εἶναι — An articular infinitive in the genitive. The predicate noun πένης of the infinitive εἶναι is in the nominative case instead of the accusative because the subject of the infinitive is identical with the nominative subject of the main clause (Aristeides).

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §136.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:136.1

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