Humanitext Reader

Theophrastus · Fragments §145.1

Crobylus on War Expenditures and Allied Contributions

Passage 150 of 196 · Greek

Summary

The passage quotes Theophrastus' record of the demagogue Crobylus' saying, "war does not feed on fixed rations," in response to the allies' request to limit their financial contributions.

§145.1Fr. 145 Ὅτε καί φησι Θ., ἀξιούντων τῶν συμμάχων ὁρισθῆναι τὰς εἰσφορὰς, εἰπεῖν Κρωβύλον τὸν δημαγωγὸν ὡς οὐ τεταγμένα σιτεῖται πόλεμος.
Fr. 145 On this occasion also, Theophrastus says that, when the allies demanded that their contributions be limited, the demagogue Crobylus said that war does not feed on fixed rations.

Notes

  1. §145.1Ὅτε — The relative adverb ὅτε stands at the beginning of the sentence to introduce a context connected with the preceding narrative, meaning "On which occasion" or "At that time."
  2. §145.1εἰπεῖν — An infinitive in indirect speech depending on the main verb φησι, with its subject accusative being Κρωβύλον (accusative with infinitive construction).
  3. §145.1οὐ τεταγμένα — Accusative of internal object or direct object of the verb σιτεῖται. The neuter plural of the perfect passive participle of τάσσω means "fixed/prescribed rations or contributions," implying that war cannot be sustained by pre-calculated budgets.

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §145.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:145.1

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