§2.42.1τίνος οὖν χάριν ἐπὶ τοὺς χρόνους τούτους ἀνέδραμον;
For what reason, then, did I retrace my steps to these times?
ἵνα πρῶτον μὲν γένηται συμφανὲς πῶς καὶ κατὰ ποίους καιροὺς καὶ τίνες πρῶτοι τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς Ἀχαιῶν αὖθις ἐποιήσαντο τὴν ἐπιβολὴν τῆς νῦν συστάσεως, §2.42.2δεύτερον δʼ ἵνα καὶ τὰ τῆς προαιρέσεως μὴ μόνον διὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀποφάσεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ διʼ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων πίστεως τυγχάνῃ, διότι μία τις ἀεὶ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν αἵρεσις ὑπῆρχε, §2.42.3καθʼ ἣν προτείνοντες μὲν τὴν παρʼ αὑτοῖς ἰσηγορίαν καὶ παρρησίαν, πολεμοῦντες δὲ καὶ καταγωνιζόμενοι συνεχῶς τοὺς ἢ διʼ αὑτῶν ἢ διὰ τῶν βασιλέων τὰς σφετέρας πατρίδας καταδουλουμένους, τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ καὶ ταύτῃ τῇ προθέσει τοῦτο τοὔργον ἐπετέλεσαν, τὰ μὲν διʼ αὑτῶν, τὰ δὲ καὶ διὰ τῶν συμμάχων.
First, that it might become clear how, and at what periods, and who among the original Achaeans first set about reconstructing the present league; and secondly, that their policy might obtain credit not only from my own statement, but also from the evidence of the facts themselves, because there always existed one and the same principle among the Achaeans, in accordance with which, while holding out their own equality of rights and freedom of speech, and continuously fighting and struggling against those who, either by themselves or through the kings, were enslaving their respective homelands, they accomplished this work in this manner and with this purpose, partly by themselves and partly through their allies.
§2.42.4καὶ γὰρ τὰ διʼ ἐκείνων συνεργήματα γεγονότα πρὸς τοῦτο τὸ μέρος ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς χρόνοις ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν Ἀχαιῶν προαίρεσιν ἀνοιστέον.
For indeed, the assistance rendered through them towards this object in the succeeding times must be attributed to the policy of the Achaeans.
§2.42.5πολλοῖς γὰρ κοινωνήσαντες πραγμάτων, πλείστων δὲ καὶ καλλίστων Ῥωμαίοις οὐδέποτε τὸ παράπαν ἐπεθύμησαν ἐκ τῶν κατορθωμάτων οὐδενὸς ἰδίᾳ λυσιτελοῦς, §2.42.6ἀλλʼ ἀντὶ πάσης τῆς ἑαυτῶν φιλοτιμίας, ἣν παρείχοντο τοῖς συμμάχοις, ἀντικατηλλάττοντο τὴν ἑκάστων ἐλευθερίαν καὶ τὴν κοινὴν ὁμόνοιαν Πελοποννησίων.
For though they shared in many undertakings, and the most numerous and glorious with the Romans, they never at all desired any private advantage from their successes; but in exchange for all the zeal they displayed on behalf of their allies, they demanded in return the freedom of each and the common harmony of the Peloponnesians.
§2.42.7σαφέστερον δʼ ὑπὲρ τούτων ἔσται διαλαμβάνειν ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν περὶ τὰς πράξεις ἐνεργημάτων.
But these matters will be more clearly understood from the actual accomplishments in their history.