§4.8.1Ἄρατος γὰρ ἦν τὰ μὲν ἄλλα τέλειος ἀνὴρ εἰς τὸν πραγματικὸν τρόπον· §4.8.2καὶ γὰρ εἰπεῖν καὶ διανοηθῆναι καὶ στέξαι τὸ κριθὲν δυνατός, καὶ μὴν ἐνεγκεῖν τὰς πολιτικὰς διαφορὰς πρᾴως καὶ φίλους ἐνδήσασθαι καὶ συμμάχους προσλαβεῖν οὐδενὸς δεύτερος,
For Aratus was in other respects a perfect man for the practical conduct of affairs; indeed, he was capable of speaking, thinking, and keeping secret what had been decided; and furthermore, in bearing political differences mildly, in binding friends to himself, and in acquiring allies, he was second to none.
§4.8.3ἔτι δὲ πράξεις, ἀπάτας, ἐπιβουλὰς συστήσασθαι κατὰ τῶν πολεμίων, καὶ ταύτας ἐπὶ τέλος ἀγαγεῖν διὰ τῆς αὑτοῦ κακοπαθείας καὶ τόλμης, δεινότατος.
Moreover, in organizing enterprises, stratagems, and plots against enemies, and in bringing them to completion through his own endurance and daring, he was most clever.
§4.8.4ἐναργῆ δὲ τῶν τοιούτων μαρτύρια καὶ πλείω μέν, ἐκφανέστατα δὲ τοῖς ἱστορηκόσι κατὰ μέρος περί τε τῆς Σικυῶνος καὶ Μαντινείας καταλήψεως καὶ περὶ τῆς Αἰτωλῶν ἐκ τῆς Πελληνέων πόλεως ἐκβολῆς, τὸ δὲ μέγιστον, περὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸν Ἀκροκόρινθον πράξεως.
Of these qualities, there are clear and indeed numerous proofs, but the most conspicuous to those who have studied the history in detail are his capture of Sicyon and Mantinea, the expulsion of the Aetolians from the city of Pellene, and above all, his exploit at the Acrocorinth.
§4.8.5ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς οὗτος, ὅτε τῶν ὑπαίθρων ἀντιποιήσασθαι βουληθείη, νωθρὸς μὲν ἐν ταῖς ἐπινοίαις, ἄτολμος δʼ ἐν ταῖς ἐπιβολαῖς, ἐν ὄψει δʼ οὐ μένων τὸ δεινόν.
Yet this very same man, whenever he wished to undertake operations in the open field, was slow in conception, timid in execution, and unable to face danger in his sight.
§4.8.6διὸ καὶ τροπαίων ἐπʼ αὐτὸν βλεπόντων ἐπλήρωσε τὴν Πελοπόννησον, καὶ τῇδέ πῃ τοῖς πολεμίοις ἀεί ποτʼ ἦν εὐχείρωτος.
Therefore he filled the Peloponnese with trophies erected against him, and in this respect he was always an easy prey to his enemies.
§4.8.7οὕτως αἱ τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσεις οὐ μόνον τοῖς σώμασιν ἔχουσί τι πολυειδές, ἔτι δὲ μᾶλλον ταῖς ψυχαῖς, ὥστε τὸν αὐτὸν ἄνδρα μὴ μόνον ἐν τοῖς διαφέρουσι τῶν ἐνεργημάτων πρὸς ἃ μὲν εὐφυῶς ἔχειν, πρὸς ἃ δʼ ἐναντίως, ἀλλὰ καὶ περί τινα τῶν ὁμοειδῶν πολλάκις τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ συνετώτατον εἶναι καὶ βραδύτατον, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τολμηρότατον καὶ δειλότατον.
Thus the natures of men have something manifold not only in their bodies, but still more in their minds, so that the same man not only has a natural aptitude for some things and the reverse for others in different kinds of activities, but even in respect to things of the same kind is often both the most intelligent and the slowest, and likewise both the most daring and the most cowardly.
§4.8.8οὐ παράδοξα ταῦτά γε, συνήθη δὲ καὶ γνώριμα τοῖς βουλομένοις συνεφιστάνειν.
These things are not paradoxical, but common and familiar to those who are willing to pay attention.
§4.8.9τινὲς μὲν γὰρ ἐν ταῖς κυνηγίαις εἰσὶ τολμηροὶ πρὸς τὰς τῶν θηρίων συγκαταστάσεις, οἱ δʼ αὐτοὶ πρὸς ὅπλα καὶ πολεμίους ἀγεννεῖς, καὶ τῆς γε πολεμικῆς χρείας τῆς κατʼ ἄνδρα μὲν καὶ κατʼ ἰδίαν εὐχερεῖς καὶ πρακτικοί, κοινῇ δὲ καὶ μετὰ πολεμικῆς ἐπʼ ἴσον συντάξεως ἄπρακτοι.
For some in hunting are daring in confronting wild beasts, yet the very same men are cowardly before arms and enemies; and indeed, in military service, they are quick and effective when acting individually and in private, but in common and under an equal military formation, they are useless.
§4.8.10Θετταλῶν γοῦν ἱππεῖς κατʼ ἴλην μὲν καὶ φαλαγγηδὸν ἀνυπόστατοι, χωρὶς δὲ παρατάξεως πρὸς καιρὸν καὶ τόπον κατʼ ἄνδρα κινδυνεῦσαι δύσχρηστοι καὶ βραδεῖς· Αἰτωλοὶ δὲ τούτων τἀναντία.
Thessalian cavalry, at any rate, are irresistible in squadrons and phalanxes, but when acting individually apart from a formation, as time and place require, they are clumsy and slow; whereas the Aetolians are the opposite of these.
§4.8.11Κρῆτες δὲ καὶ κατὰ γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλατταν πρὸς μὲν ἐνέδρας καὶ λῃστείας καὶ κλοπὰς πολεμίων καὶ νυκτερινὰς ἐπιθέσεις καὶ πάσας τὰς μετὰ δόλου καὶ κατὰ μέρος χρείας ἀνυπόστατοι, πρὸς δὲ τὴν ἐξ ὁμολόγου καὶ κατὰ πρόσωπον φαλαγγηδὸν ἔφοδον ἀγεννεῖς καὶ πλάγιοι ταῖς ψυχαῖς· Ἀχαιοὶ δὲ καὶ Μακεδόνες τἀναντία τούτων.
The Cretans, too, both by land and sea, are irresistible in ambuscades, plundering, stealing from enemies, night attacks, and all services involving deceit and acting individually, but they are cowardly and faint-hearted for an open and head-on assault in phalanx formation; whereas the Achaeans and Macedonians are the opposite of these.
§4.8.12ταῦτα μὲν εἰρήσθω μοι χάριν τοῦ μὴ διαπιστεῖν τοὺς ἀναγινώσκοντας τοῖς λεγομένοις, ἐάν που περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐναντίας ἀποφάσεις ποιώμεθα περὶ τὰ παραπλήσια τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων.
Let this be said by me so that readers may not distrust my statements, if ever we make contradictory assertions about the same men in similar kinds of pursuits.