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Cornelius Nepos · Chabrias §2.1-2.3

Campaigns in Egypt and Cyprus and Fleet Command

Passage 2 of 4 · Latin

Summary

Chabrias takes part in campaigns in Europe, Egypt, and Cyprus either officially or on his own initiative, eventually commanding the Egyptian fleet in rivalry with Agesilaus.

§2.1Chabrias autem multa in Europa bella administravit, cum dux Atheniensium esset; in Aegypto sua sponte gessit: nam Nectenebin adiutum profectus regnum ei constituit.
Chabrias, moreover, conducted many wars in Europe when he was a general of the Athenians; in Egypt he did so on his own initiative: for having set out to help Nectanebus, he established his kingdom for him.
§2.2fecit idem Cypri, sed publice ab Atheniensibus Euagorae adiutor datus, neque prius inde discessit, quam totam insulam bello devinceret: qua ex re Athenienses magnam gloriam sunt adepti.
He did the same in Cyprus, but there he was publicly given by the Athenians as an assistant to Evagoras, and he did not depart from there before he had completely conquered the whole island in war; from which circumstance the Athenians acquired great glory.
§2.3interim bellum inter Aegyptios et Persas conflatum est.
Meanwhile, a war was kindled between the Egyptians and the Persians.
Athenienses cum Artaxerxe societatem habebant, Lacedaemonii cum Aegyptiis, a quibus magnas praedas Agesilaus, rex eorum, faciebat.
The Athenians had an alliance with Artaxerxes, the Lacedaemonians with the Egyptians, from whom Agesilaus, their king, was making great gains.
id intuens Chabrias, cum in re nulla Agesilao cederet, sua sponte eos adiutum profectus Aegyptiae classi praefuit, pedestribus copiis Agesilaus.
Chabrias, beholding this, since he would yield to Agesilaus in nothing, set out on his own initiative to help them and commanded the Egyptian fleet, while Agesilaus commanded the land forces.

Notes

  1. §2.1sua sponte gessit — The object multa bella is understood from the preceding clause for the verb gessit. 'sua sponte' (on his own initiative, in a private capacity) stands in contrast with 'publice' (officially) in the next section.
  2. §2.1adiutum — The accusative of the supine of the verb adiuvo. Used with the participle of motion profectus (from proficiscor) to express purpose ('to help').
  3. §2.2neque prius inde discessit, quam — 'neque prius... quam' is equivalent to 'non priusquam' ('not before...'). The subjunctive imperfect devinceret is used because the clause expresses anticipation, purpose, or design on the part of the subject (Chabrias).
  4. §2.3pedestribus copiis Agesilaus — Ellipsis of the verb praefuit from the preceding clause 'Aegyptiae classi praefuit'. 'pedestribus copiis' is the dative case governed by the omitted verb, and Agesilaus is the subject.

Cite this passage

Cornelius Nepos, Chabrias §2.1-2.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0588.abo012.humanitext-lat2:2.1-2.3

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