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Cornelius Nepos · Timotheus §2.1-2.3

Victory over Sparta and Statues for Father and Son

Passage 2 of 4 · Latin

Summary

Timotheus defeats the Spartan fleet and secures many allies, establishing Athenian naval supremacy. In gratitude, the citizens erect a statue of him in the forum, honoring both father and son with adjacent monuments.

§2.1Idem classi praefectus circumvehens Peloponnesum, Laconicen populatus, classem eorum fugavit Corcyram sub imperium Atheniensium redegit sociosque dein adiunxit Epirotas, Athamanas, Chaonas omnesque eas gentes, quae mare illud adiacent.
The same man, having been appointed commander of the fleet, sailing around the Peloponnese and ravaging Laconia, put their fleet to flight, brought Corcyra under the sway of the Athenians, and then joined as allies the Epirotes, Athamanes, Chaonians, and all those nations which lie near that sea.
§2.2quo facto Lacedaemonii de diutina contentione destiterunt et sua sponte Atheniensibus imperii maritimi principatum concesserunt, pacemque iis legibus constituerunt, ut Athenienses mari duces essent.
By this deed, the Lacedaemonians desisted from their long struggle and of their own accord yielded the supremacy of maritime empire to the Athenians, and established peace on these terms: that the Athenians should be leaders on the sea.
quae victoria tantae fuit Atticis laetitiae, ut tum primum arae Paci publice sint factae eique deae pulvinar sit institutum.
This victory was a source of such great joy to the people of Attica that then for the first time altars to Peace were publicly erected, and a sacred couch was decreed for that goddess.
§2.3cuius laudis ut memoria maneret, Timotheo publice statuam in foro posuerunt.
In order that the memory of this glory might remain, they publicly erected a statue to Timotheus in the forum.
qui honos huic uni ante id tempus contigit, ut, cum patri populus statuam posuisset, filio quoque daret.
This honor befell him alone before that time: namely, that whereas the people had erected a statue to the father, they gave one to the son as well.
sic iuxta posita recens filii veterem patria renovavit memoriam.
Thus, the recent statue of the son, placed close by, renewed the old memory of the father.

Notes

  1. §2.1classi — Dative case. Governed by `praefectus` (commander), retaining the dative government of the verb `praeficio` (to put in command of).
  2. §2.1circumvehens — Present participle of the deponent verb `circumvehor` (to sail around), bearing an active meaning.
  3. §2.1socios — Predicative accusative. It functions as a predicate ("as allies") to the direct objects `Epirotas, Athamanas, Chaonas`, etc.
  4. §2.2tantae fuit Atticis laetitiae — A double dative construction. `Atticis` (to the Athenians/people of Attica) is the dative of reference, and `tantae laetitiae` (was [a source of] such great joy) is the dative of purpose or result.
  5. §2.3patria — The manuscript reading `patria` is understood as `patriam` (the accusative feminine singular of the adjective `patrius`, "of a father"), with the loss of the final `m`, modifying `memoriam`. The subject of the sentence is `recens filii [statua] iuxta posita` (the recent statue of the son, placed close by), where the noun `statua` is understood.

Cite this passage

Cornelius Nepos, Timotheus §2.1-2.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0588.abo013.humanitext-lat2:2.1-2.3

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