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Cornelius Nepos · Pelopidas §4.1-4.3

Pelopidas's Distinct Glory and Military Exploits

Passage 4 of 5 · Latin

Summary

This section describes Pelopidas's exclusive credit for the liberation of Thebes and his prominent achievements as the second-ranking figure after Epaminondas, including his role in the Battle of Leuctra and his embassy to the Persians.

§4.1Hoc tam turbido tempore, sicut supra docuimus, Epaminondas, quoad cum civibus dimicatum est, domi quietus fuit.
At this so turbulent a time, as we have shown above, Epaminondas, as long as the contest was waged with the citizens, remained quiet at home.
itaque haec liberatarum Thebarum propria laus est Pelopidae, ceterae fere communes cum Epaminonda.
Therefore, this praise of the liberation of Thebes belongs peculiarly to Pelopidas, while almost all other praises are shared with Epaminondas.
§4.2namque in Leuctrica pugna imperatore Epaminonda hic fuit dux delectae manus, quae prima phalangem prostravit Laconum.
For in the battle of Leuctra, when Epaminondas was commander-in-chief, he was the leader of the select band which first overthrew the phalanx of the Lacedaemonians.
§4.3omnibus praeterea periculis eius affuit (sicut, Spartam cum oppugnavit, alterum tenuit cornu), quoque Messena celerius restitueretur, legatus in Persas est profectus.
Moreover, he was present at all his dangers (just as, when he attacked Sparta, he held the other wing), and so that Messene might be restored more quickly, he set out as an ambassador to the Persians.
denique haec fuit altera persona Thebis, sed tamen secunda ita, ut proxima esset Epaminondae.
In short, he was the second personage at Thebes, yet second in such a way as to be closest to Epaminondas.

Notes

  1. §4.1liberatarum Thebarum — A noun combined with a perfect passive participle ('of liberated Thebes') expressing the action or event itself ('of the liberation of Thebes'), similar to the 'ab urbe condita' construction. It functions as a genitive of restriction qualifying 'laus'.
  2. §4.2imperatore Epaminonda — An ablative absolute construction consisting of a noun (imperatore) and a proper noun (Epaminonda), lacking a participle of the verb 'esse'. It functions as an adverbial phrase of time: 'when Epaminondas was commander-in-chief'.
  3. §4.2quae prima — The relative pronoun 'quae' refers back to 'manus' (band/force), which is feminine singular. The nominative feminine singular adjective 'prima' is used adverbially to mean 'which first...'.
  4. §4.3quoque Messena celerius restitueretur — The enclitic '-que' (and) is attached to the conjunction 'quo', which introduces a purpose clause containing a comparative adverb ('celerius') instead of 'ut'. 'Messena' is nominative, and 'restitueretur' is imperfect subjunctive passive in the purpose clause.

Cite this passage

Cornelius Nepos, Pelopidas §4.1-4.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0588.abo016.humanitext-lat2:4.1-4.3

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