§35.35.1Lacedaemone non urbi vis adferenda, sed tyrannus dolo capiendus erat, §35.35.2quem spoliatum maritimis oppidis ab Romanis, tunc intra moenia etiam Lacedaemonis ab Achaeis compulsum qui occupasset occidere, eum totius gratiam rei apud Lacedaemonios laturum.
At Lacedaemon, force was not to be brought against the city, but the tyrant was to be caught by guile, for whoever should forestall others by killing him—who had been stripped of his maritime towns by the Romans and at that time was even driven within the walls of Lacedaemon by the Achaians—would win the gratitude for the entire deed among the Lacedaemonians.
§35.35.3causam mittendi ad eum habuerunt, quod fatigabat precibus, ut auxilia sibi, cum illis auctoribus rebellasset, mitterentur.
They had a pretext for sending to him, because he was importuning them with prayers that reinforcements should be sent to him, since he had rebelled at their instigation.
§35.35.4mille pedites Alexameno dati sunt et triginta delecti ex iuventute equites.
A thousand infantry were given to Alexamenus, and thirty chosen cavalry from the youth.
iis a praetore Damocrito in consilio arcano gentis, §35.35.5de quo ante dictum est, denuntiatur, ne se ad bellum Achaicum alut rem ullam, quam sua quisque opinione praecipere posset, crederent missos esse; quidquid Alexamenum res monuisset subiti consilii capere, ad id, quamvis inopinatum temerarium audax, oboedienter exequendum parati essent, ac pro eo acciperent, tamquam ad id unum agendum missos ab domo se scirent.
To them, by the praetor Damocritus in the secret council of the nation— which was mentioned before—it was announced that they should not believe themselves to have been sent for the Achaian war, or for any matter which each could anticipate in his own mind; whatever sudden plan the circumstances might prompt Alexamenus to adopt, they must be ready to execute it obediently, however unexpected, rash, or daring it might be, and they should receive it just as if they knew they had been sent from home for that single purpose.
§35.35.6cum his ita praeparatis Alexamenus ad tyrannum venit, quem adveniens extemplo spei implevit: §35.35.7antiochum iam transisse in Europam, mox in Graecia fore, terras maria armis viris completurum; non cum Philippo rem esse credituros Romanos; numerum iniri peditum equitumque ac navium non posse; elephantorum aciem conspectu ipso debellaturam.
With these men thus prepared, Alexamenus came to the tyrant, whom on his arrival he immediately filled with hope: that Antiochus had already crossed into Europe, would soon be in Greece, and would fill land and sea with arms and men; the Romans would believe that they were not dealing with Philip; the number of infantry, cavalry, and ships could not be estimated; the line of elephants would win the war by their very sight.
§35.35.8Aetolos toto suo exercitu paratos esse venire Lacedaemonem, cum res poscat, sed frequentis armatos ostendere advenienti regi voluisse.
that the Aetolians were ready to come to Lacedaemon with their entire army when circumstances should demand, but they had wished to display large numbers of armed men to the arriving king.
§35.35.9Nabidi et ipsi faciendum esse, ut quas haberet copias non sineret sub tectis marcescere otio, sed educeret et in armis decurrere cogeret, simul animos acueret et corpora exerceret; §35.35.10consuetudine leviorem laborem fore, et comitate ac benignitate ducis etiam non iniucundum fieri posse.
that Nabis himself also ought to act so as not to allow such forces as he had to rot in idleness under roofs, but should lead them out and make them drill under arms, and at the same time sharpen their spirits and train their bodies; that by habit the labor would become lighter, and through the affability and kindness of their leader it might even become not unpleasant.
educi inde frequenter ante urbem in campum ad Eurotan amnem coepere.
From that time they began to be led out frequently before the city into the plain by the Eurotas river.
§35.35.11satellites tyranni in media fere acie consistebant; tyrannus cum tribus summum equitibus, inter quos plerumque Alexamenus erat, ante signa vectabatur, cornua extrema invisens; §35.35.12in dextro cornu Aetoli erant, et qui ante auxiliares tyranni fuerant, et qui venerant mille cum Alexameno.
The tyrant's bodyguards stood almost in the center of the line; the tyrant, with at most three cavalrymen, among whom Alexamenus was usually present, rode before the standards, inspecting the extreme flanks; on the right wing were the Aetolians, both those who had previously been the tyrant's auxiliaries, and the thousand who had come with Alexamenus.
§35.35.13fecerat sibi morem Alexamenus nunc cum tyranno inter paucos ordines circumeundi monendique eum, §35.35.14quae in rem esse videbantur, nunc in dextrum cornu ad suos adequitandi, mox inde velut imperato, quod res poposcisset, recipiendi se ad tyrannum.
Alexamenus had made it a custom for himself, now to ride around with the tyrant among a few ranks and advise him on what seemed to be to his advantage, now to ride off to his own men on the right wing, and soon to return thence to the tyrant as if he had given orders which the situation required.
§35.35.15sed quem diem patrando facinori statuerat, eo paulisper cum tyranno vectatus cum ad suos concessisset, §35.35.16tum equitibus ab domo secum missis “agenda” inquit “res est, iuvenes, audendaque, quam me duce impigre exequi iussi estis; §35.35.17parate animos dextras, ne quis in eo, quod me viderit facientem, cesset; qui cunctatus fuerit et suum consilium meo interponet, sciat sibi reditum ad penates non esse. ” §35.35.18horror cunctos cepit, et meminerant, cum quibus mandatis exissent.
But on the day which he had set for committing the crime, having ridden for a short time with the tyrant, when he had withdrawn to his own men, then to the cavalry sent with him from home he said: "The deed must be done, young men, and must be dared, which you were ordered to execute energetically under my leadership; prepare your minds and right hands, so that no one may hesitate in that which he sees me doing; whoever hesitates and interposes his own counsel with mine, let him know that there is no return home for him." Horror seized them all, and they remembered with what instructions they had set out.
tyrannus ab laevo cornu veniebat; ponere hastas equites Alexamenus iubet et se intueri; colligit et ipse animum confusum tantae cogitatione rei.
The tyrant was coming from the left wing; Alexamenus ordered the cavalry to lower their spears and watch him; he himself also collected his mind, which was confused by the thought of so great a deed.
postquam appropinquabat, impetum facit et transfixo equo tyrannum deturbat; §35.35.19iacentem equites confodiunt; multis frustra in loricam ictibus datis tandem in nudum corpus vulnera pervenerunt, et priusquam a media acie succurreretur, exspiravit.
When Nabis was approaching, Alexamenus made a charge and, transfixing Nabis's horse, unseated the tyrant; the cavalry stabbed him as he lay; after many blows had been dealt in vain upon his cuirass, at last the wounds reached his naked body, and before help could be brought from the center of the line, he expired.