Pausanias Analysis

Passage 3.9.1 Class: Historical

βασιλεύει τε δὴ Ἀγησίλαος ὁ Ἀρχιδάμου καὶ Λακεδαιμονίοις ἤρεσε διαβῆναι ναυσὶν ἐς τὴν Ἀσίαν, Ἀρταξέρξην τὸν Δαρείου αἱρήσοντας· ἐδιδάσκοντο γὰρ ὑπό τε ἄλλων τῶν ἐν τέλει καὶ μάλιστα ὑπὸ Λυσάνδρου μὴ τὸν Ἀρταξέρξην σφίσιν ἐν τῷ πρὸς Ἀθηναίους πολέμῳ, Κῦρον δὲ εἶναι τὸν τὰ χρήματα διδόντα ἐς τὰς ναῦς. Ἀγησίλαος δὲ---ἀπεδείχθη γὰρ διαβιβάσαι τε ἐς τὴν Ἀσίαν τὸν στρατὸν καὶ δυνάμεως ἡγεμὼν τῆς πεζῆς---περιέπεμπεν ἔς τε Πελοπόννησον πλὴν Ἄργους καὶ ἐς τοὺς Ἕλληνας τοὺς ἐκτὸς Ἰσθμοῦ, συμμαχεῖν σφισιν ἐπαγγέλλων.

Proper Nouns:

Δαρεῖος Κῦρος Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λύσανδρος Πελοπόννησος Ἀγησίλαος Ἀθηναῖοι Ἀρταξέρξης Ἀρχίδαμος Ἀσία Ἄργος Ἕλληνες Ἰσθμός

At this time Agesilaos son of Archidamos was king, and it pleased the Lacedaemonians to sail across to Asia with the intention of overthrowing Artaxerxes, the son of Dareios. For they had been informed by persons in authority, especially Lysandros, that it had not been Artaxerxes who had supplied their ships with money in the war against Athens, but Cyrus. Agesilaos, who had been appointed to transport the army to Asia and to command the land forces, accordingly sent messages throughout the Peloponnese (except Argos), as well as to the Greeks beyond the Isthmus, inviting them to join in their alliance.

Passage 3.9.2 Class: Historical

Κορίνθιοι μὲν οὖν, καίπερ ἐς τὰ μάλιστα ἔχοντες προθύμως μετασχεῖν τοῦ ἐς τὴν Ἀσίαν στόλου, κατακαυθέντος σφίσιν ἐξαίφνης ναοῦ Διὸς ἐπίκλησιν Ὀλυμπίου, ποιησάμενοι πονηρὸν οἰωνὸν καταμένουσιν ἄκοντες. Ἀθηναίοις δὲ ἦν μὲν ἡ πρόφασις ἐκ τοῦ Πελοποννησίων πολέμου καὶ ἐκ νόσου τῆς λοιμώδους ἐπανήκειν τὴν πόλιν ἐς τὴν πρότερόν ποτε οὖσαν εὐδαιμονίαν· πυνθανόμενοι δὲ διʼ ἀγγέλων ὡς Κόνων ὁ Τιμοθέου παρὰ βασιλέα ἀναβεβηκὼς εἴη, κατὰ τοῦτο ἡσύχαζον μάλιστα.

Proper Nouns:

Ζεύς Κορίνθιοι Κόνων Πελοπόννησος Τιμόθεος Ἀθηναῖοι Ἀσία Ὀλύμπιος

The Corinthians, for their part, although extremely eager to join the expedition against Asia, remained behind reluctantly, having received an unfavorable omen when their temple dedicated to Zeus Olympios suddenly burned down. As for the Athenians, their pretext was that the city was only just recovering from the Peloponnesian war and the widespread plague that had afflicted it, and had not yet returned to its earlier prosperity. In particular, hearing through messengers that Conon, the son of Timotheus, had gone up to the Persian king, they were for this reason especially inclined toward quiet inactivity.

Passage 3.9.3 Class: Historical

ἀπεστάλη δὲ καὶ ἐς Θήβας πρεσβεύειν Ἀριστομηλίδας, μητρὸς μὲν τῆς Ἀγησιλάου πατήρ, Θηβαίοις δὲ εἶχεν ἐπιτηδείως καὶ ἐγεγόνει τῶν δικαστῶν, οἳ Πλαταιεῦσιν ἁλόντος τοῦ τείχους ἀποθανεῖν τοὺς ἐγκαταληφθέντας ἔγνωσαν. Θηβαῖοι μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ Ἀθηναίοις ἀπείπαντο, οὐ φάμενοι βοηθήσειν· Ἀγησίλαος δέ, ὡς αὐτῷ τά τε οἴκοθεν καὶ παρὰ τῶν συμμάχων τὸ στράτευμα ἤθροιστο καὶ ἅμα αἱ νῆες εὐτρεπεῖς ἦσαν, ἀφίκετο ἐς Αὐλίδα τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι θύσων, ὅτι καὶ Ἀγαμέμνων ἐνταῦθα ἱλασάμενος τὴν θεὸν τὸν ἐς Τροίαν στόλον ἤγαγεν.

Proper Nouns:

Αὐλίς Θηβαῖοι Θηβαῖοι Θῆβαι Πλαταιαί Τροία Ἀγαμέμνων Ἀγησίλαος Ἀγησίλαος Ἀθηναῖοι Ἀριστομηλίδας Ἄρτεμις

Aristomelidas was also sent on an embassy to Thebes—he was the father of Agesilaus' mother, and was on friendly terms with the Thebans, having served as one of the judges who, when the wall of Plataea was taken, sentenced to death those who were captured inside it. Nevertheless, the Thebans made the same response to him as they had to the Athenians, declaring they would not provide assistance. As soon as Agesilaus had assembled the military forces, both local and those supplied by the allies, and the fleet was ready at the same time, he arrived at Aulis to sacrifice to Artemis, because it was here that Agamemnon had propitiated the goddess before leading his expedition to Troy.

Passage 3.9.4 Class: Historical

ἠξίου δὲ ἄρα ὁ Ἀγησίλαος πόλεώς τε εὐδαιμονεστέρας ἢ Ἀγαμέμνων βασιλεὺς εἶναι καὶ ἄρχειν τῆς Ἑλλάδος πάσης ὁμοίως ἐκείνῳ, τό τε κατόρθωμα ἐπιφανέστερον ἔσεσθαι βασιλέα κρατήσαντα Ἀρταξέρξην εὐδαιμονίαν κτήσασθαι τὴν Περσῶν ἢ ἀρχὴν καθελεῖν τὴν Πριάμου. θύοντος δὲ αὐτοῦ Θηβαῖοι σὺν ὅπλοις ἐπελθόντες τῶν τε ἱερείων καιόμενα ἤδη τὰ μηρία ἀπορρίπτουσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ βωμοῦ καὶ αὐτὸν ἐξελαύνουσιν ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ.

Proper Nouns:

Θηβαῖοι Πέρσαι Πρίαμος Ἀγαμέμνων Ἀγησίλαος Ἀρταξέρξης Ἑλλάς

Agesilaus believed himself worthy both of ruling a richer city than that of king Agamemnon and governing the whole of Greece, just as Agamemnon had done, and that achieving victory over king Artaxerxes and possessing the wealth of the Persians would be an accomplishment more illustrious than overthrowing the empire of Priam. But as he was sacrificing, the Thebans, attacking with arms, threw the thighs of the sacrificial victims, already burning, off from the altar, and drove him out of the sanctuary.

Passage 3.9.5 Class: Historical

Ἀγησίλαον δὲ ἐλύπει μὲν ἡ θυσία μὴ τελεσθεῖσα, διέβαινε δὲ ὅμως ἐς τὴν Ἀσίαν καὶ ἤλαυνεν ἐπὶ τὰς Σάρδεις· ἦν γὰρ δὴ τῆς Ἀσίας τῆς κάτω μέγιστον μέρος τηνικαῦτα ἡ Λυδία, καὶ αἱ Σάρδεις πλούτῳ καὶ παρασκευῇ προεῖχον, τῷ τε σατραπεύοντι ἐπὶ θαλάσσῃ τοῦτο οἰκητήριον ἀπεδέδεικτο καθάπερ γε αὐτῷ βασιλεῖ τὰ Σοῦσα.

Proper Nouns:

Λυδία Σάρδεις Σοῦσα Ἀγησίλαος Ἀσία

Agesilaus was troubled that the sacrifice had not been completed; nevertheless, he crossed into Asia and advanced against Sardis. At that time Lydia was indeed the greatest part of lower Asia, and Sardis itself surpassed all other cities in wealth and military resources; it had also been designated as the residence of the satrap governing the coastal region, just as Susa was the royal residence of the king himself.

Passage 3.9.6 Class: Historical

γενομένης δὲ πρὸς Τισσαφέρνην σατράπην τῶν περὶ Ἰωνίαν μάχης ἐν Ἕρμου πεδίῳ τήν τε ἵππον τῶν Περσῶν ἐνίκησεν ὁ Ἀγησίλαος καὶ τὸ πεζὸν τότε πλεῖστον ἀθροισθὲν μετά γε τὸν Ξέρξου καὶ πρότερον ἔτι ἐπὶ Σκύθας Δαρείου καὶ ἐπὶ Ἀθήνας στρατόν. Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ ἀγασθέντες τὸ ἐς τὰ πράγματα τοῦ Ἀγησιλάου πρόθυμον διδόασιν ἄρχοντα εἶναι καὶ τῶν νεῶν αὐτῷ. ὁ δὲ ταῖς μὲν τριήρεσιν ἐπέστησεν ἡγεμόνα Πείσανδρον---τοῦ Πεισάνδρου δὲ ἐτύγχανε συνοικῶν ἀδελφῇ---, τῷ πολέμῳ δὲ αὐτὸς κατὰ γῆν προσεῖχεν ἐρρωμένως.

Proper Nouns:

Δαρεῖος Λακεδαιμόνιοι Ξέρξης Πέρσαι Πείσανδρος Πείσανδρος Σκύθαι Τισσαφέρνης Ἀγησίλαος Ἀθῆναι Ἕρμος Ἰωνία

In a battle against Tissaphernes, the satrap of the region around Ionia, fought on the plain of the Hermus, Agesilaus defeated both the Persian cavalry and the largest number of infantry troops then gathered since the army of Xerxes, or indeed even earlier, the campaigns of Darius against the Scythians and against Athens. The Lacedaemonians, impressed by Agesilaus' energetic handling of affairs, gave him command also over the fleet. He appointed Pisander admiral of the triremes—Pisander, whose wife's sister he happened to have married—and personally applied himself vigorously to the conduct of the land warfare.

Passage 3.9.7 Class: Historical

καί οἱ θεῶν τις ἐβάσκηνε μὴ ἀγαγεῖν τὰ βουλεύματα ἐς τέλος. ὡς γὰρ δὴ ἐπύθετο Ἀρταξέρξης μάχας τε ἃς ἐνίκησεν Ἀγησίλαος καὶ ὡς ἐς τὸ πρόσω χειρούμενος τὰ ἐν ποσὶ πρόεισιν ἀεὶ σὺν τῷ στρατῷ, Τισσαφέρνην μὲν καίπερ τὰ πρότερα εὐεργέτην ὄντα ζημιοῖ θανάτῳ, Τιθραύστην δὲ κατέπεμψεν ἐπὶ θάλασσαν, καὶ φρονῆσαί τε δεινὸν καί τι καὶ ἐς τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἔχοντα δυσνοίας.

Proper Nouns:

Λακεδαιμόνιοι Τιθραύστης Τισσαφέρνης θεός Ἀγησίλαος Ἀρταξέρξης

And one of the gods thwarted his intention of bringing these plans to completion. For when Artaxerxes learned of the battles that Agesilaus had won, and how Agesilaus kept steadily advancing further into his territory as he continually mastered all before him with his army, he punished Tissaphernes—even though he had formerly been his benefactor—with death, and dispatched Tithraustes toward the coast, a man known both for his great intelligence and for his hostility toward the Spartans.

Passage 3.9.8 Class: Historical

οὗτος ὡς ἀφίκετο ἐς Σάρδεις, αὐτίκα ἐπενόει τρόπον ᾧ τινι ἀναγκάσει Λακεδαιμονίους τὴν ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας ἀνακαλέσασθαι στρατιάν. ἄνδρα οὖν Ῥόδιον Τιμοκράτην ἐς τὴν Ἑλλάδα πέμπει χρήματα ἄγοντα, ἐντειλάμενος πόλεμον ἐν τῇ Ἑλλάδι ἐργάσασθαι Λακεδαιμονίοις. οἱ δὲ τῶν χρημάτων μεταλαβόντες Ἀργείων μὲν Κύλων τε εἶναι λέγονται καὶ Σωδάμας, ἐν Θήβαις δὲ Ἀνδροκλείδης καὶ Ἰσμηνίας καὶ Ἀμφίθεμις· μετέσχε δὲ καὶ Ἀθηναῖος Κέφαλος καὶ Ἐπικράτης καὶ ὅσοι Κορινθίων ἐφρόνουν τὰ Ἀργείων Πολυάνθης τε καὶ Τιμόλαος.

Proper Nouns:

Θῆβαι Κέφαλος Κορίνθιοι Κύλων Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λακεδαιμόνιοι Πολυάνθης Σάρδεις Σωδάμας Τιμοκράτης Τιμόλαος Ἀθηναῖος Ἀμφίθεμις Ἀνδροκλείδης Ἀργεῖοι Ἀσία Ἐπικράτης Ἑλλάς Ἑλλάς Ἰσμηνίας Ῥόδιος

When he arrived in Sardis, he immediately started planning how he might compel the Lacedaemonians to withdraw their forces from Asia. Accordingly, he sent Timocrates, a Rhodian, into Greece with money, instructing him to stir up war in Greece against the Lacedaemonians. Those said to have shared in this money included among the Argives Cylon and Sodamas; at Thebes, Androcleides, Ismenias, and Amphithemis; and among the Athenians, Cephalus and Epicrates. Also involved were those Corinthians who supported the Argive cause, namely Polyanthes and Timolaus.

Passage 3.9.9 Class: Historical

οἱ δὲ ἐς τὸ φανερὸν τοῦ πολέμου παρασχόντες τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐγένοντο οἱ ἐξ Ἀμφίσσης Λοκροί. τοῖς γὰρ δὴ Λοκροῖς γῆ πρὸς τοὺς Φωκέας ἐτύγχανεν οὖσα ἀμφισβητήσιμος γῆ · ἐκ ταύτης ὑπὸ Θηβαίων ἐπαρθέντες τῶν περὶ Ἰσμηνίαν τόν τε σῖτον ἀκμάζοντα ἔτεμον καὶ ἤλασαν λείαν ἄγοντες· ἐνέβαλον δὲ πανδημεὶ καὶ οἱ Φωκεῖς ἐς τὴν Λοκρίδα καὶ ἐδῄωσαν τὴν χώραν.

Proper Nouns:

Θηβαῖοι Λοκρίς Λοκροί Φωκεύς Φωκεῖς Ἄμφισσα Ἰσμηνία

The Locrians of Amphissa were openly responsible for initiating the war. There was disputed territory between the Locrians and the Phocians: at the instigation of the Thebans, especially Ismenias and his supporters, the Locrians harvested grain when it was still ripe, and carried off plunder. In response, the Phocians launched a full-scale invasion into Locris, laying waste to the countryside.

Passage 3.9.10 Class: Historical

ἐπηγάγοντο οὖν οἱ Λοκροὶ συμμάχους Θηβαίους καὶ τὴν Φωκίδα ἐπόρθησαν· ἐς δὲ τὴν Λακεδαίμονα ἐλθόντες οἱ Φωκεῖς τοῖς Θηβαίοις ἐπέκειντο καὶ ἐδίδασκον οἷα ἐπεπόνθεσαν ὑπʼ αὐτῶν. Λακεδαιμονίοις δὲ πόλεμον πρὸς Θηβαίους ἔδοξεν ἄρασθαι· ἐποιοῦντο δὲ ἐς αὐτοὺς καὶ ἄλλα ἐγκλήματα καὶ τὴν ἐν Αὐλίδι αὐτῶν ὕβριν ἐς τὴν Ἀγησιλάου θυσίαν.

Proper Nouns:

Αὐλίς Θηβαῖοι Θηβαῖοι Λακεδαίμων Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λοκροί Φωκίς Φωκεῖς Ἀγησίλαος

Therefore the Locrians brought in the Thebans as allies and devastated Phocis. The Phocians, going to Sparta, accused the Thebans vehemently and recounted the wrongs they had suffered at their hands. Consequently, the Spartans decided to declare war upon the Thebans, charging them also with other grievances, notably the outrage committed at Aulis during the sacrifice performed by Agesilaus.

Passage 3.9.11 Class: Historical

Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ τὴν διάνοιαν τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων προπεπυσμένοι πέμπουσιν ἐς Σπάρτην, ὅπλα μὲν ἐπὶ σφᾶς ἐπὶ Θήβας δεόμενοι μὴ κινῆσαι, δίκῃ δὲ ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐγκαλοῦσι διακρίνεσθαι· Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ πρὸς ὀργὴν ἀποπέμπουσι τὴν πρεσβείαν. τὰ δὲ ἐπὶ τούτοις ἔς τε τὴν Λακεδαιμονίων ἔξοδον καὶ τὰ ἐς τὴν Λυσάνδρου τελευτὴν ἐδήλωσέ μοι τοῦ λόγου τὰ ἐς Παυσανίαν·

Proper Nouns:

Θῆβαι Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λύσανδρος Παυσανίας Σπάρτη Ἀθηναῖοι

The Athenians, having learned beforehand the intentions of the Lacedaemonians, sent envoys to Sparta, begging them neither to move arms against themselves nor against Thebes, but rather to settle by arbitration the charges they were bringing. The Lacedaemonians, however, in anger sent back the embassy without success. Concerning the events that followed, including the campaign of the Lacedaemonians and the death of Lysander, the details have been presented earlier in my account about Pausanias.

Passage 3.9.12 Class: Historical

καὶ ὁ κληθεὶς Κορινθιακὸς πόλεμος ἐς πλέον ἀεὶ προῆλθεν ἀπὸ τῆς Λακεδαιμονίων ἀρξάμενος ἐς Βοιωτίαν ἐξόδου. κατὰ ταύτην μὲν δὴ τὴν ἀνάγκην ὀπίσω τὸ στράτευμα ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας ἀπῆγεν Ἀγησίλαος· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐξ Ἀβύδου περαιωθεὶς ναυσὶν ἐς Σηστὸν καὶ διεξελθὼν τὴν Θρᾴκην ἀφίκετο ἐς Θεσσαλίαν, ἐνταῦθα οἱ Θεσσαλοὶ χάριτι τῇ ἐς Θηβαίους τοῦ πρόσω τὸν Ἀγησίλαον ἐπειρῶντο εἴργειν· ἦν δέ τι εὐνοίας ἐκ παλαιοῦ καὶ ἐς τὴν πόλιν αὐτοῖς τὴν Ἀθηναίων.

Proper Nouns:

Βοιωτία Θεσσαλία Θεσσαλοί Θηβαῖοι Θρᾴκη Κορινθιακός Λακεδαιμόνιοι Σηστός Ἀβυδος Ἀγησίλαος Ἀθηναῖοι Ἀσία

The so-called Corinthian War continually expanded, having begun with the Lacedaemonians making an incursion into Boeotia. On account of this urgent situation, Agesilaus led back his forces from Asia. Crossing by ships from Abydos to Sestos and marching through Thrace, he arrived in Thessaly. Here, through their goodwill toward the Thebans, the Thessalians attempted to hinder Agesilaus from advancing farther; they were also bound by an ancient friendship toward the city of the Athenians.

Passage 3.9.13 Class: Historical

Ἀγησίλαος δὲ Θεσσαλίαν τε διεξῆλθε τρεψάμενος αὐτῶν τὸ ἱππικὸν καὶ αὖθις διὰ Βοιωτῶν διώδευσε Θηβαίους ἐν Κορωνείᾳ καὶ τὸ ἄλλο νικήσας συμμαχικόν. ὡς δὲ ἐτράποντο οἱ Βοιωτοί, καταφεύγουσιν ἄνδρες ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐς ἱερὸν Ἀθηνᾶς ἐπίκλησιν Ἰτωνίας· Ἀγησίλαος δὲ εἶχε μὲν τραῦμα ἐκ τῆς μάχης, ἐς δὲ τοὺς ἱκέτας παρενόμησεν οὐδʼ οὕτως.

Proper Nouns:

Βοιωτοί Βοιωτοί Θεσσαλία Θηβαῖοι Κορώνεια Ἀγησίλαος Ἀθηνᾶ Ἰτωνία

Agesilaus advanced through Thessaly, having defeated their cavalry, and then once more passed through the country of the Boeotians, defeating the Thebans and their allies at Coroneia. After the Boeotians had been routed, some of their men took refuge in the sanctuary of Athena, surnamed Itonia. Although Agesilaus had received a wound in the battle, he nevertheless committed no sacrilege against these suppliants.

Legend:

Chapter 3.9