Pausanias Analysis

Passage 7.13.1 Class: Historical

αὖθις οὖν ἐκ τῶν ἀντιλογιῶν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὥρμηντο Ἀχαιοὶ πολεμεῖν, καὶ στρατὸς ἐπὶ τὴν Σπάρτην ἠθροίζετο ὑπὸ Δαμοκρίτου στρατηγεῖν τηνικαῦτα Ἀχαιῶν ᾑρημένου. περὶ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον τοῦτον ἀφίκετο ἐς Μακεδονίαν στρατιά τε Ῥωμαίων καὶ ἡγεμὼν ἐπʼ αὐτῇ Μέτελλος, Ἀνδρίσκῳ τῷ Περσέως τοῦ Φιλίππου πολεμήσοντες ἀφεστηκότι ἀπὸ Ῥωμαίων. καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ πόλεμος ἔμελλεν ὡς ῥᾷστα κατὰ τὸ ἐπιτηδειότατον Ῥωμαίοις κριθήσεσθαι·

Proper Nouns:

Δαμοκρίτος Λακεδαιμόνιοι Μέτελλος Μακεδονία Μακεδονία Περσεύς Σπάρτη Φίλιππος Ἀνδρίσκος Ἀχαιοὶ Ἀχαιοὶ Ῥωμαῖοι Ῥωμαῖοι

Again then, because of their grievances against the Lacedaemonians, the Achaeans resolved to wage war, and an army was being gathered against Sparta, with Damocritus having then been chosen as general of the Achaeans. At about the same time, a Roman army arrived in Macedonia under the command of Metellus, prepared to fight Andriscus, son of Perseus, son of Philip, who had revolted against the Romans. And the war in Macedonia promised to end most easily and favorably for the Romans.

Passage 7.13.2 Class: Historical

Μέτελλος δὲ ἄνδρας ὑπὸ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀπεσταλμένους βουλῆς ἐπὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ πράγματα ἐκέλευε, πρὶν ἢ ἐς τὴν Ἀσίαν διαβῆναι, τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν αὐτοὺς τοῖς Ἀχαιῶν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν, ὅπλα μὲν ἐπὶ τὴν Σπάρτην μὴ ἐπιφέρειν σφίσιν ἀπαγορεύσοντας, τὴν δὲ ἐκ Ῥώμης παρουσίαν τῶν ἀνδρῶν προεροῦντας μένειν, οἳ κατὰ τοῦτο ἦσαν ἀπεσταλμένοι Λακεδαιμονίοις δικασταὶ καὶ Ἀχαιοῖς γενέσθαι.

Proper Nouns:

Λακεδαιμόνιοι Μέτελλος Σπάρτη Ἀσία Ἀσία Ἀχαιοί Ἀχαιοί Ῥωμαῖοι Ῥώμη

Metellus ordered men who had been sent by the Roman senate regarding affairs in Asia, before crossing over to Asia, to enter into discussions with the generals of the Achaeans, forbidding them from taking arms against Sparta, and declaring beforehand to them that they should await the arrival of men coming from Rome, who had been dispatched thus to serve as arbitrators between the Lacedaemonians and the Achaeans.

Passage 7.13.3 Class: Historical

οἱ μὲν δὴ τὰ ἐντεταλμένα Δαμοκρίτῳ καὶ Ἀχαιοῖς ἐπήγγελλον ἐφθακόσιν ἔξοδον ἐπὶ Λακεδαίμονα πεποιῆσθαι καὶ---ἑώρων γὰρ τὰ πρὸς τὴν παραίνεσιν ἀνθεστηκότα τὰ Ἀχαιῶν---ἀπηλλάσσοντο ἐς τὴν Ἀσίαν· Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ ὑπὸ φρονήματος μᾶλλον ἢ ἰσχύος ἔλαβον μὲν τὰ ὅπλα καὶ ἐπεξῆλθον ἀμυνοῦντες τῇ οἰκείᾳ, βιασθέντες δὲ οὐ μετὰ πολύ, ὅσον μὲν ἐς χιλίους οἱ ἡλικίᾳ μάλιστα αὐτῶν καὶ τόλμαις ἀκμάζοντες πίπτουσιν ἐν τῇ μάχῃ, τὸ δὲ ἄλλο στρατιωτικόν, ὡς ἕκαστος τάχους εἶχεν, ἔφευγον πρὸς τὴν πόλιν.

Proper Nouns:

Δαμοκρίτης Λακεδαίμων Λακεδαιμόνιοι Ἀσία Ἀχαιοὶ Ἀχαιοὶ

While the envoys delivered the commands entrusted to Damokritos and the Achaeans, they reported that they had already made their invasion of Laconia—however, seeing that the Achaeans remained opposed to their suggestions, they withdrew and returned to Asia. The Lacedaemonians, urged on more by pride than actual strength, took up their arms and rushed forth to defend their homeland; but it was not long before they were overpowered. In the ensuing battle, about a thousand Spartans, in the prime of their youth and courage, fell; the rest of the army, each man according to his speed, fled back toward the city.

Passage 7.13.4 Class: Historical

εἰ δὲ ὁ Δαμόκριτος προθυμίαν ἐποιήσατο, τοῖς φεύγουσιν ἐκ τῆς παρατάξεως ὁμοῦ καὶ Ἀχαιοῖς ἐσδραμεῖν ὑπῆρξεν ἂν ἐς τὸ τεῖχος τῆς Σπάρτης εἰς Σπάρτην · νῦν δὲ αὐτίκα τε ἀνεκάλεσεν ἀπὸ τῆς διώξεως τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς καὶ ἐχρῆτο καὶ ἐς τὸ ἔπειτα καταδρομαῖς μᾶλλον καὶ ἁρπαγαῖς ἐκ τῆς χώρας ἢ συντόνῳ πολιορκίᾳ.

Proper Nouns:

Δαμόκριτος Σπάρτη Σπάρτη Ἀχαιοί Ἀχαιοί

Had Damocritus shown zeal, it would have been possible for the fugitives fleeing from the battle along with the Achaeans to storm the Spartan wall and enter Sparta itself. But as it was, he immediately recalled the Achaeans from their pursuit and thereafter preferred to employ raids and plundering expeditions into their territory rather than a rigorous siege.

Passage 7.13.5 Class: Historical

Δαμοκρίτῳ μὲν οὖν ἀπαγαγόντι ὀπίσω τὴν στρατιὰν ἐπιβάλλουσιν οἱ Ἀχαιοὶ ζημίαν πεντήκοντα ἅτε ἀνδρὶ προδότῃ τάλαντα, καὶ---οὐ γὰρ εἶχεν ἐκτῖσαι--- φεύγων ᾤχετο ἐκ Πελοποννήσου· Δίαιος δὲ Ἀχαιῶν μετὰ Δαμόκριτον στρατηγεῖν ᾑρημένος ἀποστείλαντι αὖθις Μετέλλῳ πρέσβεις ὡμολόγησε μηδένα ἐπάξειν Λακεδαιμονίοις πόλεμον, ἀλλὰ ἔστʼ ἂν ἥκωσιν ἐκ Ῥώμης, ἀναμενεῖν τοὺς διαλλακτάς.

Proper Nouns:

Δίαιος Δαμοκρίτης Δαμοκρίτης Λακεδαιμόνιοι Μετέλλος Πελοπόννησος Ἀχαιοί Ῥώμη

After Damocritus thus brought the army back again, the Achaeans imposed on him a penalty of fifty talents, convicting him as a traitor. Since he could not pay, he fled and departed from the Peloponnese. Diaeus, who was chosen to command the Achaeans after Damocritus, agreed, upon Metellus again sending ambassadors, that he would not wage war against the Lacedaemonians, but would await the mediators coming from Rome.

Passage 7.13.6 Class: Historical

στρατήγημα δὲ ἄλλο ἐς τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους παρεῦρε τοιόνδε· τὰ ἐν κύκλῳ τῆς Σπάρτης πολίσματα ἐς τὴν Ἀχαιῶν ὑπηγάγετο εὔνοιαν, ἐσήγαγε δὲ ἐς αὐτὰ καὶ φρουράς, ὁρμητήρια ἐπὶ τὴν Σπάρτην Ἀχαιοῖς εἶναι.

Proper Nouns:

Λακεδαιμόνιοι Σπάρτη Σπάρτη Ἀχαιοί Ἀχαιοί

He devised another stratagem against the Lacedaemonians as follows: he brought under the goodwill of the Achaeans the towns located around Sparta, and introduced garrisons into them, so that they might serve the Achaeans as bases for operations against Sparta.

Passage 7.13.7 Class: Historical

Μεναλκίδας δὲ ᾕρητο μὲν ὑπὸ Λακεδαιμονίων ἐναντία Διαίῳ στρατηγεῖν· ἐχόντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἔς τε τὴν πᾶσαν πολέμου παρασκευὴν καὶ οὐχ ἥκιστα τοῖς χρήμασιν ἀσθενῶς, πρὸς δὲ καὶ τῆς γῆς σφισιν ἀσπόρου μεμενηκυίας, † διας ὅμως τὰς σπονδὰς ὑπερβῆναι καὶ πόλισμα Ἴασον ἑλὼν ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς ἐπόρθησεν, ἐν ὅροις μὲν χώρας τῆς Λακωνικῆς, Ἀχαιῶν δὲ ἐν τῷ τότε ὑπήκοον.

Proper Nouns:

Δίαιος Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λακωνική Μεναλκίδας Ἀχαιοί Ἴασος

Menalkidas had been selected by the Lacedaemonians to lead against Diaeus, but they themselves were weak in their preparation for war generally, and particularly deficient in money, while moreover their land had remained unproductive. Yet, in spite of the truce, he crossed its bounds and captured by assault the stronghold named Iasos, devastating it—a place located on the borders of the Laconian region but at that time subject to the Achaeans.

Passage 7.13.8 Class: Historical

ἐξεγείρας δὲ αὖθις Λακεδαιμονίοις καὶ Ἀχαιοῖς πόλεμον ἐν ἐγκλήμασί τε ἦν ὑπὸ τῶν πολιτῶν καὶ--- οὐ γάρ τινα ἐκ τοῦ προσδοκωμένου κινδύνου Λακεδαιμονίοις σωτηρίαν εὕρισκεν---ἀφίησιν ἑκουσίως τὴν ψυχὴν πιὼν φάρμακον. καὶ Μεκαλκίδᾳ μὲν τέλος τοιοῦτον ἐγένετο, ἄρξαντι ἐν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ νῷ τότε μὲν Λακεδαιμονίων ὡς ἂν ὁ ἀμαθέστατος στρατηγός, πρότερον δὲ ἔτι τοῦ Ἀχαιῶν ἔθνους ὡς ἀνθρώπων ὁ ἀδικώτατος.

Proper Nouns:

Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λακεδαιμόνιοι Μεκαλκίδας Ἀχαιοί Ἀχαιοί

After having once again stirred up war between the Lacedaemonians and the Achaeans, he fell under accusations by his own citizens and—since he found no escape for the Lacedaemonians from the impending peril openly confronting them—he willingly ended his life by drinking poison. Such was the end of Menalcidas, who in his mind had once governed the Lacedaemonians as their most incompetent general, and earlier had headed the Achaean nation as the most unjust of men.

Legend:

Chapter 7.13