Greek passages split into sentences with English translation
| Passage | Sentence | Greek | English | Era | Skepticism |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.21.1 | 1 | ἔδοξέ τε δὴ λέγειν πιστὰ καὶ ἡγεῖτο Ἐμπεράμῳ καὶ τοῖς Σπαρτιάταις. | Indeed the Spartan force placed trust in Emperamus and his words seemed credible to them. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.1 | 2 | ἦν δὲ ἡ πορεία χαλεπή σφισιν ἅτε ἐν σκότῳ καὶ οὐκ ἀνιέντος τοῦ ὑετοῦ· ὅμως δὲ ὑπὸ προθυμίας ἤνυσαν, καὶ ὡς κατὰ τὴν ἀκρόπολιν τῆς Εἴρας ἐγένοντο, ὑπερέβαινον κλίμακάς τε προστιθέντες καὶ ὅτῳ τις ἐδύνατο ἄλλῳ τρόπῳ. | The journey was difficult because of the darkness and the ceaseless rain, yet their enthusiasm carried them through. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.1 | 3 | τοῖς δὲ Μεσσηνίοις παρείχετο μὲν τοῦ παρόντος κακοῦ καὶ ἄλλα αἴσθησιν, μάλιστα δὲ οἱ κύνες οὐ κατὰ τὰ εἰωθότα ὑλακτοῦντες, ἀλλὰ συνεχεστέρᾳ καὶ βιαιοτέρᾳ τῇ κραυγῇ χρώμενοι. | When they arrived at the acropolis of Eira, they scaled it by setting up ladders, or by whatever other means each man could. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.1 | 4 | γνόντες οὖν τὸν ὕστατον ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀναγκαιότατον σφᾶς ἀγῶνα ἐπειληφότα, οὐδὲ τὰ ὅπλα ἅπαντα ἀνελάμβανον, ἀλλʼ ὅτῳ προχείρῳ μάλιστα ἐντύχοι τις, ἁρπάζοντες ἤμυνον τῇ πατρίδι, ἣ μόνη σφίσιν ἐλείπετο ἐκ τῆς Μεσσηνίας πάσης. | The Messenians were alerted to the present danger by various signs, but especially by their dogs, which barked not in their usual way, but with a louder and more incessant noise. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.10 | 1 | παραστὰς οὖν ὁ μάντις Θέοκλος πρὸς Ἀριστομένην εἶπε· "τί μάτην τόνδε ἔχεις τὸν πόνον; | Then the seer Theoclus stood beside Aristomenes and said, "Why do you persist in this labor in vain? | ? | ? |
| 4.21.10 | 2 | ἁλῶναι Μεσσήνην πάντως ἐστὶ πεπρωμένον, συμφορὰν δὲ τὴν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς πάλαι τε ἡμῖν προεσήμαινεν ἡ Πυθία καὶ ἔναγχος ὁ ἐρινεὸς ἔδειξεν. | It is fated that Messene must inevitably fall; long ago the Pythia foretold this misfortune now before our eyes, and recently, too, the fig-tree showed us the same. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.10 | 3 | ἐμοὶ μὲν οὖν ὁ θεὸς αὐτῷ κοινὴν πρὸς τὴν πατρίδα ἐπάγει τὴν τελευτήν· σὺ δὲ σώζειν μὲν ὡς δυνάμεως ἥκεις Μεσσηνίους, σώζειν δὲ καὶ σαυτόν." | For me personally, the god brings death shared with my country; but you have come to save the Messenians as best you can—now also save yourself." | ? | ? |
| 4.21.10 | 4 | ἐπεὶ δὲ εἶπε πρὸς τοῦτον, ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἔθει· καί οἱ καὶ ἐς τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἔπεισιν ἐκβοῆσαι τοσόνδε· "ἀλλʼ οὔ τοι τὸν πάντα γε χρόνον χαίροντες καρπώσεσθε τὰ Μεσσηνίων." | After speaking thus to Aristomenes, he rushed upon the enemy, and charging against the Lacedaemonians, cried aloud: "Yet know this: you will not forever rejoice in reaping the spoils of Messene!" | ? | ? |
| 4.21.11 | 1 | μετὰ τοῦτο τοῖς καθʼ αὑτὸν ἀνθεστηκόσιν ἐμπεσὼν ἐκείνους τε ἔκτεινε καὶ αὐτὸς ἐτιτρώσκετο, προεμπλήσας δὲ τὸν θυμὸν τῷ φόνῳ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἀφίησι τὴν ψυχήν. | After this, he fell upon those who stood against him, slew them, and was himself wounded; but having first sated his fury with the slaughter of his enemies, he yielded up his spirit. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.11 | 2 | Ἀριστομένης δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς μάχης ὀπίσω τοὺς Μεσσηνίους ἀνεκάλει, πλὴν ὅσοι κατὰ ἀνδραγαθίαν αὐτῶν προεμάχοντο· τούτους δὲ εἴα κατὰ χώραν μένειν· τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς προσέταξε τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἐντὸς τῆς τάξεως ἔχοντας ἐπακολουθεῖν, ᾗπερ ἂν αὐτὸς παρέχηται διέξοδον. | Aristomenes called the Messenians back from the battle, except for those who in their valour were fighting in the forefront; these he allowed to remain in their positions. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.12 | 1 | καὶ τούτων μὲν τοῖς τελευταίοις Γόργον καὶ Μάντικλον ἐπέστησεν ἄρχοντας· | Over the last of these he appointed Gorgos and Mantiklos as commanders. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.12 | 2 | αὐτὸς δὲ ἀναδραμὼν ἐς τοὺς προτεταγμένους τῆς τε κεφαλῆς τῷ νεύματι καὶ τοῦ δόρατος τῇ κινήσει δῆλος ἦν διέξοδόν τε αἰτούμενος καὶ ἀποχωρεῖν ἤδη βεβουλευμένος. | He himself then ran forward to those stationed at the front, clearly signaling, by nodding his head and waving his spear, that he was requesting passage through and had already determined upon withdrawal. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.12 | 3 | τῷ τε οὖν Ἐμπεράμῳ καὶ Σπαρτιατῶν τοῖς παροῦσι διεῖναι τοὺς Μεσσηνίους ἤρεσκε μηδὲ λυσσῶντας ἀνθρώπους καὶ ἐς τὸ ἔσχατον ἀπονοίας ἥκοντας ἐξαγριᾶναι πέρα· | Now Empéramos and the Spartans present agreed to allow the Messenians to depart, not wishing to further enrage men already frantic and driven to an utmost point of desperation. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.12 | 4 | καὶ ἅμα οὕτω σφᾶς ποιεῖν Ἕκας ὁ μάντις ἐκέλευεν. | At the same time, the prophet Hekas advised them to act thus. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.2 | 1 | πρῶτοι δὲ ᾔσθοντο ἔνδον τῶν πολεμίων ὄντων καὶ ἐβοήθουν ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς πρῶτοι Γόργος τε ὁ Ἀριστομένους καὶ Ἀριστομένης αὐτὸς Θέοκλός τε ὁ μάντις καὶ Μάντικλος ὁ Θεόκλου, σὺν δὲ αὐτοῖς Εὐεργετίδας ἀνὴρ καὶ ἄλλως ἐν Μεσσήνῃ τιμώμενος καὶ διὰ τὴν γυναῖκα ἐπὶ πλέον ἀξιώματος ἥκων· | The first who perceived that the enemies were within and who led the rescue against them were Gorgus, son of Aristomenes, Aristomenes himself, Theoclus the seer, and Manticlus, son of Theoclus, together with them Euergitidas—a man otherwise honored in Messene, but further exalted on account of his wife, for he had married Aristomenes' sister, Hagnagora. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.2 | 2 | ἀδελφὴν γὰρ εἶχεν Ἀριστομένους Ἁγναγόραν. | The rest, despite realizing that they were caught as if in a net, nevertheless maintained some hope even in their desperate circumstances. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.3 | 1 | Ἀριστομένης δὲ καὶ ὁ μάντις ἠπίσταντο μὲν οὐδεμίαν ἔτι ἀναβολὴν ὀλέθρου Μεσσηνίοις οὖσαν, ἅτε εἰδότες καὶ τὸν χρησμὸν ὃν ᾐνίξατο ἐς τὸν τράγον· ἡ Πυθία, ἐπέκρυπτον δὲ οὐδὲν ἧσσον, καὶ ἦν σφισιν ἐς τοὺς ἄλλους ἀπόρρητον. | Aristomenes and the seer understood that there was no longer any delay of disaster remaining for the Messenians, knowing also the oracle which the Pythia had delivered obscurely concerning the goat; nevertheless, they concealed it still and kept it secret from the others. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.3 | 2 | ἐπιόντες δὲ τὴν πόλιν σπουδῇ καὶ ἐπὶ πάντας ἐρχόμενοι τοῖς τε ἐντυγχάνουσιν, ὁπότε αἰσθάνοιντο ὄντας Μεσσηνίους, παρεκελεύοντο ἄνδρας ἀγαθοὺς εἶναι καὶ ἐκ τῶν οἰκιῶν ἀνεκάλουν τοὺς ἔτι ὑπολειπομένους. | Going quickly through the city and approaching everyone they met, whenever they perceived them to be Messenians, they urged them to show themselves good men, and called forth from their houses those still remaining behind. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.4 | 1 | ἐν μὲν δὴ νυκτὶ οὐδὲν ἄξιον ἐπράχθη λόγου παρʼ οὐδετέρων· | During that night indeed, nothing worthy of note was accomplished on either side. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.4 | 2 | τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἡ ἀπειρία τῶν τόπων καὶ ἡ τόλμα τοῦ Ἀριστομένους παρεῖχε μελλησμόν, τοῖς δὲ Μεσσηνίοις οὔτε παρὰ τῶν στρατηγῶν σύνθημα ἐγεγόνει φθάνοντας εἰληφέναι τάς τε δᾷδας, ἢ εἴ τινα λαμπτῆρα ἀλλοῖον ἅψαιτό τις, ὕων ἂν ἐσβέννυεν ὁ θεός. | For on the one hand, their unfamiliarity with the region and the audacity of Aristomenes caused hesitation, while on the other, the Messenians received no prearranged signal from their commanders; moreover, if any torches had been kindled prematurely or if someone attempted to ignite another type of lamp, the god, by sending rain, would have extinguished it. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.5 | 1 | ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡμέρα τε ἦν καὶ ἀλλήλους καθορᾶν ἐδύναντο, ἐνταῦθα Ἀριστομένης καὶ Θέοκλος ἐπειρῶντο ἐς πᾶσαν ἀπόνοιαν προάγειν τοὺς Μεσσηνίους, ἄλλα τε ὁπόσα εἰκὸς ἦν διδάσκοντες καὶ Σμυρναίων τὰ τολμήματα ἀναμιμνήσκοντες, ὡς Ἰώνων μοῖρα ὄντες Γύγην τὸν Δασκύλου καὶ Λυδοὺς ἔχοντας σφῶν τὴν πόλιν ὑπὸ ἀρετῆς καὶ προθυμίας ἐκβάλοιεν. | But when day came and they were able to see one another clearly, Aristomenes and Theoclus at once sought to urge the Messenians to every kind of desperate courage, instructing them in all considerations that were fitting and especially recalling the daring deeds of the Smyrnaeans—how, though they were Ionians, through bravery and resolve they had driven out Gyges, son of Dascylus, and the Lydians who had occupied their city. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.6 | 1 | οἱ Μεσσήνιοι δὲ ἀκούοντες ἀπονοίας τε ἐνεπίμπλαντο καὶ συνιστάμενοι καθʼ ὁπόσους ἕκαστοι τύχοιεν ἐφέροντο ἐς τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους· | The Messenians, upon hearing this, were filled with despair and gathered themselves together in whatever numbers they could, rushing against the Lacedaemonians. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.6 | 2 | ὥρμησαν δὲ καὶ γυναῖκες τῷ κεράμῳ καὶ ὅτῳ δύναιτο ἑκάστη τοὺς πολεμίους βάλλειν. | Even the women took up roof tiles and anything else each could find for throwing at the enemy. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.6 | 3 | τοῦτο μὲν δὴ μὴ δρᾶσαι σφᾶς μηδὲ ἐπιβῆναι τῶν τεγῶν τοῦ ὄμβρου τὸ βίαιον ἐπεκώλυε· λαβεῖν δὲ ὅπλα ἐτόλμησαν καὶ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐπὶ πλέον αὗται τὴν τόλμαν ἐξῆψαν, ὁπότε καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας ἑώρων προτιμώσας συναπολέσθαι τῇ πατρίδι ἢ ἀχθῆναι δούλας ἐς Λακεδαίμονα, ὥστε κἂν παρελθεῖν ἐδυνήθησαν τὸ πεπρωμένον· | Indeed, they were prevented from carrying this out and climbing onto the roofs by the violence of the rainstorm; nevertheless, they dared to take up arms and by their courage inspired the men to greater bravery, when the men saw that even the women preferred to perish alongside their country rather than be taken as slaves into Lacedaemon. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.7 | 1 | ἀλλὰ ὁ θεὸς τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπήγαγεν ἀθρόον μᾶλλον μετὰ ἰσχυροῦ τῶν βροντῶν τοῦ ψόφου καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐναντίαις ταῖς ἀστραπαῖς ἐξέπλησσε. | But the god brought water upon them suddenly, accompanied by a mighty sound of thunder, and dazzled their eyes with flashes of lightning directed right against them. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.7 | 2 | τοῖς δὲ Λακεδαιμονίοις ταῦτα πάντα παρίστη φρόνημα, καὶ αὐτὸν ἀμύνειν σφίσιν ἔφασαν τὸν θεόν· καὶ---ἤστραπτε γὰρ τούτοις κατὰ δεξιὰ---ἀπέφαινεν Ἕκας ὁ μάντις ὡς αἴσιον εἴη τὸ σημεῖον. | For the Lacedaemonians, all these events raised their spirits, and they declared that the god himself was fighting on their side; and indeed—since lightning flashed for them on the right—Hekas the seer interpreted this omen as favorable. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.8 | 1 | οὗτος δὲ καὶ στρατήγημα ἐξεῦρε τοιόνδε. | He also devised the following stratagem. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.8 | 2 | ἀριθμῷ καὶ πολὺ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι περιῆσαν· ἅτε δὲ οὐκ ἐν εὐρυχωρίᾳ σφίσιν οὐδὲ κατὰ σύνταγμα ἐγγινομένης τῆς μάχης, ἄλλων δὲ ἐν ἄλλῳ τῆς πόλεως ποιουμένων τὸν ἀγῶνα, ἀχρείους ἀπὸ ἑκάστης τάξεως συνέβαινεν εἶναι τοὺς τελευταίους. | The Spartans greatly outnumbered his force; however, since the battle took place neither in open ground nor in regular formation, but instead was fought with different groups engaging separately in various parts of the city, it happened that the rearmost ranks of each unit were inactive. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.8 | 3 | τούτους ἐκέλευεν ἀποχωρήσαντας ἐς τὸ στρατόπεδον σιτίων μεταλαβεῖν καὶ ὕπνου καὶ αὖθις πρὸ ἑσπέρας ἥκειν τοῖς ὑπομενοῦσιν αὐτῶν διαδεξομένους τὸν πόνον. | He ordered these men to withdraw to the camp, partake of food and rest, and then return again before evening, relieving in turn their comrades who had remained to endure the battle. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.9 | 1 | καὶ οἳ μὲν ἀναπαυόμενοί τε καὶ ἀνὰ μέρος μαχόμενοι μᾶλλον ἀντήρκουν, τοῖς δὲ Μεσσηνίοις πανταχόθεν παρίστατο ἀπορία· μεθʼ ἡμέραν γὰρ ἀεὶ καὶ νύκτα συνεχῶς οἱ αὐτοὶ τρίτην ἠμύνοντο. | While the Lacedaemonians, taking their rest and fighting by turns, were making a stronger resistance, difficulty beset the Messenians on every side; for the very same men continued to fight constantly through the day and every night, and were now defending themselves for the third consecutive day. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.9 | 2 | ἤδη τε ἡμέρα ἦν καὶ ἥ τε ἀυπνία καὶ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ ὕδωρ τε καὶ ῥῖγος ἐπίεζε σφᾶς, ὅ τε λιμὸς καὶ ἡ δίψα ἐπέκειτο· | Daylight had already come, and sleeplessness along with the rain and cold from the sky oppressed them, and hunger and thirst assailed them as well. | ? | ? |
| 4.21.9 | 3 | μάλιστα δὲ αἱ γυναῖκες ἀηθείᾳ τε πολέμου καὶ τῇ συνεχείᾳ τῆς ταλαιπωρίας ἀπειρήκεσαν. | Most of all, the women, unaccustomed to warfare and overwhelmed by constant suffering, had reached the limits of endurance. | ? | ? |