Greek passages split into sentences with English translation
| Passage | Sentence | Greek | English | Era | Skepticism |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5.1 | 1 | Λακεδαιμόνιοι μὲν δὴ Πολυχάρους τε ἕνεκα οὐκ ἐκδοθέντος σφίσι καὶ διὰ τὸν Τηλέκλου φόνον, καὶ πρότερον ἔτι ὑπόπτως ἔχοντες διὰ τὸ Κρεσφόντου κακούργημα ἐς τὸν κλῆρον, πολεμῆσαι λέγουσι· | The Lacedaemonians say that they went to war both because Polycharis was not handed over to them, and because of the murder of Teleclus; and even before this, they had been suspicious due to the wrongdoing committed against Cresphontes concerning the inheritance. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.1 | 2 | Μεσσήνιοι δὲ περὶ Τηλέκλου ἀντιλέγουσι τὰ εἰρημένα ἤδη μοι καὶ Αἴπυτον τὸν Κρεσφόντου συγκαταχθέντα ἀποφαίνουσιν ὑπὸ Ἀριστοδήμου τῶν παίδων, ὃ μήποτʼ ἂν ποιῆσαι σφᾶς Κρεσφόντῃ γε ὄντας διαφόρους. | But the Messenians deny the accounts given about Teleclus, as I have already recounted, and they also point out that Aepytus, the son of Cresphontes, was restored to the throne by Aristodemus, son of Aristomachus—something they would never have done had they really been at odds with Cresphontes himself. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.10 | 1 | ταύτην Λακεδαιμόνιοι πρώτην ἐπὶ Μεσσηνίους ἔξοδον ἐποιήσαντο ἔτει δευτέρῳ τῆς ἐνάτης Ὀλυμπιάδος, ἣν Ξενοδόκος Μεσσήνιος ἐνίκα στάδιον· | The Lacedaemonians made this first campaign against the Messenians in the second year of the ninth Olympiad, in which the Messenian Xenodokos won the stadion race. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.10 | 2 | Ἀθήνῃσι δὲ οὐκ ἦσάν πω τότε οἱ τῷ κλήρῳ κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν ἄρχοντες· | At that time, at Athens there were not yet magistrates who were chosen annually by lot. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.10 | 3 | τοὺς γὰρ ἀπὸ Μελάνθου, καλουμένους δὲ Μεδοντίδας, κατʼ ἀρχὰς μὲν ἀφείλοντο ὁ δῆμος τῆς ἐξουσίας τὸ πολὺ καὶ ἀντὶ βασιλείας μετέστησαν ἐς ἀρχὴν ὑπεύθυνον, | Indeed, the people initially stripped the descendants of Melanthus, known as the Medontidae, of most of their power, and changed the government from a kingship to a magistracy accountable to the people. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.10 | 4 | ὕστερον δὲ καὶ προθεσμίαν ἐτῶν δέκα ἐποίησαν αὐτοῖς τῆς ἀρχῆς. | Later, they even set a fixed period of ten years for their rule. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.10 | 5 | τότε δὲ ὑπὸ τὴν κατάληψιν τῆς Ἀμφείας Αἰσιμίδης Ἀθηναίοις ἦρχεν ὁ Αἰσχύλου πέμπτον ἔτος. | At the time of the capture of Ampheia, Aesimides was governing the Athenians, in the fifth year of his magistracy, and he was the son of Aeschylus. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.2 | 1 | Πολυχάρην δὲ ἐκδοῦναι μὲν ἐπὶ τιμωρίᾳ Λακεδαιμονίοις οὔ φασιν, ὅτι μηδὲ ἐκεῖνοι σφίσιν Εὔαιφνον, | They say that Polychares refused to surrender himself for punishment to the Lacedaemonians, on the grounds that they likewise had not surrendered Euaiphnos to them. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.2 | 2 | ἐθέλειν μέντοι παρὰ Ἀργείοις συγγενέσιν οὖσιν ἀμφοτέρων ἐν Ἀμφικτυονίᾳ διδόναι δίκας, ἐπιτρέπειν δὲ καὶ τῷ Ἀθήνῃσι δικαστηρίῳ, καλουμένῳ δὲ Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ, ὅτι δίκας τὰς φονικὰς τὸ δικαστήριον τοῦτο ἐδόκει δικάζειν ἐκ παλαιοῦ. | He declared, however, that he was willing to stand trial before the Argives, who were kinsmen of both parties, in the Amphictyonic council, or to entrust the judgment to the Athenian court known as the Areopagus, because from ancient times this court was reputed to adjudicate cases of homicide. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.3 | 1 | Λακεδαιμονίους δὲ οὐ διὰ ταῦτα πολεμῆσαί φασιν, ὑπὸ πλεονεξίας δὲ τῇ σφετέρᾳ τε ἐπιβουλεῦσαι καὶ ἄλλα ἐργάσασθαι, προφέροντες μέν σφισι τὰ Ἀρκάδων, προφέροντες δὲ καὶ τὰ Ἀργείων, ὡς οὔποτε ἐσχήκασι κόρον ἀποτεμνόμενοι τῆς χώρας αἰεί τι ἑκατέρων· | But they say that the Lacedaemonians did not wage war for these reasons (alone), but out of greed plotted against their own territory and committed other acts, citing against them the actions towards the Arcadians and Argives, claiming that the Spartans never ceased encroaching upon the land of both peoples, always severing off some part. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.3 | 2 | Κροίσῳ τε αὐτοῖς δῶρα ἀποστείλαντι γενέσθαι φίλους βαρβάρῳ πρώτους, ἀφʼ οὗ γε τούς τε ἄλλους τοὺς ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ κατεδουλώσατο Ἕλληνας καὶ ὅσοι Δωριεῖς ἐν τῇ Καρικῇ κατοικοῦσιν ἠπείρῳ. | Furthermore, when Croesus sent them gifts, they were the first Greeks to form friendship with a barbarian, the same Croesus who subdued the other Greeks dwelling in Asia, and all the Dorians settled on the mainland of Caria. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.4 | 1 | ἀποφαίνουσι δὲ καὶ ἡνίκα οἱ Φωκέων δυνάσται τὸ ἱερὸν τὸ ἐν Δελφοῖς κατειλήφασιν, ἰδίᾳ τε κατὰ ἄνδρα τοὺς βασιλεύοντας ἐν Σπάρτῃ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τοὺς ἐπʼ ἀξιώματος καὶ κοινῇ τῶν τε ἐφόρων τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ τὴν γερουσίαν μετασχόντας τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ. | And they demonstrate also how, when the leaders of the Phocians had seized the sanctuary at Delphi, those who ruled in Sparta, individually each king by himself, as well as the rest of the notable men, and collectively the ephorate and the senate, had shared in things sacred to the god. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.4 | 2 | πρό τε δὴ πάντων, ὡς οὐδὲν ἂν τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους κέρδους ἕνεκα ὀκνήσαντας, τὴν συμμαχίαν ὀνειδίζουσί σφισι τὴν πρὸς Ἀπολλόδωρον τὸν ἐν Κασσανδρείᾳ τυραννήσαντα. | And above all, as evidence that the Lacedaemonians would shrink from nothing for the sake of gain, they reproach them for their alliance with Apollodorus, who was tyrant in Cassandreia. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.5 | 1 | ἀνθʼ ὅτου δὲ Μεσσήνιοι τὸ ὄνειδος ἥγηνται τοῦτο οὕτω πικρόν, οὔ μοι τῷ λόγῳ τῷ παρόντι ἦν ἐπεισάγεσθαι· | The reason why the Messenians found this disgrace so intensely bitter, it was not possible for me to introduce into my present narrative. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.5 | 2 | ὅτι γὰρ μὴ τῶν Μεσσηνίων τὸ εὔψυχον καὶ χρόνου μῆκος ὃν ἐπολέμησαν διάφορα ἐγένετο τῆς Ἀπολλοδώρου τυραννίδος, ἔς γε τὰς συμφορὰς οὐ πολλῷ τινι ἀποδέοι ἂν ἃ οἱ Κασσανδρεῖς πεπόνθασι. | For indeed, if it had not been for the bravery of the Messenians and the great length of time during which they persisted in war—factors that set them apart from the tyranny of Apollodorus—their misfortunes would scarcely have differed at all from what the Cassandreans suffered. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.6 | 1 | ταῦτα μὲν δὴ αἴτια ἑκάτεροι τοῦ πολέμου γενέσθαι λέγουσι· | These, then, are named by each side as the reasons for the war. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.6 | 2 | τότε δὲ πρεσβεία Λακεδαιμονίων ἥκουσα ἐξῄτει Πολυχάρην. | At that time an embassy came from the Lacedaemonians demanding Polychares. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.6 | 3 | οἱ δὲ τῶν Μεσσηνίων βασιλεῖς τοῖς μὲν πρέσβεσιν ἀπεκρίναντο ὅτι βουλευσάμενοι μετὰ τοῦ δήμου τὰ δόξαντα ἐπιστελοῦσιν ἐς Σπάρτην, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐκείνων ἀπελθόντων ἐς ἐκκλησίαν τοὺς πολίτας συνῆγον. | The kings of the Messenians replied to the ambassadors that after consulting with their people they would send to Sparta word of their decision, and once the Spartans had departed, they immediately convened a public assembly of the citizens. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.6 | 4 | αἱ δὲ γνῶμαι διάφοροι παρὰ πολὺ ἐγίνοντο, Ἀνδροκλέους μὲν ἐκδιδόναι Πολυχάρην ὡς ἀνόσιά τε καὶ πέρα δεινῶν εἰργασμένον· Ἀντίοχος δὲ ἄλλα τε ἀντέλεγε καὶ τὸ ἁπάντων οἴκτιστον, εἰ Πολυχάρης ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς πείσεται τοῖς Εὐαίφνου, καταριθμούμενος ὅσα καὶ οἷα ἦν ἀνάγκη παθεῖν. | Opinions differed greatly: Androcles proposed that Polychares be handed over, claiming that he had committed an impious and exceptionally dreadful act; Antiochus, however, opposed him, urging various arguments, chief among these being the terrible shame it would bring if Polychares were to suffer punishment before the eyes of Euaephnus, recounting all that Polychares must inevitably endure. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.7 | 1 | τέλος δὲ ἐς τοσοῦτο προήχθησαν οἵ τε Ἀνδροκλεῖ καὶ οἱ τῷ Ἀντιόχῳ συσπεύδοντες ὥστε καὶ τὰ ὅπλα ἔλαβον. | Finally, matters went so far between those supporting Androcles and those backing Antiochus that they even took up arms. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.7 | 2 | οὐ μὴν ἐς μακράν γε προῆλθέ σφισιν ἡ μάχη· περιόντες γὰρ ἀριθμῷ καὶ πολὺ οἱ σὺν Ἀντιόχῳ τόν τε Ἀνδροκλέα καὶ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν τοὺς λόγου μάλιστα ἀξίους ἀποκτείνουσιν. | Yet the fighting did not last long, for Antiochus and his followers, greatly superior in number, killed Androcles along with those of his circle who were most prominent. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.7 | 3 | Ἀντίοχος δὲ βασιλεύων ἤδη μόνος ἔπεμπεν ἐς Σπάρτην ὡς ἐπιτρέπειν ἐθέλοι τοῖς δικαστηρίοις ἃ ἤδη λέλεκταί μοι· | Antiochus, now the sole ruler, sent messengers to Sparta declaring that he was willing to submit the issues previously mentioned to arbitration. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.7 | 4 | Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ οὐ λέγονται τοῖς κομίσασι τὰ γράμματα ἀποκρίνασθαι. | The Lacedaemonians, however, are said to have given no reply to those who brought the message. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.8 | 1 | μησὶ δὲ οὐ πολλοῖς ὕστερον Ἀντιόχου τελευτήσαντος Εὐφαὴς ὁ Ἀντιόχου παρέλαβε τὴν ἀρχήν. | Not many months later, when Antiochus had died, his son Euphaes took over the rule. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.8 | 2 | Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ οὔτε κήρυκα ἀποστέλλουσι προεροῦντα Μεσσηνίοις πόλεμον οὔτε προαπειπάμενοι τὴν φιλίαν, κρύφα δὲ καὶ μάλιστα ὡς ἐδύναντο ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ παρασκευασάμενοι, προομνύουσιν ὅρκον μήτε τοῦ πολέμου μῆκος, ἢν μὴ διʼ ὀλίγου κριθῇ, μήτε τὰς συμφορὰς, εἰ μεγάλαι πολεμοῦσι γένοιντο, ἀποστρέψειν σφᾶς πρὶν ἢ κτήσαιντο χώραν τὴν Μεσσηνίαν δοριάλωτον. | The Lacedaemonians sent no herald to declare war openly to the Messenians, nor did they openly renounce friendship beforehand; instead, they made their preparations secretly and with the utmost concealment, and they took an oath, swearing that neither the length of the war, should it not quickly be decided, nor the magnitude of any disasters occurring during it, would deter them until they had conquered Messenian territory by force of arms. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.9 | 1 | ταῦτα προομόσαντες ἔξοδον νύκτωρ ἐποιοῦντο ἐπὶ Ἄμφειαν, Ἀλκαμένην τὸν Τηλέκλου τῆς στρατιᾶς ἡγεμόνα ἀποδείξαντες. | Having sworn these oaths beforehand, they made a sortie by night against Ampheia, appointing Alcamenes son of Teleclus as leader of the army. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.9 | 2 | ἡ δὲ Ἄμφεια πρὸς τῇ Λακωνικῇ πόλισμα ἦν ἐν τῇ Μεσσηνίᾳ, μεγέθει μὲν οὐ μέγα, ἐπὶ λόφου δὲ ὑψηλοῦ κείμενον, καὶ ὑδάτων πηγὰς εἶχεν ἀφθόνους· | Ampheia was a town in Messenia bordering Laconia, not large in size, but situated upon a high hill and possessing abundant springs of water. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.9 | 3 | ἐδόκει δὲ καὶ ἄλλως ἐς τὸν πάντα πόλεμον ὁρμητήριόν σφισιν ἐπιτήδειον ἡ Ἄμφεια εἶναι. | For other reasons, too, Ampheia seemed to them a fitting point of departure for the whole war. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.9 | 4 | καὶ τό τε πόλισμα αἱροῦσι πυλῶν ἀνεῳγμένων καὶ φυλακῆς οὐκ ἐνούσης καὶ τῶν Μεσσηνίων τοὺς ἐγκαταληφθέντας φονεύουσι, τοὺς μὲν ἔτι ἐν ταῖς εὐναῖς, τοὺς δὲ ὡς ᾔσθοντο πρός τε ἱερὰ θεῶν καὶ βωμοὺς καθημένους ἱκέτας· | They captured the town while its gates lay open and without any guard present, and slew the Messenians caught within; some were killed still in their beds, while others, realizing the attack, seated themselves as suppliants before the altars and shrines of the gods. | ? | ? |
| 4.5.9 | 5 | ὀλίγοι δὲ καὶ οἱ διαφυγόντες ἐγένοντο. | Only a few managed to escape. | ? | ? |