Pausanias Analysis

Passage 3.5.1

← 3.4.10 3.5.2 →

Passage 3.5.1: Pleistoanax's son Pausanias defeats the Athenian force at Piraeus but withdraws to avoid backing tyranny.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Πλείσταρχος μὲν οὖν ὁ Λεωνίδου νεωστὶ τὴν βασιλείαν παρειληφὼς ἐτελεύτησε, Πλειστοάναξ δὲ ἔσχε τὴν ἀρχὴν ὁ Παυσανίου τοῦ Πλαταιᾶσιν ἡγησαμένου· Πλειστοάνακτος δὲ ἐγένετο Παυσανίας. οὗτος ἐς τὴν Ἀττικὴν ἀφίκετο ὁ Παυσανίας Θρασυβούλῳ καὶ Ἀθηναίοις πολέμιος τῷ λόγῳ, τοῖς δὲ ἄρχειν ἐπιτραπεῖσιν ὑπὸ Λυσάνδρου καταστησόμενος τὴν τυραννίδα ἐν βεβαίῳ. καὶ μάχῃ μὲν ἐνίκησεν Ἀθηναίων τοὺς ἔχοντας τὸν Πειραιᾶ, μετὰ δὲ τὴν μάχην αὐτίκα οἱ τὸν στρατὸν ἀπάγειν οἴκαδε ἤρεσε μηδὲ ἀνοσίων ἀνδρῶν τυραννίδα αὔξοντα ἐπισπάσασθαι τῇ Σπάρτῃ τὸ αἴσχιστον τῶν ὀνειδῶν.

English Translation

Now Pleistarchus, the son of Leonidas, having recently assumed the kingship, died, and Pleistoanax, the son of Pausanias who had commanded at Plataea, succeeded to the throne. Pleistoanax had a son, Pausanias, who led an expedition into Attica against Thrasybulus and the Athenians, nominally as an enemy to them, but in reality intending to establish firmly in power those who had been invested with authority by Lysander. Pausanias defeated in battle the Athenians who held the Peiraeus, but immediately after this victory resolved to withdraw his forces and return home, considering it preferable not to aid impious men in increasing their tyranny, nor to bring upon Sparta the most shameful of reproaches.

Proper Nouns

Thrasyboulos (Θρασύβουλος) person
Leonidas (Λεωνίδης) person
Lysander (Λύσανδρος) person
Pausanias (Παυσανίας) person
Pleistarchos (Πλείσταρχος) person
Also in: 1.15.1 3.4.9
Pleistonax (Πλειστοάναξ) person
Also in: 1.13.4
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Piraeus (Πειραιεύς) place Q58976 Pleiades
Plataea (Πλάταιαι) place Q742538
Sparta (Σπάρτη) place Q5690 Pleiades
Attica (Ἀττική) place Q122443
← 3.4.10 3.5.2 →