Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.12.3

← 4.12.2 4.12.4 →

Passage 4.12.3: Spartans attempt to dissolve the Messenian alliance.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἁμαρτόντες δὲ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι τοῦ ἐγχειρήματος δεύτερα ἐπειρῶντο τῶν Μεσσηνίων διαλῦσαι τὸ συμμαχικόν· ἀντειπόντων δὲ τῶν Ἀρκάδων ---παρὰ γὰρ τούτους πρότερον ἀφίκοντο οἱ πρέσβεις ---οὕτω τὴν ἐπʼ Ἄργος ἐπέσχον πορείαν. Ἀριστόδημος δὲ πυνθανόμενος τὰ πρασσόμενα ὑπὸ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων πέμπει καὶ αὐτὸς ἐρησομένους τὸν θεόν, ἡ δὲ Πυθία σφίσιν ἔχρησε·

English Translation

Having failed in their enterprise, the Lacedaemonians then attempted a second plan, trying to dissolve the alliance of the Messenians. But since the Arcadians objected—for the ambassadors had first come to them—they thus halted their march against Argos. Aristodemus, upon learning what the Lacedaemonians were plotting, himself also sent messengers to inquire of the god, and the Pythia gave them this oracle:

Proper Nouns

Lacedaemonians (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) person
Messenians (Μεσσήνιοι) person
Pythia (Πυθία) person
Aristodemos (Ἀριστόδημος) person
Arcadians (Ἀρκάδες) person
Argos (Ἄργος) place Q13533353
← 4.12.2 4.12.4 →