Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.17.5

← 4.17.4 4.17.6 →

Passage 4.17.5: Persian bribes spark the Corinthian War.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τοῖς οὖν Λακεδαιμονίοις, ὅτε δὴ μάλιστα ἤνθησαν καὶ Ἀθηναίων τε τὸ ναυτικὸν καθῃρήκεσαν καὶ Ἀγησίλαος κεχείρωτο τὰ πολλὰ ἤδη τῆς Ἀσίας, τότε σφίσι τὴν ἀρχὴν πᾶσαν οὐκ ἐξεγένετο ἀφελέσθαι τὸν Μῆδον, ἀλλὰ σφᾶς ὁ βάρβαρος περιῆλθε τῷ ἐκείνων εὑρήματι, ἐς Κόρινθον καὶ Ἄργος καὶ ἐς Ἀθήνας τε καὶ Θήβας χρήματα ἀποστείλας· ὅ τε ὀνομαζόμενος Κορινθιακὸς πόλεμος ἀπὸ τούτων ἐξήφθη τῶν χρημάτων, ὡς ἀπολείπειν Ἀγησίλαον ἀναγκασθῆναι τὰ ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ.

English Translation

Thus the Lacedaemonians, precisely at the time when they flourished greatly, having subdued the naval power of the Athenians, while Agesilaus had already secured control over most of Asia, could not succeed in entirely overthrowing the empire of the Medes. Instead, the Barbarian outmaneuvered them by employing their own invention against them, dispatching money to Corinth, Argos, Athens, and Thebes. Indeed, the war known as the Corinthian was kindled by these very funds, compelling Agesilaus himself to abandon his achievements in Asia.

Proper Nouns

Corinthian War (Κορινθιακὸς πόλεμος) other
Lacedaemonians (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) person
Mede (Μῆδος) person
Agesilaus (Ἀγησίλαος) person
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Thebes (Θῆβαι) place Q11225429
Corinth (Κόρινθος) place Q1363688 Pleiades
Athens (Ἀθῆναι) place Q844930
Asia (Ἀσία) place Q210718
Argos (Ἄργος) place Q13533353
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