Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.5.6

← 4.5.5 4.5.7 →

Passage 4.5.6: Messenian assembly debates handing over Polychares to Sparta.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ταῦτα μὲν δὴ αἴτια ἑκάτεροι τοῦ πολέμου γενέσθαι λέγουσι· τότε δὲ πρεσβεία Λακεδαιμονίων ἥκουσα ἐξῄτει Πολυχάρην. 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. 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.

English Translation

These, then, are named by each side as the reasons for the war. At that time an embassy came from the Lacedaemonians demanding Polychares. 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. 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.

Proper Nouns

Euainos (Εὔαιφνος) person
Also in: 4.4.6 4.4.7 4.5.2
Lacedaemonians (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) person
Messenians (Μεσσήνιοι) person
Polychares (Πολυχάρης) person
Also in: 4.4.5 4.4.7 4.4.8
Androkles (Ἀνδροκλέης) person
Also in: 4.16.2
Antiochus (Ἀντίοχος) person
Sparta (Σπάρτη) place Q5690 Pleiades
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