Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.7.9

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Passage 4.7.9: Theopompus and Euphaes exhort their troops before battle.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

συνιέναι δὲ ἤδη μελλόντων, ἐπεὶ παριόντες οἱ βασιλεῖς προέτρεπον τοὺς αὑτῶν, πρὸς μὲν δὴ τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους βραχεῖαν κατὰ τὸ ἐπιχώριον τὴν παράκλησιν ἐποιεῖτο ὁ Θεόπομπος, τοῦ τε ὅρκου τοῦ κατὰ τῶν Μεσσηνίων ἀναμιμνήσκων καὶ ὡς καλόν σφισι τὸ φιλοτίμημα, τῶν πατέρων οἳ τοὺς περιοίκους κατεδουλώσαντο φανῆναι λαμπρότερα εἰργασμένους καὶ χώραν εὐδαιμονεστέραν προσκεκτημένους· Εὐφαὴς δὲ μακρότερα μὲν εἶπεν ἢ ὁ Σπαρτιάτης, οὐ πλείω δὲ οὐδʼ οὗτος ἢ ἐφιέντα ἑώρα τὸν καιρόν.

English Translation

As they were now about to engage, the kings passed along their ranks, exhorting their respective troops. Among the Lacedaemonians, according to their custom, Theopompus made his exhortation brief, reminding them of their oath sworn against the Messenians, and emphasizing how glorious an honor they would gain if they should be shown to surpass their forefathers, who had subdued the neighboring peoples, by achieving an even more splendid victory and acquiring a more prosperous land. Euphaes, however, spoke at greater length than the Spartan had done, though even he did not extend his remarks beyond what he saw the occasion allowed.

Proper Nouns

Euphaes (Εὐφαής) person Q5850304
Theopompus (Θεόπομπος) person
Lacedaemonian (Λακεδαιμόνιος) person
Messenians (Μεσσήνιοι) person
Spartan (Σπαρτιάτης) person
king (βασιλεύς) person
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