Pausanias Analysis

Passage 7.14.6

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Passage 7.14.6: Critolaus and the Achaeans' failed war and Theban alliance

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

τὸ μὲν δὴ ἄνδρα βασιλέα καὶ πόλιν ἀνελέσθαι πόλεμον καὶ μὴ εὐτυχῆσαι συνέβη φθόνῳ μᾶλλον ἔκ του δαιμόνων ἢ τοῖς πολεμήσασι ποιεῖ τὸ ἔγκλημα· θρασύτης δὲ ἡ μετὰ ἀσθενείας μανία ἂν μᾶλλον ἢ ἀτυχία καλοῖτο. ὃ δὴ καὶ Κριτόλαον καὶ Ἀχαιοὺς ἔβλαψε. παρώξυνε δὲ καὶ Ἀχαιοὺς Πυθέας βοιωταρχῶν τηνικαῦτα ἐν Θήβαις, καὶ οἱ Θηβαῖοι συνεπιλήψεσθαι προθύμως ἐπηγγέλλοντο τοῦ πολέμου·

English Translation

Indeed, that a king and a city should choose war and fail was due rather to envy from the gods than to fault in their human adversaries. But recklessness joined with weakness should properly be called madness rather than mere misfortune. This condition harmed Critolaus and the Achaeans. Moreover, Pytheas, who held the office of Boeotarch in Thebes at that time, incited the Achaeans further, and the Thebans eagerly promised their own alliance in the war.

Proper Nouns

Thebans (Θηβαῖοι) person
Kritolaos (Κριτόλαος) person
Pytheas (Πυθέας) person
Achaeans (Ἀχαιοὶ) person
Thebes (Θῆβαι) place Q11225429
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