Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.7.5

← 8.7.4 8.7.6 →

Passage 8.7.5: Philip of Macedon: great deeds but untrustworthy, contemptuous of oaths.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Φίλιππον δὲ βασιλέων μὲν τῶν πρὸ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὅσοι Μακεδόσι γεγόνασιν ὕστερον, τούτων μὲν πείθοιτο ἄν τις μέγιστα αὐτὸν ἔργα ἐπιδείξασθαι· στρατηγὸν δὲ ἀγαθὸν οὐκ ἄν τις φρονῶν ὀρθὰ καλέσειεν αὐτόν, ὅς γε καὶ ὅρκους θεῶν κατεπάτησεν ἀεὶ καὶ σπονδὰς ἐπὶ παντὶ ἐψεύσατο πίστιν τε ἠτίμασε μάλιστα ἀνθρώπων.

English Translation

As for Philip, one might be convinced that, among the kings who preceded him and those who afterwards ruled over the Macedonians, he performed the greatest deeds; yet no one who judges rightly could call him a good general, since he continually trampled upon oaths sworn by the gods, was always false to his treaties in every circumstance, and showed himself to be the most contemptuous of all men regarding fidelity.

Proper Nouns

gods (θεοί) deity
Macedonians (Μακεδόνες) other
Philip (Φίλιππος) person
← 8.7.4 8.7.6 →