<w lemma="summa%2Fxwn">συμμάχων</w>. <w lemma="%2Amessh%2Fnioi">Μεσσήνιοι</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemos">πόλεμος</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flabe">ἔλαβε</w>, <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="paragenome%2Fnois">παραγενομένοις</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29pekri%2Fqhsan">ἀπεκρίθησαν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Afigalei%2Fas">Φιγαλείας</w> <w lemma="keime%2Fnhs">κειμένης</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Frois">ὅροις</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tattome%2Fnhs">ταττομένης</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlou%5Cs">Αἰτωλοὺς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29pide%2Fcainto">ἐπιδέξαιντο</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>, <w lemma="pri%5Cn">πρὶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="a%29p%27">ἀπ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlw%3Dn">Αἰτωλῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29pospasqh%3Dnai">ἀποσπασθῆναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w>.
<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29pofa%2Fsews">ἀποφάσεως</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="kati%2Fsxusan">κατίσχυσαν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29damw%3Ds">οὐδαμῶς</w> <w lemma="eu%29dokou%2Fntwn">εὐδοκούντων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pollw%3Dn">πολλῶν</w>, <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlw%3Dn">Αἰτωλῶν</w> <w lemma="dedio%2Ftes">δεδιότες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="to%2Flman">τόλμαν</w> <w lemma="e%29foreu%2Fontes">ἐφορεύοντες</w> <w lemma="%2Aoi%29%3Dnis">Οἶνις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Ani%2Fkippos">Νίκιππος</w> <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tines">τινες</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteroi">ἕτεροι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29ligarxikw%3Dn">ὀλιγαρχικῶν</w>, <w lemma="a%29gnoou%3Dntes">ἀγνοοῦντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="parapai%2Fontes">παραπαίοντες</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%2Fontos">δέοντος</w> <w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29mh%5Cn">ἐμὴν</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmhn">γνώμην</w>.
<w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="fobero%5Cn">φοβερὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai%2F">εἶναί</w> <w lemma="fhmi">φημι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftw">οὕτω</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="fobero%5Cn">φοβερὸν</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pome%2Fnein">ὑπομένειν</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="prosde%2Fcasqai">προσδέξασθαι</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>.
<w lemma="e%29pei%5C">ἐπεὶ</w> <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qrasu%2Fnomen">θρασύνομεν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="i%29shgori%2Fan">ἰσηγορίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parrhsi%2Fan">παρρησίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29leuqeri%2Fas">ἐλευθερίας</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fnoma">ὄνομα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fstai">ἔσται</w> <w lemma="prourgiai%2Fteron">προυργιαίτερον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fnhs">εἰρήνης</w>;
<w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="%2Aqhbai%2Fous">Θηβαίους</w> <w lemma="e%29painou%3Dmen">ἐπαινοῦμεν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Amhdika%2F">Μηδικά</w>, <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ella%2Fdos">Ἑλλάδος</w> <w lemma="a%29posta%2Fntes">ἀποστάντες</w> <w lemma="kindu%2Fnwn">κινδύνων</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Apersw%3Dn">Περσῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%28%2Flonto">εἵλοντο</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="fo%2Fbon">φόβον</w>, <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Api%2Fndaron">Πίνδαρον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="sunapofhna%2Fmenon">συναποφηνάμενον</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgein">ἄγειν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="h%28suxi%2Fan">ἡσυχίαν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dnde">τῶνδε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="poihma%2Ftwn">ποιημάτων</w>,
<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="koino%2Fn">κοινόν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29stw%3Dn">ἀστῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="eu%29di%2Fa%7C">εὐδίᾳ</w> <w lemma="tiqei%5Cs">τιθεὶς</w> <w lemma="e%29reunasa%2Ftw">ἐρευνασάτω</w> <w lemma="megala%2Fnoros">μεγαλάνορος</w> <w lemma="h%28suxi%2Fas">ἡσυχίας</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="faidro%5Cn">φαιδρὸν</w> <w lemma="fa%2Fos">φάος</w>. <w lemma="do%2Fcas">δόξας</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="parauti%2Fka">παραυτίκα</w> <w lemma="piqanw%3Ds">πιθανῶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhke%2Fnai">εἰρηκέναι</w>,
<w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="ai%29sxi%2Fsthn">αἰσχίστην</w> <w lemma="eu%28re%2Fqh">εὑρέθη</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="blaberwta%2Fthn">βλαβερωτάτην</w> <w lemma="pepoihme%2Fnos">πεποιημένος</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Ffasin:">ἀπόφασιν·</w>
<w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fnh">εἰρήνη</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dikai%2Fou">δικαίου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fpontos">πρέποντος</w> <w lemma="ka%2Fllisto%2Fn">κάλλιστόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="kth%3Dma">κτῆμα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="lusitele%2Fstaton">λυσιτελέστατον</w>, <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kaki%2Fas">κακίας</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="deili%2Fas">δειλίας</w> <w lemma="e%29poneidi%2Fstou">ἐπονειδίστου</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Fsxiston">αἴσχιστον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="blaberw%2Ftaton">βλαβερώτατον</w>.
|
<head>Mistaken Policy of the Messenians</head>The Messenians again, on whose account the war began, answered the commissioners sent to<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note68">Timidity of the Messenians.</note>them that, seeing Phigalia was on their frontier and was in the power of the Aetolians, they would not undertake the war until that city was wrested from them. This decision was forcibly carried, much against the will of the people at large, by the Ephors Oenis and Nicippus, and some others of the oligarchical party: wherein they showed, to my thinking, great ignorance of their true interests. I admit, indeed, that war is a terrible thing; but it is less terrible than to submit to anything whatever in order to avoid it.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note69">B. C. 480-479. Pindar fr.</note>For what is the meaning of our fine talk about equality of rights, freedom of speech, and liberty, if the one important thing is peace? We have no good word for the Thebans, because they shrunk from fighting for Greece and chose from fear to side with the Persians,—nor indeed for Pindar who supported their inaction in the verses—<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note70">See Stobaeus Floril. 58, 9, who gives three more lines.</note><quote><l>A quiet haven for the ship of state</l><l>Should be the patriot's aim,</l><l>And smiling peace, to small and great</l><l>That brings no shame.</l></quote>For though his advice was for the moment acceptable, it was not long before it became manifest that his opinion was as<pb n="307" />mischievous as it was dishonourable. For peace, with justice and honour, is the noblest and most advantageous thing in the world; when joined with disgrace and contemptible cowardice, it is the basest and most disastrous.<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note71">Cf.<ref target="b4c74" targOrder="U">ch. 74</ref>.</note>
|
Walbank Commentary