Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Richard Crawley (Translator), 5.113

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Such was the answer of the Melians. The Athenians now departing from the conference said, ‘Well, you alone, as it seems to us, judging from these resolutions, regard what is future as more certain than what is before your eyes, and what is out of sight, in your eagerness, as already coming to pass; and as you have staked most on, and trusted most in, the Lacedaemonians, your fortune, and your hopes, so will you be most completely deceived.’

History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides. Richard Crawley (Translator). London. 1914.

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Current edition Perseus

History of the Peloponnesian War (English) (Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Crawley, Richard, translator. London and Toronto: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd.; New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1914.)

Editions (1)

Ἱστορίαι Perseus (Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).) — 5.113 focus

[1] οἱ μὲν δὴ Μήλιοι τοσαῦτα ἀπεκρίναντο· οἱ δὲ Ἀθηναῖοι διαλυόμενοι ἤδη ἐκ τῶν λόγων ἔφασαν ‘ἀλλ’ οὖν μόνοι γε ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν βουλευμάτων, ὡς ἡμῖν δοκεῖτε, τὰ μὲν μέλλοντα τῶν ὁρωμένων σαφέστερα κρίνετε, τὰ δὲ ἀφανῆ τῷ βούλεσθαι ὡς γιγνόμενα ἤδη θεᾶσθε, καὶ Λακεδαιμονίοις καὶ τύχῃ καὶ ἐλπίσι πλεῖστον δὴ παραβεβλημένοι καὶ πιστεύσαντες πλεῖστον καὶ σφαλήσεσθε.’

Translations (9)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 5.113 focus

[1] Thus the Melians answered. To which the Athenians, the conference being already broken off, replied thus: You are the only men, as it seemeth to us, by this consultation, that think future things more certain than things seen, and behold things doubtful, through desire to have them true, as if they were already come to pass. As you attribute and trust the most unto the Lacedaemonians, and to fortune and hopes, so will you be the most deceived.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 5.113 focus

Das war die Antwort der Melier; die Athener aber
hoben hiemit die Unterhandlungen auf und sagten: „Nun so seid
ihr denn, wie uns nach eurem Entschlüsse scheint, die Einzigen, welche
daS Zukünftige für sicherer halten, als was vor Augen liegt; was
noch von Ungewißheit bedeckt ist, betrachtet ihr bereits als wirklich,
weil ihr eS eben wünscht; aus Lakedämonier, Glück und Hoffnungen
wälzt ihr eure Last ab, aber so groß euer Vertrauen auf sie ist, so
groß wird eure Enttäuschung sein."

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 5.113 focus

Das war die Antwort der Melier. Die Athener aber
sahen damit die Verhandlungen als abgebrochen an und er
widerten ihnen: „Nach diesem Beschluß seid ihr unseres Er
achtens doch die einzigen, denen ein Sperling in der Hand
nicht lieber wäre als die Taube auf dem Dache. Ihr meint,
eben alles, was ihr euch wünscht, wäre auch nur gleich da.
So gewiß ihr euer Glück und eure Hoffnungen auf die Lake
dämonier setzt, so gewiß werdet ihr die Rechnung ohne den
Wirt gemacht haben."

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 5.113 focus

CXIII. Telle fut la réponse des Méliens. Les Athéniens rompirent la conférence en disant : « Vous êtes les seuls, ce semble, à en croire ces résolutions, qui jugiez l’avenir plus clair que ce qui est sous vos yeux, et qui considériez comme déjà réalisé, parce que vous le voulez ainsi, ce qui n’apparaît pas encore. Vous avez tout risqué, tout confié aux Lacédémoniens, à la fortune et à l’espérance, et vous allez tout perdre. »

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 5.113 focus

Telle fut la réponse des Méliens. Les Athéniens, rompant la conférence, s’exprimèrent en ces termes :

« Il paraît, d’après votre résolution, que seuls d'entre les hommes vous considérez l’avenir comme plus assuré que ce qui est sous vps yeux, et l’incertain comme déjà réalisé parle J fait de votre désir. Vous hasardez beaucoup en vous fiant am Lacédémoniens, à la fortune, à l’espérance. C’est vous préparer une amère déception. »

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides, Vol. 1-4. Smith, Charles Foster, translator. London and Cambridge, MA: Heinemann and Harvard University Press, 1919-1923.) — 5.113 focus

[1] Such was the answer of the Melians; and the Athenians, as they were quitting the conference, said: “Then, as it seems to us, judging by the result of these deliberations of yours, you are the only men who regard future events as more certain than what lies before your eyes, and who look upon that which is out of sight, merely because you wish it, as already realized. You have staked your all, putting your trust in the Lacedaemonians, in fortune and in fond hopes; and with your all you will come to ruin.”

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides. The history of the Peloponnesian War, Volume 1-2. Dale, Henry, translator. London: Heinemann and Henry G. Bohn, 1851-1852.) — 5.113 focus

[1] Such then was the answer which the Melians gave. The Athenians, now departing from the conference, said:

Well then you are the only men who by these counsels, as appears to us, consider what is future as more certain than what is seen, and regard what is out of sight as already occurring, because you wish it; and having staked and relied most on [ ¹ such things as] Lacedaemonians, and fortune, and hopes, you will also be most disappointed.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 5.113 focus

[1] Melii igitur haec responsa dederunt; Athenienses vero e colloquio jam digredientes dixerunt« enimvero vos soli ut nobis videmini, his vestris consiliis res quidem futuras certiores esse judicatis, quam quae cernuntur, res vero occultas eo quod eas cupitis, ut praesentes jam spectatis , et quoniam Lacedaemoniis et fortunae et spei jam plurimum vos commisistis et credidistis, plurimum etiam labemini. »

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 5.113 focus

Questa risposta diedero i Melii; e gli Ateniesi, sciogliendosi dall’abboccamento, dissero : « Voi siete adun- que i soli, per quanto ci pare con queste vostre deliberazioni, che giudicate più evidenti le cose future di quelle sottocchio, e risguardate come successe quelle incerte, solo perchè le bramate. E nel vostro, a dir vero, troppo franco abbandono in braccio ai Lacedemoni, alla fortuna, alle speranze, troverete pure la più gran rovina ».

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.113

Richard Crawley (Translator)

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