Plutarch, Aratus, ed. Bernadotte Perrin, 4

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[1] τοῦ δὲ Νικοκλέους τέσσαρας μῆνας τυραννοῦντος, ἐν οἷς πολλὰ κακὰ τὴν πόλιν ἐργασάμενος ἐκινδύνευσεν ὑπὸ Αἰτωλῶν ἐπιβουλευομένην αὐτὴν ἀποβαλεῖν, ἤδη μειράκιον ὁ Ἄρατος ὢν ἀξίωμα λαμπρὸν εἶχε διʼ εὐγένειαν Καὶ φρόνημα, ὃ διέφαινεν οὐ μικρὸν οὐδὲ ἀργόν, ἐμβριθὲς δὲ Καὶ παρʼ ἡλικίαν ἀσφαλεστέρᾳ γνώμῃ κεκραμένον.

[2] ὅθεν οἵ τε φυγάδες μάλιστα τὸν νοῦν ἐκείνῳ προσεῖχον, ὅ τε Νικοκλῆς οὐκ ἠμέλει τῶν πραττομένων, ἀλλʼ ἀδήλως ἀπεθεώρει Καὶ παρεφύλαττεν αὑτοῦ τὴν ὁρμήν, τόλμημα μὲν οὐδὲν τηλικοῦτον δεδιὼς οὐδὲ ἔργον οὐδὲν οὕτω παρακεκινδυνευμένον, ὑποπτεύων δὲ τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν αὐτὸν διαλέγεσθαι φίλοις οὖσι Καὶ ξένοις πατρῴοις.

[3] καὶ γὰρ ἀληθῶς ὁ Ἄρατος ἐπεχείρησε τὴν ὁδὸν ἐκείνην βαδίζειν. ὡς δὲ Ἀντίγονος μὲν ὑπισχνούμενος ἠμέλει Καὶ παρῆγε¹ τὸν χρόνον, αἱ δὲ ἀπʼ Αἰγύπτου Καὶ παρὰ Πτολεμαίου μακρὰν ἦσαν ἐλπίδες, ἔγνω διʼ αὑτοῦ καταλύειν τὸν τύραννον.

Aratus. Plutarch. ed. Bernadotte Perrin. Cambridge, MA. 1926.

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Ἄρατος (Greek) (Plutarch. Plutarch's Lives, Vol. XI. Perrin, Bernadotte, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1926.)

Translations (1)

Aratus Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Lives, Vol. XI. Perrin, Bernadotte, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1926.) — 4 focus

[1] Nicocles was tyrant of the city for four months, during which he wrought the city much harm, and narrowly escaped losing it to the Aetolians when they plotted to seize it. By this time¹ Aratus, now a young man, was held in marked esteem on account of his high birth, and of his spirit. This was showing itself to be not insignificant nor yet unenterprising, but earnest, and tempered with a judgement safe beyond his years.

[2] Wherefore the exiles from Sicyon had their minds fixed most of all upon him, and Nicocles was not neglectful of what was going on, but kept secret watch and ward over his undertakings, not because he feared any deed of so great daring and hazard as that in which Aratus finally engaged, but because he suspected that Aratus was in communication with the kings who had been on terms of friendship and hospitality with his father.

[3] And in truth Aratus had attempted to travel along that path. But since Antigonus² neglected his promises and prolonged the time, and since the hopes derived from Egypt and Ptolemy³ were a long way off, he resolved to overthrow the tyrant by his own efforts.

Notes on the current edition

Aratus

1. παρῆγε Coraës and Ziegler, with S g: παρῆκε ( let the time pass).

Plutarch Aratus 4

ed. Bernadotte Perrin

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