Andocides, On the Peace with Sparta, ed. Kenneth John Maidment, 27

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[27] Now let us examine the Argive proposals in their turn. Argos urges us to join Corinth and herself in maintaining the war; yet in virtue of a private peace which she has negotiated,¹ she has withdrawn her own territory from the field of hostilities. She forbids us to place the least trust in Sparta , although all our allies are joining us in making peace; yet she admits that Sparta ’s treaty with herself, which was made without any such support, has been faithfully observed. Again, Argos calls her own peace traditional, but forbids the other Greeks to secure a traditional peace for themselves: the reason being that she expects to annex Corinth by prolonging the war, and after gaining control of the state which has always controlled her, she hopes to extend her influence over her partners in victory as well.

On the Peace with Sparta. Andocides. ed. Kenneth John Maidment. London. 1941.

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Current edition Perseus

On the Peace with Sparta (English) (Andocides. Minor Attic Orators, Vol. 1. Maidment, Kenneth John, translator. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1941 (1960 printing).)

Editions (1)

Περὶ τῆς πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους εἰρήνης Perseus (Andocides. Minor Attic Orators, Vol. 1. Maidment, Kenneth John, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1941 (1960 printing).) — 27 focus

[27] σκεψώμεθα δὴ καὶ τοὺς Ἀργείων λόγους. κελεύουσι γὰρ ἡμᾶς κοινῇ μετὰ σφῶν καὶ μετὰ Κορινθίων πολεμεῖν, αὐτοὶ δʼ ἰδίᾳ εἰρήνην ποιησάμενοι τὴν χώραν οὐ παρέχουσιν ἐμπολεμεῖν. καὶ μετὰ μὲν πάντων τῶν συμμάχων τὴν εἰρήνην ποιουμένους¹ οὐκ ἐῶσιν ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν πιστεύειν Λακεδαιμονίοις· ἃ δὲ πρὸς τούτους μόνους ἐκεῖνοι συνέθεντο, ταῦτα δʼ² οὐδεπώποτʼ αὐτούς φασι παραβῆναι. πατρίαν τε εἰρήνην ὀνομάζοντες ᾗ χρῶνται, τοῖς δὲ³ ἄλλοις Ἕλλησιν οὐκ ἐῶσι πατρίαν γενέσθαι τὴν εἰρήνην· ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ πολέμου χρονισθέντος Κόρινθον ἑλεῖν προσδοκῶσι, κρατήσαντες δὲ τούτων ὑφʼ ὧν ἀεὶ κρατοῦνται, καὶ τοὺς συννικῶντας ἐλπίζουσι παραστήσεσθαι.⁴

Notes on the current edition

On the Peace with Sparta

1. Possibly a reference to the Argive trick of celebrating a ἱερομηνία, or sacred month, when Sparta was about to invade their territory. The ἱερομηνία was taken up with the festival of the Carneia, and it was traditional among Dorians that war could not be waged in the course of it. See Xen. Hell. 4.7.2 .

Andocides On the Peace with Sparta 27

ed. Kenneth John Maidment

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