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59.
It were not to your glory, Lacedaemonians,
either to offend in this way against the common law of the Hellenes and
against your own ancestors, or to kill us your benefactors to gratify
another's hatred without having been wronged yourselves: it were more so to
spare us and to yield to the impressions of a reasonable compassion; reflecting not merely on the awful fate in store for us, but also on the
character of the sufferers, and on the impossibility of predicting how soon
misfortune may fall even upon those who deserve it not.
[2]
We, as we have a right to do and as our need impels us, entreat you,
calling aloud upon the gods at whose common altar all the Hellenes worship,
to hear our request, to be not unmindful of the oaths which your fathers
swore, and which we now plead—we supplicate you by the tombs of
your fathers, and appeal to those that are gone to save us from falling into
the hands of the Thebans and their dearest friends from being given up to
their most detested foes.
We also remind you of that day on which we did the most glorious deeds, by
your fathers' sides, we who now, on this are like to suffer the most
dreadful fate.
[3]
Finally, to do what is necessary and yet most difficult for men in our
situation—that is, to make an end of speaking, since with that
ending the peril of our lives draws near—
[4]
in conclusion we say that we did not surrender our city to the Thebans
（to that we would have preferred inglorious starvation）,
but trusted in and capitulated to you; and it would be just, if we fail to persuade you, to put us back in the
same position and let us take the chance that falls to us.
And at the same time we adjure you not to give us up,—your
suppliants, Lacedaemonians, out of your hands and faith, Plataeans foremost
of the Hellenic patriots, to Thebans, our most hated enemies,—but
to be our saviours, and not, while you free the rest of the Hellenes, to
bring us to destruction.’
Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War. London, J. M. Dent; New York, E. P. Dutton. 1910.
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References (41 total)
- Commentary references to this page
(20):
- Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Oedipus Tyrannus, 911-1085
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.104
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.2
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.34
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.38
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.43
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.44
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.45
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.53
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.57
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.58
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.64
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.67
- Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3, 3.81
- T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8, 8.56
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER XXXVII
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER XCVII
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.17
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.36
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5, 5.5
- Cross-references to this page (2):
- Cross-references in notes to this page
(1):
- Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Thuc. 1.26
- Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page
(18):
- LSJ, ἀλλά
- LSJ, ἀνάξιος
- LSJ, ἀστάθμ-ητος
- LSJ, δεινότης
- LSJ, ἐκεῖνος
- LSJ, ἐπιβο-άω
- LSJ, ἐπικα^λέω
- LSJ, ἱκέτ-ης
- LSJ, κάμνω
- LSJ, νόμ-ιμος
- LSJ, ὁμο-βώμιος
- LSJ, πρός
- LSJ, προάγω
- LSJ, προσέρχομαι
- LSJ, συντυγχάνω
- LSJ, σώφρων
- LSJ, τελευτ-άω
- LSJ, χαλεπ-ός
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