Cornelii Nepotis Vitae (Hamilton)/Lysander

This is the stable version, checked on 3 Iunii 2020. Template changes await review.
 V. Cimon VII. Alcibiades 
Lysander Lacedaemonius reliqui magnam famam
Lysander the Lacedemonian left great fame
sui, partam magis felicitate, quam virtute.
of himself, procured more by good fortune, than by bravery.
Enim apparet confecisse Athenienses gerentes
For he appears to have finished the Athenians carrying on
bellum in Peloponnesios sexto et
war against the Peloponnesians in the sixth and
vicesimo anno. Latet, qua ratione consecutus-sit (sub.)
twentieth year. It is hid, by what plan he attained
id. Enim factum-est non virtute sui
that. For it was done not by the bravery of his
exercitus, sed immodestia adversariorum, qui,
army, but by the disorderliness of enemies, who,
quod erant non audientes dicto
because they were not hearing to saying (obedient to command)
suis imperatoribus, dispalati in
to their commanders, having straggled about in
agris, navibus relictis, venerunt in
the fields, (their) ships being left, came into
potestatem hostium. Quo facto, Athenienses
the power of the enemies. Which being done, the Athenians
dediderunt se Lacedaemoniis. Lysander elatus
surrendered themselves to the Lacedemonians. Lysander elated
hac victoria, quum antea fuisset (sub.) semper
with this victory, when before he had been always
factiosus que audax, indulsit sibi sic,
factious and bold, indulged to himself so,
ut opera eius Lacedaemonii
that by the labour (by means) of him the Lacedemonians
pervenerint (sub.) in maximum odium Graecae. Nam
came into the greatest hatred of Greece. For
quum Lacedaemonii dictitassent (sub.) hanc esse
when the Lacedemonians had often said this to be
caussam belli sibi, ut refringerent
the cause of war to them, that they might break
impotentem dominationem Atheniensium, postquam
the unrestrained tyranny of the Athenians, after that
Lysander apud flumen Aegos potitus-est
Lysander at the river Aegos (Aegospotamus) possessed
classis hostium, molitus-est nihil aliud, quam
of the fleet of enemies, he endeavoured nothing other, than
ut teneret omnes civitates in sua potestate,
that he might hold all the states in his own power,
quum simularet (sub.) se facere id caussa
when he pretended himself to do that for the sake
Lacedaemoniorum. Namque undique, eiectis
of the Lacedemonians. For everywhere, (those) being cast out
qui studuissent (sub.) rebus Atheniensium,
who had studied (favoured) to affairs of the Athenians,
delegerat decem in unaquaque civitate, quibus
he had chosen ten in each state, to whom
committeret summum imperium que potestatem
he might commit the highest command and power
omnium rerum. Nemo admittebatur in numerum
of all things. Nobody was admitted into the number
horum, nisi qui contineretur (sub.) aut
of these, unless who was held (bound) either
hospitio eius, aut confirmarat fide,
by the hospitality of him, or had confirmed by faith,
se fore proprium illius.
himself to be about to be proper (devoted) of him.


Ita, decemvirali potestate constituta in
Thus, the decemviral power being appointed in
omnibus urbibus, omnia gerebantur nutu
all the cities, all (things) were carried on by the nod
ipsius. De crudelitate ac perfidia cuius est
of himself. Of the cruelty and perfidy of whom it is
satis proferre unam rem, gratia exempli,
enough to produce one thing, for the sake of example,
ne enumerando plura de eodem
lest by enumerating more (things) concerning the same
defatigemus lectores. Quum reverteretur (sub.)
we may outweary (our) readers. When he did return
victor ex Asia, que devertisset (sub.) Thasum,
victorious out of Asia, and had turned aside (to) Thasus,
quod ea civitas fuerat praecipua fide
because that state had been in especial fidelity
erga Athenienses, proinde-ac si iidem solerent (sub.)
towards the Athenians, just-as if the same did use
esse firmissimi amici, qui fuissent (sub.) constantes
to be most firm friends, who had been constant
inimici, concupivit pervertere eam. Autem
enemies, he strongly desired to utterly destroy it. But
vidit, nisi occultasset voluntatem in
he saw, unless he should have concealed (his) wish in
eo, futurum, ut Thasii dilaberentur, que
that, about to be, that the Thasians would glide away, and
consulerent suis rebus. Itaque ...
would consult for their own affairs. Therefore ...


Sui sustulerunt suam decemviralem potestatem
His own took away his decemviral power
constitutam ab illo. Incensus quo dolore,
appointed by him. Incensed by which grief,
iniit consilia tollere reges
he entered into counsels to take away the kings
Lacedaemoniorum. Sed sentiebat, se non
of the Lacedemonians. But he did perceive, himself not
posse facere id sine ope deorum, quod
to be able to do that without the aid of the gods, because
Lacedaemonii consueverant referre
the Lacedemonians had accustomed (themselves) to refer
omnia ad oracula. Primum conatus-est
all (things) to the oracles. First he endeavoured
corrumpere Delphos. Quum potuisset (sub.) non
to corrupt Delphi. When he had been able not (to do)
id, adortus-est Dodonam. Repulsus hinc quoque,
that, he attempted Dodona. Repelled hence also,
dixit se suscepisse vota, quae
he said himself to have undertaken vows, which
solveret Iovi Hammoni, existimans, se
he should pay to Jupiter Hammon, thinking, himself
corrupturum Afros facilius. Quum
about to corrupt the Africans more easily. When
profectus-esset (sub.) hac spe in Africam, antistites
he had set out with this hope into Africa, the priests
Iovis fefellerunt eum multum. Nam potuerunt
of Jupiter deceived him much. For they were able
non solum non corrumpi, sed etiam miserunt
not only not to be corrupted, but even sent
legatos Lacedaemona, qui accusarent Lysandrum,
ambassadors (to) Lacedemon, who should accuse Lysander,
quod conatus-esset (sub.) corrumpere sacerdotes
because he had endeavoured to corrupt the priests
fani. Accusatus hoc crimine, que absolutus
of the temple. Accused with this crime, and absolved
sententiis iudicum, missus subsidio
by the sentences of the judges, being sent to aid
Orchomeniis, occisus-est a Thebanis apud
to the Orchomenians, he was killed by the Thebans at
Haliartum. Quam vere iudicatum-foret (sub.) de
Haliartus. How truly it had been judged of
eo, oratio fuit indicio, quae reperta-est
him, the oration was to (as an) evidence, which was found
in domo eius post mortem, in qua
in the house of him after (his) death, in which
suadet Lacedaemoniis, ut, regia potestate
he advises to the Lacedemonians, that, royal power
dissoluta, dux deligatur ex omnibus ad
being dissolved, a leader may be chosen out of all to
gerendum bellum, sed ita scripta, ut videretur congruere
carrying on war, but so written, that it might seem to agree
sententiae deorum, quam ille dubitabat non se
to the sentence of the gods, which he did doubt not himself
habiturum, fidens pecunia. Cleon Halicarnasseus
about to have, trusting in money. Cleon the Halicarnassian
dicitur scripsisse hanc ei.
is said to have written this to (for) him.


Atque hoc loco factum Pharnabazi, regii
And in this place the deed of Pharnabazus, a royal
satrapis, est non praetereundum. Nam quum Lysander
satrap, is not to be passed over. For when Lysander
praefectus classis fecisset (sub.) multa
commander of the fleet had done many (things)
crudeliter que avare in bello, que suspicaretur (sub.)
cruelly and avariciously in war, and did suspect
perlatum-esse ad suos cives de his rebus,
(it) to have been reported to his citizens of these things,
petit a Pharnabazo, ut daret sibi
he asked from Pharnabazus, that he would give to (for) himself
testimonium ad ephoros, quanta sanctitate
testimony to the magistrates, with how great sanctity
gessisset (sub.) bellum, que tractasset (sub.) socios,
he had carried on war, and had treated the allies,
que scriberet accurate de ea re; enim
and would write carefully of that thing; for
auctoritatem eius futuram magnam in ea re.
the authority of him about to be great in that thing.
Ille pollicetur liberaliter huic, conscripsit librum
He promises liberally to him, he composed a book
gravem multis verbis, in quo fert eum
heavy with many words, in which he extols him
summis laudibus. Quum legisset (sub.) et
with highest praises. When he had read and
probasset (sub.) quem, dum obsignatur, subiecit
had approved of which, while it is sealed, he substituted
alterum pari magnitudine, signatum, ut
another with equal greatness, sealed, that
posset (sub.) non discerni, in quo accusarat
it could not to be distinguished, in which he had accused
accuratissime avaritiam que perfidiam eius. Quum
most carefully the avarice and treachery of him. When
Lysander redisset (sub.) hinc domum, postquam
Lysander had returned hence home, after that
dixerat quae voluerat de suis rebus
he had said what (things) he had wished of his own things
gestis apud maximum magistratum,
carried on (exploits) at (before) the greatest magistrate,
tradidit librum datum a Pharnabazo loco
he delivered the book given by Pharnabazus in place
testimonii. Lysandro summoto, quum ephori
of testimony. Lysander being removed, when the magistrates
cognossent (sub.) hunc, dederunt ipsi legendum.
had known (read) this, they gave (it) to himself to be read.
Ita ille imprudens fuit ipse accusator sui.
Thus he unknowing was himself accuser of himself.