Cornelii Nepotis Vitae (Hamilton)/Pelopidas

by Cornelius Nepos

Cornelius Nepos

Vitae (Editio Interlinearis Latina-Anglica Ad Modum Hamiltonii)

XVI. Pelopidas

editio: Philadelphia, 1890(?); Iacobus Hamiltonius (James Hamilton) et Ioannes Gulielmus Subsilvius (J. W. Underwood) recensuit

XV. Epaminondas	XVII. Agesilaus

I

Pelopidas	Thebanus,	magis	notus	historicis,
Pelopidas	the Theban,	more	known	to historians,

quam	vulgo.	De	virtutibus	cuius	dubito
than	to the vulgar.	Of	the virtues	of whom	I doubt

quemadmodum	exponam,	quod	vereor,	ne,
in what manner	I may set forth,	because	I fear,	lest,

si	incipiam (sub.)	explicare	res,	videar	non
if	I begin	to explain	things,	I may seem	not

enarrare	vitam	eius,	sed	scribere	historiam;
to narrate	the life	of him,	but	to write	a history;

si	attigero	tantummodo	summas,	ne
if	I shall have touched	only	the heads,	lest

appareat	minus	lucide	rudibus
it may appear	less	clearly	to (those) ignorant

Graecarum	litterarum,	quantus	vir	ille	fuerit (sub.).
of Greek	letters,	how great	a man	he	was.

Itaque	occurram	utrique	rei,	quantum
Therefore	I will meet	to either	thing,	as much as

potero,	et	medebor	cum	satietati
I shall be able,	and	I will remedy	as well	to the satiety

tum	ignorantiae	lectorum.	Phoebidas	Lacedaemonius,
as	to the ignorance	of readers.	Phoebidas	the Lacedemonian,

quum	duceret (sub.)	exercitum	Olynthum,	que
when	he did lead	the army	(to) Olynthus,	and

faceret (sub.)	iter	per	Thebas,	occupavit	arcem
did make	journey	by	Thebes,	occupied	the citadel

oppidi,	qua	nominatur	Cadmes,	impulsu
of the town,	which	is named	Cadmea,	by impulse

perpaucorum	Thebanorum,	qui,	quo	resisterent
of very few	Thebans,	who,	that	they might resist

facilius	adversariae	factioni,	studebant	rebus
more easily	to adverse	faction,	did study (favour)	to things

Laconum;	que	fecit	id	suo
of the Lacedemonians;	and	he did	that	by his own

privato,	non	publico,	consilio.	Quo	facto,
private,	not	by public,	counsel.	Which	being done,

Lacedaemonii	removerunt	eum	ab	exercitu,
the Lacedemonians	removed	him	from	the army,

que	multarunt	pecunia,	neque	magis	eo
and	fined (him)	in money,	nor	more	on that account

reddiderunt	arcem	Thebanis,	quod	inimicitiis
restored they	the citadel	to the Thebans,	because	enmities

susceptis,	ducebant	satius	eos
being taken up,	they did lead (think it)	better	them

obsideri,	quam	liberari.	Nam	post
to be besieged,	than	to be freed.	For	after

Peloponnesium	bellum	que	Athenas	devictas,
the Peloponnesian	war	and	Athens	being conquered,

existimabant	rem	esse	sibi	cum	Thebanis,
they did think	the thing	to be	to themselves	with	the Thebans,

et	eos	esse	solos,	qui	auderent	resistere
and	them	to be	alone,	who	might dare	to resist

adversus.	Hac	mente,	dederant	summas
against.	With this	mind,	they had given	highest

potestates	suis	amicis,	que	partim	interfecerant
powers	to their	friends,	and	partly	had killed

principes	alterius	factionis,	eiecerant	alios
the chiefs	of the other	faction,	they had cast out	others

in	exsilium,	in	quibus	hic	Pelopidas,
into	exile,	in (among)	whom	this	Pelopidas,

de	quo	exorsi-sumus	scribere,	pulsus
of	whom	we have begun	to write,	being expelled

carebat	patria.
was without	country.

II

Fere	omnes	hi	contulerant	se
Almost	all	these	had betaken	themselves

Athenas,	non	quo	sequerentur	otium,	sed
(to) Athens,	not	that	they might follow	ease,	but

ut,	quemque	locum	ex	proximo	sors
that,	whatever	place	of	nearest	fortune

obtulisset,	niterentur	eo	recuperare
might have offered,	they might strive	in that	to recover

patriam.	Itaque	quum	visum-est	tempus	rei
country.	Therefore	when	it seemed	time	of the thing

gerendae,	delegerunt	diem,	communiter	cum
to be carried on,	they chose	a day,	in common	with

his,	qui	Thebis	sentiebant	idem,	ad	inimicos
these,	who	in Thebes	did feel	the same,	to	enemies

opprimendos	que	civitatem	liberandam,	eum	quo
to be-oppressed	and	the state	to be freed,	that (day)	in which

maximi	magistratus	consueverant	epulari
the greatest	magistrates	had been accustomed	to feast

simul.	Magnae	res	saepe	gestae-sunt	copiis
together.	Great	things	often	have been carried on	by forces

non	ita	magnis,	sed	profecto	numquam	tantae
not	so	great,	but	assuredly	never	so great

opes	profligatae-sunt	ab	tam	tenui	initio.
powers	were dissipated	from	so	small	a beginning.

Nam	duodecim	adolescentuli	ex	his,	qui
For	twelve	young men	of	these,	who

multati-erant	exsilio,	coierunt,	quum	essent (sub.)
had been punished	with exile,	went together,	when	they were

non	omnino	amplius	centum,	qui	offerrent
not	altogether	more	than a hundred,	who	would offer

se	tanto	periculo.	Qua	paucitate
themselves	to so great	danger.	With which	fewness

potentia	Lacedaemoniorum	perculsa-est.	Enim
the power	of the Lacedemonians	was struck.	For

hi	eo	tempore	intulerunt	bellum	non	magis
these	in that	time	brought on	war	not	more

factioni	adversariorum,	quam	Spartanis,	qui
to the faction	of adversaries,	than	to the Spartans,	who

erant	principes	totius	Graeciae;	imperiosa	maiestas
were	chiefs	of whole	Greece;	the imperious	majesty

quorum,	perculsa	ab	hoc	initio,	concidit,
of whom,	being struck	from	this	beginning,	fell,

neque	ita	multo	post,	Leuctrica	pugna.	Igitur
nor	so	much	after,	in Leuctrian	fight.	Therefore

illi	duodecim,	dux	quorum	erat	Pelopidas,
those	twelve,	the leader	of whom	was	Pelopidas,

quum	exissent (sub.)	Athenis	interdiu,
when	they had gone out	from Athens	in the day time,

ut	possent	pervenire	Thebas	coelo
that	they might be able	to arrive at	Thebes	heaven

vesperascente,	exierunt	cum	venaticis	canibus,	ferentes
growing dark,	went out	with	hunting	dogs,	bearing

retia,	agresti	vestitu,	quo	facerent	iter
nets,	in rustic	clothing,	that	they might make	journey

minore	suspicione.	Qui	quum	pervenissent (sub.)
with less	suspicion.	Who	when	they had arrived

tempore	ipso,	quo	studuerant,	devenerunt
in the time	itself,	in which	they had studied,	came down

domum	Charonis,	a	quo	et	tempus
(to) the house	of Charon,	by	whom	both	the time

et	dies	datus-erat.
and	day	had been given.

III

Hoc	loco	libet	interponere,	etsi
In this	place	it pleases	to insert,	although

seiunctum-est	ab	proposita	re,	quantae
it is separated	from	the proposed	thing,	to how great

calamitati	nimia	fiducia	soleat (sub.)	esse.	Nam
calamity	too much	confidence	is wont	to be.	For

pervenit	statim	ad	aures	Thebanorum
it arrived	immediately	to	the ears	of the Theban

magistratuum,	exsules	devenisse	in	urbem.
magistrates,	the exiles	to have come down	into	the city.

Illi	dediti	vino	que	epulis,	usque-eo
They	being given up	to wine	and	to feasts,	so far

despexerunt	id,	ut	laborarint (sub.)	ne-quidem
despised	that,	that	they laboured	not even

quaerere	de	tanta	re.	Accessit
to inquire	concerning	so great	thing.	There acceded

etiam,	quod	aperiret (sub.)	dementiam	eorum
also,	(that) which	did discover	the madness	of them

magis.	Enim	epistola	allata-est	Athenis	ab
more.	For	a letter	was brought	from Athens	from

Archia	[hierophante,]	Archiae,	uni	ex	his,
Archias	[the hierophant,]	to Archias,	one	of	those,

qui	tum	obtinebat	maximum	magistratum	Thebis,
who	then	did hold	greatest	magistracy	in Thebes,

in	qua	omnia	de	profectione	exsulum
in	which	all (things)	concerning	the setting out	of the exiles

perscripta-erant.	Quae	quum	data-esset (sub.)
had been written.	Which	when	it had been given

accubanti	iam	in	convivio,	subiiciens,	signata
to (him) reclining	already	in	the feast,	throwing (it),	sealed

sicut	erat,	sub	pulvinum;	differo,	inquit,
as	it was,	under	the pillow;	I delay,	says he,

severas	res	in	crastinum.	At	illi	omnes,
severe	things	unto	to-morrow.	But	they	all,

quum	iam	mox	processisset (sub.),	vinolenti
when	now	night	had advanced,	being drunk

interfecti-sunt	ab	exsulibus,	Pelopida	duce.
were killed	by	the exiles,	Pelopidas	(being) leader.

Quibus	rebus	confectis,	vulgo
Which	things	being finished,	the common people

vocato	ad	arma	que	libertatem,	non	solum
being called	to	arms	and	liberty,	not	only

qui	erant	in	urbe,	sed	etiam	concurrerunt	ex
who	were	in	the city,	but	also	they ran together	out of

agris	undique;	pepulerunt	praesidium
the fields	from all sides;	they drove	the garrison

Lacedaemoniorum	ex	arce;	liberaverunt
of Lacedemonians	out of	the citadel;	they freed

patriam	obsidione;	occiderunt	partim	auctores
country	from siege;	they slew	partly	the authors

Cadmeae	occupandae,	partim	eiecerunt	in	exsilium.
of Cadmea	to be occupied,	partly	cast out	into	exile.

IV

Hoc	tam	turbido	tempore,	sicut	diximus
In this	so	turbulent	time,	as	we have said

supra,	Epaminondas,	quoad	dimicatum-est	cum
above,	Epaminondas,	as long as	it was fought	with

civibus,	fuit	quietus	domi.	Itaque	haec	laus
citizens,	was	quiet	at home.	Therefore	this	praise

Thebarum	liberandarum	est	propria	Pelopidae:	fere
of Thebes	to be freed	is	proper	to Pelopidas:	almost

omnes	ceterae	communes	cum	Epaminonda.	Namque
all	the rest	common	with	Epaminondas.	For

in	Leuctrica	pugna,	Epaminonda	imperatore,
in	Leuctrian	fight,	Epaminondas	(being) commander,

hic	fuit	dux	delectae	manus,	quae	prima
this	was	leader	of a chosen	band,	which	first

prostravit	phalangem	Laconum.	Praeterea
overthrew	the phalanx	of the Lacedemonians.	Besides

adfuit	omnibus	periculis.	Sicut	quum
he was present	to all	dangers.	As	when

oppugnavit	Spartam,	tenuit	alterum	cornu,
he fought against	Sparta,	he held	the other	wing,

quoque	Messene	restitueretur	celerius,
and that	Messene	might be restored	more quickly,

profectus-est	legatus	in	Persas.	Denique,	haec
he set out	ambassador	unto	the Persians.	Finally,	this

fuit	altera	persona	Thebis,	sed	tamen
was	another (the second)	character	in Thebes,	but	yet

secunda,	ita	ut	esset (sub.)	proxima	Epaminondae.
second,	so	that	it was	next	to Epaminondas.

V

Autem	conflictatus-est	cum	adversa	fortuna.	Nam
But	he struggled	with	adverse	fortune.	For

et	initio,	sicut	ostendimus,	exsul
both	in the beginning,	as	we have shewn,	an exile

carebat	patria,	et	quum	cuperet (sub.)
he was without	country,	and	when	he did desire

redigere	Thessaliam	in	potestatem	Thebanorum,	que
to reduce	Thessaly	into	the power	of the Thebans,	and

arbitraretur (sub.)	se	satis	tectum
did think	himself	sufficiently	covered (protected)

iure	legationis,	quod	consuesset (sub.)	esse
by the right	of embassy,	which	had used	to be

sanctum	apud	omnes	gentes,	comprehensus	a
sacred	at	all	nations,	seized	by

tyranno	Pheraeo	Alexandro	simul	cum	Ismenia,
the tyrant	Pherean	Alexander	together	with	Ismenias,

coniectus-est	in	vincula.	Epaminondas,	persequens
he was thrown	into	chains.	Epaminondas,	pursuing

Alexandrum	bello,	recuperavit	hunc.	Post	id
Alexander	in war,	recovered	him.	After	that

factum,	is	numquam	potuit	placari	animo
deed,	he	never	could	to be appeased	in mind

in	eum,	a	quo	violatus-erat.	Itaque
unto	him,	by	whom	he had been violated.	Therefore

persuasit	Thebanis,	ut	proficiscerentur
he persuaded	to the Thebans,	that	they should set out

subsidio	Thessaliae,	que	expellerent	tyrannos
to assistance	of Thessaly,	and	should expel	the tyrants

eius.	Quum	summa	cuius	belli	data-esset (sub.)
of it.	When	the sum	of which	war	had been given

ei,	que	profectus-esset (sub.)	eo	cum	exercitu,
to him,	and	he had set out	thither	with	army,

dubitavit	non	confligere,	simul-ac	conspexit
he doubted	not	to engage,	as soon as	he beheld

hostem.	In	quo	praelio,	ut	animadvertit
the enemy.	In	which	battle,	when	he perceived

Alexandrum,	incensus	ira,	concitavit
Alexander,	being inflamed	with anger,	he urged on

equum	in	eum,	et	degressus	procul
horse	against	him,	and	having-gone-down	far

a	suis,	concidit	confossus	coniectu	telorum.
from	his own (people),	he fell	pierced	by throwing	of darts.

Atque	hoc	accidit	secunda	victoria,	nam
And	this	happened	in prosperous	victory,	for

iam	copiae	tyrannorum	inclinatae-erant.	Quo
already	the forces	of the tyrants	had been turned.	Which

facto,	omnes	civitates	Thessaliae	donarunt	Pelopidam
being done,	all	the states	of Thessaly	presented	Pelopidas

interfectum,	aureis	coronis	et	aeneis	statuis,
being-killed,	with golden	crowns	and	with brazen	statues,

que	liberos	eius	multo	agro.
and	the children	of him	with much	land.