Nepos, Epaminondas 5

Epam. 5.1Fuit etiam disertus, ut nēmō eī Thēbānus pār esset ēloquentiā, neque minus concinnus in brevitāte respondendī quam in perpetuā ōrātiōne ōrnātus.

He was also eloquent, so that no Theban equalled him in eloquence, and he was no less pointed in short replies than polished in a continuous speech.

Note. ut nēmō ... pār esset: result clause. ēloquentiā is ablative of respect. respondendī: genitive gerund with brevitāte, 'in brevity of answering'.

Epam. 5.2Habuit obtrectātōrem Meneclīdēn quendam, indidem Thēbīs, et adversārium in administrandā rē pūblicā, satis exercitātum in dīcendō, ut Thēbānum scīlicet: namque illī gentī plūs inest vīrium quam ingeniī.

He had a detractor, one Meneclides, also from Thebes, and an opponent in public affairs, fairly practised in speaking, for a Theban, that is: for that people has more strength than wit.

Note. ut Thēbānum scīlicet: ironic, 'for a Theban, of course'. The Boeotians had a reputation in Greece for being dull and slow, hence illī gentī plūs inest vīrium quam ingeniī.

Epam. 5.3Is quod in rē mīlitārī flōrēre Epamīnōndam vidēbat, hortārī solēbat Thēbānōs, ut pācem bellō anteferrent, nē illīus imperātōris opera dēsīderārētur.

Because he saw that Epaminondas was flourishing in military affairs, he used to urge the Thebans to prefer peace to war, so that the services of that general would not be needed.

Note. nē illīus imperātōris opera dēsīderārētur: 'so that the services of that general would not be needed'. Meneclides wants peace because war makes his rival powerful.

Epam. 5.3Huic ille "fallis" inquit "verbō cīvēs tuōs, quod eōs ā bellō āvocās: ōtiī enim nōmine servitūtem conciliās.

To him Epaminondas said: "You deceive your fellow citizens with a word, in calling them away from war: under the name of peace you are bringing about slavery.

Note. verbō: 'by a word', i.e. by a fine name. ōtiī nōmine servitūtem conciliās: 'in the name of peace you are bringing about slavery'.

Epam. 5.4Nam paritur pāx bellō.

For peace is won by war.

Note. A short, memorable antithesis: paritur pāx bellō, 'peace is gained by war'.

Epam. 5.4Itaque quī eā diūtinā volunt fruī, bellō exercitātī esse dēbent.

So those who want to enjoy it for long must be trained in war.

Note. eā ... fruī: fruor takes the ablative, here eā (pāce). exercitātī esse dēbent: 'ought to be trained'.

Epam. 5.4Quārē sī prīncipēs Graeciae vultis esse, castrīs est vōbīs ūtendum, nōn palaestrā."

Therefore, if you want to be the leaders of Greece, you must use the camp, not the wrestling school."

Note. castrīs est vōbīs ūtendum: passive periphrastic with a dative of the agent, 'you must use the camp'; ūtor keeps its ablative even in the gerundive.

Epam. 5.5Īdem ille Meneclīdēs cum huic obiceret, quod līberōs nōn habēret neque uxōrem dūxisset, maximēque īnsolentiam, quod sibi Agamemnonis bellī glōriam vidērētur cōnsecūtus: at ille "dēsine," inquit "Meneclīda, dē uxōre mihi exprobrāre: nam nūllīus in istā rē minus utī cōnsiliō volō."

When this same Meneclides taunted him because he had no children and had not married a wife, and above all with arrogance, because he seemed to think he had won the glory of Agamemnon in war, Epaminondas said: "Stop reproaching me about a wife, Meneclides: for there is no one whose advice I would less want to follow in that matter."

Note. Agamemnon led the Greek army against Troy. In the reply, nūllīus ... consiliō: 'there is no one whose advice I would less want to use'. Epaminondas turns the taunt back: his critic was suspected of adultery (next sentence).

Epam. 5.5(habēbat enim Meneclīdēs suspīciōnem adulteriī.) "quod autem mē Agamemnonem aemulārī putās, falleris.

(For Meneclides was suspected of adultery.) "And as for your thinking that I am trying to rival Agamemnon, you are mistaken.

Note. The parenthesis is Nepos' explanation for the reader. quod autem ... putās: 'but as for your thinking that ...'. falleris: 'you are deceived'.

Epam. 5.6Namque ille cum ūniversā Graeciā vix decem annīs ūnam cēpit urbem, ego contrā ea ūnā urbe nostrā diēque ūnō tōtam Graeciam Lacedaemoniīs fugātīs līberāvī."

For he, with all Greece behind him, took a single city in barely ten years; I, on the other hand, with this one city of ours and in a single day, routed the Spartans and freed the whole of Greece."

Note. The contrast: Agamemnon needed ten years and all Greece to take one city (Troy); Epaminondas freed Greece in one day with one city. The day is the battle of Leuctra (371 BC). Lacedaemoniīs fugātīs is an ablative absolute.