Nepos, Miltiades 3

Milt. 3.1Eīsdem temporibus Persārum rēx Dārīus ex Asiā in Eurōpam exercitū trāiectō Scythīs bellum īnferre dēcrēvit.

At the same time Darius, king of the Persians, having taken his army across from Asia into Europe, decided to make war on the Scythians.

Note. Darius' Scythian expedition (around 513 BC) crossed the Bosporus into Europe and then the Danube into the steppe north of the Black Sea.

Milt. 3.1Pontem fēcit in Histrō flūmine, quā cōpiās trādūceret.

He built a bridge on the river Hister, by which to lead his forces across.

Note. quā … trādūceret: a relative clause of purpose, 'by which he might lead across'. The Hister is the lower Danube.

Milt. 3.1Eius pontis, dum ipse abesset, custōdēs relīquit prīncipēs, quōs sēcum ex Iōniā et Aeolide dūxerat, quibus singulārum urbium perpetua dederat imperia.

As guards of this bridge while he himself was away he left the leading men whom he had brought with him from Ionia and Aeolis, and to whom he had given permanent rule over their individual cities.

Note. dum ipse abesset: the subjunctive after dum shows the purpose or expectation in Darius' mind, 'while (as he intended) he was away'. The Greek cities of Ionia and Aeolis were ruled for Persia by local 'tyrants', of whom Miltiades was one.

Milt. 3.2Sīc enim facillimē putāvit sē Graecā linguā loquentēs, quī Asiam incolerent, sub suā retentūrum potestāte, sī amīcīs suīs oppida tuenda trādidisset, quibus sē oppressō nūlla spēs salūtis relinquerētur.

For he thought that in this way he would most easily keep under his power the Greek-speaking inhabitants of Asia, if he had handed over their towns to be guarded by his friends, who would have no hope of safety left if he were crushed.

Note. facillimē: superlative of facile. sē … retentūrum (esse): future infinitive in indirect statement after putāvit. sē oppressō: ablative absolute, 'if he (Darius) were crushed'. The logic is that the tyrants would be loyal because they depended on him.

Milt. 3.2In hōc fuit tum numerō Miltiadēs.

Miltiades was among this number at the time.

Milt. 3.3Hic, cum crēbrī afferrent nūntiī male rem gerere Dārīum premīque ā Scythīs, hortātus est pontis custōdēs, nē ā fortūnā datam occāsiōnem līberandae Graeciae dīmitterent.

When frequent messengers brought news that Darius was faring badly and was being hard pressed by the Scythians, he urged the guards of the bridge not to let slip the chance that fortune had given them of freeing Greece.

Note. nē … dīmitterent: an indirect command after hortātus est. līberandae Graeciae: a gerundive with occāsiōnem, 'the chance of freeing Greece'.

Milt. 3.4Nam sī cum iīs cōpiīs, quās sēcum trānsportārat, interīsset Dārīus, nōn sōlum Eurōpam fore tūtam, sed etiam eōs, quī Asiam incolerent Graecī genere, līberōs ā Persārum futūrōs dominātiōne et perīculō.

For if Darius perished together with the forces he had brought across with him, not only would Europe be safe, but also those of Greek race who lived in Asia would be free from the rule of the Persians and from danger.

Note. The argument continues in indirect statement: fore (= futūram esse) tūtam; futūrōs (esse) līberōs. Graecī genere: 'Greeks by race', ablative of respect.

Milt. 3.4Id facile efficī posse: ponte enim rescissō rēgem vel hostium ferrō vel inopiā paucīs diēbus interitūrum.

This, he said, could easily be done: for once the bridge was cut, the king would perish within a few days, either by the enemy's sword or by want.

Note. ponte … rescissō: ablative absolute with conditional force, 'if the bridge were cut'. interitūrum (esse): future infinitive.

Milt. 3.5Ad hoc cōnsilium cum plērīque accēderent, Hestiaeus Mīlēsius, nē rēs cōnficerētur, obstitit, dīcēns nōn idem ipsīs, quī summās imperiī tenērent, expedīre et multitūdinī, quod Dārīī regnō ipsōrum nīterētur dominātiō: quō exstīnctō ipsōs potestāte expulsōs cīvibus suīs poenās datūrōs.

When most of them were coming round to this plan, Histiaeus of Miletus opposed it to stop the thing being done, saying that the same course was not in the interest of men like themselves, who held supreme power, as of the multitude, because their own rule rested on the kingdom of Darius: once he was destroyed, they would be driven from power and pay the penalty to their fellow citizens.

Note. Histiaeus' argument is a classic piece of political self-interest: nōn idem ipsīs … expedīre et multitūdinī, 'the same thing was not in the interest of themselves and of the people'. idem … et: 'the same … as'. quō exstīnctō: ablative absolute, 'once he was destroyed'. poenās dare: 'to pay the penalty'.

Milt. 3.5Itaque adeō sē abhorrēre ā cēterōrum cōnsiliō, ut nihil putet ipsīs ūtilius quam cōnfirmārī regnum Persārum.

And so, he said, he was so far from agreeing with the plan of the others that he thought nothing more useful for them than that the kingdom of the Persians be strengthened.

Note. nihil … ūtilius quam: 'nothing more useful than'. The present subjunctive putet keeps the tense of the original speech (repraesentātiō).

Milt. 3.6Huius cum sententiam plūrimī essent secūtī, Miltiadēs nōn dubitāns tam multīs cōnsciīs ad rēgis aurēs cōnsilia sua perventūra, Chersonēsum relīquit ac rūrsus Athēnās dēmigrāvit.

When very many had followed his view, Miltiades, not doubting that with so many in the secret his plans would reach the king's ears, left the Chersonese and moved back to Athens.

Note. nōn dubitāns … perventūra (esse): after nōn dubitāre a writer may use an accusative and infinitive instead of quīn. tam multīs cōnsciīs: ablative absolute, 'with so many in the know'.

Milt. 3.6Cuius ratiō etsī nōn valuit, tamen magnō opere est laudanda, cum amīcior omnium lībertātī quam suae fuerit dominātiōnī.

Although his plan did not prevail, it is nevertheless greatly to be praised, since he was more a friend to the freedom of all than to his own power.

Note. laudanda est: the gerundive of obligation, 'is to be praised'. cum … fuerit: causal cum with the subjunctive, 'since he was'.