Home > Passages > Xenophon Anabasis 4.8
| A former slave, instructed by Xenophon, negotiates a truce between Greeks and barbarians |
| ἔνθα δὴ προσέρχεται Ξενοφῶντι τῶν πελταστῶν ἀνὴρ Ἀθήνησι φάσκων δεδουλευκέναι, λέγων ὅτι γιγνώσκοι τὴν φωνὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. “καὶ οἶμαι,” ἔφη, “ἐμὴν ταύτην πατρίδα εἶναι· καὶ εἰ μή τι κωλύει, ἐθέλω αὐτοῖς διαλεχθῆναι.” “ἀλλ’ οὐδὲν κωλύει,” ἔφη, “ἀλλὰ διαλέγου καὶ μάθε πρῶτον τίνες εἰσίν.” οἱ δ’ εἶπον ἐρωτήσαντος ὅτι Μάκρωνες. “ἐρώτα τοίνυν,” ἔφη, “αὐτοὺς τί ἀντιτετάχαται καὶ χρῄζουσιν ἡμῖν πολέμιοι εἶναι.” οἱ δ’ ἀπεκρίναντο ὅτι “καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν χώραν ἔρχεσθε.” λέγειν ἐκέλευον οἱ στρατηγοὶ ὅτι “οὐ κακῶς γε ποιήσοντες, ἀλλὰ βασιλεῖ πολεμήσαντες ἀπερχόμεθα εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα, καὶ ἐπὶ θάλατταν βουλόμεθα ἀφικέσθαι.” ἠρώτων ἐκεῖνοι εἰ δοῖεν ἂν τούτων τὰ πιστά. οἱ δ’ ἔφασαν καὶ δοῦναι καὶ λαβεῖν ἐθέλειν. ἐντεῦθεν διδόασιν οἱ Μάκρωνες βαρβαρικὴν λόγχην τοῖς Ἕλλησιν, οἱ δὲ Ἕλληνες ἐκείνοις Ἑλληνικήν· ταῦτα γὰρ ἔφασαν πιστὰ εἶναι· θεοὺς δ’ ἐπεμαρτύραντο ἀμφότεροι. |
| πελταστής, οῦ, ὁ - (in plural) light troops ἐρωτήσαντος - supply αὐτοῦ Μάκρωνες, οἱ - a people of Pontus χρῄζω - want |
| (1B 2 2007) |
Download a pdf of this passage
Constructions illustrated in this passage:
- the potential optative (sentence 243)
- present real conditionals (sentence 241)
- γε (sentence 242)
- the optative in indirect speech (sentence 240)
- ἀλλά (sentence 241)
- indirect questions (sentence 241, 243)
- the future participle expressing purpose (sentence 242)
- ὄτι in direct speech (sentence 242)
- indirect command (sentence 242)
- καί…καί (sentence 243)
- the accusative and infinitive (sentence 240, 241, 243)