"Thukydides Olorou Alimountios"

First book

1.1.1

Greek Text : ΘΟΥΚΙΔΙΔΗΣ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΟΣ ΞΥΝΕΓΡΑΨΕ ΤΟΝ ΠΟΛΕΜΟΝ ΤΩΝ ΠΕΛΟΠΟΝΝΗΣΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΩΝ ΩΣ ΕΠΟΛΕΜΗΣΑΝ ΠΡΟΣ ΑΛΛΗΛΟΥΣ, ΑΡΞΑΜΕΝΟΣ ΕΥΘΥΣ ΚΑΘΙΣΤΑΜΕΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΠΙΣΑΣ ΜΕΓΑΝ ΤΕ ΕΣΕΣΘΑΙ ΚΑΙ ΑΞΙΟΛΟΓΩΤΑΤΟΝ ΤΩΝ ΠΡΟΓΕΓΕΝΗΜΕΝΩΝ, ΤΕΚΜΑΙΡΟΜΕΝΟΣ ΟΤΙ ΑΚΜΑΖΟΝΤΕΣ ΤΕ ΗΣΑΝ ΕΣ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΑΜΦΟΤΕΡΟΙ ΠΑΡΑΣΚΕΥΗ ΤΗ ΠΑΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΤΟ ΑΛΛΟ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟΝ ΟΡΩΝ ΞΥΝΙΣΤΑΜΕΝΟ ΠΡΟΣ ΕΚΑΤΕΡΟΥΣ, ΤΟ ΜΕΝ ΕΥΘΥΣ, ΤΟ ΔΕ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΝΟΟΥΜΕΝΟΝ. ΚΙΝΗΣΙΣ ΓΑΡ ΑΥΤΗ ΜΕΓΙΣΤΗ ΔΗ ΤΟΙΣ ΕΛΛΗΣΙΝ ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΡΕΙ ΤΙΝΙ ΤΩΝ ΒΑΡΒΑΡΩΝ, ΩΣ ΔΕ ΕΙΠΕΙΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΙ ΠΛΕΙΣΤΩΝ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΩΝ.

Translation : Thucydides, an Athenian, wrote the history of the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, beginning at the moment that it broke out, and believing that it would be a great war, and more worthy of relation than any that had preceded it. The preparations of both the combatants were in every department in the last state of perfection; and he could see the rest of the Hellenic race taking sides in the quarrel; those who delayed doing so at once having it in contemplation. This was the greatest movement yet of the Hellenes and of some barbarians -- I had almost said of mankind.

Important remark : The Peloponnesian war was a civil war between the hellenic cities. However barbarians (=non greek speaking) took also part in this war. This remark is given because there is a constant try to falsify history by implying that Macedonians were not Greek since in this war , they fought side by side with barbarians. However ,as it is proven by Thukydides, not only Macedonians but all Greeks (Athenians, Spartans e.t.c.) in this war, allied with some barbarian tribes in order to reinforce their armies.

1.2.5-1.2.6

Greek Text : ΤΗΝ ΓΟΥΝ ΑΤΤΙΚΗΝ ΕΚ ΤΟΥ ΕΠΙ ΠΛΕΙΣΤΟΝ ΔΙΑ ΤΟ ΛΕΠΤΟΓΕΩΝ ΑΣΤΑΣΙΑΣΤΟΝ ΟΥΣΑΝ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΙ ΩΙΚΟΥΝ ΟΙ ΑΥΤΟΙ ΑΕΙ ΚΑΙ ΠΑΡΑΔΕΙΓΜΑ ΤΟΔΕ ΤΟΥ ΛΟΓΟΥ ΟΥΚ ΕΛΑΧΙΣΤΟΝ ΕΣΤΙ ΔΙΑ ΤΑΣ ΜΕΤΟΙΚΙΑΣ ΕΣ ΤΑ ΑΛΛΑ ΜΗ ΟΜΟΙΩΣ ΑΥΞΗΘΗΝΑΙ. ΕΚ ΓΑΡ ΤΗΣ ΑΛΛΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ ΟΙ ΠΟΛΕΜΩΙ Η ΣΤΑΣΗ ΕΚΠΙΠΤΟΝΤΕΣ ΠΑΡ' ΑΘΗΝΑΙΟΥΣ ΟΙ ΔΥΝΑΤΩΤΑΤΟΙ ΩΣ ΒΕΒΑΙΟΝ ΟΝ ΑΝΕΧΩΡΟΥΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΛΙΤΑΙ ΓΙΓΝΟΜΕΝΟΙ ΕΥΘΥΣ ΑΠΟ ΠΑΛΑΙΟΥ ΜΕΙΖΩ ΕΤΙ ΕΠΟΙΗΣΑΝ ΠΛΗΘΕΙ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΩΝ ΤΗΝ ΠΟΛΙΝ ΩΣΤΕ ΚΑΙ ΕΣ ΙΩΝΙΑΝ ΥΣΤΕΡΟΝ ΩΣ ΟΥΧ ΙΚΑΝΗΣ ΟΥΣΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΑΤΤΙΚΗΣ ΑΠΟΙΚΙΑΣ ΕΞΕΠΕΜΨΑΝ.

Translation : Since Attica has poor (non fertile) land, there was no faction (here it means internal problems and riots) and people living there were ALWAYS the SAME. And an example for this is that the other areas in Hellas had not accordingly grown. This because the most powerful victims of war or faction from the rest of Hellas took refuge with the Athenians and becoming citizens at that early period, contributed to such an increase of the population in Athens, that later they had to send colonies in IONIA (Today called Turkey's Aegean coast) because Attica was then to small to hold them.

Important remark : Another attempt of history falsification is the so called indo-european tribe. According to the "Indo-european" theory, Ancient Greeks (Hellenes) were not native but came in the northern Balkans from somewhere in Asia (India e.t.c.). Although this theory is ridiculous, it is today generally accepted.

The first proof that this theory is false, is that in the period those "historians" claim, that the "Indo-europeans" came to Greece, the northern Balkan Peninnsula and the rest of Europe were still covered by ice ! (The ice ages).

In this part of Thukydides history, the historian describes the very beginning of hellenic history and how the hellenic cities were created, starting from nomad life in the very ancient years (ca. 8000 B.C.). He clearly states that Athens had always the same inhabitants. This because the land was poor for cultivation and there was not any interest from other hellenic tribes to "invade" that land. This comment does not off course mean that only Attica was inhabited by native Hellenes. It does only stress the fact, that Hellenes through the ancient times evolved to the state-city organisation. But those who structured first their city as the state-city were the Athenians according to the reasons explained in the above passage.

The same fact is also proved by the famous speech of Pericles in [2.36.1], which will be analysed in the second book.

1.22.4

Greek Text : ΟΣΟΙ ΔΕ ΒΟΥΛΗΣΟΝΤΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΤΕ ΓΕΝΟΜΕΝΩΝ ΤΟ ΣΑΦΕΣ ΣΚΟΠΕΙΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΜΕΛΛΟΝΤΩΝ ΠΟΤΕ ΑΥΘΙΣ ΚΑΤΑ ΤΟ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΙΝΟΝ ΤΟΙΟΥΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΑΡΑΠΛΗΣΙΟΝ ΕΣΕΣΘΑΙ, ΩΦΕΛΙΜΑ ΚΡΙΝΕΙΝ ΑΥΤΑ ΑΡΚΟΥΝΤΩΣ ΕΞΕΙ. ΚΤΗΜΑ ΤΕ ΕΣ ΑΕΙ ΜΑΛΛΟΝ Η ΑΓΩΝΙΣΜΑ ΕΣ ΤΟ ΠΑΡΑΧΡΗΜΑ ΑΚΟΥΕΙΝ ΞΥΓΚΕΙΤΑΙ.

Translation : But those who will in the future search for an understanding of these events, because according to the human nature, future resembles to the past, if they find my history useful, it will be enough for me. Because this (history) is written to be a human possession for ever, than to take part in contest and be heard and rewarded only once.

Note : At this point Thukydides explains the main reason to write the history of Peloponnesian war. His main concern was for mankind, to avoid the same mistakes in the future and particularly the horror of civil wars. If one takes into account that this idea was born 2500 years ago, no more comments need to be added.

Last updated : 5/10/1996 - Comments or suggestions : varonos@fluid.mech.ntua.gr