Cornelii Nepotis Vitae (Hamilton)/Conon

by Cornelius Nepos

Cornelius Nepos

Vitae (Editio Interlinearis Latina-Anglica Ad Modum Hamiltonii)

IX. Conon

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

VIII. Thrasybulus	X. Dion

I

Conon,	Atheniensis,	accessit	ad	rempublicam
Conon,	the Athenian,	approached	to	the republic

Peloponnesio	bello,	que	in	eo	opera	eius
in the Peloponnesian	war,	and	in	it	the work	of him

fuit	magni.	Nam	et	praetor	praefuit
was	of great (value).	For	both	(as) commander	he was over

pedestribus	exercitibus,	et	praefectus	classis
to pedestrian	armies,	and	commander	of fleet

gessit	magnas	res	mari.	Ob	quas	caussas
he carried on	great	things	by sea.	For	which	causes

praecipuus	honos	habitus-est	ei.	Namque	unus
particular	honour	was had	to him.	For	alone

praefuit	omnibus	insulis:	in	qua	potestate
he was over	to all	the islands:	in	which	power

cepit	Pheras,	coloniam	Lacedaemoniorum.	Fuit
he took	Pherae,	a colony	of the Lacedemonians.	He was

etiam	praetor	extremo	Peloponnesio	bello,	quum
also	commander	in the last	Peloponnesian	war,	when

copiae	Atheniensium	devictae-sunt	a	Lysandro
the forces	of the Athenians	were conquered	by	Lysander

apud	flumen	Aegos.	Sed	abfuit
at	the river	Aegos (Aegospotamos).	But	he was absent

tum,	que	eo	res	administrata-est
then,	and	on that account	the thing	was managed

peius.	Nam	erat	et	prudens	militaris	rei,
worse.	For	he was	both	skilful	of military	thing,

et	diligens	imperii.	Itaque	erat	dubium
and	diligent	of command.	Therefore	it was	doubtful

nemini	his	temporibus,	si	adfuisset (sub.),
to nobody	in these	times,	if	he had been present,

Athenienses	fuisse	non	accepturos	illam
the Athenians	to have been	not	about to receive	that

calamitatem.

calamity.

II

Autem	rebus	afflictis,	quum	audisset (sub.)
But	things	being afflicted,	when	he had heard

patriam	obsideri,	quaesivit	non,	ubi
country	to be besieged,	he sought	not,	where

viveret	tuto	ipse,	sed	unde	posset
he might live	safely	himself,	but	whence	he might be able

esse	praesidio	suis	civibus.	Itaque	contulit
to be	to protection	to his	citizens.	Therefore	he betook

se	ad	Pharnabazum,	satrapen	Ioniae	et
himself	to	Pharnabazus,	satrap	of Ionia	and

Lydiae,	que	eumdem	generum	et	propinquum
of Lydia,	and	the same	son-in-law	and	relation

regis;	apud	quem	ut	valeret (sub.)	multum
of the king;	at	whom	that	he did prevail	much

gratia,	effecit	multo	labore	que	multis
in favour,	he effected	with much	labour	and	with many

periculis.	Nam	quum	Lacedaemonii,	Atheniensibus
dangers.	For	when	the Lacedemonians,	the Athenians

devictis,	manerent	non	in	societate,	quam
being conquered,	would remain	not	in	alliance,	which

fecerant	cum	Artaxerxe,	que	misissent (sub.)
they had made	with	Artaxerxes,	and	had sent

Agesilaum	in	Asiam	bellatum,	impulsi	maxime
Agesilaus	into	Asia	to war,	being impelled	chiefly

a	Tissapherne,	qui	ex	intimis	regis	defecerat
by	Tissaphernes,	who	of	intimates	of the king	had revolted

ab	amicitia	eius	et	coierat
from	the friendship	of him	and	had entered into

societatem	cum	Lacedaemoniis,	Pharnabazus
alliance	with	the Lacedemonians,	Pharnabazus

habitus-est	imperator	adversus	hunc,	re-vera	quidem
was had	commander	against	him,	in truth	indeed

Conon	praefuit	exercitui,	et	omnia
Conon	was over	to the army,	and	all (things)

gesta-sunt	arbitrio	eius.	Hic	impedivit	multum
were carried on	by will	of him.	He	hindered	much

summum	ducem,	Agesilaum,	que	saepe	obstitit
the chief	leader,	Agesilaus,	and	often	opposed

consiliis	eius;	neque	vero	fuit	non
to the counsels	of him;	nor	indeed	was it	not

apertum,	si	ille	fuisset (sub.)	non,	Agesilaum
evident,	if	he	had been	not,	Agesilaus

erepturum-fuisse	Asiam	regi
to have been about to take away	Asia	from the king

tenus	Tauro.	Qui	posteaquam	revocatus-est
as far as	Taurus.	Who	after that	he was recalled

domum	a	suis	civibus,	quod	Boeotii	et
home	by	his	citizens,	because	the Boeotians	and

Athenienses	indixerant	bellum	Lacedaemoniis;
Athenians	had declared	war	to the Lacedemonians;

Conon	nihilo	secius	versabatur	apud	praefectos
Conon	by nothing	the less	remained	at (among)	the governors

regis,	que	erat	maximo	usui	omnibus	his.
of the king,	and	was	to greatest	use	to all	these.

III

Tissaphernes	defecerat	a	rege,	neque	erat
Tissaphernes	had revolted	from	the king,	nor	was

id	tam	apertum	Artaxerxi,	quam	ceteris.	Enim
that	so	evident	to Artaxerxes,	as	to others.	For

valebat	apud	regem	multis	et	magnis
he did prevail	at (with)	the king	by many	and	great

meritis,	etiam	quum	maneret (sub.)	non	in	officio.
merits,	even	when	he did remain	not	in	duty.

Neque	id	admirandum,	si	adducebatur	non
Nor (is)	that	to be wondered at,	if	he was led	not

facile	ad	credendum,	reminiscens,	se
easily	to	believing,	remembering,	himself

superasse	fratrem	Cyrum	opera	eius.
to have overcome	(his) brother	Cyrus	by work	of him.

Conon	missus	ad	regem	a	Pharnabazo	gratia
Conon	being sent	to	the king	by	Pharnabazus	for the sake

huius	accusandi,	posteaquam	venit,	accessit,
of him	to be accused,	after that	he came,	approached,

ex	more	Persarum,	primum	ad
out of (according to)	custom	of the Persians,	first	to

Tithrausten,	chiliarchum,	qui	tenebat
Tithraustes,	a captain of a thousand,	who	did hold

secundum	gradum	imperii,	que	ostendit	se
the second	degree	of power,	and	shewed	himself

velle	colloqui	cum	rege.	Enim	nemo
to will	to converse	with	the king.	For	nobody

admittitur	sine	hoc.	Ille	inquit	huic,	est
is admitted	without	him.	He	says	to him,	there is

nulla	mora;	sed	delibera	tu,	utrum
no	delay;	but	deliberate	thou,	whether

malis	colloqui,	an	agere	per	litteras,
thou mayest will more	to converse,	or	to act	by	letters,

que	cogitas.	Enim	est	necesse,	si
what (things)	thou thinkest.	For	it is	necessary,	if

veneris (sub.)	in	conspectum,	te
thou shalt come	into	sight (the presence),	(for) thee

venerari	regem	(quod	illi	vocant	προσκυνεῖν).
to venerate	the king	(which	they	call	proskunein).

Si	hoc	est	grave	tibi,	mandatis	editis
If	this	is	heavy (grievous)	to thee,	commands	being uttered

per	me,	nihilo	secius	conficies	quod
by	me,	by nothing	the less	thou shalt effect	what

studes.	Tum	Conon	inquit:	vero	est	non
thou studiest.	Then	Conon	says:	truly	it is	not

grave	mihi	habere	quemvis	honorem
heavy (grievous)	to me	to have (shew)	any	honour

regi;	sed	vereor,	ne	sit	opprobrio
to the king;	but	I dread,	lest	it may be	to disgrace

meae	civitati,	si,	quum	profectus-sim (sub.)	ex
to my	state,	if,	when	I have set out	from

ea,	quae	consueverit (sub.)	imperare	ceteris
that,	which	has been accustomed	to rule	to other

gentibus,	fungar (sub.)	more	potius	barbarorum,
nations,	I discharge	the custom	rather	of barbarians,

quam	illius.	Itaque	tradidit	[huic],
than	of that.	Therefore	he delivered	[to him],

qua	volebat,	scripta.
(the things) which	he did wish,	written.

IV

Quibus	cognitis,	rex	motus-est	tantum
Which	being known,	the king	was moved	so much

auctoritate	eius,	ut	et	iudicaverit (sub.)
by the authority	of him,	that	both	he judged

Tissaphernem	hostem,	et	iusserit (sub.)	persequi
Tissaphernes	an enemy,	and	ordered	to persecute

Lacedaemonios	bello,	et	permiserit (sub.)
the Lacedemonians	with war,	and	permitted

ei,	eligere	quem	vellet	ad	pecuniam
to him,	to choose	whom	he might wish	to	the money

dispensandam.	Conon	negavit	id	arbitrium	esse
to be managed.	Conon	denied	that	arbitration	to be

sui	consilii,	sed	ipsius,	qui	deberet (sub.)
of his	counsel,	but	of himself,	who	ought

nosse	suos	optime:	sed	se	suadere,
to have known	his own	best:	but	himself	to advise,

daret	id	negotii	Pharnabazo.	Donatus
he would give	that	of business	to Pharnabazus.	Being presented

magnis	muneribus,	missus-est	hinc	ad	mare,
with great	presents,	he was sent	hence	to	the sea,

ut	imperaret	Cypriis	et	Phoenicibus
that	he might command	from Cyprians	and	from Phoenicians,

que	ceteris	maritimis	civitatibus	longas	naves,	que
and	from other	maritime	states	long	ships,	and

compararet	classem,	qua	proxima	aestate
should prepare	the fleet,	with which	in the next	summer

posset	tueri	mare,	Pharnabazo
he might be able	to defend	the sea,	Pharnabazus

dato	adiutore,	sicut	ipse	voluerat.
being given	(as) assistant,	as	himself	had wished.

Ut	id	nuntiatum-est	Lacedaemoniis,
When	that	was announced	to the Lacedemonians,

administrarunt	rem	non	sine	cura,	quod
they managed	the thing	not	without	care,	because

arbitrabantur	maius	bellum	imminere	quam	si
they did think	a greater	war	to impend	than	if

contenderent (sub.)	cum	barbaro	solum.	Nam
they did contend	with	a barbarian	only.	For

videbant	fortem	et	prudentem	ducem
they did see	a brave	and	skilful	leader

praefuturum	regiis	opibus	ac	dimicaturum
about to be over	to the royal	resources	and	about to fight

secum,	quem	possent	superare
with them,	whom	they might be able	to overcome

neque	consilio,	neque	copiis.	Hac	mente
neither	by counsel,	nor	by forces.	With this	mind

contrahunt	magnam	classem,	proficiscuntur
they draw together	a great	fleet,	they set out

Pisandro	duce.	Conon	adortus	hos
Pisander	(being) leader.	Conon	having attacked	these

apud	Cnidum	fugat	magno	praelio,	capit	multas
at	Cnidus	routs	in great	battle,	takes	many

naves,	deprimit	complures.	Qua	victoria	non
ships,	sinks	several.	By which	victory	not

solum	Athenae,	sed	etiam	cuncta	Graecia,	quae
only	Athens,	but	also	whole	Greece,	which

fuerat	sub	imperio	Lacedaemoniorum,
had been	under	the command	of the Lacedemonians,

liberata-est.	Conon	venit	cum	parte	navium	in
was freed.	Conon	came	with	part	of the ships	into

patriam,	curat	utrosque	muros	dirutos	a
country,	he takes care	both	walls	destroyed	by

Lysandro,	et	Piraeei	et	Athenarum,	reficiendos;
Lysander,	both	of Piraeus	and	of Athens,	to be repaired;

que	donat	suis	civibus	quinquaginta	talenta
and	presents	to his	citizens	fifty	talents

pecuniae,	quae	acceperat	a	Pharnabazo.
of money,	which	he had received	from	Pharnabazus.

V

Accidit	huic,	quod	ceteris	mortalibus,
It happened	to him,	which	to other	mortals,

ut	esset (sub.)	inconsideratior	in	secunda,	quam
that	he was	more thoughtless	in	favourable,	than

adversa	fortuna.	Nam,	classe	Peloponnesiorum
in adverse	fortune.	For,	the fleet	of the Peloponnesians

devicta,	quum	putaret (sub.)	se	ultum
being conquered,	when	he did think	himself	having revenged

iniurias	patriae,	concupivit	plura,	quam
wrongs	of country,	he desired	more (things),	than

potui	efficere.	Neque	tamen	fuerunt
he was able	to effect.	Nor	however	were

ea	non	pia	et	probanda,	quod
those (things)	not	pious	and	to be approved,	because

maluit	potius	opes	patriae	augeri,
he preferred	rather	the resources	of country	to be increased,

quam	regis.	Nam	quum	constituisset (sub.)
than	of the king.	For	when	he had established

sibi	magnam	auctoritatem	illa	navali	pugna,
to himself	great	authority	by that	naval	fight,

quam	fecerat	apud	Cnidum,	non	solum	inter
which	he had made	at	Cnidus,	not	only	among

barbaros	sed	etiam	omnes	civitates	Graeciae,
the barbarians	but	even	all	the states	of Greece,

coepit	clam	dare	operam,	ut
he began	secretly	to give	work (to endeavour),	that

restitueret	Ioniam	et	Aeoliam	Atheniensibus.
he might restore	Ionia	and	Aeolia	to the Athenians.

Quum	id	esset (sub.)	minus	diligenter	celatum,
When	that	was	less	diligently	concealed,

Tiribazus,	qui	praeerat	Sardibus,	evocavit	Cononem,
Tiribazus,	who	was over	to Sardis,	called off	Conon,

simulans,	se	velle	mittere	eum	ad	regem
feigning,	himself	to wish	to send	him	to	the king

de	magna	re.	Parens	nuntio
concerning	a great	thing.	Obeying	to the message

huius	quum	venisset (sub.),	coniectus-est	in	vincula,
of him	when	he had come,	he was thrown	into	chains,

in	quibus	fuit	aliquamdiu.	Nonnulli	reliquerunt
in	which	he was	for some time.	Some	have left (it)

scriptum,	eum	adductum	ad	regem	inde,	que
written,	him	brought	to	the king	thence,	and

ibi	perisse.	Contra	ea	Dinon
there	to have perished.	Contrary to	these (things)	Dinon

historicus,	cui	nos	credimus	plurimum	de
the historian,	to whom	we	believe	most	about

Persicis	rebus,	scripsit,	effugisse;	addubitat
Persian	things,	has written,	to have escaped;	he doubts

illud,	utrum	factum-sit (sub.),	Tiribazo
that,	whether	it was done,	Tiribazus

sciente	an	imprudente.
knowing	or	not knowing.