Xenophon Translation

Question 1

ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ ἐννοήσας ποτέ ὡς ἡ Σπάρτη τῶν ὀλιγανθρωποτάτων πόλεων οὖσα δυνατωτάτη τε καὶ ὀνομαστοτάτη ἐν τῇ Ἑλλάδι ἐφάνη, ἐθαύμασα ὅτῳ ποτὲ τρόπῳ τοῦτ᾽ ἐγένετο·

Answer 1

But I, having once understood, that Sparta despite being of the least populated cities, appeared both the most powerful and the most famous in Greece, I wondered in whichever way this happened at any point.

Question 2

ἐπεὶ μέντοι κατενόησα τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα τῶν Σπαρτιατῶν, οὐκέτι ἐθαύμαζον.

Answer 2

However, when I comprehended the professions of the Spartans, I was no longer wondering.

Question 3

Λυκοῦργον μέντοι τὸν θέντα αὐτοῖς τοὺς νόμους, οἷς πειθόμενοι
ηὐδαιμόνησαν, τοῦτον καὶ θαυμάζω καὶ εἰς τὰ ἔσχατα σοφὸν ἡγοῦμαι.

Answer 3

However, I admire Lycurgus, who established laws to them by obeying to which they prospered, and I consider him wise to the end of time.

Question 4

ἐκεῖνος γὰρ οὐ μιμησάμενος τὰς ἄλλας πόλεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐναντία γνοὺς ταῖς πλείσταις προέχουσαν εὐδαιμονίᾳ τὴν πατρίδα ἐπέδειξεν.

Answer 4

For that man not by imitating the other cities but even more so by getting to know the opposite he proved his fatherland to be outstanding in prosperity among most (cities).

Question 5

αὐτίκα γὰρ περὶ τεκνοποιίας, ἵνα ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἄρξωμαι,

Answer 5

At first, to start from the beginning, (I shall talk) about childbirth,

Question 6

οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι τὰς μελλούσας τίκτειν καὶ καλῶς δοκούσας κόρας παιδεύεσθαι καὶ σίτῳ ᾗ ἀνυστὸν μετριωτάτῳ τρέφουσι καὶ ὄψῳ ᾗ δυνατὸν μικροτάτῳ·

Answer 6

the others feed the girls who are about to give birth and seem well raised with both the plainest possible food and the least possible bread;

Question 7

οἴνου γε μὴν ἢ πάμπαν ἀπεχομένας ἢ ὑδαρεῖ χρωμένας διάγουσιν·

Answer 7

so they lead through either by being deprived of wine altogether or by using it with water.

Question 8

ὥσπερ δὲ οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν τὰς τέχνας ἐχόντων ἑδραῖοί εἰσιν, οὕτω καὶ τὰς κόρας οἱ ἄλλοι Ἕλληνες ἠρεμιζούσας ἐριουργεῖν ἀξιοῦσι.

Answer 8

Just like many of those who have crafts are sitting in the same way, the other Greeks demand the girls to weave in calmness (silence).

Question 9

τὰς μὲν οὖν οὕτω τρεφομένας πῶς χρὴ
προσδοκῆσαι μεγαλεῖον ἄν τι γεννῆσαι;

Answer 9

How is it supposed then to expect that those who are fed in that way would/could give birth to something magnificent?

Question 10

ὁ δὲ Λυκοῦργος ἐσθῆτας μὲν καὶ δούλας παρέχειν ἱκανὰς ἡγήσατο εἶναι, ταῖς δ᾽ ἐλευθέραις μέγιστον νομίσας εἶναι τὴν τεκνοποιίαν

Answer 10

Lycurgus on the one hand he believed that the slave girls were sufficient to provide clothing while thinking on the other that child-making was the most important (custom) among free women.

Question 11

πρῶτον μὲν σωμασκεῖν ἔταξεν οὐδὲν ἧττον τὸ θῆλυ τοῦ ἄρρενος φύλου·

Answer 11

At first then he set the female to train no less than the male sex:

Question 12

ἔπειτα δὲ δρόμου καὶ ἰσχύος, ὥσπερ καὶ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν, οὕτω καὶ ταῖς θηλείαις ἀγῶνας πρὸς ἀλλήλας ἐποίησε,

Answer 12

afterwards then he established racing and strength contests among the female just like for the male towards each other,

Question 13

νομίζων ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων ἰσχυρῶν καὶ τὰ ἔκγονα ἐρρωμενέστερα γίγνεσθαι.

Answer 13

thinking that the offspring (being) from both strong parents would become more vigorous.

Question 14

Ἐπεί γε μὴν γυνὴ πρὸς ἄνδρα ἔλθοι, ὁρῶν τοὺς ἄλλους τὸν πρῶτον τοῦ χρόνου ἀμέτρως ταῖς γυναιξὶ συνόντας, καὶ τούτου τἀναντία ἔγνω·

Answer 14

When a woman got married to a man, (Lycurgus), seeing the others to have sexual intercourse with women limitlessly at the start he got to know the opposite of this, too:

Question 15

ἔθηκε γὰρ αἰδεῖσθαι μὲν εἰσιόντα ὀφθῆναι, αἰδεῖσθαι δ᾽ ἐξιόντα.

Answer 15

for he legislated that it is embarrassing for someone to be seen both entering and leaving.

Question 16

οὕτω δὲ συνόντων ποθεινοτέρως μὲν ἀνάγκη σφῶν αὐτῶν ἔχειν, ἐρρωμενέστερα δὲ γίγνεσθαι, εἴ τι βλάστοι, οὕτω μᾶλλον ἢ εἰ διάκοροι ἀλλήλων εἶεν

Answer 16

If they mingle like that, on the one hand, they need to have each other more longingly, while on the other (their offspring) would become more vigorous, if anything thrives, in that way more than if they mingled with each other without any limits

Question 17

Ἐγὼ μέντοι, ἐπεὶ καὶ περὶ γενέσεως ἐξήγημαι, βούλομαι καὶ τὴν παιδείαν ἑκατέρων σαφηνίσαι.

Answer 17

I therefore, since I have discussed (everything) about birth, I also wish to clarify the education of each of them.

Question 18

τῶν μὲν τοίνυν ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων οἱ φάσκοντες κάλλιστα τοὺς υἱεῖς παιδεύειν, ἐπειδὰν τάχιστα αὐτοῖς οἱ παῖδες τὰ λεγόμενα συνιῶσιν,

Answer 18

Therefore, from the other Greeks, those who say that they educate their sons very well once the children reach the age of understanding what is being said to them,

Question 19

εὐθὺς μὲν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς παιδαγωγοὺς θεράποντας ἐφιστᾶσιν,

Answer 19

they immediately set upon them servants as tutors

Question 20

εὐθὺς δὲ πέμπουσιν εἰς διδασκάλων μαθησομένους καὶ γράμματα καὶ μουσικὴν καὶ τὰ ἐν παλαίστρα.

Answer 20

and they immediately send (them) to the teachers to learn writing, music and wrestling.

Question 21

πρὸς δὲ τούτοις τῶν παίδων πόδας μὲν ὑποδήμασιν ἁπαλύνουσι, σώματα δὲ
ἱματίων μεταβολαῖς διαθρύπτουσι·

Answer 21

In addition to these things, they soften the feet of the children with sandals, while they pamper the bodies with changing of clothing.

Question 22

σίτου γε μὴν αὐτοῖς γαστέρα μέτρον
νομίζουσιν.

Answer 22

For then they consider their stomach to be as measurement of food

Question 23

ὁ δὲ Λυκοῦργος ἀντὶ μὲν τοῦ ἰδίᾳ ἕκαστον παιδαγωγοὺς δούλους ἐφιστάναι ἄνδρα ἐπέστησε κρατεῖν αὐτῶν ἐξ ὧνπερ αἱ μέγισται ἀρχαὶ καθίστανται, ὃς δὴ καὶ παιδονόμος καλεῖται.

Answer 23

But Lycurgus, instead of setting slaves as tutors for each (child) privately, he set a man to rule over them from which the most important offices are filled who is also called warden of the kids.

Question 24

τοῦτον δὲ κύριον ἐποίησε καὶ ἀθροίζειν τοὺς παῖδας καὶ ἐπισκοποῦντα, εἴ τις ῥᾳδιουργοίη, ἰσχυρῶς κολάξειν.

Answer 24

He made this man responsible of both gathering the children and of overseeing to punish (them) strongly if someone was scheming.

Question 25

ἔδωκε δ᾽ αὐτῷ καὶ τῶν ἡβώντων μαστιγοφόρους, ὅπως τιμωροῖεν ὅτε δέοι·

Answer 25

He also gave him men of youths who were carrying whips in order to punish when it was necessary,

Question 26

ὥστε πολλὴν μὲν αἰδῶ, πολλὴν δὲ πειθὼ ἐκεῖ συμπαρεῖναι.

Answer 26

so that on the one hand much reverence and on the other, much persuasion coexist there.