Saturday, April 05, 2025
Swallowed Up
Plutarch, Life of Alcibiades 15.3 (tr. Bernadotte Perrin):
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In like manner he persuaded the people of Patrae to attach their city to the sea by long walls. Thereupon some one said to the Patrensians: 'Athens will swallow you up!' 'Perhaps so,' said Alcibiades, 'but you will go slowly, and feet first; whereas Sparta will swallow you head first, and at one gulp.'
ἔπεισε δὲ καὶ Πατρεῖς ὁμοίως τείχεσι μακροῖς συνάψαι τῇ θαλάσσῃ τὴν πόλιν. εἰπόντος δέ τινος τοῖς Πατρεῦσιν ὅτι 'καταπιοῦνται ὑμᾶς Ἀθηναῖοι·' 'ἴσως,' εἶπεν ὁ Ἀλκιβιάδης, 'κατὰ μικρὸν καὶ κατὰ τοὺς πόδας, Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ κατὰ τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ ἀθρόως.'
