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ἦλθον γάρ που κ.τ.λ.—others besides us have attacked their neighbours before now, and after doing what men will do have endured what men can bear. So now it is reasonable for us to hope that the gods will relent towards us (for we deserve their pity now rather than their envy), and do you, seeing what fine troops you are and how great the numbers that march in your ranks, be not excessively alarmed, etc. 23 ἀνθρώπεια κ.τ.λ.—cf. Eur. Heraclid. 424 ἀλλ᾽, ἢν δίκαια δρῶ δίκαια πείσομαι. Cic. Tusc. 1, 72 humana vitia=ἀνθρώπινα κακα. τά τε ἀπὸ τοῦ θείου—the whole of this passage is very characteristic of Nicias. Cf. Herod. III, 40 ἐμοὶ δὲ αἱ σαὶ μεγάλαι εὐτυχίαι οὐκ ἀρέσκουσι, τὸ θεῖον ἐπισταμένῳ ὡς ἔστι φθονερόν. ἠπιώτερα—in the old sense, expressing a father's pity for his children, and hence transferred to the gods. Cf. the meanings of ἐπισκοπεῖν. καὶ ὁρῶντες—the transition from τὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ θείου is purposely made abrupt, so as to exhibit the close eonnexion between the gods and men. καταπέπληχθε—strictly this should have been καταπεπλῆχθαι after τά τε ἐλπίζειν. δέξαιτο—resist.
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