προσκέψασθε—as προ-σκοπεῖν always implies a look into the future, there is much to be said for the conjecture προσ-σκέψασθε ‘consider besides’ here, for advice to consider the future has already been given in the preceding chapter. But as the Spartan reputation for ἀνδραγαθία was based on the venerated institutions of Lycurgus, they might be supposed to be specially sensitive about the future of that. 2
ἀνδραγαθίας—a merit for which Dorians especially valued themselves: here and at c. 64, 1 “the point is the special Dorian claim to an aristocratic strain of feeling and conduct” (Neil: see above on c. 40, 4). Perhaps ‘good breeding.’
μὴ τὰ εἰκότα—a neg. is not seldom placed before the article or preposition (οὐκ ἐν ὀλίγῳ).
ἐπαινούμενοι—viz. as models of ἀνδραγαθία.
οὐδ᾽—‘no more than you.’
ἐπιγνῶναι—after γνώσεσθε above, the ἐπι- can scarcely have its usual force, ‘to decide further’: the sense is probably merely ‘to arrive at a decision.’
τοὺς μὲν πατέρας . . ὑμᾶς δέ—‘if you, whose fathers . . ,’ the first clause being subord. to the second. Generally δεινόν is followed by εἰ in such cases.
τὸν τρίποδα—i.e. on the bronze pedestal of three intertwined serpents that supported the gold tripod set up at Delphi from the tithe of the Persian spoils dedicated to the Pythian god. It stood close to the altar before the temple. The pedestal was taken by Constantine to Byzantium, and still exists, with the names of the states inscribed on the lower part of the spiral. The tripod was appropriated by the Phocians. (Herod. IX. 81, with Stein's notes.)
πανοικεσίᾳ—after πόλιν and Πλάταιαν this means (as Steup points out) ‘with all its houses,’ not ‘household and all’ as in II. 16.
τοῦτο—referring to what precedes.
ἀπωλλύμεθα—Plataea was burnt by Xerxes. The rendering ‘we were all but destroyed’ is borne out by other passages; e.g. Andoc. de Myst. § 41.
ἀγῶνας—‘hazards.’
τότε—referring to the siege of Plataea, τότε being frequently used of a well-known occasion.
περιεώσμεθα ‘we are outcasts.’
ράντων is probably masc.; cf. ἐκ παντὸς τοῦ 'Ελληνικοῦ above.
ἀτιμώρητοι—‘unsuccoured.’
βέβαιοι—‘faithful.’
