Xenophon
430 – 354 BC Athens
Trans RMBullard
Attic Greek (Classical Period/Hellenistic Period)
[1] Ἐπειδὴ διὰ τὸ συμβῆναι ἡμῖν πολὺν χρόνον ἱππεύειν οἰόμεθα ἔμπειροι ἱππικῆς γεγενῆσθαι,
[Since I think that I've grown experienced in horsemanship, after living my life for a long period of time riding horses, ]
βουλόμεθα καὶ τοῖς νεωτέροις τῶν φίλων δηλῶσαι,
[I also want to show this to the younger generations of my friends and family,]
ἧι ἂν νομίζομεν αὐτοὺς ὀρθότατα ἵπποις προσφέρεσθαι.
[in the way I think it most correct for them to handle themselves on horses.]
συνέγραψε μὲν οὖν καὶ Σίμων περὶ ἱππικῆς,
[And so, Simon too also wrote a treatise on horsemanship,]
ὃς καὶ τὸν κατὰ τὸ Ἐλευσίνιον Ἀθήνησιν ἵππον χαλκοῦν ἀνέθηκε
[given that he carried out the reward of Bronze Horse for Athens, in his performance at the Eleusian Games]
καὶ ἐν τῶι βάθρωι τὰ ἑαυτοῦ ἔργα ἐξετύπωσεν·
[and he made his deeds famous in races.]
ἡμεῖς γε μέντοι ὅσοις συνετύχομεν ταὐτὰ γνόντες ἐκείνωι,
[For my part though, I've happened upon such skills, since I learned these very things from him,]
οὐκ ἐξαλείφομεν ἐκ τῶν ἡμετέρων,
[and I'll not leave anything from my knowledge,]
ἀλλὰ πολὺ ἥδιον παραδώσομεν αὐτὰ τοῖς φίλοις,
[but rather, with great pleasure, I'll grant these things to my friends,]
νομίζοντες ἀξιοπιστότερα εἶναι,
[since they know that they are things of greater worth,]
ὅτι κἀκεῖνος κατὰ ταὐτὰ ἡμῖν ἔγνω ἱππικὸς ὤν·
[because this man taught me in the instruction of things like these, and he was member of the cavalry.]
καὶ ὅσα δὴ παρέλιπεν ἡμεῖς πειρασόμεθα δηλῶσαι.
[and, in fact, concerning the things he left, I for my part will am experienced enough to demonstrate them.]
Πρῶτον δὲ γράψομεν,
[But first, I shall write,]
