History of the Peloponnesian War

being a match for those who successively were left behind. But if they had gone with abundance of food, and in a body had continuously carried through the war, without foraging and agriculture, they would easily have conquered them in battle, and taken the place; since even though not united, but only with the part that was successively present, they held out against them. Now by pressing the siege, [I say,] they would have taken Troy both in less time and with less trouble; but through want of money both the undertakings before this [*]( The plural pronoun in the Greek, is used with reference to τὰ τρωϊκά, the common term to signify the Trojan war.) were weak, and this itself, though more famous than the former, is shown by facts [*]( Or, inferior in the facts. ) to have been inferior to its fame, and to the present report of it, which has prevailed by means of the poets.

For even after the Trojan war Greece was still moving about, and settling itself; [*]( i. e. it was not yet settled.—Arnold. The old reading, μετωκίζετο would mean, was changing its place of abode. ) so that it could not increase its power by remaining at rest.

For the return of the Greeks from Troy, having taken place so late, caused many revolutions; and factions, generally speaking, arose in the states; in consequence of which men were expelled, and founded cities.

For those who are now called Boeotians, being driven out of Arne by the Thessalians in the sixtieth year after the taking of Troy, settled in what is now called Boeotia, but was before called the Cadmean country. (Though there was a division of them in this country before, some of whom also joined the expedition against Troy.) And the Dorians in the eightieth year took possession of the Peloponnese with the Heraclidae.