namque ex me natam relinquo pugnam Leuctricam, quae non modo mihi superstes, sed etiam immortalis sit necesse est. Quo tempore duce Pelopida exsules Thebas occuparunt et praesidium Lacedaemoniorum ex arce expulerunt, Epaminondas, quam diu facta est caedes civium, domo se tenuit, quod neque malos defendere volebat neque impugnare, ne manus suorum sanguine cruentaret; namque omnem civilem victoriam funestam putabat. Idem, postquam apud Cadmeam cum Lacedaemoniis pugnari coeptum est, in primis stetit.
for I leave as my daughter the battle of Leuctra, which is certain, not merely to survive me, but even to be immortal. When the exiles, led by Pelopidas, took Thebes and drove the Lacedaemonian garrison from the citadel, so long as the citizens were being slain Epaminondas remained in his house, since he was unwilling either to aid the traitors or to fight against them, from reluctance to stain his hands with the blood of his countrymen; for he thought that every victory won in a civil war was pernicious. But as soon as the combat began with the Lacedaemonians at the Cadmea, he stood in the forefront.
final_alignments\Cornelius_Nepos_Epaminondas.json