Texte grec :
[35,24] οἱ δὲ προσοικοῦντες ἄνθρωποι τὴν μεταξὺ χώραν
διελθόντες ἔρημον οὖσαν οὐ πολλὴν ἐφ´ ἁρμάτων, ὑποζεύξαντες
ἵππους ταχίστους, ἀφικνοῦνται τῆς μεσημβρίας, ἡνίκα δεδύκασι
κατὰ γῆς· ἔπειτα φεύγουσι τὸν χοῦν ἁρπάσαντες. οἱ δὲ αἰσθανόμενοι
διώκουσι καὶ μάχονται καταλαβόντες, ἕως ἂν ἀποθάνωσιν ἢ
ἀποκτείνωσιν· ἀλκιμώτατοι γάρ εἰσι θηρίων ἁπάντων. ὥστε οὗτοί
γε ἐπίστανται τὸ χρυσίον ὁπόσου ἐστὶν ἄξιον, καὶ οὐδὲ προΐενται
πρότερον ἢ ἀποθανεῖν.
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Traduction française :
[35,24] But the people who live near that land, having traversed
the intervening territory (desert land of no great extent)
in chariots drawn by horses of greatest speed, arrive
at midday, at which time the ants have gone underground;
and then these men seize the gold that has
been cast forth and flee. And the ants, becoming
aware of what has happened, give chase, and, having
overtaken their quarry, fight until they either meet
their death or kill the foe—for they are the most
valiant of all creatures. And so these at any rate
know what their gold is worth, and they even die
sooner than give it up.
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