Xenophon Chapter 1 Section 22 (with WW's numbers following some words) wrote: ἃ οὕτω χαλεπῶς ἄρχει τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὧν ἂν ἐπικρατήσωσιν10, ὥσθ᾽ ἕως11 μὲν ἂν ὁρῶσιν ἡβῶντας12 αὐτοὺς καὶ δυναμένους ἐργάζεσθαι, ἀναγκάζουσι13 φέρειν ἃ ἂν αὐτοὶ ἐργάσωνται καὶ τελεῖν εἰς τὰς αὑτῶν ἐπιθυμίας, ἐπειδὰν14 δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀδυνάτους αἴσθωνται15 ὄντας ἐργάζεσθαι διὰ τὸ γῆρας16, ἀπολείπουσι17 τούτους κακῶς18 γηράσκειν19, ἄλλοις δ᾽ αὖ πειρῶνται20 δούλοις χρῆσθαι21.
English from Perseus wrote:And so hard is the rule of these passions over every man who falls into their clutches, that so long as they see that he is strong and capable of work, they force him to pay over all the profits of his toil, and to spend it on their own desires; but no sooner do they find that he is too old to work, than they leave him to an old age of misery, and try to fasten the yoke on other shoulders.
Wes Wood wrote:... these vices* harshly govern the people they have conquered
Wes Wood's hints wrote:10 ἐπικρατήσωσιν: ἐπικρατεῖν-to rule over
You do not seem to agree with your own hint here. Which is the long-term action ἄρχειν or ἐπικρατεῖν? ἐπικρατεῖν "clutch down on" then ἄρχειν would be "wrestle for control", rather than a peaceful rule over a compliant kingdom.
Wes Wood wrote:ὥσθ᾽ ἕως11 μὲν ἂν ὁρῶσιν ἡβῶντας12 αὐτοὺς καὶ δυναμένους ἐργάζεσθαι, ἀναγκάζουσι13 φέρειν ἃ ἂν αὐτοὶ ἐργάσωνται καὶ τελεῖν εἰς τὰς αὑτῶν ἐπιθυμίας,
and so while their victims are in their prime and are able to work they also compel them to bring everything that they make to fulfill their desires,
Wes Wood's hints wrote:11 ἕως...ἂν: while or until (The aspect of the participles that follow make it clear which of these choices is intended. At least, it seems that way to me.);
12 ἡβῶντας: ἥβην?-to attain, to be in the prime of youth;that definition is standard for the dicionary, but here he is looking at the other end of the scale - the last part of that time of life, as they approach old age
13 ἀναγκάζουσι: ἀναγκάζειν-to force, compel
ἕως11 ... ἂν ὁρῶσιν is missing here, "until what so ever [time] that they
continue to see" I think the aspect of this verb makes the difference. As
I mentioned in September, I think that the present participle with the verb of seeing involves sensory input, and couldn't be otherwise (in most cases). τελεῖν is "pay tax" or the like, "charge duty" the relative pronoun sets the rate of the "tax" at whatever they "achieve for themselves from labours" (ἐργάζεσθαι). Perhaps you could understand φέρειν "bring" as almost with the sense of προσφέρειν "bring and give over".
ἐπειδὰν14 δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀδυνάτους αἴσθωνται15 ὄντας ἐργάζεσθαι διὰ τὸ γῆρας16, ἀπολείπουσι17 τούτους κακῶς18 γηράσκειν19, ἄλλοις δ᾽ αὖ πειρῶνται20 δούλοις χρῆσθαι21.
Wes Wood wrote:but whenever they perceive their victims are unable to work because of old age, they leave them to grow old wretchedly, and try to make others slaves.”
Wes Woods' hints wrote:14 ἐπειδὰν: whenever
this is a once-off "when" not a recurrent one (ὅταν). Difficult to translate the difference, but you should see it in Greek at least.
15 αἴσθωνται: αἰσθάνεσθαι-to perceive, understand
16 γῆρας: old age
17 ἀπολείπουσι: ἀπολιμπάνειν-to leave
I think the imagery introduced by this verb here is like a family whom one has invested one's life into, turning their parents out in old age. This passage warrants mention in LSJ alongside examples of family members deserting each other
18 κακῶς: bad
ly,
in an evil
manner, wretched
ly (I don’t think it will be needed, but if the person is familiar only with the New Testament, it could help)
it is an adverb
19 γηράσκειν: to grow old
20 πειρῶνται: πείρειν (from πειράω not πείρω) to try, attempt, endeavor
(easily confused words are always good to mention)
αὖ - again, anew, afresh, once more
21 χρῆσθαι: to make
I don't think make gets it. It's like to use others as slaves / minions (sinister meaning). Its an ongoing action. Make someone something is more something that happens over a short time, but it seems this is something that will continue for quote some time after the making.