a conviction and supported by arguments by scholars,

基于先贤观点的坚定信仰
not classicists, that there is some continuing meaning,

跟崇古派不同这些信仰有延续的意义
some continuing value,

以及延续的价值
something we can learn about all of these important topics

通过阅读他的著作
by reading Thucydides.

我们可以知晓其中关键
So, I want to just comfort you for the burden

我这么说是为了让你们好受点
I've laid on you in giving you that book and all of this stuff to read.

因为我让你们读了这么多历史材料著作
You're not wasting your time;

读这些书不是在浪费时间
that's what I'm trying to tell you.

这就是我想说的
I'd like to turn first to the question

现在我们讲第一个问题
of the origins of the war,

战争的起源
the causes of the war, the outbreak of the war,

战争的肇因战争的爆发