Sparta took action.

斯巴达终于有所动作了
I think they were moved specifically

我认为他们的动作很明确
--the critical element that was an opportunity

位于希腊中部的多利斯
presented to them by a small region in central Greece called Doris.

为斯巴达提供了绝好的机会
It's the root of the word Dorian.

[Doris]是多利安[Dorian]的词根
This is theoretically the ancestral home of all Dorians.

理论上多利斯是多利安人的发源地
So, they obviously had friendly relations with the Spartans.

显然多利斯与斯巴达关系不错
The Dorians were having trouble with some of their neighbors,

不过却与邻邦有些冲突
one of the standard quarrels

那种在希腊世界中
between neighbors in the Greek city state world,

邻邦间很普遍的一种冲突
and they asked the Spartans to send a force up to help them.

接着多利斯向斯巴达求援
I'm not sure, if the Spartans would have done so in the normal course of events,

我不清楚斯巴达以往的处理方式