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Study Guide: EST January 2026: Reading Passage 1

The passage we are explaining is below:

Study Guide: The History of the Peloponnesian War (EST January 2026)

This guide breaks down the story of an ancient "family feud" between three cities. To keep it simple, think of Corinth as the grandmother city, Corcyra as the mother city, and Epidamnus as the daughter city.

📖 The Story Simplified

A long time ago, a city called Epidamnus was built on the edge of the Ionic Gulf. It was started by people from Corcyra, but the man in charge of building it was invited from Corinth. For many years, the city grew very large and rich.

Eventually, trouble started. The regular people in the city got into a huge fight with the "nobles" (the rich leaders) and kicked them out. These angry nobles teamed up with nearby "barbarian" tribes to attack their own home.

Epidamnus was desperate for help, so they went to their "mother," Corcyra. They sat in a temple and begged for help, but Corcyra said "no" and sent them away.

Not knowing what to do, the people of Epidamnus asked a holy Oracle at Delphi for advice. The Oracle told them to give their city to Corinth instead. Corinth agreed to help because they felt it was their duty, but also because they hated how disrespectful Corcyra had become. Corcyra had become very wealthy and had a powerful navy, and they no longer treated Corinth with the honor a "mother city" deserved.

📒 Glossary (Vocabulary)

Word

Simple Meaning

Arabic Meaning

Colony

A new city started by people from an older "mother" city.

مستعمرة

Faction

A group of people who disagree strongly with another group.

فصيل / طائفة

Noble

A person from a high-ranking or rich family.

من النبلاء

Exile

Someone forced to leave their home.

منفي

Ambassador

A messenger sent to represent a city.

سفير

Oracle

A place where people went to ask gods for advice.

عراف / وحي

Contempt

A feeling that someone is worthless or not worth respecting.

ازدراء / احتقار

Galleys

Fast ancient warships moved by rowers.

سفن حربية

Enfeebled

To be made very weak.

مُضعف / واهن

Suppliant

Someone making a very humble and desperate plea for help.

متضرع / سائل

 

✍️ Question & Answer Explanations

1. Epidamnus' relationship with neighbors

  • Answer: B

  • Explanation: The text says the city fell "a prey to factions" because of a "war with her neighbors the barbarians". This war made the city weak.

2. Meaning of "summoned"

  • Answer: D

  • Explanation: The leader, Phalius, had been "summoned" (meaning called) from Corinth to help start the city.

3. Decline in strength

  • Answer: C

  • Explanation: Paragraph 1 states the city became "much enfeebled" and "lost a considerable amount of her power".

4. Expulsion of nobles and conflict

  • Answer: C

  • Explanation: After being kicked out, the "exiled party joined the barbarians" and began to "plunder" (attack and steal from) the city.

5. Why send ambassadors to Corcyra?

  • Answer: A

  • Explanation: They begged Corcyra to "make up matters between them and the exiles" so the fighting would stop.

6. Purpose of the last sentence in Paragraph 1

  • Answer: B

  • Explanation: The sentence explains that the Corcyraeans "refused" to help, meaning the Epidamnians' mission was a failure.

7. Central idea of Paragraph 2

  • Answer: D

  • Explanation: This part describes how Epidamnus turned to Corinth for protection after Corcyra rejected them.

8. Events after the Oracle

  • Answer: C

  • Explanation: The Epidamnians "obeyed the commands of the oracle" and gave the city over to Corinthian protection.

9. Corinth's view of Corcyra

  • Answer: B

  • Explanation: Corinth felt "contempt" from Corcyra and "hated" them for not showing proper respect to the "mother country".

10. Perspective of the passage

  • Answer: A

  • Explanation: The story is told by a narrator (Thucydides) describing history from the outside.

11. Corinth's responsibility to help

  • Answer: C

  • Explanation: Corinth believed the colony belonged to them just as much as Corcyra, so they felt it was a "duty" to protect it.

12. Corinth's preparation for war

  • Answer: A

  • Explanation: The passage says they took "care" of their fleet, which was "very efficient" and ready with 120 ships.

 

 
 
 

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