Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 6

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οἱ μὲν ἄντικρυς πολεμοῦσιν: the Corinthians (cf. 5. 30. § 2), who, after having an ἀνοκωχὴ ἄσπονδος with the Athenians (5. 32. 30), had again, at least in the summer of 416, been openly at war with them (5. 115. § 3; see on 7. 3).—οἱ δὲ καὶ...κατέχονται : esp. the Boeotians (5. 26. 14) and the Thracian Chalcidians (7. § 4).

καὶ αὐτοὶ κατέχονται: as the Lacedaemonians ἡσυχάζουσιν, so these too refrain from hostilities within the conditions of the δεχήμεροι σπονδαί (5. 26. 14).

τάχα ἂν δ̓: so, not τάχα δ᾽ ἄν, all Mss. except Laur. Cf. 2. 22. τάχα with ἴσως to express what is quite possible, as 34. 9, 78. 15. See on 1. 77. 21.— δίχα: διῃρημένην εἰς δύο μέρη Schol. Cf. 100. 4; 1. 64. 6.

λάβοιεν: in the sense of deprehendere, as 33. 13.—ὅπερ νῦν σπεύδομεν: just what we are now striving for. σπεύδειν with acc., as 79. 13; 1. 141. 27; 5. 16. 7.—καὶ πάνυ ἂν...Σικελιωτῶν : they would even eagerly join with the Siceliotes in attacking us. For καί, see Kr. Spr. 69, 32, 18. For ἄν repeated, see GMT. 223; H. 862. In view of the fact that we have here a stronger assertion than above (6), σφαλέντων δέ που . . . ποιήσονται, Steup, feeling the need of a word of intensification, suggests that παραχρῆμα has fallen out before πάνυ.

οὓς...χρόνῳ : an alliance with whom on former occasions they would have prized beyond many other things. Cf. 1. 33. 8; 3. 40. 33.

χρὴ σκοπεῖν τινα αὐτά: one must consider these matters. For τινά thus used in admonitions, cf. 4. 62. 10. For αὐτά, cf. 5 above; here referring to the Sicilian expedition.

καὶ μὴ μετεώρῳ τῇ πόλει...ὀρέγεσθαι : and not demand that we run hazards for the ship of state in mid-ocean and reach out after another empire. Kr.'s conjecture τῇ, for τε of the Mss., approved by Cl., has been almost universally adopted, partly because the Schol. (see below) seems to support the art., partly because the second member does not add something new or different, as would be expected with τε . . . καί. But Steup retains τε, urging that a general statement (πόλει, a state) is quite allowable here (see on 1^{4}. 10. 11), though the reference is plainly to Athens, and for τε . . . καί, where the second member merely amplifies the first, citing such passages as 103. 20; 1. 132. 8.—μετεώρῳ: figure of a ship on the high seas, as 2. 8. 6. Schol. τῆς πόλεως ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ ὁρμούσης. μετενήνεκται δὲ τὸ ὄνομα ἀπὸ τῶν πλοίων τῶν μήπω ὡρμισμένων. See Smyth, Melic Poets, p. 215. —κινδυνεύειν: with dat., as in 9. 15.

βεβαιωσώμεθα: subjv. (with C; Mss. mostly βεβαιωσόμεθα) after πρίν, as 29. 7, 38. 8; 8. 9. 3, 14. Cf. πρότερον ἤ 7. 63. 3. See St., Qu. Gr.^{2} p. 26.—εἰ Χαλκιδῆς γε κτἑ.: Cl. suggests that after the preceding admonition, “not to run hazards for the state” etc., we must supply in thought before εἰ, “as we shall be doing.” He makes all that follows one sent. dependent on εἰ, as the warning against ambitious foreign expeditions before the sway of Athens has been fully reëstablished at home is based upon the εἰ clauses, which are apparently hypothetical (see on 1. 33. 8), but really set forth the situation not only of the unruly allies (Χαλκιδῆς . . . ἀκροῶνται) but also of the Athenians themselves (ἡμεῖς δὲ . . . ἀμύνεσθαι). Most editors make an independent sent. of ἡμεῖς δὲ . . . ἀμύνεσθαι, contrasting what is being done with what ought to be done.—εἰ...γε : si quidem.

ἔτη τοσαῦτα: the Chalcidians had revolted from Athens along with Potidaea in the winter of 433-432 (1. 58).

κατὰ τὰς ἠπείρους: on the coasts of Thrace, Asia, and western Greece, whither acc. to 2. 9. § 4 the Athenian ἀρχή extended. What places Nicias had in mind is hard to determine (cf., however, 2. 69; 3. 19).—ἐνδοιαστῶς: dubia fide. Cf. 8. 87. 26; Hdt. 7. 174. 5. For the verb ἐνδοιάζειν, see on 91. 19.

Ἐγεσταίοις δὴ οὖσι ξυμμάχοις: ironical δή (cf. 54. 17, 80. 13, and see on 3. 10. 17) placed before the words emphasized, as δῆθεν 1. 127. 2. Strietly speaking, the Egestaeans were only allies of the Leontines. See App. on 6. 12.

ὑφ᾽ ὧν πάλαι ἀφεστώτων: for the pred. ptc. with force of a verbal subst., cf. ὑπὸ τῶν Θηβαίων ἐφεπομένων 4. 96. 25; ὑπὸ τῆς Δεκελείας πολλὰ βλαπτούσης 7. 28. 25; διὰ τὴν Δεκέλειαν τειχιζομένην 7. 42. 10. See App. on 4. 63. 2.—αὐτοί: correctly restored by Reiske for αὐτῶν of the Mss. The important thing is the antithesis in αὐτοὶ ἀδικούμεθα to ὡς ἀδικουμένοις. Such contrasted phrases (cf. οὖσι ξυμμάχοις and πάλαι ἀφεστώτων, βοηθοῦμεν and ἀμύνεσθαι) are good examples of antithesis in the enthymeme, which is common in the speeches.

Even after a victory we could not hold what we had won. There would be no danger for us, however, if the Syracusans should obtain dominion over the rest of the Siceliotes. It would be best if we merely showed our power for a little while to the Siceliotes or did not go thither at all. But we must be on the watch against the Lacedaemonians, who unquestionably are minded to wipe out their humiliation by defeating us.

τοὺς μέν: i.e. τοὺς πάλαι ἀφεστῶτας τῶν ξυμμάχων.

κατεργασάμενοι : cf. 33. 20, 86. 8.— κατάσχοιμεν: sometimes even in aor.= hold fast. Cf. 39. 12, 86. 10; 1. 6. 13, 91. 9.—τῶν δέ: i.e. τῶν Σικελιωτῶν. For the thought, cf. 86. § 3.

διὰ πολλοῦ: at a distance. Cf. 1. 15; 2. 97. 10; 4. 115. 16.

ἐπὶ τοιούτους ἰέναι: of hostile advance, as 63. 3, 82. 17, 92. 12, and freq.

μὴ ἐν τῷ ὁμοίῳ καί: not in the same condition as, but far worse off. For τῷ ὁμοίῳ καί, see on 3. 14. 2. H. 1042 a; Kühn. 423, N. 18.

Σικελιῶται δ̓...Συρακόσιοι : the sense intended here seems to be that of Valla's translation: Sicilienses, ut nune saltem se habent, mihi videntur parum formidabiles, multoque minus formidabiles fore, si Syracusani ipsis imperitent. See App.

ὥς γε νῦν ἔχουσι: except Leontini all Hellenic cities of Sicily were at that time autonomous.

ὅπερ...ἡμᾶς ἐκφοβοῦσι : neut. cogn. acc. besides pers. obj., the very thing with which they are trying to frighten us.

νῦν: i.e. ὥς γε νῦν ἔχουσι, while ἐκείνως (9) stands for εἰ ἄρξειαν αὐτῶν Συρακόσιοι. Cf. 3. 46. 5, 8.—κἂν ἔλθοιεν: sc. δεῦρο ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς. Cf. 40. 9. St.'s ἐπέλθοιεν is unnecessary.

ἕκαστοι: only separate action of individual cities not united by a common bond was, acc. to the orator, to be anticipated. —χάριτι: out of regard for, with gen., as 3. 95. 1.—οὐκ εἰκὸς ἀρχὴν ἐπὶ ἀρχὴν στρατεῦσαι: it is not likely that an imperial city would proceed against an imperial city. Schol. οὐκ εἰκὸς ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἀρχὴν στρατεῦσαι τοὺς Συρακοσίους Σικελιωτῶν ἄρξαντας. For εἰκός with inf. without ἄν, see GMT. 415, 416, and see on 1. 81. 13.

ᾧ ἂν τρόπῳ...ἀφέλωνται : supply as subj. οἱ Συρακόσιοι Σικελιωτῶν ἄρξαντες. Aor. subjv. here = Lat. fut. pf. For ἀφελέσθαι, take away, despoil, cf. ἀφελομένης νυκτὸς τὸ ἔργον 4. 134. 8; τὸ Ἀθηναίων κράτος τῆς θαλάσσης ἀφελέσθαι 8. 76. 16.

ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν : i.e. τῶν Πελοποννησίων.

τὴν σφετέραν : referring to subj. of preceding clause. Cf. σφίσι 32. 9.

διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ : through the same means. Cf. δἰ αὐτοῦ 15. 7. It seems most natural to supply, with the Schol., τρόπου from τρόπῳ just above, though διὰ τρόπου seems not to occur.—καθαιρεθῆναι: cf. 5. 14. 14 καθαιρήσειν τὴν τῶν Ἀθηναίων δύναμιν, and see on 1. 77. 20.

ἡμᾶς δέ: put first to sharpen the contrast: “The Egestaeans want to frighten us with the Syracusans; these will rather have respect for us.”— 14. ἔπειτα δὲ καί: sc. ἂν ἐκπεπληγμένοι εἶεν. Nicias real wish is expressed in the first alternative, but the second would at least insure the respect of the Siceliotes.—δείξαντες τὴν δύναμιν: cf. 47. 8.—δἰ ὀλίγου: after a little. Cf. 5. 14. 5; 7. 39. 13. See on 47. 10.

τὰ γὰρ διὰ πλείστου...δόντα : Steup, St., Hude, and the Oxford text follow Rauchenstein (Philol. XXXVI. 242) in transposing this clause, which stands in the Mss. after εἰ δὲ σφαλεῖμεν . . . ἐπιθοῖντο, on the ground that it serves in no way to explain this latter clause and must be regarded as parenthetical if left as in the Mss., since ὅπερ must refer to ὑπεριδόντες ἐπιθοῖντο. For the sentiment, cf. Tac. Ann. 1. 47 maior e longinquo reverentia; Agr. 30 omneignotum pro magnifico est; Agr. 25 maiore fama, uti mosest de ignotis; Liv. 28. 44. 3 maior ignotarum rerum est terror.— διὰ πλείστου: see on 2 above.— πεῖραν δόντα: giving a test or proof, as 1. 138. 9.

εἰ δὲ σφαλεῖμέν τι: (on form of opt., see on 1. 38. 4, and St., Qu. Gr.^{2} p. 62) presupposes εἰ δ᾽ ἐς φανερὸν πόλεμον κατασταῖμεν, and therefore is opp. to εἰ δἰ ὀλίγου ἀπέλθοιμεν, as to εἰ μὴ ἀφικοίμεθα. The possibility of the victory of the Athenians Nicias does not consider, and thus leaves a break in his argument.

ὑπεριδόντες: καταφρονήσαντες ἡμῶν Schol. Cf. 5. 6. 15, 43. 10.

πεπόνθατε...ἐφίεσθε : (restored for ἐφίεσθαι of Mss.) for the asyndeton, cf. 2. 60. 13 δρᾶτε . . . ἀφίεσθε.

πρὸς ἃ ἐφοβεῖσθε τὸ πρῶτον : in comparison with what you feared at first.

χρὴ δὲ μὴ πρὸς τὰς τύχας...θαρσεῖν : cf. the similar admonition of King Archidamus 1. 84. § 3, where τύχη is characterized as the always uncertain element and chief stress is laid upon διάνοιαι. And as there διάνοιαι of opponents are represented as like one's own, that one may not count upon enemies' mistakes, so here confidence (θαρσεῖν) is based only upon τὰς διανοίας κρατῆσαι, i.e. on being superior to the enemy in well-considered plans. With this view τὰς διανοίας is not object (see on 1. 108. 19) but limiting acc. The sense of the passage is: “You must not be elated at the mishaps of your opponents, but only when you have got the better of them (sc. αὐτῶν) in your calculations and plans, should you be confident.” διάνοιαι in Nicias' sense are then set forth in μηδὲ Λακεδαιμονίους . . . μελετῶσιν.

ἄλλο τι ἤ : for this elliptical const., see on 2. 16. 10; 3. 39. 10. H. 612; Kr. Spr. 62, 3, 7; Kühn. 587, 18.—διὰ τὸ αἰσχρόν: on account of their humiliation. Cf. 10. 8 ἐκ τοῦ αἰσχίονος. On Thuc.'s fondness for the neut. adj. or ptc. = abstract noun, see Trans. Amer. Phil. Assoc. XXV, 75.

τὸ σφέτερον ἀπρεπὲς εὖ θήσονται: retrieve their own discredit. Cf. 5. 46. 7 ἐν τῷ ἐκείνων ἀπρεπεῖ. For εὖ θήσονται, cf. 1. 75. 16.— 25. ὅσῳ: by as much as. Cf. 78. 5, and see on 1. 68. 11.—περὶ πλείστου καὶ διὰ πλείστου: in the highest degree and for the longest time. Cf. 1. 124. 12 διὰ πλείονος, in a longer period.

ὥστε οὐ...εἰ σωφρονοῦμεν : for a perfect parallel, cf. 3. 44. 2. On such brachylogy, see Steup, Thuk. Stud. II, 18.—ἐν Σικελίᾳ, ἀνδρῶν βαρβάρων: in disdainful rejection of an occasion at once far off and unworthy. Cf. ἀνδράσιν ἀλλοφύλοις 9. 5.

πόλιν δἰ ὀλιγαρχίας ἐπιβουλεύουσαν : a state (i.e. Sparta) under an oligarchy intriguing against us. The emphasis is on the antithesis in the political constitution. διά with gen. to indicate the conditions under which a thing happens, as 4. 8. 39; 7. 40. 10, and freq. —ὀξέως φυλαξώμεθα: keep a sharp watch upon. The aor. subjv. with the majority of the Mss., for φυλαξόμεθα. Where the form of the verb does not remove all doubt (as ἀποστήσονται 1. 57. 21; ἀντίσχῃ 1. 65. 6; εὕρωσι 3. 49. 6; ὀφθῶσι 3. 81. 4), in most cases only Mss. authority can decide between fut. indic. and aor. subjv. See St., Qu. Gr.^{2} p. 25 f.