Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 6

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Above all seek outside alliances, in Italy, in Carthage, in Greece. But the threatened attack you will most surely ward off if you go to meet the enemy's fleet at the gulf of Tarentum. Possibly they would then turn back at Corcyra; at any rate you will have the favor of circumstances and the advantage of timely resistance.

τοὺς μέν: i.e. the ὑπήκοοι of 88. 19, and described 3. 103. 3 ὄσοι Σικελῶν κατὰ κράτος ἀρχόμενοι ὑπὸ Συρακοσίων καὶ ξύμμαχοι ὄντες.

τοῖς δέ : i.e. τοῖς αὐτονόμοις (88. 20).—ἐς τὴν ἄλλην Σικελίαν: sc. πρὸς τοὺς Σικελιώτας. Schol. οὐχὶ πᾶσαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὑπὸ Ἑλλήνων οἰκουμένην. προεῖπε γὰρ περὶ τῶν βαρβάρων.

ὅπως ἢ ξυμμαχίαν ποιώμεθα [ἡμῖν] ἢ μὴ δέχωνται Ἀθηναίους : note change of subject. See App.

δέχωνται: sc. οἱ Ἰταλιῶται. Cf. αὐτοῖς below (7) after Καρχηδόνα, and see on 1. 24. 9.

ἀνέλπιστον: sc. τὸ Ἀθηναίους ἐπελθεῖν to be supplied from the context (μή ποτε Ἀθηναῖοι . . . ἔλθωσιν).

διὰ φόβου εἰσί: they are in constant fear, as 59. 5. Cf. δἰ ἀσφαλείας 1. 17. 4; δἰ ὄχλου εἷναι 1. 73. 13; δἰ ἡσυχίας 2. 22. 6; δἰ ὀργῆς 2. 37. 12, 64. 2; 5. 29. 13; δἰ αἰτίας 2. 60. 16.

τάχ̓ ἂν ἴσως : see on 10. 13. ἄν belongsto ἐθελήσειαν.

τάδε : Schol. τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, i.e. Sicily.— 10. καὶ σφεῖς: with inf., taking the place of καὶ αὐτοί in dir. disc.—ἤτοι κρύφα γε ἢ φανερῶς: either secretly at least or openly, i.e. secretly at least, if not openly. The more probable supposition is put first. Cf. 38. 4, 40. 3; 2. 40. 8.

[ἢ] ἐξ ἑνός γέ του τρόπου : in some way certainly, as ἑνί γέ τῳ τρόπῳ Plat. Phaedr. 242 B; Meno 96 D. Cf. ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου 92. 15. [ἤ] is rightly bracketed, after Baehr, as already the Schol. had recognized that the disjunctive expression ἤτοι κρύφα γε ἢ φανερῶς admits no third. The reference is merely to the manner of rendering assistance (troops, ships, money).— 12. βουληθέντες: the emphasis is enhanced by the position at the end (“as soon as they will to do so,” aor.).— 13. ὅθεν...εὐπορεῖ : πόλεμος is personified, as in 1. 122. 1. For the thought cf. 1. 83. 3 καὶ ἔστιν ὁ πόλεμος οὐχ ὅπλων τὸ πλέον, ἀλλὰ δαπάνης, δἰ ἢν τὰ ὅπλα ὠφελεῖ, and 2. 13. 21 τὰ δὲ πολλὰ τοῦ πολέμου γνώμῃ καὶ χρημάτων περιουσίᾳ κρατεῖσθαι.

τὸν ἐκεῖ πόλεμον κινεῖν: set in motion the war there; for it had not completely quieted down (36. 14). Cf. 1. 82. 3 ὅπλα μήπω κινεῖν.

διὰ τὸ ξύνηθες ἥσυχον: on account of your characteristic love of ease. Cf. τὸ πρότερον ξύνηθες . . . φοβερόν 55. 14; τὸ εὐπρεπὲς ἄσπονδον 1. 37. 16; τὸ ἀνθρώπειον κομπῶδες 5. 68. 6. The substantivized adj. is a favorite usage with Thuc., expressing as it were the abstract idea in concrete form and so more effectively. See C. F. Smith, Trans. Amer. Phil. Assoc. XXV, 76-79.

ἥκιστα: opp. to μάλιστα, not without irony, and the effect is enhanced by the paratactically opposed ἐγώ τε . . . ὑμεῖς τε and the contrasting pred. modifiers ἐπίκαιρον and ὀξέως.

Σικελιῶται : put first with emphasis, “we Greeks in Sicily.” See on 1^{4}. 10. 5.—γάρ: as 33. 7.— θέλοιμεν: the form θέλειν for ἐθέλειν seems to occur in Thuc. only after long vowels, esp. η, unless 7. 18. 15 be an exception. See on 2. 51. 17.— 19. μετὰ δυοῖν μηνοῖν τροφῆς: dependent gen. before the governing gen., as in 33. 2. Cf. Caes. B. G. 7. 74 dierum triginta pabulum frumentumque habere.

ἄκραν Ἰαπυγίαν: see on 30. 5.—δῆλον ποιῆσαι: cf. δεῖξαι 77. 7.

περὶ τῆς Σικελίας : so Cl., with Dobree and Stahl, for περὶ τῇ Σικελίᾳ of the Mss., as required by the articular inf. (περὶ）τοῦ ἐκείνους περαιωθῆναι. Thuc. might have written περὶ Σικελίᾳ following Homeric and other precedent, but not the single preposition with different cases in the same sent. See App.— 23. τὸν Ἰόνιον: see on 30. 5.—ἐκπλήξαιμεν: cf. καταπλήξαντες 38. 5, and ἐς ἔκπληξιν καθιστάναι 36. 6.

ἐς λογισμὸν καταστήσαιμεν : forcethemto a consideration. Cf. ἐς ἔκπληξιν καθιστάναι 36. 6; ἐς ὑποψίαν καθίστην 5. 29. 18; ἐς ἐλπίδας καθίστη 8. 81. 11.

ὅτι ὁρμώμεθα μὲν κτἑ.: explanation of λογισμός which extends to ἀθυμοῖεν (35). The thing to be considered is twofold: (1) ὅτι ὁρμώμεθα μὲν ἐκ φιλίας χώρας φύλακες ‘awaiting the Athenians at the Iapygian promontory, we have behind us a friendly land, which we must protect, and so need not venture far out into the open sea’; (2) τὸ δὲ πέλαγος αὐτοῖς πολὺ περαιοῦσθαι μετὰ πάσης τῆς παρασκευῆς ‘for them on the contrary the sea is a large place to cross with their whole fleet.’ Each of these clauses is then explained by a parenthetical addition: φιλίας χώρας by ὑποδέχεται γὰρ ἡμᾶς Τάρας, and τὸ πέλαγος πολὺ περαιοῦσθαι by χαλεπὸν δὲ . . . μεῖναι. From these conditions results an alternative: either the Athenians must advance with undivided fleet or come on with only the part ready for battle leaving behind their transports. The consequence of the first possibility is expressed in καὶ ἡμῖν ἂν εὐεπίθετος εἴη βραδεῖά τε καὶ κατ᾽ ὀλίγον προσπίπτουσα, and it (i.e. the fleet undivided so as not to break its order) coming up slowly and few at atime would be at our mercy. The second part of the alternative (εἰ δ᾽ αὖ) admits again of two possibilities: either we could attack them tired out with rowing (and so with prospect of victory) or we could draw back before their superior force into the harbor of Tarentum; and they would then, in lack of supplies on a coast which offered no support, either while awaiting (μένοντες) their transports be surrounded and shut in by us (πολιορκοῖντο—possibly Thuc. wrote ταλαιπωροῖντο reduced to straits) or, attempting to sail along the coast, in constant uncertainty whether the coast cities would receive them (εἰ ὑποδέξοιντο), would be disheartened.

ὑποδέχεται: vivid pres. for fut. Cf. 80. 18; 1. 121. 13; 4. 61. 27.

περαιοῦσθαι: limiting inf. after πολύ. GMT. 763. See on 42. 8.—χαλεπὸν δὲ...μεῖναι : rightly taken parenthetically by Cl., partly for the sake of parallel sentencestructure, partly that ἡ παρασκευή may more readily be supplied as subj. of εὐεπίθετος εἴη.

κατ̓ ὀλίγον : necessary for κατὰ λόγον of all the better Mss.; and so was evidently read by the Schol. βραδέως τε πλέουσα διὰ τὸν ἐν τῷ πελάγει κάματον καὶ οὐκ ἀθρόα.

τῷ ταχυναυτοῦντι: sc. μέρει.

ἁθροωτέρῳ : i.e. ἁθροωτέρῳ ὄντι or γενομένῳ.

κουφίσαντες : i.e. after loading all heavy baggage upon the transport vessels, thus lightening the others. Cf. Dio C. 33. 4 ὅπως κουφίσαντες διαφύγωσι.

εἰ δὲ μὴ δοκοίη : sc. ἡμῖν ἐπιθέσθαι.

ἔστι : supposed case stated as a present possibility. Weidner suggested ἔσται.

μετ̓ ὀλίγων ἐφοδίων : in consequence of the κουφίσαντες.

πολιορκοῖντο ἄν : would be blockaded by us, and so cut off from supplies.

τήν τε ἄλλην παρασκευὴν ἀπολίποιεν ἄν: would abandon the part of the fleet left behind.—καὶ τὰ τῶν πόλεων...εἰ ὑποδέξοιντο : Schol. καὶ οὐκ εἰδότες βεβαίως εἰ αἱ πόλεις ὑποδέξονται αὐτοὺς ἀθυμοῖεν ἄν.

ἀθυμοῖεν : the ἄν of the ptc. clause belongs to the verb, as Arn. and Pp. explain.

ἀποκλῃομένους: exclusos, held back, as 2. 76. 4; 4. 34. 22.

διαβουλευσαμένους: (aor.) after long consideration this way and that.

χρωμένους: pres. of frequency.

ἐξωσθῆναι...ἐς χειμῶνα : would through the lateness of the season be overtaken by winter. Cf. Hdt. 1. 31. 11 ἐκκλῃόμενοι τῇ ὥρῃ; Caes. B. G. 7. 11 diei tempore exclusus in posterum oppugnationem differt.—τῷ ἀδοκήτῳ: as below 50, 47. 11; 4. 36. 11; 5. 10. 33; 7. 29. 30, 43. 39. Cf. ἀδοκήτως 3. 45. 25; 4. 17. 16. Not found elsewhere in Attic prose, but freq. in tragedy and late writers. Cf. ἀπροσδόκητον 2. 61. 13; ἀπροσδοκήτως 4. 29. 17; 7. 21. 19.

πρόφασιν : sc. τοῦ τὸν πλοῦν καταλῦσαι.

εἴ τι ἀξιόχρεων...ὀφθείη : if any considerable demonstration on our part were seen. For ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν, cf. 4. 126. 32.

ἀγγελλοίμεθα δ̓ ἂν...ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖον : pers. const., as 37. 1.—εὖ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι; adv., like δῆλον ὅτι, as below 58, 38. 2, 68. 14.—ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖον: with exaggeration, as ἐπὶ τὸ μεῖζον 1. 10. 20. Cf. Dio C. 41. 21. 4 ἐπὶ τὸ μεῖζον ἀγγέλλεσθαι and 47. 24. 1 ἐπὶ τὸ φοβερώτερον ἀγγέλλεσθαι.

τῶν δ̓ ἀνθρώπων...ἵστανται : opinions of men veer according to what they are told. The figure is nautical, taken from the wind and sails. Cf. πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων γνώμην αἰεὶ ἕστασαν 4. 56. 17; πρὸς τὰς ξυμφορὰς καὶ τὰς γνώμας τρεπομένους 1. 140. 4.

τοὺς προεπιχειροῦντας...πεφόβηνται : fear more those who commence an attack, or who at any rate show betimes to aggressors that they will defend themselves. For the thought, cf. 4. 92. § 5. προεπιχειρεῖν elsewhere only in late writers. γε, put forward for emphasis, affects the whole clause.

ἰσοκινδύνους: equal to the risk, i.e. able to defend themselves. Elsewhere only in late Greek. Cf. Dio C. 41. 55 ἰσόρροποι ἀλλήλοις καὶ ἰσοκίνδυνοι ἐγίγνοντο.

ὅπερ ἂν νῦν...πάθοιεν : i.e. εἰ πεισθέντες ἐμοὶ ἀπαντήσαιτε αὐτοῖς. The idea is more fully expressed below (49) εἰ δ᾽ ἴδοιεν κτἑ.

δικαίως κατεγνωκότες: justly judging meanly (κατα-) of us.

ἐφθείρομεν: conative.—παρὰ γνώμην: with reference to κατε γνωκότες. Schol. παρὰ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν.

τῷ ἀδοκήτῳ...δυνάμει : for the thought, cf. 2. 89. 24 τῷ οὐκ εἰκότι πλέον πεφόβηνται ἡμᾶς ἢ τῇ κατὰ λόγον παρασκευῇ.

τῇ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀληθοῦς δυνάμει : = τῇ ἀληθεῖ δυνάμει.

μάλιστα μὲν...εἰ δὲ μή : as 1. 32. 4, 35. 23, 40. 13; 2. 72. 8; 3. 38. 24; 4. 104. 20; 5. 21. 15; 8. 91. 15.— μάλιστα μὲν ταῦτα τολμήσαντες: (with πείθεσθε) if possible by the execution of this bold plan, i.e. to go to meet the Athenians at the Iapygian promontory and fight them from there. The following infs. are grammatically dependent on πείθεσθε, though this gives way perhaps in thought to some more general word like δεῖ. Hence it is unnecessary to explain even παραστῆναι = imv. (see 5. 9. 26), as some do.

παραστῆναι...δείκνυσθαι : it must be brought home to every one that contempt of invaders is shown in active defense. For παραστῆναι in this sense, cf. 68. 11, 78. 1; 4. 61. 8, 95. 3. It has dependent on it the infs. δείκνυσθαι and ἂν ξυμβῆναι, and of these infs. in turn the subjs. are the articular infs. τὸ καταφρονεῖν and τὸ πράσσειν.

τὸ καταφρονεῖν : (cf. 33. 13) with pers. acc., as 8. 82. 6. —τῶν ἔργων τῇ ἀλκῇ: i.e. defense manifested by deeds. For position of gen., cf. 1. 9. 25; 5. 47. 65; 7. 24. 5. ἀλκή in this old poetical sense, see on 3. 30. 7, and C. F. Smith, Proc. Amer. Phil. Assoc. XXII, xviii.

ἤδη: at once (cf. 25. 6, 29. 6), belongs with πράσσειν.

τὰς μετὰ φόβου παρασκευάς : i.e. preparations made in full sense of the danger. Cf. δεδιότας παρεσκευάσθαι 2. 11. 21.

ὡς ἐπὶ κινδύνου : as in the face of danger, with πράσσειν.

χρησιμώτατον ἂν ξυμβῆναι : cf. 5. 92. 1.

ὅσον οὔπω πάρεισιν: are all but present, as 4. 125. 9; 8. 92. 45. Cf. ὅσον οὐ παρεῖναι 1. 36. 8 and freq.