Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1

παρέλαβον: usually of support in war; here and viii.92.40, of additional advocates of a proposal. The Lacedaemonians would naturally be chosen, as being in favour at Corinth.

φρουρούς τε καὶ οἰκήτορας: with a single art. See on c. 6. 1.—ὡς οὐ μετόν : the subjective ὡς with the abs. partic. and the neg. οὐ of fact (connected with ἐκέλευον, not with ἀπάγειν) indicate the confidence of the assumption. In dependence on the imv. idea of κελεύειν we should have μή. Cf. vii.77.35; Ar. Ran. 128.

ἀντιποιοῦνται: sc. Ἐπιδάμνου. Cf. iv.122.15.

δίκας δοῦναι: cf. c. 85. 9; 144. 15; iv.118.35; one side, and here the most important, of the full δίκας διδόναι καὶ δέχεσθαι (cf. δίκαια, c. 37. 21, and δίκας ἴσας καὶ ὁμοίας, v.27.12; 59. 24), “to submit the quarrel to a fair discussion and arbitration.” —παρὰ πόλεσιν αἷς: = παρ᾽ αἷς. See on c. 1. 12; 6. 21.

ξυμβῶσιν: sc. δίκας δοῦναι.

ἤθελον δέ : this emphatic repetition (epanaphora) of the verb, the clause ὁποτέρων . . . κρατεῖν being parentheic, indicates their willingness to accede to any friendly adjustment.

πόλεμον δὲ οὐκ εἴων ποιεῖν: (not ποιεῖσθαι) “against causing war they strongly protested.” οὐκ ἐᾶν as c. 127. 10; vi.72.7. Cf. Hdt. v.36.7, οὐκ ἔα πόλεμον ἀναιρέεσθαι. The aor. inf. used for the positive recommendations, δοῦναι, ἐπιτρέψαι, the pres. for the dissuasive, ποιεῖν.

εἰ δὲ μή : introduces the alternative, whether a positive clause, or, as here, a neg., precedes. GMT. 52, 1, N. 2; H. 906. After this transition ἔφασαν, which Kr. suspects, can hardly be dispensed with. See the similar case in ii.5.22.

οὓς οὐ βούλονται: a covert allusion to the alliance with the Athenians, which, as οὐ shows, was already contemplated, with whom they would naturally not desire to unite themselves, as being of a different race.

τῶν νῦν ὄντων: the gen. depending on ἑτέρους. G. 175, 1, N. 1; H. 753 g. This refers rather to the Lacedaemonians and Sicyonians, who were with them, than to the Illyrians (c. 26. 19), whom they would hardly call φίλοι.

ὠφελίας ἕνεκα : placed at the end, implying that if their claim of right is rejected, interest alone must guide their action. See App.

ἀπαγάγωσι: the best Mss. give ἀπάγωσι, and the pres. partic. in c. 29. 18; but the connexion of thought requires the aor. here, as in the precisely similar case in 17: the withdrawal must take place first, and then only can negotiations be entertained. —πρότερον: before this takes place, belongs not to καλῶς ἔχειν but to δικάζεσθαι, to which πολιορκεῖσθαι, though in parataxis, is in sense subord.: “it was not proper that, while the Epidamnians were undergoing siege, they (the Corinthians and Corcyraeans) should dispute about their rights.”

αὐτούς: acc., although inclusive of the speakers, from the contrast with τοὺς μέν. Kühn. 476, 1.

ἐν Ἐπιδάμνῳ: directly opp. to τοὺς . . . ἀπὸ Ἐπιδάμνου of 14. The Corinthians had troops actually in Epidamnus, who, as not really Epidamnians, could not be described by the proleptic τοὺς ἐξ Ἐπιδάμνου.

ἑτοῖμοι δ̓ εἶναι κτἑ.: supply δικάζεσθαι from 16, they were ready for a judicial settlement. Cf. v.41.10. ὥστε, on condition that (cf. c. 29. 22; iii.28.4; iv.65.3; vii.83.8), introduces both μένειν and ποιήσασθαι, the latter being aor. to mark the new step which would then be taken. κατὰ χώραν, as they were. See App.