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ἄπορα νομίζοντες—‘thinking (the situation) difficult,’ a characteristic use of the neut. plur. without subst., as in I. 8 πλωιμώτερα ἐγένετο.

καὶ αἱ περὶ τὴν Π. τριάκοντα νῆες ‘the thirty ships that were about (off the W. coast) the Pel. as well.’ If the text is sound, the thirty ships of c. 7 must surely be meant: it is true that c. 7, 3 shows that the majority of these ships, at any rate, were no longer ravaging the coasts; but the Lac. are misled by an inaccurate report. Chambry, however, suggests that the eighteen ships referred to in c. 7, 3 had subsequently rejoined the other twelve; if so, it is strange that Thuc. has omitted to mention this.—The edd. who delete τριάκοντα point out that from c. 13, 3 it is clear the Lac. knew already about the doings of this earlier fleet. But (1), the Lesbian speaker does not say that the fleet was actually ravaging the coasts; and (2) in any case, if c. 13, 3 is in point here, so is c. 13, 4, and there the expectation is that the fleet will be withdrawn. Why should not the Lac. have fresh information—inaccurate—that the expectation had been falsified? The second

καί=‘also,’ i.e. as well as the new fleet which was making ἀποβάσεις (§ 2). Those who omit τριάκοντα understand the fleet of 100 ships mentioned just before. This is of course possible, but the passage admits of a simple explanation as it stands; and it is hardly likely that the 100 ships could so soon be reported as ravaging the coasts.

τὴν περιοικίδα—land belonging to the περίοικοι in Messenia seems to be meant.

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