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. νεότης καὶ ἄνοια—joined also by Andoc. 2, 7.

παρὰ φ. δοκοῦσα εἶ—with ἄνοια only, which is added as an alternative for νεότης. ‘This was the way in which my . . in dealing with the power of the Pel. was associated with reasonable arguments, and by its vehemence won credence and persuaded men.’ For the readings see crit. n. The antithesis in ἄνοια and λόγοις πρέπουσι contains the chief point of the sentence.

ἐς . . δύναμιν means the hostile power of Pel., not the alliance formed by Alc.

ὀργή is ‘impulse’ rather than ‘anger.’ αὐτήννεότητα, which throughout is uppermost in the speaker's mind.

πεφόβησθε—M.T. § 107.

δοκεῖ εἶναι—carries us back to δοκοῦσα εἶναι, and is somewhat sarcastic. Nicias worshipped εὑτυχία.

ξυμμείκτοις—referring, not to the immigrations, but to the ehanges among the inhabitants under the Sicilian tyrants or at their fall. ‘Observers in Old Greece did not fail to contrast these constant changes with the comparative stability of things in their own cities. . . No man looked on the land in which he dwelled as really his country; each man in his schemes reckoned on the chance of having to leave the city where he lived, and of finding house and lands elscwhere’ (Freeman).

ἐπιδοχάς—the acceptance of new constitutions means really the acceptance of democracies, which in 415 were not so unstable as Alc. represents.

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