Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 7

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Demosthenes and Eurymedon, abandoning their intention of marching their land forces through the territory of Croton, embark at the mouth of the river Hylias and come by sea to Petra, near Rhegium.

2. παρεσκευάσθησαν: had been induced; not equiv. to παρεσκευάσαντο, but pass. of παρασκευάζειν τινά, as used in iii.36.20; iv.132.11; viii.52.1. Kühn. 473, 2. It is the accomplishment of what was desired in c. 33. § 6, βουλόμενοι . . . καὶ τοὺς Θουρίους πεῖσαι σφίσι ξυστρατεύειν ὡς προθυμότατα. In viii.52.1, we have παρεσκεύαζε καὶ ἀνέπειθεν united in the same sense.

Συβάρει: the river near Thurii having the same name with the destroyed city, on the site of which Thurii was built. Cf. Strab. vi.1.13 (where the gen. is Συβάριδος).

7. τῷ Ὑλίᾳ: cannot be exactly identified.—προσπέμψαντες: as in i.53.2; iii.52.10. See on c. 3. 4. προπέμψαντες, which Portus proposes, is unnecessary.

οὐκ ἂν σφίσι βουλομένοις εἶναι: on the periphrasis, see GMT. 112, 2, N. 8; Kr. Spr. 48, 6, 4. Cf. Sall. Jug. 84. 3, quia neque plebi militia volenti; 100. 4; Tac. Ann. i. 59; Hist. iii. 43; Agric. 18. Note the very rare inf. of indir. disc. after εῖπον. See Am. Jour. Phil. IV. 88.

ἐπικαταβάντες: see on c. 23. 2. Cl. connects πρὸς τὴν θάλασσαν with the partic., as in c. 23. 2; but St. takes it with ηὐλίσαντο, citing Xen. Hell. ii.2.8, πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ἐστρατοπέδευσεν. Either view is admissible.

ἀναβιβασάμενοι: cf. c. 33. 18. Here τὸν στρατόν is to be supplied.

πλὴν Λοκρῶν: which was hostile to the Athenians. Cf. vi.44.13.

Πέτραν: usually called Λευκοπέτρα. Cf. Strab. vi.1.7.