T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8

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τοὺς γὰρ πεντακοσίους. Not a specified or understood 500, but as in c. 15, § 1, τὰς . . . ὀκτώ (q.v.).

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Μιλήσιοι, subsequently rather illogically divided by ‘partitive apposition’ (σχῆμα καθ᾽ ὅλον καὶ μέρος) into αὐτοί τε . . . καὶ οἱ . . . καὶ Τ. . . . καὶ αὐτὸς . . .

οἱ μετὰ Χαλκιδέως the same as τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ νεῶν ὁπλίτας of c. 23, § 4; his ἐπιβάται and other men. The Peloponnesian crews have been left at Chios (c. 17, § 1) and have remained there (c. 32, § 2).

ξενικὸν ἐπικουρικὸν Herwerden, followed by P-S and others, brackets ξενικὸν, and similarly in iii. 109, τὸν μισθοφόρον ὄχλον τὸν ξενικόν, where Meineke, however, would bracket μισθοφόρον. It is urged that the expression is tautological, or at least pleonastic. So, therefore, in a milder form, would be iv. 52, μισθωσάμενοι ἐπικουρικόν (and ii. 33). InXen. Hell. vi. 1, 5, μισθοφόρους ἔχω ξένους, Dindorf and Cobet would eject μισθοφόρους. In Thucyd. vi. 55 ἐπικούροις is opposed to πολίταις. Now ἐπίκουροι literally conveys only the notion of auxiliary forces, and only by suggestion that of mercenaries. In vii. 58, ἐπικουρίαι has not the latter implication at all. Τισσαφέρνους ἐπικουρικὸν might mean nothing more than an auxiliary force sent by T. The addition of ξενικὸν defines the force as consisting of ξένοι (i. 121, vii. 42). If any word is to be expunged it would rather be ἐπικουρικόν, for it might be claimed that all ξένοι are ἐπίκουροι. But the pleonasm is scarcely felt: ‘a certain auxiliary force of mercenaries belonging to Tissaphernes.’

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καταφρονήσαντες, ‘possessed with contempt,’ used absolutely in an adverbial way. So ii. 11, διὰ τὸ καταφρονοῦντας ἀπαρασκεύους γενέσθαι. The aorist as in iv. 34.

ὡς ἐπ᾽ Ἴωνας Cf. v. 9, Δωριῆς μέλλετε Ἴωσι μάχεσθαι; vii. 5, Πελοποννήσιοί τε ὄντες καὶ Δωριῆς, Ἰώνων καὶ νησιωτῶν κρατήσαντες.

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ὄχλον, a contemptuous term for the less organised soldiery, cf. iv. 126, οἱ τοιοῦτοι ὄχλοι, and the context.

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ἐνίκων, a quasi-pluperfect, νικῶ (cf. ἀδικῶ, ἥκω, etc.) being a quasi-perfect, = ‘remamed conquerors,’ victores erant. Cf. τελευτῶντες, c. 58, § 6.

τὸν περιτειχισμὸν The article implies that this proceeding would naturally follow.

τοῦ χωρίου The position of the city on a point rendered the proceeding easy.

ἂν . . . προσχωρῆσαι The MSS. with one exception have προσχωρήσειν. See Introduction, § 2 (iii.) Goodwin, M. and T. § 208. In iv. 69, Νίσαιαν περιετειχιζον νομίζοντες, ει ἐξέλοιεν, θᾶσσον ἂν καὶ τὰ Μέγαρα προσχωρῆσαι, but in ii. 80 almost all MSS. give νομίζοντες, εἰ ταύτην πρώτην λάβοιεν, ῥᾳδίως ἂν σφίσι τἆλλα προσχωρήσειν (two MSS. omit ἂν). Cf. vi. 66, and inf. c. 71, § 1, where by far the most MS. authority is for ἂν ἡσυχάσειν. It does not seem reasonable, in view of the almost constant variants in -σαι, -σειν, to retam the future, nor can ἂν well be treated as consopitum with the adverb ῥᾳδίωας.