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

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ξυνηνέχθη . . . θόρυβος. Cf. Plat. Polit. 270 C, μεταβολὰς συμφερομένας.

περὶ τὸν Ἀστύοχον Liddell and Scott, περὶ C. I. 5.

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γὰρ epexegetic, like nam, enim, introducing the narrative.

Συρακοσίων καὶ Θουρίων Twenty Syracusan ships came in c. 26, § 1, and one in c. 35, § 1. Ten Thurian ships under Dorieus arrived in c. 35, § 1. Of these some were lost (c. 35, § 3). Five appear again in c. 61, § 2.

ὅσῳ μάλιστα καὶ ἐλεύθεροι answered by τοσούτῳ καὶ θρασύτατα. ὅσῳ καὶ ἐλευθερώτατοι is resolved into ὅσῳ καὶ μάλιστα ἐλεύθεροι, and, the emphasis being upon their ‘freedom,’ καὶ is put before that word rather than before μάλιστα.

τὸ πλῆθος in partitive apposition to οἱ ναῦται, as οἱ πλεῖστοι might have been in a similar sentence. Cf. i. 126, οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ἀπῆλθον οἱ πολλοί. Plato, Phaedr. 275 B, has ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλῆθος. The accus. of closer definition, as in πόσοι τὸ πλῆθος (Hdt. iv. 2, etc.), has no place here. τὸ πλῆθος=‘the majority,’ i. 20, 125.

τῷ γε Δωριεῖ κ.τ.λ. ‘and in the case of Dorieus, he even went so far as to raise his stick against him.’ The treatment of Dorieus is specially remarkable, hence γε. Concerning Dorieus see c. 35, § 1.

τὴν βακτηρίαν The carrying of a stick was a peculiarity of Lacedaemonian generals. Commentators quote Plut. Themist. 11 (of Eurybiades), ἐπαραμένου δὲ τὴν βακτηρίαν ὡς πατάξοντος ὁ Θεμιστοκλῆς ἔφη: πάταξον μέν, ἄκουσον δέ; Xen. Anab. ii. 3, 11, (of Clearchus), ἐν μὲν τῇ ἀριστερᾷ χειρὶ τὸ δόρυ ἔχων, ἐν δὲ τῇ δεξιᾷ βακτηρίαν. Add Xen. Hell. vi. 2, 19 (of Mnasippus), τὸν μέν τινα βακτηρίᾳ, τὸν δὲ τῷ στύρακι ἐπάταξεν.

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οἶα δὴ ναῦται. The ellipse is not of ὄντες, but rather of some general verb-sense, e.g. ποιοῦσιν or ποεῖν φιλοῦσιν, ‘as is usual with sailors,’ ‘in sailor fashion.’ The turbulence of sailors was proverbial, cf. c. 72, § 2. Eur. Hec. 607, ἀκόλαστος ὄχλος ναυτική τ᾽ ἀναρχία.

ἐκραγέντες Cf. Hdt. vi. 129, κατεῖχε ἑωυτόν, οὐ βουλόμενος ἐκραγῆναι ἐς αὐτόν; id. viii. 74. Lucian (Calum. 23) has the active with cog. acc. ἐκρηγνύναι ὀργήν. The reading ἐγκραγόντες is less forcible, though otherwise appropriate. Cf. Arist. Plut. 427, οὐ γὰρ ἂν τοσουτονὶ ἐνέκραγες ἡμῖν μηδὲν ἠδικημένη.

οὐ μέντοι . . . γε in opposition to what was expected. ‘However, he escaped stoning . . .’

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τὸ ἐν τῇ Μιλήτῳ . . . φρούριον. In terms of the treaty of c. 58 Miletus now belongs to the Persian empire. Cf. inf. § 5, τοὺς ἄλλους τοὺς ἐν τῇ βασιλέως. The Milesians are thus practically in revolt.

αὐτοῦ sc. τοῦ Τισσαφέρνους, not τοῦ φρουρίου, in which case αὐτοῦ would be otiose after ἐνόντας.

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Λίχας who had been so firm in his demands, c. 43, § 3.

αὐτοῖς viz. with these proceedings.

καὶ δουλεύειν answered by καὶ ἐπιθεραπεύειν. δουλεύειν is a strong term, but applicable to the present subjection of the Milesians, who are no longer a free Greek state. Cf. c. 46, § 3, ξυγκαταδουλοῦν ἐκείνῳ (sc. to Tissaphernes) ὅσοι ἐν τῇ βασιλέως Ἕλληνες οἰκοῦσιν.

ἐπιθεραπεύειν, ‘furthermore to court his favour.’ ἐπι- has the sense of ultro. The same word has a different meaning in c. 47, § 1.

ὠργίζοντό τε . . . καὶ ὕστερον

ὕστερον with ἀποθανόντα (= ἐπεὶ ὕστερον ἀπέθανεν). as the position shows.