C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 5

ὡς ἕκαστοι—that is in such numbers as each could furnish; i. 3, 4, οἱ ὡς ἕκαστοι Ἕλληνες. The phrase is elliptical, a verb being in each case implied from the context. ἐν τῇ ἐκείνων—the Phliasians, though just mentioned, are called ἐκεῖνοι because apart from the Lacedaemonians, who are the main subject of the sentence; see note on iv. 37, 2.

προαισθόμενοι τό τε πρῶτον—answered by καὶ ἐπειδή, the participial construction being dropped in the second clause; ch. 44 begins with a similar sentence. ‘The Argives received the first intimation of the intention of the Lacedaemonians from the preparations of their allies: afterwards their purpose was more distinctly revealed by the march of the troops to Phlius. τότε δή refers only to the clause beginning καὶ ἐπειδή. The sentence would have run more regularly, προῄσθοντό τε...καὶ ἐπειδή κ.τ λ.’ (Jowett). Classen prefers to read τότε πρῶτον and to omit καί before ἐπειδή. τότε πρῶτον then refers to the gathering of troops by the Spartans (ch. 57). This certainly simplifies the construction, but the sentence seems to lose its Thucydidean character, and the repetition τότε πρῶτον...τότε δή is awkward.

προσμῖξαι—ch. 72, 8: also used of approaching an enemy (iv. 93. 1) ˙ and of coming to close quarters (iv. 33, 2, etc.).

Μεθυδρίῳ—Methydrium lay to the west of Mantinea, beyond a mountain ridge. Arnold points out that the Spartans took a circuitous route to Phlius, to avoid the territory of Mantinea.

καταλαμβάνουσι—of taking up a military position; iv. 1, 1, note. μεμονωμένοις, as in ch. 8, 18, means ‘without allies present’, rather than ‘deserted by allies’.

ἀναστήσας—iv. 93, 1, ἀναστήσας ἦγε τὸν στρατόν. ἐπορεύετο—began or continued his march. The route would be by Orchomenus to the north of Mantinea. Agis effected the junction with his allies, or at any rate opened commumcations with them, as we find the whole force after this acting in concert.

τὴν κατὰ Νεμέαν ὁδόν—the accusative seems not to be governed by ἐχώρουν ἐς, but rather to be explanatory of ᾖ προσεδέχοντο and dependent on καταβἡσεσθαι. κατά—‘by way of’; as we should say, they took the Nemean road: vii. 80, 1, ἦν ἡ ὁδὸς κατὰ τὸ ἕτερον μέρος τη̈ς Σικελίας. Nemea was north of Argos, between Cleonae and Phlius.

ταύτην—ch. 10, 31: iii. 24, 1, ἐχώρουν τὴν ἐς Θήβας φέρουσαν ὁδόν. The allied troops entered the enemy's territory in three divisions, two of which crossed the mountains into Argolis, while the third, with the cavalry, went northwards by the regular road to Nemea.

ὄρθιον—‘steep’; with two terminations, as in Eur. Hel. 632. ὄρθριον has good manuscript authority, and possibly ὄρθριοι should be read; see ch. 58, 3, ἡμέρας ἤδη. ἑτέραν ὄρθιον however corresponds to χαλεπήν.