Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1

τὸ δ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ ἰσθμοῦ: the narrative is continued from c. 63. 18; and so δέ is used here, though we have a δέ in next line, which might seem to require a previous μέν. In this expression the prep. ἐκ is used to designate the north wall, which, to the Athenians regarding it from the north, would meet their eyes from the Isthmus, such being the Greek manner of indicating observed positions. Cf. ii.76.13; iii.51.13. Kühn. 430, p. 398; Kr. Spr. 68, 17, 3. But the wall on the south side, from the same point of view, must for clearness be spoken of as in 2, τὸ δ᾽ ἐς τὴν Παλλήνην. On the other hand, the south wall as regarded by Athenians approaching from Aphytis is again correctly described, 13, as τὸ ἐκ Παλλήνης. On the bracketing of τεῖχος, see App.— 2. ἀποτειχίσαντες: as ἀπολαμβάνειν in c. 7. 4, implies the complete prevention of access. Cf. iii.51.13; 94. 12; iv.130.32; vi.101.9; 103. 6; vii.4.4. — 3. ἀτείχιστον ἦν: here = οὐκ ἀπετετείχιστο, as also in 5 τειχίζειν =ἀποτειχίζειν. See Herbst, Schl. b. d. Argin., 8, note 11.

διαβάντες: i.e. by ship; for the isthmus was completely closed by the town. Cf. iv.120.16.

γενομένοις δίχα: this, though in only few Mss., is to be preferred to γιγνομένοις; for the meaning is that the Athenians feared an attack if they should have divided their forces, not at the moment of separation. For γίγνεσθαι with adv. phrase, see on c. 37. 13.

πυνθανόμενοι: impf. partic. (cf. iii.18.12; viii.83.1), of reports frequently arriving. Cf. c. 95. 10; 132. 21; ii.57.5.

τὴν Παλλήνην: = τὸ ἐς τὴν Παλλήνην.

Φορμίωνα : he took the command in place of Callias who had been killed, and distinguished himself highly in the first years of the war. See ii.29.30; 68; 80 ff.

Ἀφύτιος: Ionic gen. in a proper name, as Γοάξιος, iv.107.11; Κνίδιος, v.51.8. Aphytis was on the east side of Pallene, on the gulf of Torone. ἐξ Ἀφύτιος ὁρμώμενος, making his base at Aphytis.

κατὰ βραχύ: cf. c. 61. 18, κατ̓ ὀλίγον.

κείρων : only here in Thuc. instead of τέμνων. Frequent in Hdt., as vi.75.20; vii.131.2; viii.32.13; 65. 3.

κατὰ κράτος: applied to any energetic use of force, with πολιορκεῖν, πολεμεῖν, αἱρεῖν, λαμβάνειν. Cf. c. 118. 21; ii.54.14; iii.18.20; 103. 3; iv.23.10; 131. 4; v.116.10; vi.91.39; vii.41.1; viii.1.20; 64. 15; 70. 9.