Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 7

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Gylippus carries forward the counter-wall, and ventures to attack the Athenians between the two walls, but, not being able to use his cavalry in the confined space, is repulsed. By taking the blame of the failure on himself, however, he keeps the confidence of the Syracusans in future success unimpaired.

1. τὸ διὰ τῶν Ἐπιπολῶν τεῖχος: see on c. 4. 2.—ἅμα μὲν ἐτείχιζε...ἅμα δὲ παρέτασσεν : significant expression for the restless activity of Gylippus in training his men for battle, and at the same time keeping the enemy occupied.

οὓς οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι προπαρεβάλοντο σφίσιν: cf. c. 2. 21; vi.99.2. σφίσιν is added to the mid not without irony; they had dragged up the stones for their own wall, and saw them now used by their enemies. For σφίσι referring to the nearest subj., see Kühn. 455, note 9.

τοῦ τειχίσματος: the sing. refers to the crosswall (more exactly ἡ ἐκείνων τείχισις in c. 6. 5), which was still in process of erection, and before which Gylippus drew up his troops. τῶν τειχισμάτων in 7 and τῶν τειχῶν in 14 refer to the unfinished wall of circumvallation of the Athenians and the crosswall of the Syracusans that was advancing against it.

7. ᾗ: more comprehensive than οὗ, “in a place where.”

οὐδεμία χρῆσις ἦν: pregnant use of εἶναι = ὑπάρχειν. Cf. c. 36. 28; 70. 25; i.2.5; 49. 11; 52. 10; ii.89.35; viii.96.6.

νεκρούς: among these was the Corinthian Gongylus, mentioned in c. 2. 2. Cf. Plut. Nic. 19.—ὑποσπόνδους ἀνελομένων: an acknowledgment of defeat, since they were obliged to beg for the σπονδαί. But in ii.22.15, the words ἀνείλοντο τοὺς νεκροὺς ἀσπόνδους show that the defeat was not decisive. See on i.63.17.— 11. ὁ μὲν Γύλιππος: μέν from Vat. referring to ὁ δὲ Νικίας in c. 6. 1.

τῇ τάξει: by his line of battle; instrumental dat. explained by the clause ἐντὸς . . . ποιήσας, “since he had placed it too far in between the walls.” With ἐντὸς . . . ποιήσας cf. i.62.13; 109. 16; v.2.13. See App.

14. νῦν...ἐπάξειν : νῦν is not temporal, but, as in νῦν δέ, refers to the present case, the experience gained, and is to be closely connected with αὖθις, “he would after this experience again lead them out.” ἐπάγειν here and in 20 not “lead to battle,” but = ἐξάγοντα παρατάσσειν (3), “draw up in battle array.”

καὶ διανοεῖσθαι οὕτως ἐκέλευεν: and he urged them to have this conviction.

ὡς...ἕξοντας : supplementary partic. with ὡς. GMT. 113, N. 10 c.—τῇ μὲν παρασκευῇ: in point of preparation; τῇ δὲ γνώμῃ, as regarded their determination; the former he himself would attend to, the latter he expected from them.

οὐκ ἀνεκτὸν ἐσόμενον: acc. abs. with ὡς, just as above the regular acc. οὐκ ἔλασσον ἕξοντας. GMT. 113, N. 10 b, c; Kr. Spr. 56, 9, 7, and 14, 2.—εἰ μὴ ἀξιώσουσι...ἐξελάς ασθαι : “if they should not make it a point of honour to drive them out.” ἐξελάσασθαι also in iv.35.14. Vat. has ἐξελάσεσθαι, but there is no example of the fut. inf. after ἀξιοῦν. For the aor. inf., cf. also c. 63. 20; i.74.14; 132. 11; iii.39.20; 40. 24.— Πελοποννήσιοι...νησιωτῶν : chiastic arrangement, since Πελοποννήσιοι has almost the force of ἠπειρῶται. Cf. vi.77.11, where Δωριῆς ἐλεύθεροι ἀπ᾽ αὐτονόμου τῆς Πελοποννήσου τὴν Σικελίαν οἰκοῦντες are disdainfully contrasted with Ἴωνες καὶ Ἑλλησπόντιοι καὶ νησιῶται. Here ξυγκλύδων is added as more contemptuous than the usual ξυμμίκτων (iv.106.4; 109. 10; vi.4.36; 17. 8).

ἐπειδὴ καιρὸς ἦν: the very next day as is proved by τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ（μάχῃ), c. 11. 8.—αὖθις ἐπῆγεν αὐτούς: he led them out again, to show that he was ready for battle, but did not make an attack (hence the impf.). He accepted battle immediately, however, when it was offered by the Athenians.