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νησιωτέων: cf. vii. 95. 1.

χρήματα: clearly the fleet exacted war indemnities from islands that had supported the enemy (cf. 66. 2). These would be used for the pay and provisions of the crews. Such ἀργυρολογία was a common practice in the Peloponnesian war (Thuc. ii. 69; iii. 19; iv. 50, 75, &c.). H. unfairly (cf. ch. 4. 2 n.) represents the whole matter as if it had to do with the private gain of Themistocles (ch. 112). No doubt some money may have stuck to the fingers of the most influential leader (Timocreon, fr. 1), but these exactions were in the main public.


Cf. Alcaeus, fr. 92 ἀργάλεον πενία, κάκον ἄσχετον, μέγα δάμνης, | λᾶον ἀμαχανίᾳ σὺν ἀδελφέᾳ, Eur. fr. 250 οὐκ ἔστι πενίας ἱερὸν ἐχθίστης θεοῦ. For the concluding gnome cf. vii. 172. 3.

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