E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 2

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Ἐπίδαυρον—the most important place yet attacked by the Athenians; it would have been valuable to them, as it lay on the road to Argos, which was then neutral (c. 9, 2) and might possibly join them if they obtained possession of so considerable a state: and other towns, as Troezen and Hermione might have fallen into their hands.

ἔτεμον—it is not clear why Pericles ravaged the country before attacking Epidaurus: probably he had planned a stratagem to seize the place with a small force while the main body was scattered about and was keeping the troops that guarded the town (only a third of the whole force of Epidaurus, c. 47, 2) occupied.

ἐς ἐλπίδα ἦλθον—the phrases ἐλπίς ἐστι, ἐν ἐλπίδι εἶναι, ἐλπίδα ἔχειν have the simple infin. aor. in most cases, as c. 80, 1; but in c. 85, 4 ἐλπίδος ούσης has the fut. infin., and in 102, 3 ἐλπὶς has ἂν παθεῖν; while in I. 144, 1 we have ἐλπίδα τοῦ περιέσεσθαι. Cf. on c. 13, 9.

οὐ μἐντοι—this failure is probably due to a rally of the inhabitants similar to that of the Plataeans, c. 3. προεχώρησε—impersonal; cf. I. 109 ὼς αὐτῷ οὐ προυχώρει; III. 18 ἐπειδὴ οὐ προυχώρει ᾗ προσεδέχοντο; al.