T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8

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δυοῖν ἡμέραιν. MSS. have δυσὶν ἡμέραις. But δυσὶν is a form unknown in Attic until Roman times (Meisterhans, Gr. Att. Ins. p. 124), and is expressly condemned by Phrynichus (Rutherford, New Phryn. Art. clxxxv.) The correction to δυοῖν being made, ἡμέραιν must be written (New Phryn. ibid.） Jowett renders ‘having spent two days in provisioning,’ as if he read δύο ἡμέρας. The accusative would be used if the provisioning took the whole time; the genitive implies that it was done ‘at times within’ two days. So P - S renders intra duos dies, comparing v. 14, ᾤοντο ὀλίγων ἐτῶν καθαιρήσειν τὴν τῶν Ἀθηναίων δύναμιν. Jelf, § 523, 2. The genitive is really partitive. We cannot render ‘provisioning themselves for two days' voyage,’ because of the following τῇ τρίτῃ.

λαβόντες the masc. because ὁ Μίνδαρος καὶ αἱ νῆες is regarded as = οἱ Πελοποννήσιοι.

τεσσαρακοστὰς a coin of unknown value,—ἀρχαῖα νομίσματα ἐπιχώρια is all the scholiast can say. Obviously it was 1/40 of some standard sum, perhaps a stater, in which case 1/40 = 3 obols. Arnold quotes ἕκτας Φωκαΐδας from an inscription in Boeckh's ‘Economy.’

οὐ πελάγιαι. οὐ was added by Haacke. The meaning plainly is that they did not sail in the straightest course to the Hellespont, which would be W.N.W. through the open sea, but they chose to hug the coast of Asia Minor keeping Lesbos on the left. By proceeding πελάγιαι they would pass not far from Eresus. ἀλλὰ, moreover, requires a preceding negative. Grote has a long and vehement note (pt. ii. c. lxiii.) in which he tries to show that the text is sound, and that Mindarus sailed from Chios southwards round the island, going up its western side and round the north, in order to avoid the scouts whom he supposes to be watching the channel. The note is, however, based on an illusion. πελάγιαι cannot mean what he would have it mean, viz. ‘sailing on the sea-side of the island.’ It can only be opposed to coasting. Yet even with Grote's fanciful and tortuous view, the ships would still παραπλεῖν and not πλεῖν πελάγιαι. Moreover, Thucydides distinctly says that their reason for sailing as they did was ‘to avoid falling in with the ships at Eresus.’ The scouts, again, are posted on the mainland opposite Lesbos (c. 100, § 2). If they had been opposite Chios they would at least have seen Mindarus' departure from that city.