CHAPTER CXXVII
διαφθείρειν—possibly
διαφθερεῖν should be read; otherwise
νομίσαντες is to be supplied in a different sense: see note on ch. 117, 7.
αὐτοῖς—grammatically dependent on
ἀπήντων, but in sense connected with all the following clauses as far as line 10, =‘when they found themselves met’ etc.
ἐκδρομαί—cf. ch. 125, 21,
ἐκδρόμους ἔταξε. Here the abstract substantive denotes either the sallies made by these soldiers, or the actual bodies of
ἔκδρομοι,=
οἰ τεταγμένοι πρὸς τὸ ἐκτρέχειν. Arnold compares ch. 128, 6: also
viii. 102,
τῷ φιλιῳ ἐπίπλῳ, ‘the fleet of their friends who were
ἐπιπλέοντες’.
ἐπικειμένους—sc.
αὐτούς, ‘when they pressed on him’:
Hdt. v. 81,
ἐπικειμένων Βοιωτοῖσι: cf.
ἔγκειμαι and
πρόσκειμαι, which are common in Thucydides. This chapter is rich in words of attack and defence.
παρὰ γνώμην—contrary to what the barbarians expected.
ἀντέστησαν—sc. Brasidas and his picked men.
προσβάλλειν—inf. to be explained as in ch. 36, 5.
ἐς τὴν Ἀρριβαίου—part of the main description is thrown into the relative clause: cf. note on ch. 113, 8,
αἶ ἐφρούρουν δύο. Brasidas apparently had to ascend a narrow gorge, which the barbarians occupied in advance by moving along the sides; see Arnold, and note on ch. 83, 7.
τὸ ἄπορον—probably a part where the pass narrowed, and possibly ascended steeply.
