CHAPTER XCI
ξυνελέγοντο—the imperfect refers to the whole time that the Athenians had been in Boeotia. We must render ‘had been gathering together’.
οἵ εἰσιν ἕνδεκα—if these words are not a gloss, Thucydides must mean that the total number of Boeotarchs in his days was eleven, otherwise we should have
ἦσαν (R. S.). The number varied at different times; see Arnold.
ξυνεπαινούντων—of joint approval; Dem. de Cor.
288,
συνεπαινεσάντων δὲ πάντων.
μάλιστα—‘about’, here of approximate situation, more commonly of number or time: the lit. meaning is that a thing is ‘most nearly’ as stated.
τῆς Ὠρωπίας—the district of Oropus, a frequent ground of dispute, was at this time subject to Athens:
ii. 23,
νέμονται Ὠρώπιοι Ἀθηναίων ὑπήκοοι.
καὶ ἡγεμονίας οὔσης αὐτοῦ—the position of these words is awkward, and their connexion open to doubt. Most editors take them with what follows, ‘both wishing to fight while he was in command, and thinking it better to risk a battle’. It is however quite possible that the
καί may merely join the gen. absolute, ‘and he being in command’, to the preceding
βοιωταρχῶν: see ch. 29, 1. It would appear that the Boeotarchs, or possibly only the two Theban Boeotarchs, held the command in turn, but we do not know any facts.
τὴν μάχην ποιῆσαι—to bring on, or order:
ii. 86,
στρατηγοὶ βουλόμενοι τὴν μάχην ποιῆσαι: ‘activum de ducibus ponitur, qui auctores sunt ut pugna fiat’ (Poppo).
ὅπως μὴ ἀθρόοι—Arnold points out that this illustrates the practice of the Greek soldiers attending the speeches of their general without their arms; see notes on ch. 44, 6 and 74, 13. In
iii. 1 etc.,
τὰ ὅπλα means the camp or place of arms, and this may possibly be the meaning here.
