E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1

3. ᾤκησαν—previous to the time of Minos.

Δήλου—in 426 B.C.; 3.104. The ‘proof’ applies only to the Carians, whence it may be inferred that the presence of Phoenicians in the islands was questioned by none.

6. ὑπὲρ ἡμισύ—subject, = πλείους τῶν ἡμίσεων (though of course it might be taken as adverbial).

7. τῇ σκευῇ τῶν ὅπλων—lit. their equipment (consisting) of arms, not ‘the style of their arms.’

9. Here Thuc. resumes from c. 4.

πλωιμώτερα ἐλένετο—the neut. plur. as in 7. 1.

[2] 10. ἐκ τῶν νήσων —ἐκ for ἐν by (the regular method of) attraction to the verb.

11. ὅτεπερ—namely, when, referring back to c. 4.

[3] 12. οἱ παρὰ θάλασσαν—cf. οἱ παρ᾽ ἔπαλξιν 2.13. 5, παρά with dat. not being used of inanimates except when persons are clearly implied.

15. τείχη περιεβάλλοντο—referring to cities already in existence, but hitherto without walls: hence not as in c. 7.

ὡς πλουσιώτεροι ἑαυτῶν γ.—the omission of αὐτοί in this idiom is rare: ‘as was natural, since they were now growing wealthier than they had been hitherto.’

16. γάρ refers to βεβαιότερον ᾤκουν. The double τε presents the same process under two different aspects.

18. δουλείαν—dependence. as often: so with δουλεύειν. The weaker states became tributaries of the stronger.

περιουσίας ἔχοντες—usually rendered ‘because they had wealth at their command’ and used it to extend their power; but more probably, ‘having funds in hand’ and being anxious to increase them. The more the funds increased, the more eager would they be to inerease them still further.

20 ἐν τοὐτῳ ... ὄντες—when they had now advanced to this condition, i.e. navigated the seas and were grown richer.

[4] 21 ὕστερον χρόνῳ—in course of time

22. Ἀ. τέ μοι δοχεῖ—and so it seems to me that it was because, etc.