Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1

ἔκδειαι: arrears. Suidas explains, ἔκδειά ἐστι τὸ μέρος καταβαλεῖν ὧν ὀφείλει τις, ἔνδεια δὲ τὸ μηδὲν ὅλως καταβαλεῖν. Cf. Dem. XXXII. 30.

λιποστράτιον: in such words λιπ- is to be preferred to λειπ-. See Dind. in Thesaurus s.v. λειπανδρέω, and Cobet, N. L. p. 78. The point is decided not by Mss. but by the poets. Plut., Cim. 11, says, ἄνδρας καὶ ναῦς ὡς ἐτάχθησαν οὐ παρεῖχον. In vi.76.15, the fem. λιποστρατία is applied to a course of such conduct, the neut. here to failure in particular cases. It could apply only to those allies who had to furnish independent contingents, and was therefore rare; accordingly, εἴ τῳ ἐγένετο. The ἀποστάσεις were induced mainly by the knowledge that such short-comings would be severely visited by the Athenians; and this leads to the following, οἱ γὰρ Ἀθηναῖοι ἀκριβῶς ἔπρασσον, which probably has the general sense of “exercising the hegemony in a strict manner” (cf. iii.66.1; iv.114.23); for πράσσειν without an express object, like χρήματα (viii.5.18), could hardly mean ‘exacted’ payment, etc.; which latter sense too would not well agree with λιποστράτιον . . . ἐγένετο. The consequence of this strictness is expressed in λυπηροὶ ἦσαν (c. 76. 5; vi.18.6), and its exercise in οὐκ εἰωθόσιν . . . ἀνάγκας. Here the better Mss. read προσαγαγόντες, but the pres. only is suitable to express systematic dealing.

ἀνάγκας: severe measures of compulsion, joined with προσάγειν like μηχανάς. Cf. ii.76.17; iv.100.7; vii.25.23.—ἦσαν ἄρχοντες: and in fact they exercised their authority. On the periphrasis, see App. on c. I. 1, and Am. J. of Ph. IV. p. 302.

ὁμοίως: Schol., ὡς ἐν ἀρχῇ μετὰ τὸν Παυσανίαν.

ἐν ἡδονῇ : with satisfaction to the allies. Cf. iii.9.4, ἐν ἡδονῇ ἔχειν.

οὔτε...ἴσου : supply ἀλλ᾽ ὡς κρατοῦντες. ξυστρατεύειν is applied to the leading state also in v.81.6; it seems impossible to suppose that ξύμμαχοι is subj. here, between the two clauses relating to the Athenians. As in c. 140. 31; iii.10.12, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἴσου implies the recognition of mutual rights.

προσάγεσθαι: = παραστήσασθαι. Cf. vi.94.14; viii.107.7.— 9. αἴτιοι ἐγένοντο: had been to blame. See on c. 50. 23.

ἀπ᾽ οἴκου: far from home. Cf. c. 7. 6; 76. 7; Eur. I. T. 481.

ἐτάξαντο: got themselves rated. τάξασθαι is used with acc. of sum to be paid, c. 108. 14; with inf. c. 117. 16; without either, iii.70.19; with both, c. 101. 14; iii.50.10. So here the essential change in the relation is expressed by χρήματα ἐτάξαντο, and the more definite statement by ἀντὶ τῶν νεῶν . . . φέρειν.

ἱκνούμενον : proper, suitable (commonly, τὸ ἐπιβάλλον, τὸ γιγνόμενον); the simple verb in Attic prose only in this form and sense.

καὶ τοῖς μὲν κτἑ.: and consequently, etc. Cf. c. 50. 21; 51. 16. This explains ῥᾴδιον προσάγεσθαι ἦν αὐτοῖς of 7, for which the allies were themselves in fault.— 13. ξυμφέροιεν: iterative opt., of what occurred every year. Cf. c. 50. 2. GMT. 62; H. 914 B.