Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 7

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Demosthenes takes measures, during the further course of his voyage to Sicily, for the reinforcement of his fleet and for the security of Naupactus and the adjacent regions. He unites forces with his colleague Eurymedon, whom he meets returning from Sicily.

1. τότε αποπλέων: cf. c. 26. 14, where the word παραπλεῖν is used of the actual course of the voyage at that moment.

ἐκ τῆς Λακωνικῆς: with unusual after-effect of ἀποπλέων = ἀποπλέων ἐκ τῆς Λακωνικῆς μετὰ τὴν ἐν αὐτῇ γενομένην τείχισιν.

ἐν Φειᾷ : the port of Olympia. See Curtius, Pelop. II. p. 45. Cf. ii.25.16.—εὑρών: the reading of Vat., adopted also by St., instead of the vulgate, λαβών, which is incompatible with διαφθείρει. For similar use of εὑρίσκειν, cf. ii.6.14; v.42.7. See on καταλαβόντες, c. 30. 1.—οἱ Κορίνθιοι ὁπλῖται: cf. c. 17. § 3; 19. § 4. This one ship had got separated from the squadron of Alexarchus, as in the similar case mentioned in c. 25. 11.

8. τῶν Μεσσηνίων: sc. ὁπλίτας.

τῆς Ἀκαρνανίας : this coast Demosthenes had become well acquainted with during his campaigns in the summer and autumn of 426 B.C. (iii. 94 ff.).

Ἀλύζειαν: cf. Strab. x.2.21, ἡ Ἀλύζεια πεντεκαίδεκα ἀπὸ θαλάττης διέχει σταδίους. On the form, see App.—αὐτοί: sc. οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι, who occupied it in the autumn of 425 B.C. (iv. 49) and had not given it up again. Cf. v.30.15.

11. περὶ ταῦτα: Schol. ἤγουν περὶ τὸ συλλέγειν δύναμιν. On this use of περί, see Kr. Spr. 68, 33, 2.—Εὐρυμέδων: having accomplished the voyage to Syracuse on which he had been sent (c. 16. 10), he was now on his way back to Athens, but meeting with Demosthenes entered immediately on his duties as joint commander, to which position he had been elected, c. 16. 8.

τότε τοῦ χειμῶνος: cf. c. 16. 10, περὶ ἡλίου τροπὰς τὰς χειμερινάς. τότε used often of a time taken for granted as well known. See on i.101.9.—τὰ χρήματα ἄγων: cf. c. 16. 12.

κατὰ πλοῦν: as in iii.32.2. Cf. καθ᾽ ὁδόν, v.3.14; 37. 6.— τὸ Πλημμύριον...ἑαλωκός : cf. c. 23. § 1.

15. Κόνων: without doubt the same who was prominent toward the end of the Peloponnesian War and later. He seems at this time to have had command both of the town and of the fleet stationed there. Diphilus no doubt came a little later, with reinforcements, to supersede Conon. Cf. c. 34. 13.

αἱ πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι...ἀνθορμοῦσαι : cf. c. 17. § 4; 19. § 5. σφίσιν, sc. τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις, is spoken from Conon's standpoint. For pl., see on c. 1. 27.

οὔτε καταλύουσι τὸν πόλεμον: Thuc. seems to have chosen the unusual expression, καταλύειν τὸν πόλεμον, “leave off military operations,” on account of the extraordinary circumstances. War had not yet been declared between Athens and the Peloponnesian alliance; and though arms had been gradually taken up everywhere, it was still possible to return to peaceful relations. The 25 Corinthian ships had been sent out with the special object of protecting the vessels intended for Sicily (c. 17. § 4; 19. § 5), and since these had now gone safely past Naupactus, there was no further cause for hostilities, and it might have been expected that they would abandon their hostile attitude (καταλύσειν αὐτοὺς τὸν πόλεμον). But this was not the case; on the contrary, they showed an inclination to risk a sea-fight with the Athenians. This contrast is appropriately expressed by the co-ord. const. οὔτε καταλύουσι τὸν πόλεμον ναυμαχεῖν τε μέλλουσι. See App.

ὡς: with acc. abs., as in i.134.21; vi.24.10; viii.66.20. GMT. 110, 2, N. 1; II. 974; Kr. Spr. 56, 9, 4.

δυοῖν δεούσας εἴκοσι: pred. to τὰς ἑαυτῶν. How the fleet of 20 triremes of c. 19. 28 had been reduced to 18 is not stated.

23. ξυμπέμπουσι: send along with. Cf. ii.12.11; iv.80.21.

περὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς τὸν ξύλλογον: for order, see on c. 24. 5. ξύλλογος in the sense of bringing together troops from all quarters only here, but corresponding to the freq. use of ξυλλέγειν. Cf. c. 7. 7, etc.

ξυνῆρχε: see on 11.— 28. ἀποτραπόμενος: i.e. giving up the voyage home (ἀποπλέων in 12) and turning back toward Sicily. Cf. iii.89.5.—ᾑρέθη: see on 11.