Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 7

1. οἱ δ᾽ οὖν Συρακόσιοι: since the narrative, interrupted at the end of c. 56, is here resumed, giving in ἐνόμισαν καλὸν ἀγώνισμα σφίσιν εἶναι almost a verbal repetition of c. 56. 9, Kr.'s conjecture, δέ (for τε of the Mss.), which is the usual connecting particle in Thuc. in such cases, is doubtless right. See on i.3.19. For οὖν, see on c. 6. 7. See App.

ἐπὶ τῇ γεγενημένῃ νίκῃ: not only temporal, after the victory won, but also on the basis of the victory won, i.e. trusting now in victory.

μηδὲ καθ᾽ ἔτερα: i.e. κατὰ μηδέτερα. See on c. 41. 15; 43. 4.—αὐτοὺς...διαφυγεῖν : with changed subj., dependent on καλὸν ἀγώνισμα. With regard to the force of the aor. infs. ἑλεῖν, διαφυγεῖν, see App. to 1, above.

διὰ θαλάσσης: more def. than κατὰ θάλασσαν, referring to the wide sea to be crossed.

ἔκλῃον: imp.; they undertook the work, which, acc. to Diod. xiii. 14, they finished in three days.

ὀκτὼ σταδίων μάλιστα: for gen. of measure, see on c. 2. 17. Holm (Vortrag in Karlsr. Philol. Wochenschrift, 1882, No. 44, and Zeitschr. f. allg. Gesch. 1884, p. 16, 17) adopts here a small itinerary stadium of about 150 metres. See App. to c. 78. 14.

πλαγίαις: belongs to the three substs. The ships were placed broadside before the harbour and anchored (ἐπ᾽ ἀγκυρῶν ὁρμίζοντες, sc. αὐτάς).

ὀλίγον οὐδὲν ἐς οὐδέν: cf. c. 87. 23; ii.8.1; viii.15.21. See Introd. to Book I. p. 48, note 77.