E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 6

αὐτόν—‘the general.’ The A. now stopped build ing north of the κύκλος, and built a double wall from Portella del Fusco towards the Great Harbour. Now that the fleet was in the harbour, it was necessary to secure communication with the κύκλος. The object of the wall being double was partly that provisions might come safely from the harbour, and partly to guard against an attack from two sides, as Polichna was in the possession of Syr.

περιεωρῶντο—as in c. 93, 1. For

Τυρσηνίας see c. 88, 6.

καὶ τἆλλα κτλ—the next sentences consist of a telling contrast between the prospects of the two sides just before the arrival of Gylippus. Then come the progress and arrival of the latter, the passage lasting down to the end of VII. 2. The whole passage is one of the finest examples of the sombre pathos of which Thuc. is such a master.

προυχώρει ἐς ἐλπίδας—‘the progress was such as to rouse hopes’ of success. Cf. VIII. 81 ἐς ἐλπίδας αὐτοὺς τῶν μελλόντων καθίστη, though the resemblance is more apparent than real. This use of ἐς is to express the end or consequence towards which the action of the verb is directed. Cf. πράσσειν τι ἐς ἀναβολάς VII. 15, ‘to act so as to produce delays.’ (Classen reads ἐς ἐλπίδα with the Vatican,=‘according to their hope.’）

οὐδέ—from Peloponnese they had especially looked for help, because of their tie with Corinth and the Spartan hatred of Athens.

τοὺς δὲ λόγους—‘the proposals they made whether among themselves or to Nicias were for peace.’ These proposals must have come from persons opposed to Hermoerates, and are a violation of the oath taken a few months before (c. 75, 2). They are the outcome of the vigorous prosecution of the siege.

οἷα—sc. λέγεσθαι

ὑπό—‘under the weight of.’

Ἡρακλείδην—not the same as the one mentioned in c. 73, 1.