T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8

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Δερκυλίδας τε, answered by καὶ οἱ Χῖοι.

Ἄβυδον on the Asiatic side at the narrowest part of the Hellespont.

εἰσὶ δὲ sc. οἱ Ἀβυδηνοί

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Λέοντα τε . . . καὶ ναῦς δώδεκα.

Ἀντισθένει ἐπιβάτης κ.τ.λ. In c. 39, § 1, Antisthenes brought twenty-seven ships from the Peloponnese for Pharnabazus. These ships had (c. 42, § 5) united with the general Pelop. fleet, gone with it to Cnidus and thence to Rhodes. The meaning of ἐπιβάτης has been much discussed. Kruger supposes it to signify an inferior officer, or deputy, like ἐπιστολεύς, For this there is no sort of authority. Throughout Thucydides ἐπιβάτης = miles classiarius, while elsewhere a frequent meaning is ‘passenger’ or ‘supercargo.’ From the expression Λέοντος μία below he seeins to have had one ship placed under his command by the nauarch or else to have equipped one himself. If ἐπιβάτης here, as usually, = miles classiarius, it need not necessarily denote a common marine, but rather an officer of marines, and for such a person to be appointed trierarch need cause no surprise. In Xen. Hell i. 3, 17, Hegesandridas is in command of ships ἐπιβάτης ὢν Μινδάρου, and inf. c. 73, § 4, Thrasyllus ὁπλιτεύων is connected with Thrasybulus τριηραρχῶν and becomes, with him, one of the στρατηγοί (c. 76, § 2) ‘Leon, a Spartan who came out with the expedition of Antisthenes, (not as a trierarch or στρατηγός but) in the marine service.’ ἐπιβάτης might also be a distinguished Spartan, carried on board the ship of Antisthenes over and above the ship's company. But this is not the Thucydidean sense of the word elsewhere.

τοῦτον resumptive of Λέοντα. Cf. iv. 44, τοῖς δ᾽ ἡμίσεσι τῶν Κορινθίων, οἳ . . ., τούτοις οὐ κατάδηλος ἡ μάχη ἦν.

αἳ ἔτυχον φύλακες κ.τ.λ. On the composition of the Peloponnesian fleet at this time, see c. 43, § 2, and c. 44, § 2. In c. 35, § 1, ten ships came from Thurii under Dorieus, and these are the only ships of Thurii which are mentioned. We do not know which particular six ships were captured off Triopium, but at least four of them must have been Thurian. Here we find five. These and the Syracusan vessels have been counted in the ninety-four ships at Rhodes in c. 44, § 2. Either they should not have been so counted, or else nine or ten ships had left Rhodes without any mention of the fact by Thucydides.

Λέοντος μία presumably a Laconian ship.

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τὰς δύο καὶ τριάκοντα. In c. 30, § 2, the Athenians sail to Chios with thirty ships and some transports, and in c. 34 they lose three by shipwreck. Either the transports count as five, or else there is an addition from some source not stated. The former seems to be the case from c. 62, § 2, ναυσὶν . . . ὦν καὶ στρατιώτιδες ἦσαν.

ἐναυμάχησαν sc. οἱ Χῖοι καὶ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι.

οὐκ ἔλασσον ἔχοντες. σχόντες of Vat. is less good. The present is ‘like νικῶντες’ (P-S) and is regular. Cf. iv. 25, ἐν τῇ ναυμαχίᾳ . . . οὐκ ἔλασσον ἔχοντες . . . παρεκομίσθησαν, where all MSS. agree. So i. 105, etc.