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4.
9. Μίνως γάρ—from this point to c. 8 Thuc. deals with the gradual growth of maritime enterprise, and the ‘barbarian character of the early Greeks.’ For Minos see Abbott, Hist. Greece i. p. 122.
παλαίτατος—was the first to. This does not belong to τῶν Κυκλάδων ... ἐγένετο, and perhaps not to τῆς νῦν ... ἐκράτησε.
10. τῆς ... θαλάσσης—this may depend on ἐπὶ πλεῖστον, or on ἐκράτησε.
12. ἦρξε—became ruler.
13. πρῶτος—later the Athenians colonised the islands, and after that an Athenian would be honoured as οἰκιστής. See c. 12. 4.
15. ἐγκαταστήσας—this partic. is of course not antecedent in time to the main verb ἐγένετο. It is aor. merely because it is the explanation how ἐγένετο οἰκιστής, the partic. being equivalent to καί + aor. ind. (This use of the aor. partic. in Thuc. disposes of the passages discussed by Mr. Forbes, Thuc. i. p. 142.)
ὡς εἰκός—as was natural (in one who ruled the sea).
16. καθῄρει—used of destroying, putting an end to a power, as in c. 16. 1.
17. τοῦ ... ἰέναι—purpose, generally with μή. Tac. imitates this in Ann. 2.59 “Aegyptum proficiscitur cognoscendae antiquitatis”, etc.
Commentary on Thucydides Book 1. E. C. Marchant. 1905. London. MacMillan and Company, Ltd.
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