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Especially strong was the desire of the Lacedaemonians to obtain the release of their citizens who had been captured at Sphacteria. They thought the Athenians, too, might now be ready for peace. ἀμφοτέροις αὐτοῖς: the reference of ταῦτα to both sides collectively is emphasized by the addition of αὐτοῖς, after which the subsequent separate mention of the Lacedaemonians is all the more remarkable. Cf. iv. 20. 1, ἡμῖν ἀμφοτέροις. καὶ οὐχ ἧσσον : as often equiv. to καὶ μάλιστα. Cf. i. 82. 18; ii. 52. 3; iii. 45. 27; v. 26. 26. While, as has been shown above, the general state of things occasioned by the unexpected course of the war was discouraging to the Lacedaemonians, they were esp. influenced toward peace by the desire of obtaining the release of the prisoners. κομίσασθαι: added as an explanation of ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῶν ἀνδρῶν, as in Plat. Crit. 52 c, οὐδ᾽ ἐπιθυμία σε ἄλλων νόμων ἔλαβεν εἰδέναι. Cf. iv. 108. 37, βουλόμενοι μᾶλλον τούς τε ἄνδρας τοὺς ἐκ τῆς νήσου κομίσασθαι. —οἱ Σπαρτιᾶται αὐτῶν: the Spartiates among them, about 120 in number. Cf. iv. 38. 29. καὶ ὁμοίως σφίσι ξυγγενεῖς: see App. ἤρξαντο...πράσσειν : they immediately began negotiations, mentioned also in iv. 41. 14. ἅλωσις: not elsewhere used of the capture of persons; but here this is easily explained, since the capture of the men coincided with that of the island. οὔπως: see App.—εὖ φερόμενοι: “as long as they got on well.” Cf. c. 16. 9; ii. 60. 7, καλῶς μὲν γὰρ φερόμενος ἀνὴρ τὸ καθ̓ ἑαυτὸν διαφθειρομένης τῆς πατρίδος οὐδὲν ἧσσον ξυναπόλλυται. —ἐπὶ τῇ ἵσῃ: elliptical, though no particular subst. is to be supplied; on equal conditions. See on i. 27. 3.— 9. παραχρῆμα: belongs primarily with γνόντες. The Lacedaemonians perceived immediately that the defeat at Delium (iv. 89 ff.) would incline the Athenians to make concessions. The conclusion of the truce was brought about somewhat later. Cf. iv. 117. 1.—ἐνδεξαμένους: see App. τὴν ἐνιαύσιον ἐκεχειρίαν: cf. iv. 117. 15.—ἐν ᾗ ἔδει...βουλεύεσθαι : cf. iv. 118. 50 ff.; iv. 119. 11 f.
Commentary on Thucydides Book 5. Harold North Fowler. 1888. Boston. Ginn and Company.
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