Harold North Fowler, Commentary on Thucydides Book 5

ξυνιόντων: gen. abs. without a subst. Cf. c. 17. 11; i. 2. 9.

τὰ στρατόπεδα ποιεῖ μέν κτἑ.: the explanation of τοιόνδε, which begins with δείσας δὲ Ἆγις, 14, is preceded by some observations on the disposition of all armies (const. καὶ ἅπαντα with τὰ στρατόπεδα) before a battle. The application of these remarks to this particular battle explains the purpose of the movement undertaken by Agis. ποιεῖ is used like ποιεῖν in c. 70. 7. τοῦτο, explaining what follows, is elsewhere in Thuc. followed by γάρ. See App.— 3. ἐν ταῖς ξυνόδοις: i.e. ἐν τῷ ξυνιέναι: not in the battle itself, but in the advance to attack.—μᾶλλον ἐξωθεῖται: i.e. beyond their original position, more toward the right. ἐξωθεῖται, ἐκτείνεται, Schol.

περιίσχουσι: like περιέσχον, 12; outflank, extend further. Cf. iii. 107. 16, μεῖζον γὰρ ἐγένετο καὶ περιέσχε τὸ τῶν Πελοποννησίων στρατόπεδον.—κατὰ τὸ...εὐώνυμον: opposite their opponents' left wing. See on i. 33. 22, κατ̓ αὐτούς; 48. 12.

προσστέλλειν : see App.

εὐσκεπαστότατον: prob. neut., acc. to the usage of Thuc. Cf. i. 10. 1; 138. 27; iii. 37. 2; iv. 62. 3; 76. 15; vi. 39. 1. So far as the form is concerned, it might also be fem. See on iii. 89. 21; 101. 9.—ἡγεῖται τῆς αἰτίας: “is originally responsible” (Jowett).

ὁ πρωτοστάτης: the man at the extreme right of the front rank. Cf. Poll. i. 127.

ἐξαλλάσσε...γύμνωσιν : μὴ κατὰ δόρυ τοῦ ἐναντίου ἔχειν τὰ γυμνὰ τοῦ σώματος, τουτέστι τὰ δεξιά, Schol. ἐξαλλάσσειν with gen., as here, means withdraw from.

καὶ τότε: and in this case. The special case illustrates the preceding general statements. One would expect here τότε δὲ καὶ οἱ Μαντινῆς to correspond to τὰ στρατόπεδα ποιεῖ μὲν καὶ ἅπαντα ταῦτα in 2, but the clause with δέ corresponding to μέν of 2 has been so long deferred that it is at last omitted entirely, and a new sent. is begun.—οἱ Μαντινῆς...τῶν Ἀθηναίων : cf. c. 67.

ἐσήμηνεν: σημαίνειν (cf. c. 10. 13; ii. 84. 5; vii. 50. 26) and παραγγέλλειν (cf. c. 10. 14; 73. 11) are used esp. of military orders.—ἐπεξαγαγόντας: advancing their line.—ἀπὸ σφῶν: from themselves, i.e. from their main body. Agis said “from us” (ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν), which becomes in indir. disc. ἀπὸ σφῶν.—ἐξισῶσαι: is intrans. Cf. vi. 87. 23. They were to move to the left, that they might become equal to the Mantineans who form the enemy's right wing, i.e. in order to avoid being outflanked.

τὸ διάκενον τοῦτο: the gap formed by advancing the Sciritae and the Brasidean contingent toward the left.

τῶν πολεμάρχων: is part. gen., depending immediately upon the proper names. Cf. i. 24. 5; 126. 7.

Ἀριστοκλεῖ: perhaps the brother of King Pleistoanax, mentioned in c. 16. 23, if the reading ἀδελφοῦ is correct.—ἐσβαλόντας: i.e. throwing themselves into the space made vacant by the movement of the Sciritae and Brasideans toward the left.

πληρῶσαι: sc. τὸ διάκενον.—περιουσίαν: cf. 14, ὅσῳ μεῖζον τὸ στράτευμα εἶχον.

τὸ κατὰ τοὺς Μαντινέας : the part opposed to the Mantineans, i.e. the left wing, which was formed by the Sciritae. See on 4.—βεβαιότερον τετάξεσθαι: ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ ἔσεσθαι, ὡς ἂν μὴ δυνάμενον κυκλωθῆναι, Schol.