Charles D. Morris, Commentary on Thucydides Book 1

ἔδοξεν οὖν: the result of διεσκόπουν, c. 52. 11.—ἐσβιβάσαντας: acc. though following αὐτοῖς. See on c. 31. 10.

κηρυκείου: a herald's staff, caduceus. Schol. ξύλον ὀρθὸν ἔχον ἑκατέρωθεν δύο ὄφεις περιπεπλεγμένους καὶ ἀντιπροσώπους πρὸς ἀλλήλους κειμένους. To bear such a staff would have been a recognition of a state of war. Cf. ii.1.3.—πεῖραν ποιήσασθαι: to test their intentions.

πέμψαντές τε ἔλεγον: and accordingly they sent and said (by the mouth of messengers). Cf. ii.71.6, etc.—ἀδικεῖτε: cf. c. 37. 3.

πολέμου...σπονδάς : without art., the reproach being generalized, “being beginners of war and truce-breakers.” Below, 8, τὰς σπονδάς, in reference to the actually existing truce.

πολεμίους τοὺς ἡμετέρους: cf. c. 1. 5.—ἐμποδὼν ἵστασθε: see on c. 40. 13.

ὑμῖν γνώμη ἐστί: only here; elsewhere γνώμην ἔχειν. Cf. ii.86.17; iii.92.11; iv.125.20; vii.72.18; viii.44.2.

κωλύειν τε: should strictly be followed by καὶ λύειν, which Cobet reads; but in the second clause the purpose is vividly expressed as a fact.

ἡμᾶς τούσδε: obj. of λαβόντες, and then to be supplied in thought in the dat. for χρήσασθε.

πρῶτον : referring to the whole sentence, “first of all commit this wrong.” Cf. vi.3.5.

τῶν δὲ Κερκυραίων τὸ μὲν στρατόπεδον: the μέν points to an unmentioned antithesis: the leaders kept silent, while the excited multitude called for the death of the messengers. So Cl.; but see App.

ἐπήκουσεν: here and in ii.36.20 of hearing from a distance.—ἀνεβόησεν: takes the inf., as containing an ἐκέλευσε.— 16. εἰ...πλευσεῖσθε : minatory form of cond. See on c. 36. 17.—ἐς τῶν...χωρίων : see on c. 45. 8.

κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν: pro viribus. Cf. ii.89.39; v.23.5; vii.36.23.