Edgar Carew Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides Book 2, ed. Edgar Carew Marchant, 2.56

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[1] Ἔτι δ’ —cf. c. 13, init.

τῇ Π. —the dat. depends on ἐπίπλουν. ἑτοῖμα—cf. c. 3, 4.

[2] Ἐπὶ τῶν —see c. 80, 2

ἱππαγωγοῖς —this is the first occasion on which the Athenians used transports. (The Persians used them, Herod. VI. 48.) They were triremes (IV. 42; VI. 43 ); in 424 they were sufficiently novel to provide Aristoph. with a joke, Eq. 599. It was very important to have cavalry in the plundering expeditions, in order to be able to penetrate as far inland as possible.

Χῖοι καὶ Λ. — cf. c. 9, 4.

ναυσίν —the dat. of accompaniment, only used in naval and military phrases.

[3] Ὅτε —the imperf., as usual, after ὅτε, denoting that the act described in the principal clause occurs at the same time as that described in the temporal clause. Cf. on c. 21, 1, and c. 99, 6.

τῆς Ἀττικῆς —for the order, cf. c. 18, 1, and contrast 4 below, where the emphasis is on Ἐπίδαυρον, whereas here the point is that the Peloponnesians were still in Attica, cf. 6 below.

[4] Ἐπίδαυρον —the most important place yet attacked by the Athenians; it would have been valuable to them, as it lay on the road to Argos, which was then neutral (c. 9, 2) and might possibly join them if they obtained possession of so considerable a state: and other towns, as Troezen and Hermione might have fallen into their hands.

ἔτεμον —it is not clear why Pericles ravaged the country before attacking Epidaurus: probably he had planned a stratagem to seize the place with a small force while the main body was scattered about and was keeping the troops that guarded the town (only a third of the whole force of Epidaurus, c. 47, 2) occupied.

ἐς ἐλπίδα ἦλθον —the phrases ἐλπίς ἐστι, ἐν ἐλπίδι εἶναι, ἐλπίδα ἔχειν have the simple infin. aor. in most cases, as c. 80, 1; but in c. 85, 4 ἐλπίδος ούσης has the fut. infin., and in 102, 3 ἐλπὶς has ἂν παθεῖν; while in I. 144, 1 we have ἐλπίδα τοῦ περιέσεσθαι. Cf. on c. 13, 9.

οὐ μἐντοι —this failure is probably due to a rally of the inhabitants similar to that of the Plataeans, c. 3. προεχώρησε—impersonal; cf. I. 109 ὼς αὐτῷ οὐ προυχώρει ; III. 18 ἐπειδὴ οὐ προυχώρει ᾗ προσεδέχοντο; al.

[5] Ἐκ τῆς Ἐ. —the attack on Epidaurus was the greatest enterprise of Athens before 427.

Ἁλιάδα —the country round Halice, an unimportant town on the south-east coast of Argolis.

Ἑρμιονίδα —Hermione had a territory of some extent on the coast of the Gulf of Hermione.

[6] Πρασιάς —on north-east coast of Laconia. It suffered severely from the war, and is a proof how effective the method of Pericles was. Intr. p. lxx. Aristoph. Pax, 242 ἰὼ Πρασιαὶ τρισάθλιαι καὶ πεντάκις. οὐκέτι—nothing is said of the route taken by the Peloponnesians after they left Laurium.

κατέλαβον —always takes pres. or perf. part.: IV. 129, 1 (pres.), I. 59, 1 (perf.).

Commentary on Thucydides Book 2. Edgar Carew Marchant. ed. Edgar Carew Marchant. London. 1891.

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Commentary on Thucydides Book 2 (English) (Thucydides, Book II. Marchant, Edgar C., editor. London: Macmillan and Company, 1891.)

Editions (1)

Ἱστορίαι Perseus (Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).) — 2.56.1 focus

[1] ἔτι δ’ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ὄντων, πρὶν ἐς τὴν παραλίαν ἐλθεῖν, ἑκατὸν νεῶν ἐπίπλουν τῇ Πελοποννήσῳ παρεσκευάζετο, καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἑτοῖμα ἦν, ἀνήγετο.

[2] ἦγε δ’ ἐπὶ τῶν νεῶν ὁπλίτας Ἀθηναίων τετρακισχιλίους καὶ ἱππέας τριακοσίους ἐν ναυσὶν ἱππαγωγοῖς πρῶτον τότε ἐκ τῶν παλαιῶν νεῶν ποιηθείσαις· ξυνεστρατεύοντο δὲ καὶ Χῖοι καὶ Λέσβιοι πεντήκοντα ναυσίν.

[3] ὅτε δὲ ἀνήγετο ἡ στρατιὰ αὕτη Ἀθηναίων, Πελοποννησίους κατέλιπον τῆς Ἀττικῆς ὄντας ἐν τῇ παραλίᾳ.

[4] ἀφικόμενοι δὲ ἐς Ἐπίδαυρον τῆς Πελοποννήσου ἔτεμον τῆς γῆς τὴν πολλήν, καὶ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν προσβαλόντες ἐς ἐλπίδα μὲν ἦλθον τοῦ ἑλεῖν, οὐ μέντοι προυχώρησέ γε.

[5] ἀναγαγόμενοι δὲ ἐκ τῆς Ἐπιδαύρου ἔτεμον τήν τε Τροιζηνίδα γῆν καὶ Ἁλιάδα καὶ Ἑρμιονίδα· ἔστι δὲ ταῦτα πάντα ἐπιθαλάσσια τῆς Πελοποννήσου.

[6] ἄραντες δὲ ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ἀφίκοντο ἐς Πρασιὰς τῆς Λακωνικῆς πόλισμα ἐπιθαλάσσιον, καὶ τῆς τε γῆς ἔτεμον καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ πόλισμα εἷλον καὶ ἐπόρθησαν. ταῦτα δὲ ποιήσαντες ἐπ’ οἴκου ἀνεχώρησαν. τοὺς δὲ Πελοποννησίους οὐκέτι κατέλαβον ἐν τῇ Ἀττικῇ ὄντας, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνακεχωρηκότας.

Translations (11)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 2.56.1 focus

[1] Whilst they were yet in the plain and before they entered into the maritime country, he furnished a hundred galleys to go about Peloponnesus and, as soon as they were ready, put to sea.

[2] In these galleys he had four thousand men of arms, and in vessels then purposely first made to carry horses, three hundred horsemen.

[3] The Chians and Lesbians joined likewise with him with fifty galleys. This fleet of the Athenians, when it set forth, left the Peloponnesians still in Paralia;

[4] and coming before Epidaurus, a city of Peloponnesus, they wasted much of the country thereabout and assaulting the city had a hope to take it, though it succeeded not.

[5] Leaving Epidaurus, they wasted the territories about of Troezene, Halias, and Hermione, places all on the seacoast of Peloponnesus.

[6] Putting off from hence, they came to Prasiae, a small maritime city of Laconia, and both wasted the territory about it and took and razed the town itself. And having done this, came home and found the Peloponnesians not now in Attica but gone back.

History of the Peloponnesian War Perseus (Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Crawley, Richard, translator. London and Toronto: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd.; New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1914.) — 2.56.1 focus

[1] However while they were still in the plain, and had not yet entered the Paralian land, he had prepared an armament of a hundred ships for Peloponnese , and when all was ready put out to sea.

[2] On board the ships he took four thousand Athenian heavy infantry, and three hundred cavalry in horse transports, then for the first time made out of old galleys; fifty Chian and Lesbian vessels also joining in the expedition.

[3] When this Athenian armament put out to sea, they left the Peloponnesians in Attica in the Paralian region.

[4] Arriving at Epidaurus in Peloponnese they ravaged most of the territory, and even had hopes of taking the town by an assault: in this however they were not successful.

[5] Putting out from Epidaurus , they laid waste the territory of Troezen , Halieis , and Hermione , all towns on the coast of Peloponnese ,

[6] and thence sailing to Prasiai, a maritime town in Laconia , ravaged part of its territory, and took and sacked the place itself; after which they returned home, but found the Peloponnesians gone and no longer in Attica .

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 2.56 focus

Während jene aber noch in der Ebene lagen, und bevor sie
sich nach dem Seelande gezogen hatten, rüstete er eine Flotte von
hundert Schiffen zum Augriff auf den Peloponnes, und als sie nun
bereit war, ging er unter Segel. Aus diesen Schiffen führte er 4000
athenische Schwerbewaffnete und drei Hundert Reiter auf Fahrzeugen,
die damals aus alten Schiffen zum ersten Male für Pferde eingerichtet
worden waren. Die Chier und Lesbier schifften mit fünfzig Segeln
mit. Als diese Unternehmung der Athener abging, ließ sie die
Pelo ponnesier im Küstengebiet von Attika zurück. Im Peloponnes lan ¹
deten sie bei Epidauros und verheerten weithin das Land, griffen auch
die Stadt an, und es hatte zwar den Anschein, als ob sie dieselbe
würden nehmen können, aber es gelang ihnen nicht. Von Epidauros
schifften sie weiter und verheerten das Gebiet von Tränen, Halias und
Hermione, lauter Städte, an der peloponnesischen Küste gelegen. Von
da gingen sie wieder unter Segel und kamen nach Pyrajla, einem
Lakedämonischen Seestädtchen, verwüsteten das Land, nahmen das
Städtlcin und zerstörten es. Nachdem sie dies ausgerichtet, kehrten
sie nach Hause zurück, trafen aber die Peloponnesier nicht mehr ans
attischem Boden, sondern bereits abgezogen.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 2.56 focus

Schon als das feindliche Heer noch in der Ebene stand
und noch nicht in die Küstengegend vorgedrungen war, hatte
Perikles hundert Schiffe zu einer Fahrt nach dem Peloponnes
rüsten lassen und ging damit, als alles fertig war, in See.
Er hatte viertausend athenische Hopliten und außerdem auf
alten, erst damals für Pferde eingerichteten Transportschiffen
dreihundert Reiter an Bord. Auch Chier und Lesbier beteiligten
sich mit fünfzig Schiffen an dem Zuge. Als die Athener mit
dieser Flotte in See gingen, ließen sie die Peloponnesier im
attischen Seelande ihr Wesen ruhig weitertreiben und wandten
sich nach Epidauros im Peloponnes, wo sie das Land weit
und breit verheerten und einen Angriff auf die Stadt unter
nahmen. Sie machten sich auch Hoffnung, sie einzunehmen,
aber das gelang ihnen nicht. Von EpidauroS fuhren sie weiter
und verheerten das Gebiet von Troizen, Halieis und Hermione,
alles Orte an der peloponnesischen Küste. Von dort gingen
sie wieder in See und kamen nach Prasiai, einer an der See
gelegenen Stadt in Latonien, und verheerten die Umgegend,
nahmen auch die Stadt selbst ein und zerstörten sie. Danach
fuhren sie wieder nach Hause, trafen aber die Peloponnesier,
die inzwischen abgezogen waren, in Attika nicht mehr an.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 2.56 focus

LVI. Tandis que les Lacédémoniens étaient encore dans la plaine, et avant qu’ils eussent pénétré dans la région maritime, Périclès équipa cent vaisseaux destinés à agir contre le Péloponnèse, et prit la mer dès qu’ils furent prêts. Quatre mille hoplites athéniens montaient ces navires ; trois cents cavaliers furent embarqués en même temps sur des transports construits dans ce but avec de vieux navires ; c’étaient les premiers qu’on eût vus¹. Ceux de Chio et de Lesbos se joignirent à l’expédition avec cinquante voiles. Cette expédition, à son départ, laissa les Péloponnésiens dans la région maritime de l’Attique. Arrivés à Épidaure, dans le Péloponnèse, les Athéniens ravagèrent le pays et attaquèrent la ville. Un moment ils comptèrent s’en emparer ; mais la tentative échoua. Ils firent voile alors d’Épidaure et allèrent dévaster le territoire de Trézène, d’Halia et d’Hermione, places maritimes du Péloponnèse². Reprenant ensuite la mer, ils allèrent de là à Prasies³, ville maritime de la Laconie, ravagèrent le pays, prirent la place et la saccagèrent. Après cette expédition, ils revinrent chez eux et trouvèrent l’Attique évacuée par les Péloponnésiens.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 2.56 focus

Pendant que les ennemis étaient encore dans la plaine et avant qu’ils eussent envahi le littoral, Périclès équipa cent vaisseaux destinés à agir contre le Péloponèse et mit à la voile dès qu’ils furent prêts. Cette flotte portait quatre mille hoplites d’Athènes et trois cents cavaliers, embarqués sur des transports aménagés exprès et faits alors pour la première fois avec de vieux bâtiments. Cinquante vaisseaux de Chios et de Lesbos se joignirent à l’expédition. Lorsque cette flotte appareilla, elle laissait les Péloponésiens sur le littoral de l’Attique. Arrivés à Epidaure dans le Péloponèse, les Athéniens ravagèrent la plus grande partie du pays et assaillirent la ville. Un instant ils eurent l'espoir de s’en emparer; mais ils n’y réussirent pas. Ils quittèrent donc Epidaure et allèrent dévaster Les terres de Trézène, des Haliens et d’Hermione, pays situés sur les côtes du Péloponèse. Delà ils firent voile versPrasies, ville maritime de Laconie. Ils ravagèrent la contrée, prirent la place et la mirent au pillage ; après quoi ils rentrèrent dans leur pays et trouvèrent l’Attique évacuée par les Péloponésiens.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides, Vol. 1-4. Smith, Charles Foster, translator. London and Cambridge, MA: Heinemann and Harvard University Press, 1919-1923.) — 2.56.1 focus

[1] But before they had left the plain and entered the Paralus, Pericles had begun to equip a fleet of a hundred ships to sail against the Peloponnesus, and when all was ready he put to sea.

[2] He took with him on the ships four thousand Athenian hoplites and three hundred cavalry in horse-transports, then employed for the first time, which had been made out of the old galleys.

[3] The Chians and Lesbians also took part in the expedition with fifty ships. And when this armament of the Athenians put to sea, the Peloponnesians whom they left in Attica were already in the Paralian district.

[4] On reaching Epidaurus in the Peloponnesus the Athenians ravaged most of that land; they also attacked the city, but, though they at first had hopes of taking it, they did not succeed.

[5] Then, leaving Epidaurus, they went to sea again, and ravaged the territory of Troezen, Halieis, and Hermione, which are all on the Peloponnesian coast.

[6] Sailing next from this region they came to Prasiae, a town on the coast of Laconia, where they not only ravaged parts of the country, but also captured the town itself and pillaged it. After they had completed these operations they went back home, where they found that the Peloponnesians were no longer in Attica but had retired.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides. The history of the Peloponnesian War, Volume 1-2. Dale, Henry, translator. London: Heinemann and Henry G. Bohn, 1851-1852.) — 2.56.1 focus

[1] While they were still in the plain, before they went to the Paralian territory, he was preparing an armament of a hundred ships to sail against the Peloponnese;

[2] and when all was ready, he put out to sea. On board the ships he took four thousand heavy-armed of the Athenians, and three hundred cavalry in horse-transports, then for the first time made out of old vessels :

[3] a Chian and Lesbian force also joined the expedition with fifty ships.

[4] When this armament of the Athenians put out to sea, they left the Peloponnesians in the Paralian territory of Attica. On arriving at Epidaurus, in the Peloponnese, they ravaged the greater part of the land, and having made an assault on the city, entertained some hope of taking it;

[5] but did not, however, succeed. After sailing from Epidaurus, they ravaged the land belonging to Troezen, Haliae, and Hermione;

[6] all which places are on the coast of the Peloponnese. Proceeding thence they came to Prasiae, a maritime town of Laconia, and ravaged some of the land, and took the town itself, and sacked it. After performing these achievements, they returned home; and found the Peloponnesians no longer in Attica, but returned.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 2.56.1 focus

[1] quum autem in planitie adhuc essent, antequam ad : oram maritimam venirent, centum navium classem Peloponneso bellum illaturus instruebat, et postquam omnia parata erant, solvit

[2] Ducebat autem in navibus quatuor millia gravis armatura» militum Atheniensium, et trecentos equites in aliis navibus, quae equis vehendis erant aptae, quae ex vetustis navigiis tunc primum factae erant; ad eandem autem expeditionem et Chii et Lesbii cum quin quaginta navibus proficiscebantur.

[3] Quum autem hic Atheniensium exercitus solvebat, Peloponnesios in Atticae ora maritima versantes reliquerunt.

[4] Quumque ad Epidaurum Peloponnesi urbem pervenissent, magnam agri partem vastarunt, et adorti urbem, in spem quidem ejus expugnandae venerunt, non tamen ros ipsis successit.

[5] Quum autem ab Epidauro solvissent, Troezenium et Ha-liensem et Hermionensem agrum vastarunt : haec autem omnia loca sunt in maritima Peloponnesi ora.

[6] Hioc vero solventes, ad Prasias, agri Laconici oppidum maritimum, pervenerunt, ejusque agrum vastarunt et ipsum oppidum ceperunt ac diripuerunt.

[7] His autem actis domum redierunt. Peloponnesios vero non amplius invenerunt in Attica versantes, sed domum reversos.

Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides First1KGreek (Thucydides. Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides. Gürsching, Heinrich, translator. Augsburg: Wirth, 1856.) — 2.59.1 focus

[1] Männer von Sicilien! Ihr wisset, nicht die Ohnmacht meiner Vaterstadt oder ihre Erschöpfung durch den Krieg ist es, was mir diese Worte eingibt, sondern allein die uneigennützige Absicht, dem gesamten Sicilien den besten Rath zu ertheilen, den es nach meiner Ueberzeugung für dasselbe gibt. Ich möchte von dem Krieg und seinen Leiden anheben und über seine zahllosen Uebel mich verbreiten; indes ihr kennet sie ja. Denn so wenig Unkunde die Schuld trägt an einem aufgenöthigten Kriege, ebensowenig lässt sich die Eroberungslust durch Furcht von ihm zurückschrecken. Natürlich; ihr¹ erscheinen die Vortheile grösser als die Gefahren, während man dort sich lieber den Kriegsgefahren aussetzen will, um einem gewissen Verlust zu entgehen. Aber eben wenn es sich ergibt, dass beide Grundsätze zur Unzeit in Anwendung gebracht werden, dann ist eine Mahnung zur Friedfertigkeit am Platze. Dies ist gerade unser Fall, und es liegt alles daran, dass wir uns davon überzeugen.

Hat uns nicht alle bisher die Erwägung unserer Sonderinteressen geleitet in diesem Kriege wie heute bei unsern Friedensvorschlägen, wo wieder hin und hergerechtet wird, und falls es nicht jedem gelingt, zu seinem Rechte zu kommen, der Wiederausbruch des Krieges in gewisser Aussicht steht?

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 2.56 focus

E mentre il nemico era ancora nella pianura, prima di metter piede nella terra paratia, egli apparecchiava una flotta di cento navi per andar contro il Peloponneso ; ed ordinato il tutto fece vela. Conduceva sulle navi quattromila Ateniesi di grave armatura, e trecento cavalieri su barche da trasportar cavalli, formate allora per la prima volta co? materiali delle navi vecchie. Presero parte alla spedizione anche i Chii ed i Lesbii con cinquanta navi. Quest’armata degli Ateniesi quando uscì del porto, lasciò i Peloponnesi tuttora nella maremma dell'Attica. Pervenuti ad Epidauro nel Peloponneso guastarono gran parte della campagna, e dato l’assalto alla città vennero in isperanza di prenderla, ma la cosa non riuscì ; onde ritiratisi da Epidauro saccheggiarono la campagna trezeniese, l’aliese e l’ermionese, luoghi tutti sulle coste del Peloponneso. Di là salpando, arrivarono a Prasia cittadella marittima della Laconia, saccheggiarono parte della campagna, presero la stessa cittadella e la devastarono» Ciò fatto, ritornarono a casa, e trovarono che i Peloponpesi non erano più nell’Attica, ma s'erapo ritirati.

Edgar Carew Marchant Commentary on Thucydides Book 2 2.56

ed. Edgar Carew Marchant

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