Demosthenes' Plan to Ambush Ambraciot Reinforcements — Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War Book 3 (3.110.1–3.110.2), Greek & English

§3.110.1

τῷ δὲ Δημοσθένει καὶ τοῖς Ἀκαρνᾶσιν ἀγγέλλεται τοὺς Ἀμπρακιώτας τοὺς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως πανδημεὶ κατὰ τὴν πρώτην ἐκ τῶν Ὀλπῶν ἀγγελίαν ἐπιβοηθεῖν¹ διὰ τῶν Ἀμφιλόχων, βουλομένους τοῖς ἐν Ὄλπαις ξυμμεῖξαι, εἰδότας οὐδὲν τῶν γεγενημένων.

Meanwhile, word was brought to Demosthenes and the Acarnanians that the Ambraciots from the city were marching in full force through Amphilochia to bring aid, in accordance with the first message sent from Olpae, wishing to join those in Olpae and knowing nothing of what had happened.

§3.110.2

καὶ πέμπει εὐθὺς τοῦ στρατοῦ μέρος τι τὰς ὁδοὺς προλοχιοῦντας² καὶ τὰ καρτερὰ προκαταληψομένους, καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ στρατιᾷ ἅμα παρεσκευάζετο βοηθεῖν ἐπ’ αὐτούς.³

And he immediately sent a part of his army to lie in ambush along the roads and to pre-occupy the strong positions, and at the same time he prepared to march against them with the rest of his forces.

Syntax notes3 items

3.110.1τοὺς Ἀμπρακιώτας ... ἐπιβοηθεῖν
The accusative and infinitive construction functions as the subject clause of the passive verb ἀγγέλλεται ('it is reported that the Ambraciots... are coming to help').
3.110.2προλοχιοῦντας
The future participles (προλοχιοῦντας and προκαταληψομένους) express purpose. Although their grammatical antecedent is the neuter singular μέρος τι ('a part'), they are in the masculine plural accusative, agreeing with the logical subject (the soldiers) by synesis.
3.110.2βοηθεῖν ἐπ’ αὐτούς
While the verb βοηθέω typically takes the dative to mean 'to help,' when combined with the preposition ἐπί followed by the accusative, it means 'to march against' or 'to advance to attack' the enemy.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.110.1-3.110.2