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History of the Peloponnesian War

§3.33.1-3.33.3

Flight of Alcidas and Pursuit by Paches

Alcidas flees in haste after being spotted by Athenian state galleys, and Paches pursues him as far as Patmos but turns back upon failing to overtake him.

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§3.33.1

ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς Ἐφέσου ὁ Ἀλκίδας ἔπλει κατὰ τάχος καὶ φυγὴν ἐποιεῖτο· ὤφθη γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς Σαλαμινίας καὶ Παράλου ἔτι περὶ Κλάρον ὁρμῶν (αἱ δ’ ἀπ’ Ἀθηνῶν ἔτυχον πλέουσαι), καὶ δεδιὼς τὴν δίωξιν ἔπλει διὰ τοῦ πελάγους ὡς γῇ ἑκούσιος οὐ σχήσων ἄλλῃ ἢ Πελοποννήσῳ.1

​Alcidas sailed in haste from Ephesus and fled; for he had been sighted, while still at anchor near Claros, by the Salaminia and the Paralus (which happened to be sailing from Athens), and fearing pursuit, he held his course through the open sea, intending not to touch at any land of his own free will other than the Peloponnese.

§3.33.2

τῷ δὲ Πάχητι καὶ τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις ἦλθε μὲν καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἐρυθραίας ἀγγελία, ἀφικνεῖτο δὲ καὶ πανταχόθεν· ἀτειχίστου γὰρ οὔσης τῆς Ἰωνίας2 μέγα τὸ δέος ἐγένετο μὴ παραπλέοντες οἱ Πελοποννήσιοι, εἰ καὶ ὣς μὴ διενοοῦντο μένειν, πορθῶσιν3 ἅμα προσπίπτοντες τὰς πόλεις. αὐτάγγελοι δ’ αὐτὸν ἰδοῦσαι ἐν τῇ Κλάρῳ ἥ τε Πάραλος καὶ ἡ Σαλαμινία ἔφρασαν.

​To Paches and the Athenians, messages came both from Erythrae and indeed from all quarters; for since Ionia was unfortified, great was the fear lest the Peloponnesians, coasting along, even if they had no intention of staying, might attack and plunder the cities at the same time. And the Paralus and the Salaminia, having themselves seen him at Claros, arrived as messengers and reported it.

§3.33.3

ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ σπουδῆς ἐποιεῖτο τὴν δίωξιν· καὶ μέχρι μὲν Πάτμου τῆς νήσου ἐπεδίωξεν, ὡς δ᾽ οὐκέτι ἐν καταλήψει ἐφαίνετο, ἐπανεχώρει. κέρδος δὲ ἐνόμισεν, ἐπειδὴ οὐ μετεώροις περιέτυχεν, ὅτι οὐδαμοῦ ἐγκαταληφθεῖσαι ἠναγκάσθησαν4 στρατόπεδόν τε ποιεῖσθαι καὶ φυλακὴν σφίσι5 καὶ ἐφόρμησιν παρασχεῖν.

​So he made pursuit with all speed; and he pursued as far as the island of Patmos, but when the enemy was no longer in sight of being overtaken, he turned back. He counted it a gain, since he had not fallen in with them on the open sea, that they had not been caught anywhere and forced to make a camp, thereby compelling the Athenians to maintain a watch and blockade against them.

Syntax notes5 items
  1. 3.33.1ὡς γῇ ἑκούσιος οὐ σχήσων ἄλλῃ ἢ Πελοποννήσῳ

    The conjunction ὡς combined with the future participle σχήσων (from ἔχω, meaning 'to touch land') expresses the subjective intention of the subject ('intending not to...'). The adjective ἑκούσιος is used predicatively with an adverbial force ('voluntarily' or 'of his own free will').

  2. 3.33.2ἀτειχίστου γὰρ οὔσης τῆς Ἰωνίας

    A genitive absolute construction consisting of the noun Ἰωνίας, the adjective ἀτειχίστου, and the present participle οὔσης, expressing cause ('since Ionia was unfortified').

  3. 3.33.2μέγα τὸ δέος ἐγένετο μὴ ... πορθῶσιν

    A clause of fearing introduced by the expression of fear δέος ἐγένετο, consisting of the negative particle μὴ and the subjunctive πορθῶσιν, meaning 'there arose a great fear lest they should plunder.'

  4. 3.33.3ὅτι οὐδαμοῦ ἐγκαταληφθεῖσαι ἠναγκάσθησαν

    The ὅτι clause functions as the object of the main verb ἐνόμισεν. The passive verb ἠναγκάσθησαν and the passive participle ἐγκαταληφθεῖσαι are in the feminine plural, referring to the enemy's ships (αἱ νῆες) as their grammatical subject.

  5. 3.33.3σφίσι

    An indirect reflexive pronoun, which here refers to Paches and his Athenian forces (the subjects of the main clause), meaning 'to themselves.'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
  • 2026-09-21 AI review — note 1
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.33.1-3.33.3