Brasidas' Night March and Seizure of the Strymon Bridge — Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War Book 4 (4.103.1–4.103.5), Greek & English

§4.103.1

ἐπὶ ταύτην οὖν ὁ Βρασίδας ἄρας ἐξ Ἀρνῶν τῆς Χαλκιδικῆς ἐπορεύετο τῷ στρατῷ. καὶ ἀφικόμενος περὶ δείλην ἐπὶ τὸν Αὐλῶνα καὶ Βορμίσκον, ᾗ ἡ Βόλβη λίμνη ἐξίησιν ἐς θάλασσαν, καὶ δειπνοποιησάμενος ἐχώρει τὴν νύκτα.

Setting out, then, from Arnae in Chalcidice, Brasidas marched with his army against this city. Arriving towards evening at Aulon and Bromiscus, where Lake Bolbe empties into the sea, he took his evening meal and then pressed on during the night.

§4.103.2

χειμὼν δὲ ἦν καὶ ὑπένειφεν· ᾗ καὶ μᾶλλον ὥρμησε,¹ βουλόμενος λαθεῖν τοὺς ἐν τῇ Ἀμφιπόλει πλὴν τῶν προδιδόντων.

It was winter and there was a light fall of snow; for which reason he hastened all the more, wishing to remain unobserved by those in Amphipolis except for the conspirators.

§4.103.3

ἦσαν γὰρ Ἀργιλίων τε ἐν αὐτῇ οἰκήτορες (εἰσὶ δὲ οἱ Ἀργίλιοι Ἀνδρίων ἄποικοι) καὶ ἄλλοι οἳ ξυνέπρασσον ταῦτα, οἱ μὲν Περδίκκᾳ πειθόμενοι, οἱ δὲ Χαλκιδεῦσιν.

For there were in it settlers from Argilus (the Argilians being colonists from Andros) and others who were cooperating in this scheme, some persuaded by Perdiccas and others by the Chalcidians.

§4.103.4

μάλιστα δὲ οἱ Ἀργίλιοι, ἐγγύς τε προσοικοῦντες καὶ αἰεί ποτε τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις ὄντες ὕποπτοι καὶ ἐπιβουλεύοντες τῷ χωρίῳ, ἐπειδὴ παρέτυχεν ὁ καιρὸς καὶ Βρασίδας ἦλθεν, ἔπραξάν τε ἐκ πλέονος πρὸς τοὺς ἐμπολιτεύοντας σφῶν ἐκεῖ ὅπως ἐνδοθήσεται ἡ πόλις, καὶ τότε δεξάμενοι αὐτὸν τῇ πόλει² καὶ ἀποστάντες τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἐκείνῃ τῇ νυκτὶ κατέστησαν τὸν στρατὸν πρὸ ἕω ἐπὶ τὴν γέφυραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ.

Especially the Argilians, who lived nearby and had always been suspected by the Athenians and had designs on the place, when the opportunity offered and Brasidas arrived, had already for some time been negotiating with their fellow citizens residing there to have the city betrayed. At that time, having received him into their own city and revolted from the Athenians, they conducted his army that very night, before dawn, to the bridge over the river.

§4.103.5

ἀπέχει δὲ τὸ πόλισμα πλέον τῆς διαβάσεως,³ καὶ οὐ καθεῖτο τείχη ὥσπερ νῦν, φυλακὴ δέ τις βραχεῖα καθειστήκει· ἣν βιασάμενος ῥᾳδίως ὁ Βρασίδας, ἅμα μὲν τῆς προδοσίας οὔσης, ἅμα δὲ καὶ χειμῶνος ὄντος καὶ ἀπροσδοκήτοις προσπεσών, διέβη τὴν γέφυραν, καὶ τὰ ἔξω τῶν Ἀμφιπολιτῶν οἰκούντων⁴ κατὰ πᾶν τὸ χωρίον εὐθὺς εἶχεν.

The town was at some distance from the crossing, and walls had not been built down to it as they are now, but only a small guard was stationed there. Easily overpowering this, partly because of the treachery, partly because of the wintry weather and the suddenness of his assault, Brasidas crossed the bridge, and at once became master of everything outside the city belonging to those Amphipolitans who dwelt throughout that territory.

Syntax notes4 items

4.103.2ᾗ καὶ μᾶλλον ὥρμησε
The relative adverb ᾗ is used here causally to mean 'for which reason' or 'whereby', referring to the snowing conditions described in the preceding clause.
4.103.4δεξάμενοι αὐτὸν τῇ πόλει
τῇ πόλει refers to their own city (Argilus), not to Amphipolis. The Argilians first welcomed Brasidas into their own city before leading him to the bridge of Amphipolis.
4.103.5ἀπέχει δὲ τὸ πόλισμα πλέον τῆς διαβάσεως
πλέον is used adverbially here to mean 'at some distance' or 'further away,' indicating that the town itself was situated at a distance from the crossing/bridge at that time.
4.103.5τὰ ἔξω τῶν Ἀμφιπολιτῶν οἰκούντων
the phrase τῶν Ἀμφιπολιτῶν οἰκούντων is a genitive participle phrase modifying or depending on τὰ ἔξω ('the possessions/dwellings outside'), meaning 'the property of those Amphipolitans who lived outside the walls.'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.103.1-4.103.5