- Source
- Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.33.1-4.33.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-29
Epitadas and the main Spartan force attempt to engage the Athenian hoplites in close combat but are thwarted by light-armed troops harassing them from the flanks and rear. Although the Spartans repel the attacking light-armed troops, they cannot pursue them due to the rugged terrain and their own heavy armor.
οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἐπιτάδαν καὶ ὅπερ ἦν πλεῖστον1 τῶν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ, ὡς εἶδον τό τε πρῶτον φυλακτήριον διεφθαρμένον2 καὶ στρατὸν σφίσιν ἐπιόντα, ξυνετάξαντο καὶ τοῖς ὁπλίταις τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἐπῇσαν, βουλόμενοι ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν· ἐξ ἐναντίας γὰρ οὗτοι καθειστήκεσαν, ἐκ πλαγίου δὲ οἱ ψιλοὶ καὶ κατὰ νώτου.
Epitadas and his men, who formed the main body of those on the island, when they saw that the first guard post had been destroyed and that an army was advancing against them, drew up their lines and advanced against the Athenian hoplites, wishing to come to close quarters; for these were posted in front, while the light-armed troops were on their flanks and rear.
τοῖς μὲν οὖν ὁπλίταις οὐκ ἐδυνήθησαν προσμεῖξαι οὐδὲ τῇ σφετέρᾳ ἐμπειρίᾳ χρήσασθαι· οἱ γὰρ ψιλοὶ ἑκατέρωθεν βάλλοντες εἶργον, καὶ ἅμα ἐκεῖνοι οὐκ ἀντεπῇσαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡσύχαζον· τοὺς δὲ ψιλούς, ᾗ μάλιστα αὐτοῖς ἐπιθέοντες προσκέοιντο,3 ἔτρεπον, καὶ οἳ4 ὑποστρέφοντες ἠμύνοντο, ἄνθρωποι κούφως τε ἐσκευασμένοι καὶ προλαμβάνοντες ῥᾳδίως τῆς φυγῆς5 χωρίων τε χαλεπότητι καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς πρὶν ἐρημίας τραχέων ὄντων, ἐν οἷς οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι οὐκ ἐδύναντο διώκειν ὅπλα ἔχοντες.
They were not able, therefore, to close with the hoplites, nor to make use of their own experience; for the light-armed troops kept them off by showering them with missiles from both sides, while at the same time the hoplites did not advance to meet them, but remained quiet. The light-armed troops, however, they routed at whatever point they rushed forward and pressed hard upon them; and these, turning back, defended themselves, being men lightly equipped and easily getting the start in their flight owing to the difficulty of the ground and its roughness caused by its former uninhabited state, in which the Lacedaemonians, wearing heavy armor, were unable to pursue.
- 4.33.1ὅπερ ἦν πλεῖστον
The neuter singular relative pronoun ὅπερ agrees in gender with the predicate noun πλεῖστον ('the greatest part' or 'the main body'), though its antecedent refers to the group of men with Epitadas.
- 4.33.1τό τε πρῶτον φυλακτήριον διεφθαρμένον
An accusative-with-participle construction serving as the object of the verb of perception ὡς εἶδον, meaning 'when they saw that the first guard post had been destroyed'.
- 4.33.2ᾗ μάλιστα αὐτοῖς ἐπιθέοντες προσκέοιντο
The optative mood (προσκέοιντο) in the clause introduced by the relative adverb ᾗ expresses an indefinite past repetition (iterative optative), meaning 'wherever (or whenever) they rushed forward and pressed them hardest'.
- 4.33.2καὶ οἳ
The relative pronoun οἵ is here used in its archaic demonstrative sense with καί ('and they'), referring back to the light-armed troops (τοὺς ψιλούς).
- 4.33.2προλαμβάνοντες ῥᾳδίως τῆς φυγῆς
The verb προλαμβάνω ('to get the start of' or 'anticipate') takes the genitive of domain (τῆς φυγῆς, 'in flight'), meaning 'easily getting the start in their flight' or 'outrunning their pursuers with ease'.