Messenian Flanking Maneuver and Spartan Entrapment — Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War Book 4 (4.36.1–4.36.3), Greek & English

§4.36.1

ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀπέραντον ἦν, προσελθὼν ὁ τῶν Μεσσηνίων στρατηγὸς Κλέωνι καὶ Δημοσθένει ἄλλως ἔφη πονεῖν σφᾶς· εἰ δὲ βούλονται ἑαυτῷ δοῦναι τῶν τοξοτῶν μέρος τι καὶ τῶν ψιλῶν περιιέναι κατὰ νώτου αὐτοῖς ὁδῷ ᾗ ἂν αὐτὸς εὕρῃ, δοκεῖν βιάσεσθαι τὴν ἔφοδον.¹

But when there was no end in sight, the general of the Messenians, having approached Cleon and Demosthenes, said that they were laboring in vain; and that if they were willing to give him a part of the archers and light-armed troops to go round to their rear by a path which he himself should find, he thought he could force the passage.

§4.36.2

λαβὼν δὲ ἃ ᾐτήσατο, ἐκ τοῦ ἀφανοῦς ὁρμήσας ὥστε μὴ ἰδεῖν ἐκείνους, κατὰ τὸ αἰεὶ παρεῖκον τοῦ κρημνώδους τῆς νήσου προσβαίνων, καὶ ᾗ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι χωρίου ἰσχύι πιστεύσαντες οὐκ ἐφύλασσον, χαλεπῶς τε καὶ μόλις περιελθὼν ἔλαθε, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ μετεώρου ἐξαπίνης ἀναφανεὶς κατὰ νώτου αὐτῶν τοὺς μὲν τῷ ἀδοκήτῳ ἐξέπληξε, τοὺς δὲ² ἃ προσεδέχοντο ἰδόντας πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐπέρρωσεν.

Having received what he asked for, setting out from an unseen position so that the enemy should not see him, and ascending along whatever part of the precipitous cliffs of the island continuously offered a passage, at the point where the Lacedaemonians, trusting in the strength of the position, kept no guard, having made his way round with great difficulty and effort, he escaped notice. And suddenly appearing on the high ground in their rear, he struck terror into the one side by the unexpectedness of it, and greatly encouraged the other side who saw what they were expecting.

§4.36.3

καὶ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι βαλλόμενοί τε ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἤδη καὶ γιγνόμενοι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ξυμπτώματι, ὡς μικρὸν μεγάλῳ εἰκάσαι,³ τῷ ἐν Θερμοπύλαις, ἐκεῖνοί τε γὰρ τῇ ἀτραπῷ περιελθόντων τῶν Περσῶν διεφθάρησαν, οὗτοί τε ἀμφίβολοι⁴ ἤδη ὄντες οὐκέτι ἀντεῖχον, ἀλλὰ πολλοῖς τε ὀλίγοι μαχόμενοι καὶ ἀσθενείᾳ σωμάτων διὰ τὴν σιτοδείαν ὑπεχώρουν, καὶ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ἐκράτουν ἤδη τῶν ἐφόδων.

And the Lacedaemonians, being now pelted from both sides and finding themselves in the same plight—if one may compare a small thing to a great one, as that at Thermopylae, for just as those were destroyed when the Persians got round them by the path, so these, being now attacked on both sides, could no longer hold out—but, being few fighting against many, and weakened in body through lack of food, they began to retreat; and the Athenians were now masters of the approaches.

Syntax notes4 items

4.36.1δοκεῖν βιάσεσθαι τὴν ἔφοδον
The infinitive δοκεῖν in indirect discourse depends on the preceding ἔφη (said), and in turn takes the future infinitive βιάσεσθαι. The implied subject of βιάσεσθαι is the Messenian general himself (or his detachment).
4.36.2τοὺς μὲν ... τοὺς δὲ
These contrasting pronouns refer to two different forces in the context: τοὺς μὲν refers to the Lacedaemonians who were taken by surprise, while τοὺς δὲ refers to the Athenians who had been expecting such an arrival.
4.36.3ὡς μικρὸν μεγάλῳ εἰκάσαι
An idiomatic parenthetical phrase consisting of ὡς with the infinitive (εἰκάσαι) of limitation, meaning "to compare a small thing to a great one." It serves as a qualification for comparing the local engagement on Sphacteria to the famous and monumental Battle of Thermopylae.
4.36.3ἀμφίβολοι
An adjective meaning literally "pelted from both sides" or "attacked from all directions." Here it vividly describes the military situation in which the Lacedaemonians find themselves caught in a crossfire between the main Athenian force in front and the Messenian detachment in their rear.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.36.1-4.36.3