- 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-grc2:4.94.1-4.94.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
The Athenian battle array is described, noting their eight-deep formation and lack of regular light-armed troops, followed by the general Hippocrates preparing to address his men just before the clash.
Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ οἱ μὲν ὁπλῖται ἐπὶ ὀκτὼ πᾶν τὸ στρατόπεδον ἐτάξαντο ὄντες πλήθει ἰσοπαλεῖς τοῖς ἐναντίοις, ἱππῆς δὲ ἐφ’ ἑκατέρῳ τῷ κέρᾳ. ψιλοὶ δὲ ἐκ παρασκευῆς μὲν ὡπλισμένοι οὔτε τότε παρῆσαν οὔτε ἐγένοντο τῇ πόλει·1 οἵπερ δὲ ξυνεσέβαλον ὄντες πολλαπλάσιοι τῶν ἐναντίων, ἄοπλοί τε πολλοὶ ἠκολούθησαν, ἅτε πανστρατιᾶς ξένων τῶν παρόντων καὶ ἀστῶν γενομένης, καὶ ὡς τὸ πρῶτον ὥρμησαν ἐπ’ οἴκου,2 οὐ παρεγένοντο ὅτι μὴ ὀλίγοι.3
On the side of the Athenians, the hoplites were drawn up eight deep across the whole army, being equal in number to their opponents, and the cavalry were on each wing. As for light-armed troops regularly equipped, they were neither present then nor did the city possess them; those who had joined in the invasion, though many times more numerous than the enemy, had followed for the most part without arms, since there had been a general levy of both resident aliens and citizens; and as they had started for home at the first opportunity, only a few were present.
καθεστώτων δὲ ἐς τὴν τάξιν καὶ ἤδη μελλόντων ξυνιέναι, Ἱπποκράτης ὁ στρατηγὸς ἐπιπαριὼν τὸ στρατόπεδον τῶν Ἀθηναίων παρεκελεύετό τε καὶ ἔλεγε τοιάδε.
When they were drawn up in line and were already on the point of engaging, Hippocrates the general passed along the Athenian army, exhorting them and speaking as follows:
- 4.94.1οὔτε ἐγένοντο τῇ πόλει
τῇ πόλει is a dative of possession ("were not present to the state," i.e., "the state did not possess them"). It refers to the historical fact that Athens did not maintain a regularly organized force of light-armed troops at that time.
- 4.94.1ὡς τὸ πρῶτον ὥρμησαν ἐπ’ οἴκου
ὡς τὸ πρῶτον is an adverbial phrase meaning "at the first opportunity" or "immediately." It explains that since the majority of the unarmed, levied crowd had quickly set out for home after completing the fortification of Delium, very few remained by the time the enemy approached.
- 4.94.1ὅτι μὴ ὀλίγοι
ὅτι μή is an idiomatic expression meaning "except" or "save" when following a negative statement. Thus, the whole phrase means "none were present except a few."