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Histories

§3.54.1-3.54.2

Lacedaemonian Siege of Samos and Assault on the Walls

The Lacedaemonians arrive at Samos and besiege it, temporarily capturing a seaside tower before being repulsed by Polycrates. Another clash occurs near the upper tower on the mountain ridge.

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§3.54.1

Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ στόλῳ μεγάλῳ ὡς ἀπίκοντο, ἐπολιόρκεον Σάμον· προσβαλόντες δὲ πρὸς τὸ τεῖχος τοῦ μὲν πρὸς θαλάσσῃ ἑστεῶτος πύργου1 κατὰ τὸ προάστειον τῆς πόλιος ἐπέβησαν, μετὰ δὲ αὐτοῦ βοηθήσαντος Πολυκράτεος2 χειρὶ πολλῇ ἀπηλάσθησαν.

​The Lacedaemonians, when they arrived with a great fleet, besieged Samos; and making an assault upon the wall, they mounted the tower that stood by the sea at the suburb of the city, but afterwards, when Polycrates himself came to the rescue with a great force, they were driven back.

§3.54.2

κατὰ δὲ τὸν ἐπάνω πύργον τὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ῥάχιος τοῦ ὄρεος ἐπεόντα ἐπεξῆλθον οἵ τε ἐπίκουροι καὶ αὐτῶν Σαμίων συχνοί, δεξάμενοι δὲ τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐπʼ ὀλίγον χρόνον ἔφευγον ὀπίσω, οἳ δὲ3 ἐπισπόμενοι ἔκτεινον.

​And at the upper tower which was upon the ridge of the mountain, there sallied forth both the mercenaries and many of the Samians themselves; and having withstood the Lacedaemonians for a short time, they fled back, and the Lacedaemonians, pursuing them, slew them.

Syntax notes3 items
  1. 3.54.1τοῦ μὲν πρὸς θαλάσσῃ ἑστεῶτος πύργου

    This genitive phrase serves as the object of the verb ἐπέβησαν (from ἐπιβαίνω), which means 'to mount' or 'to set foot upon'.

  2. 3.54.1αὐτοῦ βοηθήσαντος Πολυκράτεος

    A genitive absolute construction where αὐτοῦ functions as an intensive pronoun modifying the proper noun Πολυκράτεος ('Polycrates himself').

  3. 3.54.2οἳ δὲ

    The demonstrative pronoun in the nominative plural combined with δέ, indicating a shift in the subject to the object of the preceding clause (the Lacedaemonians).

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.54.1-3.54.2