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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §1.117.1-1.117.3

Samian Counterattack and Surrender After Siege

Passage 117 of 917 · Greek

Summary

During Pericles' absence, the Samians launch a sudden attack and temporarily gain control of the sea, but upon his return with reinforcements, they are blockaded again and finally capitulate in the ninth month of the siege; Byzantium also returns to subjection.

§1.117.1ἐν τούτῳ δὲ οἱ Σάμιοι ἐξαπιναίως ἔκπλουν ποιησάμενοι ἀφάρκτῳ τῷ στρατοπέδῳ ἐπιπεσόντες τάς τε προφυλακίδας ναῦς διέφθειραν καὶ ναυμαχοῦντες τὰς ἀνταναγομένας ἐνίκησαν, καὶ τῆς θαλάσσης τῆς καθ’ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκράτησαν ἡμέρας περὶ τέσσαρας καὶ δέκα, καὶ ἐσεκομίσαντο καὶ ἐξεκομίσαντο ἃ ἐβούλοντο.
Meanwhile, the Samians, having made a sudden sally and fallen upon the unfortified camp, destroyed the guardships and, fighting a sea-battle, defeated those ships that sailed out against them; and they remained masters of the sea around their own coast for about fourteen days, bringing in and carrying out whatever they wished.
§1.117.2ἐλθόντος δὲ Περικλέους πάλιν ταῖς ναυσὶ κατεκλῄσθησαν.
But when Pericles returned with his ships, they were blockaded again.
καὶ ἐκ τῶν Ἀθηνῶν ὕστερον προσεβοήθησαν τεσσαράκοντα μὲν αἱ μετὰ Θουκυδίδου καὶ Ἅγνωνος καὶ Φορμίωνος νῆες, εἴκοσι δὲ αἱ μετὰ Τληπολέμου καὶ Ἀντικλέους, ἐκ δὲ Χίου καὶ Λέσβου τριάκοντα.
And later, forty ships from Athens came as reinforcement under the command of Thucydides, Hagnon, and Phormio, and twenty under Tlepolemus and Anticles, and thirty from Chios and Lesbos.
§1.117.3καὶ ναυμαχίαν μέν τινα βραχεῖαν ἐποιήσαντο οἱ Σάμιοι, ἀδύνατοι δὲ ὄντες ἀντίσχειν ἐξεπολιορκήθησαν ἐνάτῳ μηνὶ καὶ προσεχώρησαν ὁμολογίᾳ, τεῖχός τε καθελόντες καὶ ὁμήρους δόντες καὶ ναῦς παραδόντες καὶ χρήματα τὰ ἀναλωθέντα ταξάμενοι κατὰ χρόνους ἀποδοῦναι.
And the Samians, after fighting a brief sea-battle, being unable to hold out, were reduced by siege in the ninth month and came to terms; they demolished their wall, gave hostages, surrendered their ships, and agreed to pay back by instalments the expenses of the war.
ξυνέβησαν δὲ καὶ Βυζάντιοι ὥσπερ καὶ πρότερον ὑπήκοοι εἶναι.
The Byzantines also agreed to be subject as they had been before.

Notes

  1. 1.117.1ἀφάρκτῳ τῷ στρατοπέδῳ — Dative case, governed by the compound participle `ἐπιπεσόντες` (from `ἐπιπίπτω`, 'to fall upon'). `ἀφάρκτῳ` is a variant of `ἄφρακτος` ('unfortified,' 'unprotected'), indicating that the Athenian camp was left unguarded during Pericles' absence.
  2. 1.117.1τὰς ἀνταναγομένας — Present middle-passive participle, accusative feminine plural of `ἀντανάγομαι` ('to put to sea against'), modifying the omitted noun `ναῦς` ('ships'). It refers to the Athenian vessels that hastily sailed out to meet the sudden attack of the Samians.
  3. 1.117.2ταῖς ναυσὶ κατεκλῄσθησαν — `ταῖς ναυσὶ` ('with/by the ships') is a dative of instrument, referring to the blockade established by Pericles' returned fleet. While it could theoretically mean 'they were shut up together with their own ships (inside the harbor),' it is more natural to interpret it as the means of the Athenian blockade.
  4. 1.117.3ταξάμενοι κατὰ χρόνους ἀποδοῦναι — `ταξάμενοι` is the indirect middle participle of `τάσσω` ('to ordain,' 'to assess'), meaning here 'having agreed on their own part' or 'having bound themselves.' `κατὰ χρόνους` is an idiomatic expression meaning 'by instalments' or 'at fixed intervals.' The infinitive `ἀποδοῦναι` functions as the object of `ταξάμενοι`.
  5. 1.117.3ξυνέβησαν δὲ καὶ Βυζάντιοι — `ξυνέβησαν` is the active second aorist (with intransitive meaning) of `συμβαίνω`, meaning 'came to terms' or 'capitulated.' It is followed by the infinitive construction `ὑπήκοοι εἶναι` ('to be subject'), which expresses the content of their agreement.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §1.117.1-1.117.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.117.1-1.117.3

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