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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §1.48.1-1.48.4

Encounter of the Fleets and Battle Formations off Sybota

Passage 48 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Corinthians set sail by night from Cheimerium, and at dawn both fleets sighted each other and drew up their battle lines, with the Corinthian left wing facing the Athenian and Corcyraean right wing.

§1.48.1ἐπειδὴ δὲ παρεσκεύαστο τοῖς Κορινθίοις, λαβόντες τριῶν ἡμερῶν σιτία ἀνήγοντο ὡς ἐπὶ ναυμαχίαν ἀπὸ τοῦ Χειμερίου νυκτός,
When preparations had been made by the Corinthians, they took three days' provisions and set sail from Cheimerium by night, as if for a naval battle.
§1.48.2καὶ ἅμα ἕῳ πλέοντες καθορῶσι τὰς τῶν Κερκυραίων ναῦς μετεώρους τε καὶ ἐπὶ σφᾶς πλεούσας.
And at dawn, as they were sailing, they descried the ships of the Corcyraeans out at sea and sailing against them.
§1.48.3ὡς δὲ κατεῖδον ἀλλήλους, ἀντιπαρετάσσοντο, ἐπὶ μὲν τὸ δεξιὸν κέρας Κερκυραίων αἱ Ἀττικαὶ νῆες, τὸ δὲ ἄλλο αὐτοὶ ἐπεῖχον τρία τέλη ποιήσαντες τῶν νεῶν, ὧν ἦρχε 〈τῶν〉 τριῶν στρατηγῶν ἑκάστου εἷς.
When they saw each other, they drew up in opposite lines; on the right wing of the Corcyraeans were the Attic ships, while they themselves occupied the rest of the line, having formed their ships into three divisions, of which one of each of the three generals was in command.
§1.48.4οὕτω μὲν Κερκυραῖοι ἐτάξαντο, Κορινθίοις δὲ τὸ μὲν δεξιὸν κέρας αἱ Μεγαρίδες νῆες εἶχον καὶ αἱ Ἀμπρακιώτιδες, κατὰ δὲ τὸ μέσον οἱ ἄλλοι ξύμμαχοι ὡς ἕκαστοι· εὐώνυμον δὲ κέρας αὐτοὶ οἱ Κορίνθιοι ταῖς ἄριστα τῶν νεῶν πλεούσαις κατὰ τοὺς Ἀθηναίους καὶ τὸ δεξιὸν τῶν Κερκυραίων εἶχον.
Thus the Corcyraeans drew up their order; as for the Corinthians, their right wing was held by the Megarian and Ambraciot ships, and in the center were the other allies, each in their own division; their left wing was held by the Corinthians themselves with the best sailing of their ships, stationed opposite the Athenians and the right wing of the Corcyraeans.

Notes

  1. §1.48.1παρεσκεύαστο τοῖς Κορινθίοις — The impersonal passive use of the perfect passive of παρασκευάζω, meaning 'preparations had been made'. The dative τοῖς Κορινθίοις functions as the dative of agent.
  2. §1.48.1ἀπὸ τοῦ Χειμερίου νυκτός — νυκτός is a genitive of time within which ('by night' or 'during the night'), modifying the main verb ἀνήγοντο, while the prepositional phrase ἀπὸ τοῦ Χειμερίου denotes the point of departure ('from Cheimerium').
  3. §1.48.3ὧν ἦρχε 〈τῶν〉 τριῶν στρατηγῶν ἑκάστου εἷς — The relative pronoun ὧν (genitive plural neuter) refers to the preceding 'tria telē' (three divisions) and is governed by ἦρχε. The expression 'ἑκάστου εἷς τῶν τριῶν στρατηγῶν' means 'one of the three generals [commanded] each [of the divisions]'.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §1.48.1-1.48.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.48.1-1.48.4

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