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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §1.52.1-1.52.3

Confrontation of Fleets and Corinthian Concerns for Retreat

Passage 52 of 917 · Greek

Summary

On the following day, the Athenian and Corcyraean fleet advanced toward the Corinthian anchorage. Facing difficulties such as enemy reinforcements, guarding prisoners, and the inability to repair their ships, the Corinthians began seeking a way to return home safely rather than fight.

§1.52.1τῇ δὲ ὑστεραίᾳ ἀναγαγόμεναι αἵ τε Ἀττικαὶ τριάκοντα νῆες καὶ τῶν Κερκυραίων ὅσαι πλώιμοι ἦσαν ἐπέπλευσαν ἐπὶ τὸν ἐν τοῖς Συβότοις λιμένα, ἐν ᾧ οἱ Κορίνθιοι ὥρμουν, βουλόμενοι εἰδέναι εἰ ναυμαχήσουσιν.
On the following day, the thirty Attic ships and all those of the Corcyraeans that were seaworthy put out to sea and sailed against the harbor at Sybota, where the Corinthians were anchoring, wishing to know whether they would fight.
§1.52.2οἱ δὲ τὰς μὲν ναῦς ἄραντες ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς καὶ παραταξάμενοι μετεώρους ἡσύχαζον, ναυμαχίας οὐ διανοούμενοι ἄρχειν ἑκόντες ὁρῶντες προσγεγενημένας τε ναῦς ἐκ τῶν Ἀθηνῶν ἀκραιφνεῖς καὶ σφίσι πολλὰ τὰ ἄπορα ξυμβεβηκότα, αἰχμαλώτων τε περὶ φυλακῆς οὓς ἐν ταῖς ναυσὶν εἶχον, καὶ ἐπισκευὴν οὐκ οὖσαν τῶν νεῶν ἐν χωρίῳ ἐρήμῳ·
But the Corinthians, having launched their ships from the land and drawn them up in line out at sea, remained quiet, not intending to begin a battle of their own free will, since they saw that fresh ships from Athens had been added to the enemy and that many difficulties had befallen themselves, concerning both the custody of the prisoners whom they had on board their ships, and the impossibility of repairing their ships in a deserted place.
§1.52.3τοῦ δὲ οἴκαδε πλοῦ μᾶλλον διεσκόπουν ὅπῃ κομισθήσονται, δεδιότες μὴ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι νομίσαντες λελύσθαι τὰς σπονδάς, διότι ἐς χεῖρας ἦλθον, οὐκ ἐῶσι σφᾶς ἀποπλεῖν.
Rather, they were considering their voyage home, in what way they should return, fearing lest the Athenians, thinking that the treaty had been broken because they had come to blows, would not permit them to sail away.

Notes

  1. 1.52.2ὁρῶντες — The objects of ὁρῶντες ("seeing") are accusative participle constructions (προσγεγενημένας ... ναῦς and πολλὰ τὰ ἄπορα ξυμβεβηκότα). Additionally, αἰχμαλώτων τε περὶ φυλακῆς (prepositional phrase) and ἐπισκευὴν οὐκ οὖσαν (accusative participle construction) are appended as supplementary explanations, resulting in an asymmetrical structure.
  2. 1.52.3τοῦ δὲ οἴκαδε πλοῦ — Genitive of reference/connection depending on the verb διεσκόπουν ("were considering"). The specific content of their consideration is further detailed by the following indirect question clause ὅπῃ κομισθήσονται ("in what way they should return").
  3. 1.52.3δεδιότες μὴ ... οὐκ ἐῶσι — A clause of fearing introduced by the participle of fearing δεδιότες ("fearing") with μὴ governing the subjunctive ἐῶσι ("allow/permit"). The conditional participle νομίσαντες ("thinking/believing") governs the accusative-with-infinitve construction λελύσθαι τὰς σπονδάς ("that the treaty had been broken").

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §1.52.1-1.52.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.52.1-1.52.3

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