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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §1.64.1-1.64.3

Phormio's Arrival and the Full Siege of Potidaea

Passage 64 of 917 · Greek

Summary

Due to a shortage of troops, the Athenians initially leave the Pallene side un-walled, but with the later arrival of reinforcements from Athens under General Phormio, who blockades that side, Potidaea is completely besieged by land and sea.

§1.64.1τὸ δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἰσθμοῦ [τεῖχος ] εὐθὺς οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ἀποτειχίσαντες ἐφρούρουν· τὸ δ’ ἐς τὴν Παλλήνην ἀτείχιστον ἦν·
As for the [wall] on the side of the isthmus, the Athenians immediately walled it off and kept guard; but that on the side facing Pallene was left un-walled.
οὐ γὰρ ἱκανοὶ ἐνόμιζον εἶναι ἔν τε τῷ ἰσθμῷ φρουρεῖν καὶ ἐς τὴν Παλλήνην διαβάντες τειχίζειν, δεδιότες μὴ σφίσιν οἱ Ποτειδεᾶται καὶ οἱ ξύμμαχοι γενομένοις δίχα ἐπίθωνται.
For they did not think themselves sufficient both to keep guard on the isthmus and to cross over to Pallene and build a wall, fearing lest the Potidaeans and their allies might attack them if they were divided in two.
§1.64.2καὶ πυνθανόμενοι οἱ ἐν τῇ πόλει Ἀθηναῖοι τὴν Παλλήνην ἀτείχιστον οὖσαν, χρόνῳ ὕστερον πέμπουσιν ἑξακοσίους καὶ χιλίους ὁπλίτας ἑαυτῶν καὶ Φορμίωνα τὸν Ἀσωπίου στρατηγόν·
And the Athenians in the city, on learning that Pallene was un-walled, some time later sent sixteen hundred hoplites of their own and Phormio, the son of Asopius, as general.
ὃς ἀφικόμενος ἐς τὴν Παλλήνην καὶ ἐξ Ἀφύτιος ὁρμώμενος προσήγαγε τῇ Ποτειδαίᾳ τὸν στρατὸν κατὰ βραχὺ προϊὼν καὶ κείρων ἅμα τὴν γῆν, ὡς δὲ οὐδεὶς ἐπεξῄει ἐς μάχην, ἀπετείχισε τὸ ἐκ τῆς Παλλήνης [τεῖχος ].
He, having arrived in Pallene and starting from Aphytis, led his army against Potidaea, advancing slowly and at the same time ravaging the land; and since no one came out to battle, he walled off the [wall] on the side of Pallene.
§1.64.3καὶ οὕτως ἤδη κατὰ κράτος ἡ Ποτείδαια ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἐπολιορκεῖτο καὶ ἐκ θαλάσσης ναυσὶν ἅμα ἐφορμούσαις.
And thus Potidaea was now vigorously besieged from both sides, and at the same time from the sea by ships blockading the harbor.

Notes

  1. §1.64.1γενομένοις δίχα — Consists of the participle `γενομένοις` (second aorist active participle of `γίγνομαι`) agreeing with the dative pronoun `σφίσιν`, and the adverb `δίχα`. It functions as an adverbial participle of condition ("if they should be divided") or circumstance, meaning "if they were divided in two."
  2. §1.64.2τὴν Παλλήνην ἀτείχιστον οὖσαν — An indirect discourse construction where the participle `οὖσαν` (present active participle of `εἰμί` in the feminine accusative singular) is used instead of an infinitive clause as the object of the verb of mental perception `πυνθανόμενοι` ("learning/hearing that..."), meaning "that Pallene was un-walled."
  3. §1.64.3ναυσὶν ἅμα ἐφορμούσαις — Composed of the dative `ναυσίν` modified by the present participle `ἐφορμούσαις` (from `ἐφορμέω`, "to blockade / lie at anchor against") in the feminine dative plural, accompanied by the adverb `ἅμα`. It describes the instrument or circumstance of the blockade from the sea ("at the same time by ships blockading [it]").

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §1.64.1-1.64.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.64.1-1.64.3

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