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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §2.55.1-2.55.2

Ravaging of Paralus and Pericles' Refusal to Give Battle

Passage 201 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Peloponnesians ravage the coastal region of Paralus as far as the silver mines of Laurium, while Pericles maintains his policy of not sending the Athenians out to battle.

§2.55.1οἱ δὲ Πελοποννήσιοι ἐπειδὴ ἔτεμον τὸ πεδίον, παρῆλθον ἐς τὴν Πάραλον γῆν καλουμένην μέχρι Λαυρείου, οὗ τὰ ἀργύρεια μέταλλά ἐστιν Ἀθηναίοις.
When the Peloponnesians had ravaged the plain, they passed into the coastal region called Paralus as far as Laurium, where the Athenians have their silver mines.
καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἔτεμον ταύτην ᾗ πρὸς Πελοπόννησον ὁρᾷ, ἔπειτα δὲ τὴν πρὸς Εὔβοιάν τε καὶ Ἄνδρον τετραμμένην.
And first they ravaged that part of it which looks towards the Peloponnese, and afterwards the part turned towards Euboea and Andros.
§2.55.2Περικλῆς δὲ στρατηγὸς ὢν καὶ τότε περὶ μὲν τοῦ μὴ ἐπεξιέναι τοὺς Ἀθηναίους τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην εἶχεν ὥσπερ καὶ ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ ἐσβολῇ.
Pericles, who was general at that time also, maintained the same opinion as during the former invasion in regard to the Athenians not marching out to battle.

Notes

  1. 2.55.1ᾗ — The dative singular feminine of the relative pronoun, used here adverbially of direction or manner ('where', 'in the direction which'). It limits the preceding `ταύτην` (the Paralus region), with an ellipsis of a noun like `ὁδῷ` or `χώρᾳ` implied.
  2. 2.55.2τοῦ μὴ ἐπεξιέναι τοὺς Ἀθηναίους — An articular infinitive in the genitive functioning as the object of the preposition `περί`. It contains the negative particle `μή`, and `τοὺς Ἀθηναίους` serves as the subject accusative of the infinitive `ἐπεξιέναι` ('to go out against the enemy'). The entire phrase translates to 'regarding the Athenians not marching out'.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §2.55.1-2.55.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.55.1-2.55.2

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