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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §2.66.1-2.66.2

Spartan Expedition against Zacynthus and Withdrawal

Passage 212 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Lacedaemonians and their allies launch an expedition against Zacynthus, but they withdraw after the inhabitants refuse to come to terms.

§2.66.1οἱ δὲ Λακεδαιμόνιοι καὶ οἱ ξύμμαχοι τοῦ αὐτοῦ θέρους ἐστράτευσαν ναυσὶν ἑκατὸν ἐς Ζάκυνθον τὴν νῆσον, ἣ κεῖται ἀντιπέρας Ἤλιδος· εἰσὶ δὲ Ἀχαιῶν τῶν ἐκ Πελοποννήσου ἄποικοι καὶ Ἀθηναίοις ξυνεμάχουν.
Meanwhile, the Lacedaemonians and their allies, during the same summer, made an expedition with a hundred ships to the island of Zacynthus, which lies opposite Elis; the inhabitants are colonists of the Achaeans from the Peloponnese and were in alliance with the Athenians.
§2.66.2ἐπέπλεον δὲ Λακεδαιμονίων χίλιοι ὁπλῖται καὶ Κνῆμος Σπαρτιάτης ναύαρχος.
There sailed on board a thousand Lacedaemonian hoplites and Cnemus, a Spartan, as admiral.
ἀποβάντες δὲ ἐς τὴν γῆν ἐδῄωσαν τὰ πολλά.
Having disembarked on the land, they ravaged most of it.
καὶ ἐπειδὴ οὐ ξυνεχώρουν, ἀπέπλευσαν ἐπ’ οἴκου.
But when the inhabitants would not come to terms, they sailed back home.

Notes

  1. 2.66.1εἰσὶ — The verb εἰσὶ is third-person plural; its grammatical subject shifts to the inhabitants of the island, rather than the singular noun Ζάκυνθον τὴν νῆσον, showing a construction according to sense (constructio ad sensum).
  2. 2.66.2οὐ ξυνεχώρουν — Imperfect of συγχωρέω (to come to terms, yield). The object (the terms proposed by the Lacedaemonians) is omitted; it means that the Zacynthians 'would not come to terms' or 'refused to yield.'

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §2.66.1-2.66.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.66.1-2.66.2

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