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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §3.100.1-3.100.2

Aetolian Appeal and Spartan Expedition to Naupactus

Passage 349 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Aetolians sent envoys to Corinth and Sparta to counter the Athenians, and the Spartans dispatched three thousand hoplites under Eurylochus towards Naupactus.

§3.100.1τοῦ δ’ αὐτοῦ θέρους Αἰτωλοὶ προπέμψαντες πρότερον ἔς τε Κόρινθον καὶ ἐς Λακεδαίμονα πρέσβεις, Τόλοφόν τε τὸν Ὀφιονέα καὶ Βοριάδην τὸν Εὐρυτᾶνα καὶ Τείσανδρον τὸν Ἀποδωτόν, πείθουσιν ὥστε σφίσι πέμψαι στρατιὰν ἐπὶ Ναύπακτον διὰ τὴν τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἐπαγωγήν.
In the course of the same summer, the Aetolians, having previously sent as envoys to Corinth and Lacedaemon Tolophus the Ophionian, Boriades the Eurytanian, and Teisander the Apodotoian, persuaded them to send an army to them against Naupactus because of the bringing in of the Athenians.
§3.100.2καὶ ἐξέπεμψαν Λακεδαιμόνιοι περὶ τὸ φθινόπωρον τρισχιλίους ὁπλίτας τῶν ξυμμάχων.
And the Lacedaemonians sent out around autumn three thousand hoplites of the allies.
τούτων ἦσαν πεντακόσιοι ἐξ Ἡρακλείας τῆς ἐν Τραχῖνι πόλεως τότε νεοκτίστου οὔσης· Σπαρτιάτης δ’ ἦρχεν Εὐρύλοχος τῆς στρατιᾶς, καὶ ξυνηκολούθουν αὐτῷ Μακάριος καὶ Μενεδάϊος οἱ Σπαρτιᾶται.
Of these, five hundred were from Heraclea in Trachis, the city which was then newly founded; and Eurylochus, a Spartan, commanded the army, and Macarius and Menedaeus, also Spartans, accompanied him.

Notes

  1. §3.100.1σφίσι — Indirect reflexive pronoun pointing back to the subject of the main clause, `Αἰτωλοί` (the Aetolians).
  2. §3.100.1τὴν τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἐπαγωγήν — The genitive `τῶν Ἀθηναίων` is construed as an objective genitive dependent on the noun `ἐπαγωγήν` (bringing in, introduction), referring to the invitation or introduction of the Athenians by the Messenians in Naupactus (cf. §3.94-98).
  3. §3.100.2τότε νεοκτίστου οὔσης — `οὔσης` is a present participle agreeing in the genitive with `πόλεως`. It is not a genitive absolute, but an attributive or circumstantial participle modifying the noun `Ἡρακλείας... πόλεως` which is governed by the preposition `ἐξ`. It explains the background that Heraclea had just been founded (cf. §3.92-93).

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §3.100.1-3.100.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.100.1-3.100.2

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