Humanitext Reader

Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §3.110.1-3.110.2

Demosthenes' Plan to Ambush Ambraciot Reinforcements

Passage 359 of 917 · Greek

Summary

Demosthenes and the Acarnanians receive news that Ambraciot reinforcements, unaware of the defeat, are approaching, prompting Demosthenes to dispatch ambush parties and prepare to march against them.

§3.110.1τῷ δὲ Δημοσθένει καὶ τοῖς Ἀκαρνᾶσιν ἀγγέλλεται τοὺς Ἀμπρακιώτας τοὺς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως πανδημεὶ κατὰ τὴν πρώτην ἐκ τῶν Ὀλπῶν ἀγγελίαν ἐπιβοηθεῖν διὰ τῶν Ἀμφιλόχων, βουλομένους τοῖς ἐν Ὄλπαις ξυμμεῖξαι, εἰδότας οὐδὲν τῶν γεγενημένων.
Meanwhile, word was brought to Demosthenes and the Acarnanians that the Ambraciots from the city were marching in full force through Amphilochia to bring aid, in accordance with the first messenger sent from Olpae, wishing to join those in Olpae and knowing nothing of what had happened.
§3.110.2καὶ πέμπει εὐθὺς τοῦ στρατοῦ μέρος τι τὰς ὁδοὺς προλοχιοῦντας καὶ τὰ καρτερὰ προκαταληψομένους, καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ στρατιᾷ ἅμα παρεσκευάζετο βοηθεῖν ἐπ’ αὐτούς.
And he immediately sent a part of his army to lie in ambush along the roads and to pre-occupy the strong positions, and at the same time he prepared to march against them with the rest of his forces.

Notes

  1. §3.110.1τοὺς Ἀμπρακιώτας ... ἐπιβοηθεῖν — The accusative and infinitive construction functions as the subject clause of the passive verb `ἀγγέλλεται` ('it is reported that the Ambraciots... are coming to help').
  2. §3.110.2προλοχιοῦντας — The future participles (`προλοχιοῦντας` and `προκαταληψομένους`) express purpose. Although their grammatical antecedent is the neuter singular `μέρος τι` ('a part'), they are in the masculine plural accusative, agreeing with the logical subject (the soldiers) by synesis.
  3. §3.110.2βοηθεῖν ἐπ’ αὐτούς — While the verb `βοηθέω` typically takes the dative to mean 'to help,' when combined with the preposition `ἐπί` followed by the accusative, it means 'to march against' or 'to advance to attack' the enemy.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §3.110.1-3.110.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.110.1-3.110.2

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