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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §3.2.1-3.2.3

Revolt of Lesbos and Informants to Athens

Passage 251 of 917 · Greek

Summary

Immediately after the Peloponnesian invasion, all of Lesbos except Methymna revolts from Athens. Although forced to rise earlier than planned before completing their preparations, their design is betrayed to the Athenians by hostile neighbors and pro-Athenian factions.

§3.2.1μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐσβολὴν τῶν Πελοποννησίων εὐθὺς Λέσβος πλὴν Μηθύμνης ἀπέστη ἀπ’ Ἀθηναίων, βουληθέντες μὲν καὶ πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου, ἀλλ’ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι οὐ προσεδέξαντο, ἀναγκασθέντες δὲ καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἀπόστασιν πρότερον ἢ διενοοῦντο ποιήσασθαι.
Immediately after the invasion of the Peloponnesians, all of Lesbos except Methymna revolted from the Athenians. They had wished to do so even before the war, but the Lacedaemonians had not received them; now, however, they were forced to make this revolt earlier than they had intended.
§3.2.2τῶν τε γὰρ λιμένων τὴν χῶσιν καὶ τειχῶν οἰκοδόμησιν καὶ νεῶν ποίησιν ἐπέμενον τελεσθῆναι, καὶ ὅσα ἐκ τοῦ Πόντου ἔδει ἀφικέσθαι, τοξότας τε καὶ σῖτον, καὶ ἃ μεταπεμπόμενοι ἦσαν.
For they were waiting for the filling up of their harbours, the building of walls, and the construction of ships to be completed, as well as for all that was to come from the Pontus, namely archers and corn, and other things for which they had sent.
§3.2.3Τενέδιοι γὰρ ὄντες αὐτοῖς διάφοροι καὶ Μηθυμναῖοι καὶ αὐτῶν Μυτιληναίων ἰδίᾳ ἄνδρες κατὰ στάσιν, πρόξενοι Ἀθηναίων, μηνυταὶ γίγνονται τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις ὅτι ξυνοικίζουσί τε τὴν Λέσβον ἐς τὴν Μυτιλήνην βίᾳ καὶ τὴν παρασκευὴν ἅπασαν μετὰ Λακεδαιμονίων καὶ Βοιωτῶν ξυγγενῶν ὄντων ἐπὶ ἀποστάσει ἐπείγονται· καὶ εἰ μή τις προκαταλήψεται ἤδη, στερήσεσθαι αὐτοὺς Λέσβου.
For the Tenedians, who were at variance with them, and the Methymnaeans, and certain private individuals of the Mytilaeneans themselves who were Athenian proxenoi in a political faction, became informers to the Athenians, stating that the Mytilaeneans were forcing the whole of Lesbos into a union with Mytilene, and were rushing all their preparations for revolt in concert with the Lacedaemonians and their Boeotian kinsmen; and that unless someone forestalled them at once, the Athenians would lose Lesbos.

Notes

  1. §3.2.1βουληθέντες — Although the subject of the main clause is the feminine singular noun 'Λέσβος' (Lesbos), the participles 'βουληθέντες' (and 'ἀναγκασθέντες') are masculine plural. This is a construction according to sense (constructio ad sensum), referring to the inhabitants (the Lesbians) rather than the island itself.
  2. §3.2.2ἐπέμενον τελεσθῆναι — The verb 'ἐπέμενον' (were waiting) takes the passive infinitive 'τελεσθῆναι' (to be completed) with the noun phrases 'τῶν ... τὴν χῶσιν καὶ τειχῶν οἰκοδόμησιν καὶ νεῶν ποίησιν' as its accusative subject. The subsequent relative clauses 'καὶ ὅσα...' and 'καὶ ἃ...' are coordinated as direct objects of 'ἐπέμενον' (or understood as subjects of the infinitive).
  3. §3.2.3στερήσεσθαι αὐτοὺς Λέσβου — An infinitive clause in indirect discourse continuing after 'ὅτι'. 'αὐτοὺς' refers to the Athenians and is the subject accusative of the future middle/passive infinitive 'στερήσεσθαι' (would be deprived of, would lose). The genitive 'Λέσβου' is a genitive of separation used with this verb.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §3.2.1-3.2.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.2.1-3.2.3

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