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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §3.24.1-3.24.3

Deceptive Escape of the Plataeans to Athens

Passage 273 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The escaping Plataeans deceive the enemy by taking the road to Thebes before detouring through the mountains to reach Athens, while those left in the city initially believe everyone perished but stop their funeral arrangements upon learning the truth.

§3.24.1ὁρμήσαντες δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς τάφρου οἱ Πλαταιῆς ἐχώρουν ἁθρόοι τὴν ἐς Θήβας φέρουσαν ὁδόν, ἐν δεξιᾷ ἔχοντες τὸ τοῦ Ἀνδροκράτους ἡρῷον, νομίζοντες ἥκιστ’ 〈ἂν〉 σφᾶς ταύτην αὐτοὺς ὑποτοπῆσαι τραπέσθαι τὴν ἐς τοὺς πολεμίους· καὶ ἅμα ἑώρων τοὺς Πελοποννησίους τὴν πρὸς Κιθαιρῶνα καὶ Δρυὸς κεφαλὰς τὴν ἐπ’ Ἀθηνῶν φέρουσαν μετὰ λαμπάδων διώκοντας.
Setting out from the ditch, the Plataeans went in a body along the road leading to Thebes, having the heroön of Androcrates on their right, thinking that the enemy would least of all suspect that they themselves had turned along this road leading toward their foes; and at the same time they saw the Peloponnesians with torches pursuing along the road leading to Athens, toward Cithaeron and the "Oaks' Heads".
§3.24.2καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν ἓξ ἢ ἑπτὰ σταδίους οἱ Πλαταιῆς τὴν ἐπὶ τῶν Θηβῶν ἐχώρησαν, ἔπειθ᾽ ὑποστρέψαντες ᾖσαν τὴν πρὸς τὸ ὄρος φέρουσαν ὁδὸν ἐς Ἐρύθρας καὶ Ὑσιάς, καὶ λαβόμενοι τῶν ὀρῶν διαφεύγουσιν ἐς τὰς Ἀθήνας, ἄνδρες δώδεκα καὶ διακόσιοι ἀπὸ πλειόνων· εἰσὶ γάρ τινες αὐτῶν οἳ ἀπετράποντο ἐς τὴν πόλιν πρὶν ὑπερβαίνειν, εἷς δ’ ἐπὶ τῇ ἔξω τάφρῳ τοξότης ἐλήφθη.
And for six or seven stades the Plataeans went along the road to Thebes, but after that, turning back, they took the road leading to the mountain toward Erythrae and Hysiae, and having gained the mountains, they escaped to Athens, two hundred and twelve men out of a larger number; for there were some of them who had turned back into the city before climbing over, and one archer was captured at the outer ditch.
§3.24.3οἱ μὲν οὖν Πελοποννήσιοι κατὰ χώραν ἐγένοντο τῆς βοηθείας παυσάμενοι· οἱ δ’ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως Πλαταιῆς τῶν μὲν γεγενημένων εἰδότες οὐδέν, τῶν δὲ ἀποτραπομένων σφίσιν ἀπαγγειλάντων ὡς οὐδεὶς περίεστι, κήρυκα ἐκπέμψαντες, ἐπεὶ ἡμέρα ἐγένετο, ἐσπένδοντο ἀναίρεσιν τοῖς νεκροῖς, μαθόντες δὲ τὸ ἀληθὲς ἐπαύσαντο.
So the Peloponnesians, having ceased their pursuit, returned to their positions; but the Plataeans in the city, knowing nothing of what had happened, since those who had turned back reported to them that no one survived, sent a herald when day came and were for making a truce to recover the dead, but on learning the truth they desisted.
οἱ μὲν δὴ τῶν Πλαταιῶν ἄνδρες οὕτως ὑπερβάντες ἐσώθησαν.
In this way the men of the Plataeans climbed over and were saved.

Notes

  1. §3.24.1νομίζοντες ἥκιστ’ 〈ἂν〉 σφᾶς ταύτην αὐτοὺς ὑποτοπῆσαι τραπέσθαι τὴν ἐς τοὺς πολεμίους — On the subject of the infinitive clauses and the reference of the pronouns. The subject of the first infinitive ὑποτοπῆσαι ('suspect', referring to the enemy) is omitted as obvious from context. The indirect reflexive pronoun σφᾶς and αὐτοὺς function together as the subject of the second infinitive τραπέσθαι ('turn', referring to the Plataeans themselves). The inserted 〈ἂν〉 goes with ὑποτοπῆσαι to express potentiality in the past.
  2. §3.24.1τὴν ἐς τοὺς πολεμίους — A prepositional phrase modifying 'road' (ὁδόν). It stands in apposition to or explains the preceding τὴν ἐς Θήβας φέρουσαν ὁδόν, meaning 'the road leading to the enemy' (i.e., to Thebes).
  3. §3.24.2ἀπὸ πλειόνων — Meaning 'out of a larger number.' This refers to the total number of those who originally set out to scale the wall (stated as about 220 in 3.20), in contrast to the 212 men (ἄνδρες δώδεκα καὶ διακόσιοι) who actually reached Athens after subtracting those who turned back or were captured.
  4. §3.24.3ἐσπένδοντο ἀναίρεσιν τοῖς νεκροῖς — The imperfect ἐσπένδοντο is used in a conative sense ('they were for making a treaty' or 'were attempting to arrange a truce'), which fits the context of them stopping once they learned the truth. ἀναίρεσιν is an accusative expressing purpose.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §3.24.1-3.24.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.24.1-3.24.3

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