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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §3.85.1-3.85.4

Corcyrean Exiles Fortify Mount Istone

Passage 334 of 917 · Greek

Summary

After the Athenian fleet departs from Corcyra, the exiled Corcyreans return to the island from the mainland, establish a base on Mount Istone, and harass the city, causing a severe famine.

§3.85.1οἱ μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὴν πόλιν Κερκυραῖοι τοιαύταις ὀργαῖς ταῖς πρώταις ἐς ἀλλήλους ἐχρήσαντο, καὶ ὁ Εὐρυμέδων καὶ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ἀπέπλευσαν ταῖς ναυσίν· §3.85.2ὕστερον δὲ οἱ φεύγοντες τῶν Κερκυραίων (διεσώθησαν γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐς πεντακοσίους) τείχη τε λαβόντες, ἃ ἦν ἐν τῇ ἠπείρῳ, ἐκράτουν τῆς πέραν οἰκείας γῆς καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς ὁρμώμενοι ἐλῄζοντο τοὺς ἐν τῇ νήσῳ καὶ πολλὰ ἔβλαπτον, καὶ λιμὸς ἰσχυρὸς ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ πόλει. §3.85.3ἐπρεσβεύοντο δὲ καὶ ἐς τὴν Λακεδαίμονα καὶ Κόρινθον περὶ καθόδου· καὶ ὡς οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ἐπράσσετο, ὕστερον χρόνῳ πλοῖα καὶ ἐπικούρους παρασκευασάμενοι διέβησαν ἐς τὴν νῆσον ἑξακόσιοι μάλιστα οἱ πάντες, καὶ τὰ πλοῖα ἐμπρήσαντες, ὅπως ἀπόγνοια ᾖ τοῦ ἄλλο τι ἢ κρατεῖν τῆς γῆς, ἀναβάντες ἐς τὸ ὄρος τὴν Ἰστώνην, τεῖχος ἐνοικοδομησάμενοι ἔφθειρον τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκράτουν. §3.85.4καὶ τὰ πλοῖα ἐμπρήσαντες, ὅπως ἀπόγνοια ᾖ τοῦ ἄλλο τι ἢ κρατεῖν τῆς γῆς, ἀναβάντες ἐς τὸ ὄρος τὴν Ἰστώνην, τεῖχος ἐνοικοδομησάμενοι ἔφθειρον τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκράτουν.
Thus the Corcyreans in the city indulged in such first outbursts of fury against one another, and Eurymedon and the Athenians sailed away with their ships. Later, however, the exiled Corcyreans (for about five hundred of them had escaped) seized the forts which were on the mainland, secured control of their own territory on the opposite shore, and, using it as a base, plundered those in the island and inflicted great damage, so that a severe famine arose in the city. They also sent envoys to Lacedaemon and Corinth to negotiate their return; but when nothing was accomplished for them, some time later, having procured boats and auxiliaries, they crossed over to the island, numbering about six hundred in all, and having burned their boats so that they might have no hope of anything other than holding the country, they went up to Mount Istone, built a fort there, harassed those in the city, and became masters of the countryside.

Notes

  1. 3.85.1οἱ μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὴν πόλιν Κερκυραῖοι — The prepositional phrase "κατὰ τὴν πόλιν" (in the city) is placed between the article and the noun, functioning as an attributive adjective phrase. This emphasizes the contrast with the exiles (οἱ φεύγοντες) who appear in the next section (§3.85.2).
  2. 3.85.3ὡς οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ἐπράσσετο — The conjunction "ὡς" expresses cause (since, because). The dative "αὐτοῖς" indicates the agent of the passive action or the party interested (for them), and "ἐπράσσετο" (imperfect passive) means "to be transacted, accomplished". Thus, the phrase means "since nothing was accomplished for them."
  3. 3.85.4ὅπως ἀπόγνοια ᾖ τοῦ ἄλλο τι ἢ κρατεῖν τῆς γῆς — Within the purpose clause "ὅπως ᾖ" (so that there might be), there is a genitive infinitive phrase "τοῦ ... κρατεῖν" modifying the noun "ἀπόγνοια" (abandonment of hope, giving up). "ἄλλο τι ἢ κρατεῖν" means "(doing) anything else than holding the land," with "ἢ" expressing comparison (other than). This structures the meaning "giving up any hope of doing anything other than holding the country," expressing their desperate determination.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §3.85.1-3.85.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.85.1-3.85.4

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