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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §4.106.1-4.106.4

Surrender of Amphipolis and Securing of Eion

Passage 471 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The inhabitants of Amphipolis accept Brasidas' moderate terms and surrender the city, while Thucydides arrives too late to save it but manages to secure Eion.

§4.106.1οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ ἀκούσαντες ἀλλοιότεροι ἐγένοντο τὰς γνώμας, ἄλλως τε καὶ βραχὺ μὲν Ἀθηναίων ἐμπολιτεῦον, τὸ δὲ πλέον ξύμμεικτον, καὶ τῶν ἔξω ληφθέντων συχνοῖς οἰκεῖοι ἔνδον ἦσαν·
The majority, on hearing this, changed their minds, especially since only a small number of Athenians were citizens, the greater part being a mixed multitude, and many of those inside had relatives among those captured outside.
καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα πρὸς τὸν φόβον δίκαιον εἶναι ὑπελάμβανον, οἱ μὲν Ἀθηναῖοι διὰ τὸ ἄσμενοι ἂν ἐξελθεῖν, ἡγούμενοι οὐκ ἐν ὁμοίῳ σφίσι τὰ δεινὰ εἶναι καὶ ἅμα οὐ προσδεχόμενοι βοήθειαν ἐν τάχει, ὁ δὲ ἄλλος ὅμιλος πόλεώς τε ἐν τῷ ἴσῳ οὐ στερισκόμενοι καὶ κινδύνου παρὰ δόξαν ἀφιέμενοι.
They considered the proclamation to be fair in view of their fears: the Athenians, on the one hand, because they would gladly go out, thinking that the danger was not equal for them and at the same time not expecting speedy assistance; and the rest of the multitude, on the other hand, because they would not be deprived of their equal rights in the city, and were unexpectedly released from danger.
§4.106.2ὥστε τῶν πρασσόντων τῷ Βρασίδᾳ ἤδη καὶ ἐκ τοῦ φανεροῦ διαδικαιούντων αὐτά, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἑώρων τετραμμένον καὶ τοῦ παρόντος Ἀθηναίων στρατηγοῦ οὐκέτι ἀκροώμενον, ἐγένετο ἡ ὁμολογία καὶ προσεδέξαντο ἐφ’ οἷς ἐκήρυξεν.
Consequently, since those who were negotiating with Brasidas were now even openly advocating these terms, seeing that the multitude had changed their minds and no longer listened to the Athenian general who was present, the agreement was made and they accepted the terms he had proclaimed.
§4.106.3καὶ οἱ μὲν τὴν πόλιν τοιούτῳ τρόπῳ παρέδοσαν, ὁ δὲ Θουκυδίδης καὶ αἱ νῆες ταύτῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὀψὲ κατέπλεον ἐς τὴν Ἠιόνα.
And they surrendered the city in this manner; while Thucydides and the ships sailed into Eion late on that same day.
§4.106.4καὶ τὴν μὲν Ἀμφίπολιν Βρασίδας ἄρτι εἶχε, τὴν δὲ Ἠιόνα παρὰ νύκτα ἐγένετο λαβεῖν· εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐβοήθησαν αἱ νῆες διὰ τάχους, ἅμα ἕῳ ἂν εἴχετο.
Brasidas had just taken Amphipolis, and was within a night of taking Eion; for if the ships had not come quickly to its assistance, it would have been taken at daybreak.

Notes

  1. §4.106.1ἐμπολιτεῦον — The neuter singular participle ἐμπολιτεῦον, along with τὸ δὲ πλέον ξύμμεικτον, forms an accusative (or nominative) absolute construction. It acts as an impersonal absolute expression meaning 'since only a small part of the Athenians were citizens, and the majority were a mixed multitude.'
  2. §4.106.1ἄσμενοι ἂν ἐξελθεῖν — The infinitive ἐξελθεῖν, governed by the prepositional phrase διὰ τὸ, is accompanied by the particle ἄν representing potentiality. This represents the nominalization of a potential optative (or unreal indicative) in direct speech (ἄσμενοι ἂν ἐξέλθοιμεν), meaning 'because they would gladly go out (if they could).'
  3. §4.106.4παρὰ νύκτα ἐγένετο λαβεῖν — Literally meaning 'it happened to take within a night's difference,' this expression means 'it was within a night of being taken' or 'it narrowly escaped being captured.' The infinitive λαβεῖν (with τὴν Ἠιόνα as object) serves as the subject of the impersonal verb ἐγένετο, while the prepositional phrase παρὰ νύκτα (by the margin of a night) indicates the extremely narrow margin of time.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §4.106.1-4.106.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.106.1-4.106.4

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