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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §4.123.1-4.123.4

Revolt of Mende and Brasidas' Defensive Preparations

Passage 488 of 917 · Greek

Summary

During the armistice, Mende revolts from the Athenians and is received by Brasidas. The Athenians prepare an expedition against both Mende and Scione, while Brasidas strengthens their defenses and evacuates their women and children.

§4.123.1ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Μένδη ἀφίσταται αὐτῶν, πόλις ἐν τῇ Παλλήνῃ, Ἐρετριῶν ἀποικία.
In the meantime, Mende, a city in Pallene and a colony of the Eretrians, revolted from them.
καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐδέξατο ὁ Βρασίδας, οὐ νομίζων ἀδικεῖν, ὅτι ἐν τῇ ἐκεχειρίᾳ φανερῶς προσεχώρησαν· ἔστι γὰρ ἃ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐνεκάλει τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις παραβαίνειν τὰς σπονδάς.
And Brasidas received them, not thinking that he was doing any wrong, even though they had openly come over to him during the armistice; for he himself also had certain charges to bring against the Athenians for violating the treaty.
§4.123.2δι’ ὃ καὶ οἱ Μενδαῖοι μᾶλλον ἐτόλμησαν, τήν τε τοῦ Βρασίδου γνώμην ὁρῶντες ἑτοίμην, τεκμαιρόμενοι καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Σκιώνης ὅτι οὐ προυδίδου, καὶ ἅμα τῶν πρασσόντων σφίσιν ὀλίγων τε ὄντων καὶ ὡς τότε ἐμέλλησαν οὐκέτι ἀνέντων, ἀλλὰ περὶ σφίσιν αὐτοῖς φοβουμένων τὸ κατάδηλον καὶ καταβιασαμένων παρὰ γνώμην τοὺς πολλούς.
For this reason the Mendaeans were all the more encouraged, seeing that Brasidas's mind was ready, inferring this also from the case of Scione because he had not betrayed it, and at the same time because the few who were negotiating for them, having once at that time set the plot in motion, would no longer draw back, but, fearing for themselves the discovery of their designs, had forced the multitude to comply contrary to their inclination.
§4.123.3οἱ δὲ Ἀθηναῖοι εὐθὺς πυθόμενοι, πολλῷ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὀργισθέντες παρεσκευάζοντο ἐπ᾽ ἀμφοτέρας τὰς πόλεις.
But the Athenians, hearing of this immediately, were still more enraged and began to make preparations against both cities.
§4.123.4καὶ Βρασίδας προσδεχόμενος τὸν ἐπίπλουν αὐτῶν ὑπεκκομίζει ἐς Ὄλυνθον τὴν Χαλκιδικὴν παῖδας καὶ γυναῖκας τῶν Σκιωναίων καὶ Μενδαίων, καὶ τῶν Πελοποννησίων αὐτοῖς πεντακοσίους ὁπλίτας διέπεμψε καὶ πελταστὰς τριακοσίους Χαλκιδέων, ἄρχοντά τε τῶν ἁπάντων Πολυδαμίδαν.
And Brasidas, expecting their attack by sea, secretly conveyed the women and children of the Scionaeans and Mendaeans to Olynthus in Chalcidice, and sent to them five hundred Peloponnesian hoplites and three hundred Chalcidian peltasts, with Polydamidas as commander of them all.
καὶ οἱ μὲν τὰ περὶ σφᾶς αὐτούς, ὡς ἐν τάχει παρεσομένων τῶν Ἀθηναίων, κοινῇ ηὐτρεπίζοντο.
And they, in the expectation that the Athenians would soon be upon them, jointly made preparations for their defense.

Notes

  1. §4.123.1οὐ νομίζων ἀδικεῖν, ὅτι ἐν τῇ ἐκεχειρίᾳ φανερῶς προσεχώρησαν — The ὅτι clause explains the reason or content of the judgment in οὐ νομίζων ἀδικεῖν (not thinking that he was doing wrong). It is understood as 'he did not think he was committing an injustice simply because they had openly come over during the armistice.'
  2. §4.123.2τῶν πρασσόντων σφίσιν ὀλίγων τε ὄντων καὶ ὡς τότε ἐμέλλησαν οὐκέτι ἀνέντων, ἀλλὰ περὶ σφίσιν αὐτοῖς φοβουμένων τὸ κατάδηλον καὶ καταβιασαμένων παρὰ γνώμην τοὺς πολλούς — A long genitive absolute construction. The subject is τῶν πρασσόντων σφίσιν ὀλίγων (the few who were negotiating for them), and it is modified by the coordinate participles ὄντων, ἀνέντων, φοβουμένων, and καταβιασαμένων. The clause ὡς τότε ἐμέλλησαν functions parenthetically to explain their motivation: 'once they had at that time made the attempt.'
  3. §4.123.4ὡς ἐν τάχει παρεσομένων τῶν Ἀθηναίων — A genitive absolute construction (παρεσομένων τῶν Ἀθηναίων) introduced by ὡς, which expresses a subjective expectation or assumption ('in the expectation that the Athenians would soon be upon them').

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §4.123.1-4.123.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.123.1-4.123.4

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