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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §4.44.1-4.44.6

Athenian Victory and Quick Retreat from Corinthian Relievers

Passage 409 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Athenians, aided by their cavalry, defeat the Corinthians and erect a trophy, but quickly retreat to their ships upon the approach of Corinthian reinforcements, later recovering their remaining dead under a truce.

§4.44.1χρόνον μὲν οὖν πολὺν ἀντεῖχον οὐκ ἐνδιδόντες ἀλλήλοις· ἔπειτα (ἦσαν γὰρ τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις οἱ ἱππῆς ὠφέλιμοι ξυμμαχόμενοι, τῶν ἑτέρων οὐκ ἐχόντων ἵππους) ἐτράποντο οἱ Κορίνθιοι καὶ ὑπεχώρησαν πρὸς τὸν λόφον καὶ ἔθεντο τὰ ὅπλα καὶ οὐκέτι κατέβαινον, ἀλλ᾽ ἡσύχαζον. §4.44.2ἐν δὲ τῇ τροπῇ ταύτῃ κατὰ τὸ δεξιὸν κέρας οἱ πλεῖστοί τε αὐτῶν ἀπέθανον καὶ Λυκόφρων ὁ στρατηγός.
a long time, then, they held out without yielding to one another; but afterwards (for the Athenian cavalry was of great service in the battle, whereas the other side had no horses), the Corinthians were routed and retreated to the hill, where they piled their arms and no longer came down, but remained quiet. this rout, on the right wing, the greater part of them fell, including Lycophron the general.
ἡ δὲ ἄλλη στρατιὰ τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ οὐ κατὰ δίωξιν πολλὴν οὐδὲ ταχείας φυγῆς γενομένης, ἐπεὶ ἐβιάσθη, ἐπαναχωρήσασα πρὸς τὰ μετέωρα ἱδρύθη. §4.44.3οἱ δὲ Ἀθηναῖοι, ὡς οὐκέτι αὐτοῖς ἐπῇσαν ἐς μάχην, τούς τε νεκροὺς ἐσκύλευον καὶ τοὺς ἑαυτῶν ἀνῃροῦντο, τροπαῖόν τε εὐθέως ἔστησαν. §4.44.4τοῖς δ’ ἡμίσεσι τῶν Κορινθίων, οἳ ἐν τῇ Κεγχρειᾷ ἐκάθηντο φύλακες μὴ ἐπὶ τὸν Κρομμυῶνα πλεύσωσι, τούτοις οὐ κατάδηλος ἡ μάχη ἦν ὑπὸ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ Ὀνείου· κονιορτὸν δὲ ὡς εἶδον καὶ [ὡς ] ἔγνωσαν, ἐβοήθουν εὐθύς.
The rest of the army, having been forced back, retreated in this manner to the high ground and established themselves there, without being hard pressed in pursuit or making a rapid flight. Athenians, seeing that the enemy no longer came down to fight them, spoiled the dead, took up their own slain, and immediately erected a trophy. the half of the Corinthians who were stationed at Cenchreia as guards, lest the Athenians should sail against Crommyon, the battle was not visible because of Mount Oneium; but when they saw the dust and realized what was happening, they immediately came to the rescue.
ἐβοήθησαν δὲ καὶ οἱ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως πρεσβύτεροι τῶν Κορινθίων αἰσθόμενοι τὸ γεγενημένον. §4.44.5ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ξύμπαντας αὐτοὺς ἐπιόντας καὶ νομίσαντες τῶν ἐγγὺς ἀστυγειτόνων Πελοποννησίων βοήθειαν ἐπιέναι, ἀνεχώρουν κατὰ τάχος ἐπὶ τὰς ναῦς, ἔχοντες τὰ σκυλεύματα καὶ τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκροὺς πλὴν δυοῖν, οὓς ἐγκατέλιπον οὐ δυνάμενοι εὑρεῖν. §4.44.6καὶ ἀναβάντες ἐπὶ τὰς ναῦς ἐπεραιώθησαν ἐς τὰς ἐπικειμένας νήσους, ἐκ δ’ αὐτῶν ἐπικηρυκευσάμενοι τοὺς νεκροὺς οὓς ἐγκατέλιπον ὑποσπόνδους ἀνείλοντο.
The older citizens of the Corinthians from the city also came to the rescue when they perceived what had happened. the Athenians, seeing them all advancing and thinking that a reinforcement of the neighboring Peloponnesians was coming, retreated in haste to their ships, carrying off the spoils and their own dead, except two whom they left behind because they could not find them. having embarked, they crossed over to the adjacent islands, and from there they sent a herald and recovered under truce the dead whom they had left behind.
ἀπέθανον δὲ Κορινθίων μὲν ἐν τῇ μάχῃ δώδεκα καὶ διακόσιοι, Ἀθηναίων δὲ ὀλίγῳ ἐλάσσους πεντήκοντα.
There died of the Corinthians in the battle two hundred and twelve, and of the Athenians a little fewer than fifty.

Notes

  1. §4.44.1ἔθεντο τὰ ὅπλα — The expression "piled their arms" (aorist middle of τίθημι τὰ ὅπλα) does not mean surrendering or disarming, but rather placing the heavy shields and spears on the ground to rest while keeping their ranks and remaining on standby.
  2. §4.44.4τοῖς δ’ ἡμίσεσι τῶν Κορινθίων ... τούτοις — The dative phrase `τοῖς δ’ ἡμίσεσι τῶν Κορινθίων` at the beginning of the sentence is separated from the main verb by the relative clause `οἳ... πλεύσωσι`, and is therefore resumed by the redundant pronoun `τούτοις` in the same case (resumptive dative).
  3. §4.44.5των εγγυς αστυγειτονων Πελοποννησιων βοηθειαν επιεναι — An accusative-and-infinitive construction introduced by the participle of thinking `νομίσαντες`, where `βοήθειαν` is the subject accusative and `ἐπιέναι` is the infinitive. The genitive phrase `τῶν ἐγγὺς ἀστυγειτόνων Πελοποννησίων` indicates the source of the help ("succor from the neighboring Peloponnesians").

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §4.44.1-4.44.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.44.1-4.44.6

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