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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §4.7.1

Simonides' Brief Capture of Eion and Repulse

Passage 372 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Athenian general Simonides temporarily captures Eion in Thrace through betrayal, but is quickly driven out by the arrival of enemy reinforcements.

§4.7.1κατὰ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον Σιμωνίδης Ἀθηναίων στρατηγὸς Ἠιόνα τὴν ἐπὶ Θρᾴκης Μενδαίων ἀποικίαν, πολεμίαν δὲ οὖσαν, ξυλλέξας Ἀθηναίους τε ὀλίγους ἐκ τῶν φρουρίων καὶ τῶν ἐκείνῃ ξυμμάχων πλῆθος προδιδομένην κατέλαβεν.
About the same time, Simonides, an Athenian general, having collected a few Athenians from the garrisons and a large number of the allies in that region, seized Eion in Thrace, a colony of the Mendaeans which was hostile, as it was being betrayed to him.
καὶ παραχρῆμα ἐπιβοηθησάντων Χαλκιδέων καὶ Βοττιαίων ἐξεκρούσθη τε καὶ ἀπέβαλε πολλοὺς τῶν στρατιωτῶν.
However, upon the Chalcidians and Bottiaeans immediately coming to the rescue, he was driven out and lost many of his soldiers.

Notes

  1. §4.7.1Ἠιόνα τὴν ἐπὶ Θρᾴκης — This Eion refers not to the famous Athenian stronghold at the mouth of the Strymon River, but to another town of the same name, which was a colony of the Mendaeans in the Chalcidice region.
  2. §4.7.1προδιδομένην — The present passive participle describes a state of betrayal in progress or being attempted. It denotes the circumstance that enabled the sudden seizure of the town.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §4.7.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.7.1

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