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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §4.71.1-4.71.2

Megarian Factions Refuse Brasidas and Await the Outcome

Passage 436 of 917 · Greek

Summary

Fearing for their safety and the destruction of the city, the two Megarian factions refused to admit Brasidas, choosing instead to remain neutral and join whichever side emerged victorious, prompting Brasidas to withdraw.

§4.71.1αἱ δὲ τῶν Μεγαρέων στάσεις φοβούμεναι, οἱ μὲν μὴ τοὺς φεύγοντας σφίσιν ἐσαγαγὼν αὐτοὺς ἐκβάλῃ, οἱ δὲ μὴ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ὁ δῆμος δείσας ἐπίθηται σφίσι καὶ ἡ πόλις ἐν μάχῃ καθ’ αὑτὴν οὖσα ἐγγὺς ἐφεδρευόντων Ἀθηναίων ἀπόληται, οὐκ ἐδέξαντο, ἀλλ’ ἀμφοτέροις ἐδόκει ἡσυχάσασι τὸ μέλλον περιιδεῖν.
But the factions of the Megarians, being afraid—the one party lest he should introduce the exiles and expel themselves, the other lest the commons, fearing this very thing, should attack them, and the city, being in conflict with itself, should perish while the Athenians were lying in wait nearby—did not receive him; instead, it seemed best to both parties to remain quiet and await the event.
§4.71.2ἤλπιζον γὰρ καὶ μάχην ἑκάτεροι ἔσεσθαι τῶν τε Ἀθηναίων καὶ τῶν προσβοηθησάντων, καὶ οὕτω σφίσιν ἀσφαλεστέρως ἔχειν, οἷς τις εἴη εὔνους, κρατήσασι προσχωρῆσαι·
For both sides expected that there would be a battle between the Athenians and those who had come to the rescue, and that it would thus be safer for them to join the victors, whichever of them was well-disposed to them.
ὁ δὲ Βρασίδας ὡς οὐκ ἔπειθεν, ἀνεχώρησε πάλιν ἐς τὸ ἄλλο στράτευμα.
Brasidas, therefore, since he could not persuade them, withdrew again to the rest of the army.

Notes

  1. §4.71.1αἱ δὲ τῶν Μεγαρέων στάσεις φοβούμεναι, οἱ μὲν ... οἱ δὲ ... — A construction of partitive apposition (schema Alcmanicum). The feminine plural subject `αἱ ... στάσεις` is followed by the masculine plural appositives `οἱ μὲν` and `οἱ δὲ`, which specify the two factions, before resolving into the main verb `οὐκ ἐδέξαντο`.
  2. §4.71.1ἡσυχάσασι τὸ μέλλον περιιδεῖν — The infinitive `περιιδεῖν` (aorist of `περιοράω`) is used here in the sense of "waiting to see how things turn out" rather than simply "overlooking." The participle `ἡσυχάσασι` agrees with `ἀμφοτέροις` (to both sides, dative).
  3. §4.71.2οἷς τις εἴη εὔνους, κρατήσασι προσχωρῆσαι — `κρατήσασι` (the victors, dative) serves as the complement of the infinitive `προσχωρῆσαι` (to join). In the relative clause `οἷς τις εἴη εὔνους`, `οἷς` refers to `κρατήσασι`, and `τις` (indefinite pronoun) means "whichever of the two." The dative pronoun (`σφίσιν`, "to them") governed by `εὔνους` (well-disposed) is omitted.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §4.71.1-4.71.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.71.1-4.71.2

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