Humanitext Reader

Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §5.68.1-5.68.3

Estimation of the Spartan Troop Strength and Organization

Passage 568 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The author explains the difficulty of writing down the exact numbers of both armies, and then presents a calculation method to estimate the Lacedaemonian force based on their organizational structure and front rank numbers.

§5.68.1τάξις μὲν ἥδε καὶ παρασκευὴ ἀμφοτέρων ἦν, τὸ δὲ στρατόπεδον τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων μεῖζον ἐφάνη.
Such was the order of battle and preparation of both sides, and the army of the Lacedaemonians appeared to be larger.
§5.68.2ἀριθμὸν δὲ γράψαι ἢ καθ’ ἑκάστους ἑκατέρων ἢ ξύμπαντας οὐκ ἂν ἐδυνάμην ἀκριβῶς· τὸ μὲν γὰρ Λακεδαιμονίων πλῆθος διὰ τῆς πολιτείας τὸ κρυπτὸν ἠγνοεῖτο, τῶν δ’ αὖ διὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπειον κομπῶδες ἐς τὰ οἰκεῖα πλήθη ἠπιστεῖτο.
But I should not have been able to write down accurately the number, either of each division of both sides or of the whole; for the number of the Lacedaemonians was unknown because of the secrecy of their constitution, while that of the others was disbelieved because of the natural human tendency to boast about one's own numbers.
ἐκ μέντοι τοιοῦδε λογισμοῦ ἔξεστί τῳ σκοπεῖν τὸ Λακεδαιμονίων τότε παραγενόμενον πλῆθος.
Nevertheless, from the following calculation one may estimate the number of the Lacedaemonians who were present on that occasion.
§5.68.3λόχοι μὲν γὰρ ἐμάχοντο ἑπτὰ ἄνευ Σκιριτῶν ὄντων ἑξακοσίων, ἐν δὲ ἑκάστῳ λόχῳ πεντηκοστύες ἦσαν τέσσαρες, καὶ ἐν τῇ πεντηκοστύι ἐνωμοτίαι τέσσαρες.
For seven regiments fought, excluding the Sciritae, who were six hundred; and in each regiment there were four pentecosties, and in each pentecostys four enomotiai.
τῆς τε ἐνωμοτίας ἐμάχοντο ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ ζυγῷ τέσσαρες·
Of each enomotia, four men fought in the front rank.
ἐπὶ δὲ βάθος ἐτάξαντο μὲν οὐ πάντες ὁμοίως, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς λοχαγὸς ἕκαστος ἐβούλετο, ἐπὶ πᾶν δὲ κατέστησαν ἐπὶ ὀκτώ.
As for the depth, they were not all drawn up alike, but as each captain wished; but on average they were drawn up eight deep.
παρὰ δὲ ἅπαν πλὴν Σκιριτῶν τετρακόσιοι καὶ δυοῖν δέοντες πεντήκοντα ἄνδρες ἡ πρώτη τάξις ἦν.
Thus, along the whole line except for the Sciritae, the front rank consisted of four hundred and forty-eight men.

Notes

  1. 5.68.2οὐκ ἂν ἐδυνάμην — A construction of 'ἄν + past indicative' (ἐδυνάμην) expressing past potentiality or a hypothetical past impossibility. The infinitive γράψαι depends on ἐδυνάμην.
  2. 5.68.2τῶν δ’ αὖ — In contrast to 'the number of the Lacedaemonians' (τὸ Λακεδαιμονίων πλῆθος) in the preceding clause, the noun 'number' (πλῆθος) is omitted here. The genitive τῶν refers to 'that of the other side'.
  3. 5.68.3τετρακόσιοι καὶ δυοῖν δέοντες πεντήκοντα — An expression for the number 448, literally 'four hundred and fifty wanting two'. This matches the calculation: 7 (regiments) × 4 (pentecosties) × 4 (enomotiae) = 112 enomotiae in total, multiplied by 4 men in the front rank of each enomotia (112 × 4 = 448).

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §5.68.1-5.68.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.68.1-5.68.3

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