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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §6.25.1-6.25.2

Nicias Forced to Detail the Forces for the Expedition

Passage 641 of 917 · Greek

Summary

An Athenian urges Nicias to specify the required force for the expedition. Reluctantly, Nicias details a massive military force, including at least 100 triremes and over 5,000 hoplites.

§6.25.1καὶ τέλος παρελθών τις τῶν Ἀθηναίων καὶ παρακαλέσας τὸν Νικίαν οὐκ ἔφη χρῆναι προφασίζεσθαι οὐδὲ διαμέλλειν, ἀλλ’ ἐναντίον ἁπάντων ἤδη λέγειν ἥντινα αὐτῷ παρασκευὴν Ἀθηναῖοι ψηφίσωνται.
And finally, some Athenian, coming forward and calling upon Nicias, said that he ought not to make excuses or to delay, but now in the presence of all to say what force the Athenians should vote for him.
§6.25.2ὁ δὲ ἄκων μὲν εἶπεν ὅτι καὶ μετὰ τῶν ξυναρχόντων καθ’ ἡσυχίαν μᾶλλον βουλεύσοιτο, ὅσα μέντοι ἤδη δοκεῖν αὐτῷ, τριήρεσι μὲν οὐκ ἔλασσον ἢ ἑκατὸν πλευστέα εἶναι (αὐτῶν δ᾽ Ἀθηναίων ἔσεσθαι ὁπλιταγωγοὺς ὅσαι ἂν δοκῶσι, καὶ ἄλλας ἐκ τῶν ξυμμάχων μεταπεμπτέας εἶναι), ὁπλίταις δὲ τοῖς ξύμπασιν Ἀθηναίων καὶ τῶν ξυμμάχων πεντακισχιλίων μὲν οὐκ ἐλάσσοσιν, ἢν δέ τι δύνωνται, καὶ πλέοσιν· τὴν δὲ ἄλλην παρασκευὴν ὡς κατὰ λόγον, καὶ τοξοτῶν τῶν αὐτόθεν καὶ ἐκ Κρήτης καὶ σφενδονητῶν, καὶ ἤν τι ἄλλο πρέπον δοκῇ εἶναι, ἑτοιμασάμενοι ἄξειν.
And he, though unwilling, said that he would deliberate more at leisure with his colleagues in command, but that, so far as his present opinion went, they must sail with not less than a hundred triremes (of these, there would be as many hoplite-transports of the Athenians themselves as should seem good, and others must be sent for from the allies), and as for hoplites, in all, of the Athenians and their allies, with not less than five thousand, and even more if they should be able in any way; and as for the rest of the preparation in proportion, both of archers from home and from Crete, and of slingers, and if anything else should seem to be fitting, they would prepare and take it with them.

Notes

  1. §6.25.2ὅσα μέντοι ἤδη δοκεῖν αὐτῷ — A restrictive use of the infinitive δοκεῖν in the relative clause introduced by ὅσα, equivalent to ὡς ὅσα... with ὡς omitted, meaning 'so far as his present opinion went' or 'as far as what seemed best to him now'.
  2. §6.25.2τριήρεσι μὲν οὐκ ἔλασσον ἢ ἑκατὸν πλευστέα εἶναι — πλευστέα is the neuter plural of the verbal adjective πλευστέος, used impersonally to express necessity or obligation. The dative τριήρεσι functions as a dative of means or accompaniment ('they must sail with triremes').
  3. §6.25.2ἑτοιμασάμενοι ἄξειν — The future infinitive ἄξειν is dependent on the leading verb of saying εἶπεν in indirect discourse. The participle ἑτοιμασάμενοι is in the nominative plural because the implied subject of the infinitive refers to a group including Nicias (the generals or the Athenians as a whole).

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §6.25.1-6.25.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.25.1-6.25.2

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