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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §7.16.1-7.16.2

Athenian Vote for Reinforcements and New Joint Commanders

Passage 737 of 917 · Greek

Summary

In response to Nicias' letter, the Athenians decided not to recall him but appointed Menander and Euthydemus from the spot to assist him, while voting to send a new force. They elected Demosthenes and Eurymedon as joint commanders, immediately dispatching Eurymedon with funds and a promise of aid.

§7.16.1ἡ μὲν τοῦ Νικίου ἐπιστολὴ τοσαῦτα ἐδήλου, οἱ δὲ Ἀθηναῖοι ἀκούσαντες αὐτῆς τὸν μὲν Νικίαν οὐ παρέλυσαν τῆς ἀρχῆς, ἀλλ’ αὐτῷ, ἕως ἂν ἕτεροι ξυνάρχοντες αἱρεθέντες ἀφίκωνται, τῶν αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖ δύο προσείλοντο Μένανδρον καὶ Εὐθύδημον, ὅπως μὴ μόνος ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ ταλαιπωροίη, στρατιὰν δὲ ἄλλην ἐψηφίσαντο πέμπειν καὶ ναυτικὴν καὶ πεζὴν Ἀθηναίων τε ἐκ καταλόγου καὶ τῶν ξυμμάχων.
The letter of Nicias made known this much. And the Athenians, having heard it, did not remove Nicias from his command, but, until other colleagues should be elected and arrive, chose as joint commanders with him two of those who were already there on the spot, Menander and Euthydemus, so that he might not suffer alone in his illness; and they voted to send another army, both naval and land forces, drawn from the muster-roll of the Athenians and from the allies.
§7.16.2καὶ ξυνάρχοντας αὐτῷ εἵλοντο Δημοσθένη τε τὸν Ἀλκισθένους καὶ Εὐρυμέδοντα τὸν Θουκλέους.
And they chose as joint commanders with him Demosthenes the son of Alcisthenes and Eurymedon the son of Thucles.
καὶ τὸν μὲν Εὐρυμέδοντα εὐθὺς περὶ ἡλίου τροπὰς τὰς χειμερινὰς ἀποπέμπουσιν ἐς τὴν Σικελίαν μετὰ δέκα νεῶν, ἄγοντα εἴκοσι 〈καὶ ἑκατὸν〉 τάλαντα ἀργυρίου, καὶ ἅμα ἀγγελοῦντα τοῖς ἐκεῖ ὅτι ἥξει βοήθεια καὶ ἐπιμέλεια αὐτῶν ἔσται·
And Eurymedon they dispatched immediately, about the winter solstice, to Sicily with ten ships, carrying one hundred and twenty talents of silver, and at the same time to announce to those there that help would come and that care would be taken of them.

Notes

  1. §7.16.1τῶν αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖ — A partitive genitive depending on δύο, which is the direct object of the verb προσείλοντο. αὐτοῦ is an adverb meaning 'there' or 'on the spot', working together with ἐκεῖ to mean 'of those who were already there in Sicily'.
  2. §7.16.2ἀγγελοῦντα — Future active participle in the accusative case, modifying Εὐρυμέδοντα and expressing purpose ('to announce'). It stands in contrast to the preceding present participle ἄγοντα ('carrying'), which describes the accompanying circumstance.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §7.16.1-7.16.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.16.1-7.16.2

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