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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §7.67.1-7.67.4

Syracusan Leaders on Tactical Advantages and Enemy Confusion

Passage 788 of 917 · Greek

Summary

The Syracusan generals outline their own advantages and growing confidence, pointing out that the Athenians' imitation of their tactics will cause confusion on deck, and explaining that the enemy, trapped in a narrow space and facing ruin, is risking everything out of sheer desperation.

§7.67.1ἡμῶν δὲ τό τε ὑπάρχον πρότερον, ᾧπερ καὶ ἀνεπιστήμονες ἔτι ὄντες ἀπετολμήσαμεν, βεβαιότερον νῦν, καὶ τῆς δοκήσεως προσγεγενημένης αὐτῷ, τὸ κρατίστους εἶναι εἰ τοὺς κρατίστους ἐνικήσαμεν, διπλασία ἑκάστου ἡ ἐλπίς· τὰ δὲ πολλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἐπιχειρήσεις ἡ μεγίστη ἐλπὶς μεγίστην καὶ τὴν προθυμίαν παρέχεται.
On our side, what we possessed before—with which, even while still inexperienced, we dared to make the venture—is now more secure, and since there has been added to it the conviction that we are the strongest, seeing that we have defeated the strongest, each man's hope is doubled; and in most cases, the greatest hope provides the greatest enthusiasm for undertakings.
§7.67.2‘τά τε τῆς ἀντιμιμήσεως αὐτῶν τῆς παρασκευῆς ἡμῶν τῷ μὲν ἡμετέρῳ τρόπῳ ξυνήθη τέ ἐστι καὶ οὐκ ἀνάρμοστοι πρὸς ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ἐσόμεθα· οἱ δ᾽, ἐπειδὰν πολλοὶ μὲν ὁπλῖται ἐπὶ τῶν καταστρωμάτων παρὰ τὸ καθεστηκὸς ὦσι, πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ ἀκοντισταὶ χερσαῖοι ὡς εἰπεῖν Ἀκαρνᾶνές τε καὶ ἄλλοι ἐπὶ ναῦς ἀναβάντες, οἳ οὐδ’ ὅπως καθεζομένους χρὴ τὸ βέλος ἀφεῖναι εὑρήσουσι, πῶς οὐ σφαλοῦσί τε τὰς ναῦς καὶ ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς πάντες οὐκ ἐν τῷ ἑαυτῶν τρόπῳ κινούμενοι ταράξονται;
And as for their imitation of our preparations, these are familiar to our way of fighting, and we shall not be unsuited to meet each of them; but as for them, when many hoplites are on the decks contrary to custom, and many land dart-throwers—so to speak, Acarnanians and others—have gone on board, who will not even find out how they ought to discharge their missiles while sitting down, how can they fail to bring their ships to ruin, and how will they not all be thrown into confusion among themselves, moving in a way that is not their own?
§7.67.3ἐπεὶ καὶ τῷ πλήθει τῶν νεῶν οὐκ ὠφελήσονται, εἴ τις καὶ τόδε ὑμῶν, ὅτι οὐκ ἴσαις ναυμαχήσει, πεφόβηται· ἐν ὀλίγῳ γὰρ πολλαὶ ἀργότεραι μὲν ἐς τὸ δρᾶν τι ὧν βούλονται ἔσονται, ῥᾷσται δὲ ἐς τὸ βλάπτεσθαι ἀφ’ ὧν ἡμῖν παρεσκεύασται.
For they will not benefit even from the multitude of their ships, if any of you is afraid of this very thing, that he is not going to fight on equal terms of numbers; for in a narrow space, many ships will be slower in doing what they wish, and easiest to be damaged by the means we have prepared.
§7.67.4τὸ δ’ ἀληθέστατον γνῶτε ἐξ ὧν ἡμεῖς οἰόμεθα σαφῶς πεπύσθαι· ὑπερβαλλόντων γὰρ αὐτοῖς τῶν κακῶν καὶ βιαζόμενοι ὑπὸ τῆς παρούσης ἀπορίας ἐς ἀπόνοιαν καθεστήκασιν οὐ παρασκευῆς πίστει μᾶλλον ἢ τύχης ἀποκινδυνεῦσαι οὕτως ὅπως δύνανται, ἵν’ ἢ βιασάμενοι ἐκπλεύσωσιν ἢ κατὰ γῆν μετὰ τοῦτο τὴν ἀποχώρησιν ποιῶνται, ὡς τῶν γε παρόντων οὐκ ἂν πράξαντες χεῖρον.
But learn the exact truth from what we believe we have clearly ascertained; for as their misfortunes are overwhelming and they are forced by their present helplessness, they have fallen into desperation, risking a battle not so much with confidence in their preparation as in fortune, in any way they can, so that they may either force their way out by sea, or after this make their retreat by land, thinking that they could not fare worse than in their present circumstances.

Notes

  1. 7.67.1τὸ κρατίστους εἶναι εἰ τοὺς κρατίστους ἐνικήσαμεν — The articular infinitive phrase `τὸ κρατίστους εἶναι` ("being the strongest") contains the conditional clause `εἰ τοὺς κρατίστους ἐνικήσαμεν` ("if we defeated the strongest"). This entire phrase stands in apposition to `δοκήσεως` in the preceding genitive absolute construction `τῆς δοκήσεως προσγεγενημένης αὐτῷ`, defining the concrete content of that "conviction" or "belief."
  2. 7.67.2τά τε τῆς ἀντιμιμήσεως αὐτῶν τῆς παρασκευῆς ἡμῶν — A double genitive construction. `αὐτῶν` is a genitive of agent ("their"), while `τῆς παρασκευῆς` is an objective genitive dependent on `ἀντιμιμήσεως` ("imitation of our preparations"). The article `τά` functions as an accusative of respect, introducing the topic at the beginning of the sentence.
  3. 7.67.2καθεζομένους — Present participle of `καθέζομαι` ("to sit") in the masculine accusative plural, acting as the subject of the infinitive `ἀφεῖναι`. It describes the difficulty of performing combat actions in an unaccustomed, seated position on board a ship.
  4. 7.67.4ὡς τῶν γε παρόντων οὐκ ἂν πράξαντες χεῖρον — The construction `ὡς` + participle (here `ἂν πράξαντες` with `ἂν`, representing potential or conditional force equivalent to `εἰ πράξειαν`) indicates the subjective belief or motive of the subject (the Athenians). It means "thinking that they could not fare worse than in their present circumstances." `τῶν παρόντων` is a genitive of comparison with `χεῖρον`.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §7.67.1-7.67.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.67.1-7.67.4

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