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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §8.14.1-8.14.3

Revolt of Chios and Erythrae from Athens

Passage 822 of 917 · Greek

Summary

Chalcideus and Alcibiades arrive suddenly at Chios to instigate a revolt from Athens, successfully bringing about the defection of Chios, Erythrae, and Clazomenae.

§8.14.1ὁ δὲ Χαλκιδεὺς καὶ ὁ Ἀλκιβιάδης πλέοντες ὅσοις τε ἐπιτύχοιεν ξυνελάμβανον τοῦ μὴ ἐξάγγελτοι γενέσθαι, καὶ προσβαλόντες πρῶτον Κωρύκῳ τῆς ἠπείρου καὶ ἀφέντες ἐνταῦθα αὐτοὺς αὐτοὶ μὲν προξυγγενόμενοι τῶν ξυμπρασσόντων Χίων τισὶ καὶ κελευόντων καταπλεῖν μὴ προειπόντας ἐς τὴν πόλιν, ἀφικνοῦνται αἰφνίδιοι τοῖς Χίοις. §8.14.2καὶ οἱ μὲν πολλοὶ ἐν θαύματι ἦσαν καὶ ἐκπλήξει· τοῖς δ’ ὀλίγοις παρεσκεύαστο ὥστε βουλήν [τε] τυχεῖν ξυλλεγομένην, καὶ γενομένων λόγων ἀπό τε τοῦ Χαλκιδέως καὶ Ἀλκιβιάδου ὡς ἄλλαι [τε] νῆες πολλαὶ προσπλέουσι καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς πολιορκίας τῶν ἐν τῷ Σπειραίῳ νεῶν οὐ δηλωσάντων, ἀφίστανται Χῖοι καὶ αὖθις Ἐρυθραῖοι Ἀθηναίων. §8.14.3καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα τρισὶ ναυσὶ πλεύσαντες καὶ Κλαζομενὰς ἀφιστᾶσιν.
Meanwhile, Chalcideus and Alcibiades, as they sailed, seized all whom they met, in order that they themselves might not be betrayed; and putting in first at Corycus on the mainland, they left them there, while they themselves, having first conferred with some of their Chian accomplices who advised them to sail into the city without sending word beforehand, arrived suddenly among the Chians. And while the majority were in astonishment and consternation, for the oligarchical few it had been prearranged so that the council happened to be assembling; and after speeches had been made by Chalcideus and Alcibiades, who told them that many other ships were sailing to join them but did not disclose the facts about the blockade of the ships in Spiraeum, the Chians and next the Erythraeans revolted from the Athenians. After this, sailing with three ships, they also brought about the revolt of Clazomenae.
διαβάντες τε εὐθὺς οἱ Κλαζομένιοι ἐς τὴν ἤπειρον τὴν Πολίχναν ἐτείχιζον, εἴ τι δέοι, σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἐκ τῆς νησῖδος ἐν ᾗ οἰκοῦσι πρὸς ἀναχώρησιν.
The Clazomenians immediately crossed over to the mainland and fortified Polichna, in order to have it as a place of retreat from the island where they dwelt, if any need should arise.
καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀφεστῶτες ἐν τειχισμῷ τε πάντες ἦσαν καὶ παρασκευῇ πολέμου·
Thus, those who had revolted were all engaged in building fortifications and preparing for war.

Notes

  1. §8.14.1τοῦ μὴ ἐξάγγελτοι γενέσθαι — The genitive of the infinitive expressing purpose. The nominative plural adjective ἐξάγγελτοι ('betrayed', 'disclosed') agrees with the subject of the main clause (Chalcideus and Alcibiades), meaning 'in order that they themselves might not be betrayed'.
  2. §8.14.1κελευόντων — Genitive plural participle, functioning virtually as a genitive absolute or representing an anacoluthon in relation to the dative τισὶ. It means 'since they advised'. The subject of the infinitive καταπλεῖν is shown to be Chalcideus and Alcibiades by the nominative plural participle προειπόντας.
  3. §8.14.2παρεσκεύαστο — Impersonal passive construction meaning 'it had been prearranged' or 'it had been prepared', taking the following ὥστε clause as its result.
  4. §8.14.2τυχεῖν ξυλλεγομένην — The construction of τυγχάνω with a participle, meaning 'to happen to be doing'. Here it indicates that the council 'happened to be assembling' at that very moment.
  5. §8.14.2δηλωσάντων — Genitive absolute with the subject (Chalcideus and Alcibiades) omitted but understood from the context, meaning 'since they did not disclose' the unfavorable news of the blockade.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §8.14.1-8.14.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.14.1-8.14.3

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