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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §8.62.1-8.62.3

Revolt of Abydus and Sestos Fortified by Strombichides

Passage 870 of 917 · Greek

Summary

Following Dercylidas' land march, Abydus and Lampsacus revolt. The Athenian commander Strombichides quickly recaptures Lampsacus, but failing to take Abydus, he establishes a fortress at Sestos on the opposite shore.

§8.62.1μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο εὐθὺς τοῦ Δερκυλίδου πεζῇ ἐκ τῆς Μιλήτου παρεξελθόντος Ἄβυδος ἐν τῷ Ἑλλησπόντῳ ἀφίσταται πρὸς Δερκυλίδαν καὶ Φαρνάβαζον, καὶ Λάμψακος δυοῖν ἡμέραιν ὕστερον.
Immediately after this, upon Dercylidas marching by land from Miletus, Abydus on the Hellespont revolted to Dercylidas and Pharnabazus; and Lampsacus did the same two days later.
§8.62.2Στρομβιχίδης δὲ ἐκ τῆς Χίου πυθόμενος κατὰ τάχος βοηθήσας ναυσὶν Ἀθηναίων τέσσαρσι καὶ εἴκοσιν, ὧν καὶ στρατιώτιδες ἦσαν ὁπλίτας ἄγουσαι, ἐπεξελθόντων τῶν Λαμψακηνῶν μάχῃ κρατήσας καὶ αὐτοβοεὶ Λάμψακον ἀτείχιστον οὖσαν ἑλών, καὶ σκεύη μὲν καὶ ἀνδράποδα ἁρπαγὴν ποιησάμενος, τοὺς δ’ ἐλευθέρους πάλιν κατοικίσας, ἐπ’ Ἄβυδον ἦλθεν.
But Strombichides, hearing of this at Chios, hastened to the rescue with twenty-four Athenian ships, among which were also transports carrying hoplites. He defeated the Lampsacenes in battle when they came out against him, took Lampsacus, which was unwalled, at the first shout, and after making booty of the property and slaves but reinstating the free inhabitants, went on against Abydus.
§8.62.3καὶ ὡς οὔτε προσεχώρουν οὔτε προσβάλλων ἐδύνατο ἑλεῖν, ἐς τὸ ἀντιπέρας τῆς Ἀβύδου ἀποπλεύσας Σηστὸν πόλιν τῆς Χερσονήσου, ἥν ποτε Μῆδοι εἶχον, καθίστατο φρούριον καὶ φυλακὴν τοῦ παντὸς Ἑλλησπόντου.
And when they would not capitulate, and he was unable to take the city by assault, he sailed across to Sestos, a city of the Chersonese opposite Abydus which the Medes had once held, and established it as a fortress and a guard-station for the entire Hellespont.

Notes

  1. 8.62.2ὧν καὶ στρατιώτιδες ἦσαν ὁπλίτας ἄγουσαι — The relative pronoun ὧν is a partitive genitive referring back to ναυσὶν. στρατιώτιδες is a feminine adjective with νῆες (ships) understood, meaning 'transports' or 'troop-carrying ships,' which is modified by the participle ἄγουσαι.
  2. 8.62.2αὐτοβοεὶ — The adverb αὐτοβοεὶ literally means 'by the war-cry itself,' signifying that the city was captured immediately without a systematic siege, 'at the first shout' or 'with ease.'
  3. 8.62.3καθίστατο — The imperfect middle of καθίστημι, conveying the indirect middle force of establishing or setting up Sestos as a fortress and guard-station 'for themselves' (i.e., for the Athenian forces).

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §8.62.1-8.62.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.62.1-8.62.3

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