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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §8.98.1-8.98.4

Flight of the Oligarchs and Betrayal of Oenoe by Aristarchus

Passage 906 of 917 · Greek

Summary

During the political change in Athens, the oligarchical leaders flee, and Aristarchus abuses his position as a general to deceive the garrison of Oenoe into surrendering the fortress to the Boeotians, bringing the Athenian oligarchy to an end.

§8.98.1ἐν δὲ τῇ μεταβολῇ ταύτῃ εὐθὺς οἱ μὲν περὶ τὸν Πείσανδρον καὶ Ἀλεξικλέα καὶ ὅσοι ἦσαν τῆς ὀλιγαρχίας μάλιστα ὑπεξέρχονται ἐς τὴν Δεκέλειαν· Ἀρίσταρχος δὲ αὐτῶν μόνος (ἔτυχε γὰρ καὶ στρατηγῶν) λαβὼν κατὰ τάχος τοξότας τινὰς τοὺς βαρβαρωτάτους ἐχώρει πρὸς τὴν Οἰνόην.
In this change, Peisander, Alexicles, and those who were the most prominent members of the oligarchy immediately withdrew secretly to Decelea; but Aristarchus, alone of them (for he happened also to be a general), quickly took some of the most barbarian archers and proceeded to Oenoe.
§8.98.2ἦν δὲ Ἀθηναίων ἐν μεθορίοις τῆς Βοιωτίας τεῖχος, ἐπολιόρκουν δ’ αὐτὸ διὰ ξυμφορὰν σφίσιν ἐκ τῆς Οἰνόης γενομένην ἀνδρῶν ἐκ Δεκελείας ἀναχωρούντων διαφθορᾶς οἱ Κορίνθιοι ἐθελοντηδόν, προσπαρακαλέσαντες τοὺς Βοιωτούς.
Now this was an Athenian fortress on the borders of Boeotia, and the Corinthians, on their own initiative, having called in the Boeotians to assist them, were besieging it because of a disaster they had suffered from Oenoe—namely, the destruction of some men who were returning from Decelea.
§8.98.3κοινολογησάμενος οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἀρίσταρχος ἀπατᾷ τοὺς ἐν τῇ Οἰνόῃ, λέγων ὡς καὶ οἱ ἐν τῇ πόλει τἆλλα ξυμβεβήκασι Λακεδαιμονίοις, κἀκείνους δεῖ Βοιωτοῖς τὸ χωρίον παραδοῦναι· ἐπὶ τούτοις γὰρ ξυμβεβάσθαι.
Aristarchus, therefore, having conferred with them, deceived the garrison in Oenoe, saying that those in the city had also made peace in all other respects with the Lacedaemonians, and that they must surrender the place to the Boeotians, for the agreement had been made on these terms.
οἱ δὲ πιστεύσαντες ὡς ἀνδρὶ στρατηγῷ καὶ οὐκ εἰδότες οὐδὲν διὰ τὸ πολιορκεῖσθαι ὑπόσπονδοι ἐξέρχονται.
And they, believing him because he was a general, and knowing nothing of the truth because they were besieged, evacuated the place under a truce.
§8.98.4τούτῳ μὲν τῷ τρόπῳ Οἰνόην τε ληφθεῖσαν Βοιωτοὶ κατέλαβον καὶ ἡ ἐν ταῖς Ἀθήναις ὀλιγαρχία καὶ στάσις ἐπαύσατο.
In this manner, Oenoe having been taken, the Boeotians occupied it, and the oligarchy and faction at Athens came to an end.

Notes

  1. 8.98.1ἔτυχε γὰρ καὶ στρατηγῶν — The verb `τυγχάνω` takes a supplementary participle (`στρατηγῶν`) to mean 'happen to be...'. The adverbial `καὶ` functions as 'actually' or 'indeed', highlighting that Aristarchus's official status as a general provided the crucial background that enabled his subsequent deception (§8.98.3).
  2. 8.98.2ἀνδρῶν ἐκ Δεκελείας ἀναχωρούντων διαφθορᾶς — The noun `διαφθορᾶς` (destruction) is a genitive in apposition to the preceding `ξυμφορὰν` (disaster), explaining the nature of that disaster. `ἀνδρῶν` is an objective genitive depending on `διαφθορᾶς` (those who were destroyed), and the participle `ἀναχωρούντων` modifies `ἀνδρῶν`.
  3. 8.98.3ξυμβεβάσθαι — This perfect infinitive is in indirect discourse depending on `λέγων`. Following the clause introduced by `ὡς` (`ὡς... δεῖ`), the construction shifts to a simple infinitive in indirect discourse with an implied subject, expressing the continuation of Aristarchus's false claim.

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §8.98.1-8.98.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.98.1-8.98.4

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