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ἐντεταμένως προσεῖχε: sc. τὸν νοῦν: the adv. from the pass. part. perf. is observable, cp. 7. 53 supra. προθύμως just below reproduces the sense.
Τιμόξεινος ὁ τῶν Σκιωναίων στρατηγός. The name (Timoxenos) is common, but this Skionaian is only mentioned again by Polyainos, 7. 33. 1, in reproducing this very anecdote. On Skione cp. 7. 123 supra. The towns on Pallene had not merely all revolted (c. 126 supra ad f.) but were all in alliance; cp. infra παρῆν δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Παλληναίων συμμαχίη.
ἀρχὴν ... τέλος: both words are adverbial; ab initio ... ad extremum. The correspondence of μέν and μέντοι is en règle; cp. Madvig § 254. ἔγωγε οὐκ ἔχω εἰπεῖν （οὐ γὰρ ὦν λέγεται）: both statements are genume Herodotus, he never deliberately invents; but neither implies that he had made inquiries in loco: his source might be literary.
ὅκως ... γράψειε opt. of indefinite frequency; cp. c. 52 supra. It is not likely that any of these interesting documents were preserved, much less that Hdt. had seen them.
τοξεύματος παρὰ τὰς γλυφίδας: τόξευμα of the arrow itself, as in 4. 132 (τῶνδε τῶν τοξευμάτων=ὀιστοὺς πέντε c. 131). The γλυφίδες have been variously interpreted: (i.) of “the notched end of an arrow-shaft,” i.e. notched for the bow-string (but why, then, the plural? idiomatic, perhaps: besides, you would make the notch with two cuts). (ii.) Stein understands notches (Kerben) cut in the arrow for the first and second fingers to draw; but such notches are superfluous. (iii.) Schweighaeuser suggests four notches, or slits for the insertion of the feathers: four is too many (Eurip. Orest. 273 f. is not conclusive: οὐχ ὁρᾶθ̓ ἑκηβόλων Τόξων πτερωτὰς γλυφίδας ἐξορμωμένας; much less Od. 21. 419): L. & S. seem to approve. (iv.) Blakesley boldly understands ‘barbs,’ rather topsy-turvily; it is clearly the upper end of the arrow that is referred to, and γλυφίδες could scarcely mean the (notched) barb: arrows were not always barbed, and barbs were not always notched.
οἷα φιλέει γίνεσθαι ἐν πολέμῳ. Had Hdt. seen any fighting, or is this graphic touch from his literary source? ὅμιλος ... οἵ is κατὰ σύνεσιν.
ἕμαθον, ‘perceived’—they did not all, or any, read it. (Cp. ἐπιλεξαμένοισι below.) τοὺς στρατηγούς: of the Poteidaiatai? or of the allies generall? In the latter case Timoxenos himself would have been included. If by reading the document they were able to detect the traitor, it must have been written in Greek and addressed to him (Ἀρτάβαζος Τιμοξείνῳ): a gratuitous imprudence.
συμμαχίη = σύμμαχοι, abstract for concrete. The list would comprise Aphytis, Neapolis, Aige, Therambos, Skione. Mende, Sane: cp. 7. 123 supra.
ἔδοξε μὴ καταπλῆξαι Τ. προδοσίῃ: a formal resolution of the Council of War: προδοσίῃ proditione, i.e. proditionis crimine; καταπλῆξαι, if it is to stand (cp. App. Crit.), ‘to dumb-founder.’ καταπλέξαι would be ‘to involve,’ entwist; but the meaning, c. 83 supra, is not parallel. τῆς Σκιωναίων πόλιος εἵνεκα: a strange degree of consideration! Timoxenos must have been all-powerful in Skione, and Skione in the peninsula. In 423 B. C. Skione revolted from Athens, after the conclusion of the Twelvemonths' Truce (Thuc. 4. 120), for which revolt it afterwards dearly paid (Thuc. 5. 32. 1); but there appears to be no reference whatever in Hdt. to those later events.
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