Harold North Fowler, Commentary on Thucydides Book 5

σπονδὰς ἐποιήσαντο κτἑ.: see App.

ἀδόλους καὶ ἀβλαβεῖς: the same formula as in c. 18. 11. Several other expressions of c. 18 and 23 are repeated here.

ὅπλα δέ: also occurs in c. 18. 12 preceded by the same words as here. It stands very properly opp. to the declaration of peace, so that δέ should not (with Kr.) be omitted.

τέχνῃ μηδὲ μηχανῇ: a slight variation from c. 18. 15, but there is no change in meaning.

ἢν πολέμιοι ἴωσιν κτἑ.: cf. c. 23. 2-15 and below 21 and 36.

ἐπαγγέλλωσιν: demand, call for; also in vi. 56. 5.

μηδὲ κατὰ θάλασσαν: Kr. considered these words an interpolation, as they disagree with c. 56. 6; it appears, however, from the count of the letters and spaces in the inscription discussed in the App., that they were contained in the original document (see App.). This provision evidently affects the Athenians only, as the other members of the alliance were powerless at sea, and seems to prove that the sea was regarded as part of the domain of Athens, through which she binds herself to allow no one διιέναι ἐπὶ πολέμῳ. (Pericles, in ii. 62. 10 ff., says: δύο μερῶν ἐς χρῆσιν φανερῶν, γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης, τοῦ ἑτέρου ὑμᾶς παντὸς κυριωτάτους ὄντας.) The expression διὰ τῆς γῆς is, therefore, not to be taken too literally; and indeed γῆς is omitted in c. 56. 5.—ἢν μή: elliptical, as elsewhere εἰ μή. Cf. Dem. XXIV. 46, οὐκ ἐῶν λέγειν οὐδὲ χρηματίζειν ἂν μὴ τῆς ἀδείας δοθείσης. In Thuc. supply διίωσι with ἢν μή, in Dem. λέγωσι καὶ χρηματίζωσι. GMT. 42, 3, N. 2; H. 905 a.

ἐπὴν ἔλθῃ: the sing, may be explained by supposing that the city herself is supposed to go in the persons of her soldiers or by supplying a sing. from βοηθοῦσιν, such as βοήθεια or ὁ βοηθῶν. St. and v. Herwerden (following Kirchhoff) read ἔλθωσιν, which is obtained by calculating the space on this line of the inscription, and is certainly easier and simpler. These words are closely connected with μέχρι τριάκοντα ἡμερῶν, “from the day on which,” etc. Cf. viii. 58. 19 and 24, ἐπὴν αἱ βασιλέως νῆες ἀφίκωνται, and Ar. Av. 1355.

βούλωνται: this, which is the reading of the Mss., is a rather awkward con structio ad sensum with πόλις. Kirchhoff, St., and v. Herwerden read βούληται.

Αἰγιναίους : the Aeginetan system of coinage was the one most in vogue throughout Greece, and therefore best adapted for use in international transactions. The Aeginetan drachma, also called παχεῖα, was heavier than the Attic, containing, as Hultsch, Metrol. p. 192 ff., shows from the weight of coins which have been preserved, 8.3 Attic obols, while the Attic drachma contained six. Poll. ix. 76 and 86 says wrongly that the Aeginetan drachma contained ten Attic obols.

τῇ αὐτῆς: Duker for Mss. τῇ αὐτῇ.

κατὰ πόλεις: cf. c. 18. 48.

ὁμνύντων...κατὰ ἱερῶν : cf. Ar. Ran. 101, ὀμόσαι καθ᾽ ἱερῶν. The ἱερὰ τέλεια are probably the hostiae maiores, full-grown victims, which Hdt.i. 183. 8 opposes to τὰ γαληθινά.

αἱ ἔνδημοι ἀρχαί : magistrates whose official functions were confined to the city, and did not, like those of the generals, extend beyond its limits; opp. to ὑπερόριοι ἀρχαί.—ἐξορκούντων: used of the magistrates who preside over the ceremony and administer the oath; also in Hdt.iii. 133. 7; iv. 154. 13.

αἱ ἀρτῖναι: probably as in αἱ ἀρχαί above the office stands for the officials; therefore the reading of the Mss. is not to be changed to οἱ ἀρτῦναι. But little is known of these and the following magistrates. See on c. 37. 5.

τριάκοντα ἡμέραις: the difference between the thirty days here and the ten days in 61 arises from the fact that the Athenian envoys were to take the oaths in three cities, the others only in Athens. ἡμέραις is ‘dat. of degree of difference’ before πρὸ Ὀλυμπίων.—Παναθηναίων: in the third year of each olympiad. The two festivals were therefore two years apart.

ἐν πόλει: see on c. 18. 55.

καταθέντων δὲ καὶ Ὀλυμπίασι: to be executed by the Eleans as sovereigns and directors of the temple of Zeus and the Olympic festival, but in the name of all the members of the league, κοινῇ.

Ὀλυμπίοις τοῖς νυνί : “at the Olympic games of this year.” Cf. c. 49. 1.

ἐάν...εἶναι : see App.