Reginald Walter Macan, Herodotus, The Seventh, Eighth, & Ninth Books with Introduction and Commentary

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τῶν δέ κτλ. correspouds grammatically with τοιαῦτα μέν just before, and that badly, it corresponds really and well enough with οἱ μὲν δή κτλ., c. 76 adf., and thus clearly betrays c. 77 for an insertion.

ὠθισμός: cp. 7. 225 supra, they were not merely skirmishing, or using light weapons, cp. c. 64 supra.

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ὅτι σφέας περιεκυκλεῦντο κτλ.: these words primarily support the theory of Leake (cp. Appendix VI. § 3) as to the position attained by the Persian fleet in c. 70 supra. The περικύκλωσις as a manœuvre round the outside of the island for the purpose of closing the Megarid channel is not clearly envisaged or affirmed by Hdt., nevertheless it probably underlies this and his similar expressions.

The verb is here imperfect, but even so a considerable lapse of time is presupposed and involved in the session of the Strategoi on this occasion: they are sitting up all night (the Persian manœuvre only began at midnight, c. 76 supra) and will get as little sleep as the Persian admirals themselves!

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ὥσπερ τῆς ἡμέρης ὥρων αὐτοὺς τεταγμένους: this phrase implies that the Persian fleet had attamed on the previous day a definite disposition, as in c. 70 supra, in that position was visible to the Greeks, and had not returned to port, or anchorage. Where exactly was that position? Probably its lines presented the ‘bridge’ from Keos = Kynosura, to Munichia-Peiraieus, with Psyttaleia about the centre of the position. The fleet had now, however, divided, the one wing, the left, moving away west to block the Megarid channel, the rest moving up closer into the channels either side of Psyttaleia, especially the eastern; other vessels, no doubt, may have been posted, or cruising off the SE. coast of Salamis, and others held in reserve at Phaleron.