Charles F. Smith, Commentary on Thucydides Book 6

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My advice is to reconsider the whole question of the expedition to Sicily, and I do this although a position of honor is accorded me in the enterprise and fear of personal danger influences me less than others. Following solely my convietion of the public interest, I will show that the undertaking is untimely and the object in view not easy to attain.

ἡ μὲν ἐκκλησία...ἐκπλεῖν: ἐμοὶ μέντοι δοκεῖ : cf. the similar introduction to the ἐπιτάφιος λόγος 2. 35.

καθ̓ ὅ τι...ἐκπλεῖν : explanatory of περὶ παρασκευῆς τῆς ἡμετέρας. On the matter, cf. 8. § 3.

εἰ ἄμεινόν ἐστιν: formula used esp. in questions put to the oracle. See on 1. 118. 21.

καὶ μὴ...ἄρασθαι : dependent on χρῆναι.

ἀνδράσιν ἀλλοφύλοις : cf. 11. 27 τῶν Ἐγεσταίων, ἀνδρῶν βαρβάρων.

οὐ προσήκοντα : that does not concern us.

καίτοι: anticipating the objection (see on 4. 18. 5) that he speaks from personal motives: these would rather lead to the opposite advice; the orator will nevertheless (ὅμως δέ 11), as heretofore, speak solely acc. to conviction. —τιμῶμαι ἐκ τοῦ τοιούτου: cf. 5. 16. 4 τιμᾶσθαι ἐκ τοῦ πολεμεῖν. The reference is to Nicias's election as one of the three generals (8. 10). ἐκ τοῦ τοιούτου, as 8. 51. 10, referring to something definite or already mentioned.— 7. ἧσσον ἑτέρων: = ἥκιστα. See on 1. 84. 7.—περὶ τῷ ἐμαυτοῦ σώματι ὀρρωδῶ: the dat. with verbs meaning to fear, be concerned about (timere de); otherwise rare and only in local sense. σῶμα of personal security, as 1. 17. 2.

νομίζων: although convinced. In this and the following clause we have merely a side remark, in self-defense against the possible reproach of timidity (cf. 13. § 1). ὅμως δέ (11), opp. to ἔγωγε καὶ τιμῶμαι κτἑ., resumes the main thought.—ὁμοίως ἀγαθὸν πολίτην: just as good a citizen.

μάλιστα γὰρ...ὀρθοῦσθαι : for similar thought, cf. 2. 60. § 3. For ὀρθοῦσθαι (subj. τὰ τῆς πόλεως) = εὐτυχεῖν, see on 3. 37. 26.

οὔτε ἐν τῷ πρότερον χρόνῳ...οὔτε νῦν : parataxis, though the first clause is really subord. to the second. For similar cases of parataxis, cf. 10. 17, 16. 10, 40. 10.

εἶπον παρὰ γνώμην: cf. 3. 42. 29.—οὔτε νῦν: sc. λέγω, as contrarily in 1. 86. 7 and 3. 40. 5 with καὶ τότε a pret. is supplied from the following καὶ νῦν and pres.—ἀλλὰ ᾗ ἂν γιγνώσκω βέλτιστα: as 8. 14 ὅπῃ ἂν γιγνώσκωσιν ἄριστα. See App.

πρὸς: against. See on 3. 43. 15. —τοὺς τρόπους: ways. Cf. 2. 36. 16, 41. 7. On the matter, cf. 1. 70. § 2 ff., where the Athenians are denominated παρὰ δύναμιν τολμηταὶ καὶ παρὰ γνώμην κινδυνευταί, while the characteristics of the Spartans are given as οἴεσθαι τῷ ἐπελθεῖν καὶ τὰ ἑτοῖμα ἂν βλάψαι.

μὴ τοῖς ἑτοίμοις κινδυνεύειν : not to hazard present possessions. The dat. as 10. 17, 47. 12; 2. 65. 24; 4. 117. 14; 8. 45. 27. τὰ ἑτοῖμα, a strengthened ὑπάρχοντα, as 1. 70. 16; 4. 61. 2, to which are opposed τὰ ἀφανῆ καὶ μέλλοντα of the distant objects of passionate desire. Cf. 5. 113. 4, 5.

ῥᾴδια κατασχεῖν: cf. ῥᾴους ἄρχειν 42. 8; ῥᾷστοι ἀμύνεσθαι 4. 10. 15. κατασχεῖν = κτήσασθαι (Schol.). See on 11. 1, 39. 12.

ἐφ᾽ ἃ ὤρμησθε: what you are striving for. Somewhat different is ἐπὶ ταῦτα ὥρμησθε 78. 26.