30 Part One: Athens at sea

Section Three A–E: Athens and Sparta

A
As the ship enters the harbour, Dikaiopolis sees a light shining
from Salamis. The reaction of the captain is abrupt.

In World of Athens: Peloponnesian War 1.56–81.

ò .
.
, .

. (pointing towards the harbour) 5

.
.
. ( ò )
, . .
. ; ; 10
. ; .
. ( )
. , .
; ; . , , ,
. 15
. (impatiently)
. ,
.
. ; ı ;
NA . , , 20
. .
. ;
NA . .

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 Section Three A–E: Athens and Sparta 31

Vocabulary for Section Three A

Grammar for 3A–B

c Type 3a nouns: and (3a)
c Personal pronouns: , , ,

come! (s.) ó some danger you (acc. pl)

the enemy (nom.) you (s.) say
ships danger - come, go
- - arrive, come - a torch (acc.)
- - - dire, terrible - a torch Vocabulary to be learnt
then (with imper.) (acc.) come!
because ò - yes, by Zeus ( -) arrive,
- - turn round - , island (2a) come
- ask ó where from? ( -) ask
well from where? look! here! hey!
immediately - , fire-signal (2b) , danger (2a)
Zeus Salamis , island (2a)
the torch - hurry ; from where?
us the island , fire-signal (2b)
for/to us Salamis hurry
the city something terrible go, come
look! (s.) ò - the harbour

The attack on Peiraieus

Since Peiraieus was so vital for Athens’ prosperity and safety, there was a system
for early warning in the case of attack. Here Thucydides describes a surprise
attack by sea on Peiraieus early on during the Peloponnesian War in 429, which,
had it been successful, might have brought the war to an end at once:
‘Knemos and Brasidas and the others in command of the Peloponnesian fleet
decided on the advice of the Megarians to make an attempt on Peiraieus, the port
of Athens, which the Athenians, reasonably enough because of their superiority
at sea, had left open and unguarded. The plan was that each sailor should take his
oar, cushion and oar-loop, and that they should then proceed on foot to the sea on
the Athenian side, make for Megara as quickly as they could and launch from the
docks at Nisaia [Megara’s port] forty ships which happened to be there and then
sail straight to Peiraieus… They arrived by night, launched the ships from Nisaia
and sailed, not for Peiraieus as they had originally intended, thinking it too risky
(and because the wind was unfavourable, it was said later) but to the promontory
of Salamis that fronts Megara… Meanwhile beacons were lit to warn Athens of
the attack, and the biggest panic of the war ensued.’ (World of Athens, 2.25)

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 32 Part One: Athens at sea

B
The scene on shore is one of utter confusion. Polos comes out
of his house to find out what is going on. There he meets his
neighbour Protarchos who, as an armed soldier on a trireme, is
running to get his weapons.

In World of Athens: ships and hoplites 7.34; manning triremes 7.44–5.

,
, , .
, .
.
5
( )
, ; , ;
; ,
.
( ) 10
, , .
; .
.
, , ;
. . 15
. .
;
. , .
. ;

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 Section Three A–E: Athens and Sparta 33

, . 20
.

o
,
. . 25

Vocabulary for Section Three B

- this (with - ) home(wards) Polos’

(nom.) - , house (1b) - the men
neighbour (voc.) the slave - run
- - - terrible - , weapons (2b) the harbour
- speak! tell (me)! nowhere the Peiraieus
then - this (nom.) - , cushion
- those (acc.) - this (with ) (2b)
there, over there (nom.) - appear
- - carry out - many (nom.)
outside - - many men Vocabulary to be learnt
well (nom.) terrible, dire,
Salamis - much, a lot of clever
for/to us (nom.) 1
- watch, gaze at - journey, come, well
- run go we
- , din, hustle and - , Protarchos watch, gaze at
bustle (2a) (2a) (an armed soldier on , noise, din, hustle
yes (I am . . .) a trireme) and bustle (2a)
danger - , Polos (2a) (a , house (1b)
- , order (2a) rower) homewards
great (nom.) the streets , weapons, arms
great (nom.) - these (acc.) (2b)
with me - the torch march, journey,
with you the ship go
to me the house you (s.)
night - the harbour you (pl.)
his neighbour - the/his ( -) appear,
o - the men oar-loop seem

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 34 Part One: Athens at sea

C
Back on the ship, the rhapsode is terrified, but the crew assures
him all will be well.

In World of Athens: Sparta 1.24, 7.11; Periclean policy 1.57; Athenian

sea-power and empire 6.70–4.

. Z . .
, ; 5
.
NA . , ’ ,‘
’. .
. , , ; ı ;
. 10
. ,
. .
. (still shaking with fear)
; ;
. 15
.
NA . , ,
, ,
.
; 20
. ; .
NA .
‘ ,
, .
, . 25
,
.

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 Section Three A–E: Athens and Sparta 35

Vocabulary Section Three C

Grammar for 3C–E

c Adjectives/pronouns: ,
c Adjectives: ,
c Irregular nouns: ,
c Negatives

- one another to me - this (acc.)

(acc.) - - - naval - these (with
- - kill , naval matters )
- , Akhaian (2a) (2b) of you
(Homer’s word for the man at Hektor’s
‘Greek’) Pericles mercy (Hektor: Trojan
, land (1a) - in no way, not hero killed by Akhilleus)
- - converse at all you (s.) say
near the and not - , fear (2a)
harbour - no ship
- speak! tell me! (nom.) Vocabulary to be learnt
- those (nom.) - - no each other, one
-o they, those men experience (acc.) another (2a)
(nom.) o - any one at all (acc.) other, the rest of
-o - that -o this (+gen.) near, nearby
man speak! tell me!
- some about the war when, since, because
experience and naval matters (+acc.) in, on, by,
meanwhile - crouch, cower according to
still Salamis , Spartan
Zeus you (s.) (acc.) (2a)
(+acc.) on, by my dear chap ( -) take,
- hold sway, power (condescending) capture
- , Spartan the Assembly , word, speech;
(2a) of the people (where all story, tale (2a)
- no political decisions were ( -) learn,
Spartan (at all) made) understand
- take, capture the ship naval
- , word (2a) what? (nom.) o and not, not even
and don’t someone, one (nom.) , skill, art, expertise
- remember Pericles’ (1a)

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 36 Part One: Athens at sea

, , .
30
, ,
. ,
,
.–“ ”–
–“ ;” – “ , 35
, , .”’
IK. (comfortingly)
. , ,
, . ,
. 40
.

- the torches pay attention! See! o - the men

- s the ships (+acc.) on, by =
-o - - other, rest of - hold sway, power - easily
- otherwise - prevent, stop - - assemble,
- - answer - , Spartan come together, swarm
really, I assure you (2a) - it, this (acc.)
- , farmer (2a) - learn - this (acc.)
- those (nom.) great (nom.) - , skill (1a)
-o they, those men - practice - the harbour
(nom.) - , practice (1a) the number
since, because with - , trierarch (2a)
to/for us much practice of the ships
- - -o sea, of - ants (nom.) (he) says
the sea , naval matters (2b) - with difficulty
and moreover , navigation (2b)

D
Dikaiopolis disembarks and observes the chaos. Polos is sent off
to rouse the ship’s trierarch (master) by an agitated boatswain.

In World of Athens: trierarchs 7.43–6; deme-names 5.12.

,
.
. , .

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 Section Three A–E: Athens and Sparta 37

, ; 5
, . .
. . ,
. , ,
.
, . 10
( .
.)
(knocks on the door)
, . ; ; , .
(blearily) 15
; ;
(opens the door)
; ;
, ; ;
. 20
, , ;
.
.
(shuts the door)
; ; . 25
(he approaches the door)
; ,
.

Vocabulary for Section Three D

- -o -o impossible - , door (1b) yes, he is

- go to - sleep slave!
hell! (lit. ‘to the crows’) - call, summon -
- shout (for) - , boatswain (1d) about this danger
of course, no need - a boatswain - much (nom.)
to say (he gave the time to the Salamis
- , master (1d) rowers) you (acc. s.)
-o him (acc.) - knock - this (acc.)
- he (nom.) yes, all right the ship
me (acc.) me (acc.) whom? (acc.)
inside to me - run
still o - the men - , trierarch,
- seek, look for at home master (2a)
- -o quiet, quietly the slave - come now!
- , sight (1b) - he, the latter (nom.) you (s.) say, mean

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 38 Part One: Athens at sea

. ;
; ; ; 30
, , .
. –
, .
. ;
TPI. ; ; 35
( )
. , . .

- shout (for) o - the men Vocabulary to be learnt

- those (acc.) the shout (for)
there member of Kydathene still, yet
Salamis deme (a district of look for, seek
- -o quiet, Athens) , door (1b)
quietly quickly sleep
- , door (1b) the island call, summon
- sleep - this , boatswain (1d)
- call, summon business (nom.) at home
danger you (s.) say, mean ( -) run
- knock , trierarch (2a)

Athens and the harbours of Peiraieus

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 Section Three A–E: Athens and Sparta 39

E
Captain and crew finally embark on their trireme. Ritual prayers
accompany their departure.

In World of Athens: libations 3.28.

,
. ,
.

. , . 5
. .
. .
.
( )
– , 10

– .
( )
, .
. . , . . 15
. , .
. , , .

Vocabulary for Section Three E

- - sail off Poseidon (sea in ... out... in ... out
then, now god) (voc.)
-o the former (nom.) o to you (s.) Vocabulary to be learnt
- - embark - make a libation then, indeed
well done! - , libation (1a) ( -) embark
- , prayer (1a) saviour (nom.) , prayer (1a)
- pray the ships pray
- , sacrifice (1b) - our fatherland , a sacrifice (1b)
- sacrifice o to the gods sacrifice
- - give the time for our order
- order, give orders safety pour a libation
back, again = O lord! , a libation (1a)
often = - men!

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