[Footnote 129: Αὔθις ἀφανιούντων.] Weiske, Schneider, and others omit the αὔθις. Bornemann, Dindorf, and Kühner preserve it, as it is found in six manuscripts, giving it, with Spohn, Lect. Theocr. i. p. 33, the sense of _back again_, as if the Persians had intended to make Athens disappear again as if it had never been. I think the word better left out. An American editor has conjectured αὐτὰς.] [Footnote 130: Γοῦν.] Some copies have οὖν. "The sense of γοῦν is this; _ceteris rebus prætermissis, hoc quidem certissimum est, eos fugisse_." Kühner.] [Footnote 131: Εἰ ἄρα, κ. τ. λ.] Krüger admonishes the reader that these words must be taken negatively: _whether--not_.] [Footnote 132: Διήσουσιν.] Eight manuscripts have διοίσουσιν, which Bornemann has preferred. Dindorf also gave the preference to it in his first edition, but has subsequently adopted the other reading. Μήτε διοίσουσιν is interpreted by Bornemann, "if the rivers shall present no difference in any part of their course; if they be as broad at their sources as at their mouths."] [Footnote 133: Αὐτοὶ εἴδομεν.] The Greeks had passed through a part of Lycaonia in their march up the country, i. 2. 19; when, however, it is not indicated that they saw much.] [Footnote 134: The allusion is to Odyss. ix. 83, where the lotus-eaters are mentioned: The trees around them all their food produce, Lotus the name, divine nectareous juice, (Thence called Lotophagi,) which whoso tastes, Insatiate riots in the sweet repasts, Nor other home, nor other care intends, But quits his house, his country, and his friends. _Pope._ ] [Footnote 135: Περαίνειν.] Sc. τὸν λόγον. This is the sense in which this word has been taken, I believe, by most readers; as in Æsch. Pers. 699, and elsewhere. Sturz, in his Lexicon, seems to take it in the sense of _to execute, to proceed to action_.] [Footnote 136: Εἰ δὲ τι ἄλλο βέλτιον ἤ ταύτῃ.] Understand δοκεῖ ἔχειν. _Kühner_. "But if anything else (seems) better (to any one) than in this way."] [Footnote 137: Ἐπειδὴ καὶ Λακεδαιμόνιός ἐστι.] The καὶ, _also_, refers to something understood: "since he is not only a brave man, but also a Lacedæmonian." _Kühner_. The Lacedæmonians were then at the head of Greece: comp. v. 9. 26; vi. 6. 12. _Zeune_.] CHAPTER III. The Greeks are visited by Mithridates as a friend, but he soon shows that he is an enemy, and they resolve to enter into no further negotiations with the Persian king. They pass the Zabatus, are harassed by Mithridates, and suffer from the want of slingers and cavalry. Volunteers are enrolled for these services.