namely that we shall do none of those things which he desired of us. Therefore before he arrives here in Attica, it is fitting that ye come to our rescue quickly in Boeotia." Thus the Athenians made answer, and upon that the envoys went away back to Sparta. NOTES TO BOOK VIII 1 [ See v. 77.] 2 [ i.e. triremes.] 3 [ {os to plethos ekastoi ton neon pareikhonto}: some read by conjecture {oson to plethos k.t.l.}] 4 [ Perhaps "also" refers to the case of those who had come to Thermopylai, cp. vii. 207: Others translate, "these Hellenes who had come after all to Artemision," i.e. after all the doubt and delay.] 5 [ {pantes}: some MSS. have {plegentes}, which is adopted by most Editors, "smitten by bribes."] 6 [ {dethen}, with ironical sense.] 7 [ {mede purphoron}: the {purphoros} had charge of the fire brought for sacrifices from the altar of Zeus Agetor at Sparta, and ordinarily his person would be regarded as sacred; hence the proverb {oude purphoros esothe}, used of an utter defeat.] 8 [ {tou diekploou}.] 9 [ {kata stoma}.] 10 [ {sklerai brontai}: the adjective means "harsh-sounding."] 11 [ {akhari}.] 12 [ {ta Koila tes Euboies}.] 13 [ "having been roughly handled."] 14 [ {epi ten thalassan tauten}: some MSS. read {taute} for {tauten}, which is to be taken with {sullexas}, "he assembled the generals there."] 15 [ {peripetea epoiesanto sphisi autoisi ta pregmata}.] 16 [ {paleseie}, a word which does not occur elsewhere, and is explained by Hesychius as equivalent to {diaphtharein}. Various emendations have been proposed, and Valla seems to have had the reading {apelaseie}, for he says discessisset. Stein explains {paleseie} (as from {pale}) "should contend."] 17 [ Some suppose the number "four thousand" is interpolated by misunderstanding of the inscription in vii. 228; and it seems hardly possible that the dead were so many as four thousand, unless at least half were Helots.] 18 [ Some MSS. have "Tritantaichmes," which is adopted by many Editors.] 19 [ {neou}.] 20 [ {os anarpasomenoi tous Phokeas}: cp. ix. 60.] 21 [ {podeon steinos}, like the neck of a wineskin; cp. ii. 121, note [Footnote 102.] 22 [ {tou propheten}, the interpreter of the utterances of the {promantis}.] 23 [ {neou}.] 24 [ {megarou}.] 25 [ i.e. of Athene Polias, the Erechtheion; so throughout this account.] 26 [ {sunerree}, "kept flowing together."] 2601 [ Or, "Hermione."] 27 [ See i. 56.] 28 [ See ch. 31.] 29 [ {pros pantas tous allous}, "in comparison with all the rest," cp. iii. 94.] 30 [ {stratarkheo}: a vague expression, because being introduced after Kecrops he could not have the title of king.]