τῆς . . . ὥρας πρῴτερον—lit. earlier in point of time, as in τότε τοῦ χειμῶνος.
ἐπιχειρήσει—mode of attack.
πρὶν δὴ—introduees the decisive moment, as δὴ often does.
Ἀρίστων . . . ἄριστος ὢν—a curious paronomasia. It is not probable that it is accidental, since Thuc. is clearly rather fond of this ‘figure’ (σχῆμα λέξεως), as may be seen from a few instances in this book: (1) c. 70.8 φεύγοντας φεύγουσιν (this is traductio); (2) c. 85.3 οὐ πολὺ . . . πολύ; (3) c. 55.1 μέγας . . μείζων, and c. 68.2 ἐχθροὶ καὶ ἔχθιστοι; (4) c. 70.4 ἐμβολαὶ . . προσβολαί; (5) c. 81.5 ἀποκινδυνεύειν . . . ἀπονενοημένους; (6) c. 21.3 τολμηροὺς . . . ἀντιτολμῶντας, c. 42.2 παρατείχισμα . . . περιτείχισμα, c. 69.2 ἐπιφανεῖς . . . άφανίζειν; (7) c. 39.2, αὖθις καὶ αὐθήμερον. The present ex. may be compared with the frequent plays on names in the Tragedians, e.g. Pentheus and πένθος Eur. Ba. 367.
τοὺς . . . ἐπιμελομένους—i.e. the ἀγορανόμοι. Of Athens, Aristot. Ath. Pol. c. 51 says κληροῦνται δὲ καὶ ἀγορανόμοι . . . τούτοις δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν νόμων προστέτακται τῶν ὠνίων ἐπιμελεῖσθαι πάντων.
τῶν πωλουμένων—provisions for sale. Cf. Polyb. 1, 18 παῤείλετο τὰς ἀγορὰς καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀναγκαίων χορηγίαν. 14-15.
παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν μεταστῆσαι—Bekker, Arnold, and edd. generally read μεταναστήσαντας ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν κομίσαι, with B; some alter μεταναστήσαντας to μεταστήσαντας. Bloomfield rightly objects παρὰ with acens., it is true, ‘personam indicat—non rem—ad quam ahquid movetur’; but ἵστασθαι, τίθεσθαι, ἕζεσθαι are certainly used with παρά, where previous motion is implied. May not the words mean to move and place on the shore?
αὐτοῖς—it hardly seems necessary to alter this to αὐτοῦ with the edd., following Portus. It may be ethic, applying to πάντας.