T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8

οἱ πεζοὶ ‘the various land forces.’ This is the reading of one MS. only; the rest give οἱ πολλοί. The variation is difficult, since neither word can well be an error for the other. Probably the true reading is ἐπέσχον ΟΥΠΟΛΥΟΙΠΕΖΟΙ, i.e. ἐπέσχον οὐ πολὺ οἱ πεζοὶ, ‘stopped and waited a little while.’ Cf. Hdt. i. 132, ἐπισχὼν ὀλίγον χρόνον; Plat. Phaed. 59 E, οὐ πολὺν χρόνον ἐπισχών. Some qualification seems wanted.

καὶ Χαλκιδέα ‘waiting for Ch. as well’ is loosely put for ‘waiting so that Ch. as well might be there and take part,’ i.e. καὶ Χ. παρεῖναι περιμένοντες.

αὐτοί τε To this should naturally answer καὶ βαρβάρων οὐ πολλοί, which, however, is replaced by a verb clause introduced by δὲ . . . καὶ . . .

τῆς Τηίων πόλεως The genitive does not depend on τεῖχος, but is most naturally partitive or relative with τὸ πρὸς ἤπειρον Cf. c. 14, § 1, Κωρύκῳ τῆς ἠπείρου. ‘On the mainland side of Teos,’ i.e. of the city (πόλεως being distinguished from γῆς). Teos was situated on a promontory and could easily be walled off for defensive purposes. The genitive may also be joined ἀπὸ κοινοῦ with ὃ.

τὸ πρὸς ἤπειρον P-S should not have made this agree with τεῖχος. It is adverbial, like τὸ πρὸς δύνοντος ἡλίου, Hdt. ix. 14, Aesch. Suppl. 255; τὸ ἐπ᾽ ἐκείνοις εἶναι, c. 48, § 6.

βαρβάρων not Persians, but the non-Greek Persian subjects from Lydia and Caria.

ὕπαρχος A satrapy was further divided into provinces under ὕπαρχοι (cf. governor and governor-general). Cf. c. 31, § 2, Ταμώς, Ἰωνίας ὕπαρχος; and c. 108, § 4, Ἀρσάκου τοῦ Πέρσου, Τισσαφέρνους ὑπάρχου.