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

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ἅπασαι . . . αἱ τῶν Π. νῆες. The history of the Peloponnesian fleet engaged on the coast of Asia Minor is as follows—five ships under Chalcideus and Alcibiades go to Chios (c. 14). [In c. 16 Chalcideus is operating with a fleet of twentythree ships from Chios and his own. In c. 17 Chalcideus mans his five Peloponnesian ships and twenty others from Chios and operates upon Miletus. These Chian ships are not to be counted.] In c. 23 Astyochus arrives with four ships, and six more Peloponnesian ships come immediately afterwards. There are thus fifteen Peloponnesian ships in those waters. In c. 26 there come to Miletus thirty-three ships from Peloponnesus and twentytwo from Sicily. In c. 33 there are thus collected at Miletus forty-eight Pelop. and twenty-two Sicilian ships. In c. 35, Hippocrates brings twelve ships to Cnidus, six of which are captured by the Athenians. In c. 39, Antisthenes brings twenty-seven more, and in c. 42 the Peloponnesians lose three and have others disabled. All the forces under Astyochus, reckoning no Chian vessels, amount therefore to 48+22+(126) + 27 - 3 = 100. But inf. c. 44, § 2, there are ninety-four ships at Rhodes. The difference may be accounted for by disablements, or by supposing that five of the ships, being manned by Chians (c. 17), had returned to Chios. In any case the great accuracy of Thucydides is again demonstrated. Meanwhile the Athenian fleet at Samos consists of sixtyeight ships, and their other fleet, acting npon Chios, of twentyseven (three having been wrecked, c. 34). The whole naval forces of the two parties are therefore so far almost exactly equal. But there is also a Chian fleet on the Peloponnesian side. Hence in c. 52 the Lacedaemonians are said to have ‘the more’ ships, and in c. 53, § 2, ‘as many’ (οὐκ ἐλάσσοσι).

πολεμήσεται the classical passive future (i. 68). Cf. τιμήσομαι, ὠφελήσομαι, etc.