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

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ἐς χεῖρας ἰόντα. Cf. Xen. Cyr. ii. 4, 15; Anab. i. 2, 26. The meaning is to ‘come to close quarters’ (comminus ire). The sense ‘putting himself in his power’ may be implied in a certain context, but forms no part of the expression. ‘Coming to close quarters’ may represent either close familiarity or close fighting. Here it is the former.

ἀνελθὼν The ναύαρχος leaves his fleet and makes a journey inland (ἀν-).

ἐς Μαγνησίαν This was the Ionian Magnesia (ἡ ὑπὲρ Μαιάνδρου), not the Lydian. It was about thirty miles from both Miletus and Samos. Themistocles had retired to this place (Diod xi. 57).

λέγει τε answered by προσέθηκέ τε . . . The clause καὶ . . . γίγνεται is exegetical.

αὐτὸς μηνυτὴς this is superior to αὐτοῖς μ. in so far as with αὐτοῖς the clause is purely tautological, while with αὐτὸς there is some exegetical emphasis.

προσέθηκε . . . ἑαυτὸν Cf. c. 46, § 5, προσθεὶς ἑαυτὸν ἐς πίστιν (Ἀλκιβιάδῃ).

κοινοῦσθαι i.e. ὥστε κοινοῦσθαι αὐτῷ περὶ κ.τ.λ, ‘to join interests with him both in this and in other matters.’

περὶ τῆς μισθοφορᾶς . . . ἀνθήπτετο Two MSS. omit περὶ. But ἀνθάπτεσθαί τινος has a different meaning from that required here. Thus c. 97, § 3, ἀνθάπτεσθαι τῶν πραγμάτων; Hdt. vii. 138, ἀντάπτεσθαι τοῦ πολέμου, etc, the meaning is to ‘take a hold upon,’ or ‘set about.’ Here it should be ‘to take a counter-grip,’ ‘to be tenacious on the other side’ (Hdt. iii. 137), i.e. to ‘resist.’ With this περὶ seems no less than necessary. Lit. ‘he was less tenacious in resisting in the matter of the incomplete payment of his troops also.’ ἀνθήπτετο like ἀντεῖχε, ἀντέτεινε, etc., with no object expressed, = ἀνθίστατο.

μαλακωτέρως Cf. c. 29, § 2, μαλακὸς ἦν περὶ τοῦ μισθοῦ. In c. 45, § 3, Hermocrates is the only general who does resist.