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

ἐνταῦθα ἤδη In view of the following σαφῶς and the sense generally, this is somewhat better than δὴ. He had not ventured to speak clearly before, but only to hint at some change. Now (iam) he dares to go so far as to openly propose oligarchy. Cf. iv. 35, ὡς δὲ ένέδοσαν, ἐνταῦθα ἤδη κ.τ.λ. Inf. c. 67, § 3, ἐνταῦθα δὴ λαμπρῶς ἐλέγετο ἤδη, shows that δὴ in itself was not felt to be strong in this sense.

τοῦτο the desired alliance.

εἰ μὴ πολιτεύσομέν τε answered by Ἀλκιβιάδην τε κατάξομεν, the intervening καὶ . . . ποήσομεν καὶ μὴ βουλεύσομεν being parts of the former line of policy. Says Peisander, ‘we must form a wiser government, and we must bring back Alcibiades.’ The former item he explains or expands by the clauses with καὶ. Thus εἰ μὴ (1) πολιτεύσομέν τε . . . καὶ . . . ποήσομεν . . . καὶ μὴ-βουλεύσομεν . . . (2) Ἀλκ. τε κατάξομεν.

σωφρονέστερον connoting oligarchy. Cf. c. 64, § 5; iii. 82, etc.

ἐς ὀλίγους ποήσομεν Cf. c. 38, § 3, τῆς πόλεως ἐς ὀλίγον κατεχομένης; ii. 37, διὰ τὸ μὴ ἐς ὀλίγους οἰκεῖν; v. 81, τὰ ἐν Σικυῶνι ἐς ὀλίγους μᾶλλον κατέστησαν.

μὴ τὸ πλέον περὶ . . . ἢ περὶ ‘not so much about . . . as about . . .’