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

ὁ δὲ κ.τ.λ. ‘but as a matter of fact, he (Tissaphernes) . . .’

χάριν ἂν . . . ἔσχεν ‘would have obtained all the more gratitude.’

ἐν τούτῳ ‘in such case’; not = ἐπὶ τούτῳ

ἀπ᾽ ἐλασσόνων generally rendered ‘at less expense.’ This makes a tautology in the sentence, since ἀπ᾽ ἐλασσόνων would merely repeat the notion of οὔτ᾽ ἀναλώσας πολλὰ. Rather ‘with smaller resources,’ ἀπὸ expressing the stock upon which one draws. Tissaphernes would gam more favour in the king's eyes (1) because of the slight expenditure, (2) for his skill in obtaining the same results with less means. The king's admiration would be all the greater. This use of ἀπὸ soon passes, of course, into the sense of ‘cost at which . . .,’ as in Ar. Eq. 538, ὃς ἀπὸ σμικρᾶς δαπάνης ὑμᾶς ἀριστίζων ἀπέπεμπεν; Plut. 377, ἐγώ σοι τοῦτ᾽ ἀπὸ σμικροῦ πάνυ | ἐθέλω διαπρᾶξαι.