«We ourselves have conquered most of the empire»: A (Grammatical And Ideological) Interpretation of Thuc. 2, 36, 2-3

This papers deals with the actual meaning of τὰ δὲ πλείω αὐτῆς [= ἀρχῆς] … ἐπηυξήσαμεν in Th., 2, 36, 3. Mostscholars give τὰ δὲ πλείω αὐτῆς a generically additional value (they translate «we have strengthened this empire yet further in most areas» et similia); according to some scholars, τὰ δὲ πλείωαὐτῆς means «what is more than the empire», «quae praeter imperium sunt» (i.e., what concerns not the arkhe, but other aspects of the development of Athens: politics, literature, buildings, ecc.). On the contrary, τὰ δὲ πλείω may have only a comparative value and must be seen as an internal accusative dependent on ἐπηυξήσαμεν; therefore, the sentence could be translated, e.g., «we have made most of the additions» or «we have increased the arkhe for the most part», i.e., «we have conquered most of the empire». This wording aligns with the idea (which is apparent in the Periclean speeches) that the arkhe is a quantifable entity, which could increase or decrease. So, the general meaning of Th., 2, 36, 3 isthat the pateres acquired lessthan half of the total arkhe now (= in 431 B.C.) owned by Athens; the rest, that is the greater part, was acquired by the current generation. A close analysis of the Athenians’ military achievements during the years 460-430 B.C. shows that this statement is not untrue, notwithstanding the setback in 447-446 (pace Gomme et alii). Morever, this proud utterance aligns with the Periclean depiction of the entire Athenian history (see Th., 2, 36, 1-3 and others Periclean statements and political measures), whereas the devaluation of the fathers’ conquests in Th., 2, 36, 3 could also have been a way to diminish the still cumbersome memory of Cimon. Critias 88 B 52 D.-K, too, can be seen as an answer to τὰ δὲ πλείω αὐτῆς … ἐπηυξήσαμεν, because it justifes the lesser contribution of the pateres (including Cimon) to the Athenian auxesis.