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Διέκπλοι · breaks-through, sailings-through (δ 910) · Suda

Letters

Α Β Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω

Near δ910

δ906they were arrayed
δ907thoroughly sounded out
δ908to go off track
δ909breaking through and out
δ910breaks-through, sailings-through
δ911to slip through and out like a partridge
δ912they bent over, they looked out
δ913to divide
δ914ceased

Suda/Δ delta/δ910

← Previous entry,δ909 Next entry,δ911 →

Διέκπλοι

breaks-through, sailings-through

Translated by James Vradelis29 Jun 2004Vetting: high4 revisions

definition
dialects, grammar, and etymology
historiography
history
military affairs

2 notes · 23 words

Translation

[Meaning] attacking and cutting through the enemy line [sc. of ships] and turning back and attacking again. But "turnings-back" [a)nastrofai\]¹ are retreats backwards.²

Greek original · Adler’s text

Διέκπλοι· τὸ ἐμβάλλειν καὶ διασχίζειν τὴν τῶν ἐναντίων τάξιν καὶ πάλιν ὑποστρέφειν καὶ αὖθις ἐμβάλλειν. ἀναστροφαὶ δέ εἰσιν αἱ εἰς τοὐπίσω ὑποχωρήσεις.

Betacode

*die/kploi: to\ e)mba/llein kai\ diasxi/zein th\n tw=n e)nanti/wn ta/cin kai\ pa/lin u(postre/fein kai\ au)=qis e)mba/llein. a)nastrofai\ de/ ei)sin ai( ei)s tou)pi/sw u(poxwrh/seis.

Notes (2)

From the scholia to Thucydides 1.49.3 (web address 1) and 2.89.8 (web address 2), where the headword appears. It refers to a naval maneuver in which the attacking ship sails into and through the enemy line and then turns to ram amidships. Beyond that, however, modern experts disagree as to whether the maneuver was undertaken by a whole fleet deploying in line ahead against an enemy defensively deployed by line abreast, or whether it could be carried out by individual vessels. For the former (traditional) view see e.g. J.S. Morrison and R.T. Williams, Greek Oared Ships (Cambridge 1968) 137-139; for the latter, J.F. Lazenby, 'The diekplous', Greece & Rome 34 (1987) 169ff.
1Also mentioned in Thucydides 2.89.8 (above); and cf. alpha 2086. ↩
2See E.C. Marchant, Commentary on Thucydides, Book 2 ad loc.: "a)nastrofai/--turning back after any manœuvre to regain the original position of the ship." (accessible via web address 2).

External resources

Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Web address 2 perseus.tufts.edu

Neighbouring entries

δ908Διεκπατῆσαιto go off track δ909Διεκπέσαντεςbreaking through and out δ910Διέκπλοιbreaks-through, sailings-through δ911Διεκπερδικίσαιto slip through and out like a partridge δ912Διέκυψανthey bent over, they looked out

Revision history4 revisions · last 2 Nov 2015

2 Nov 2015Revised — David Whitehead
8 Jul 2012Revised — David Whitehead
25 Jul 2011tweaked links — Catharine Roth
30 Jun 2004augmented notes and keywords; cosmetics — David Whitehead
29 Jun 2004Translated — James Vradelis

Cite this entry

Suda On Line, s.v. Διέκπλοι (Adler number delta 910), trans. James Vradelis, 29 Jun 2004. https://www.cs.uky.edu/~raphael/sol/sol-entries/delta/910

Translation by James Vradelis for Suda On Line, revised by David Whitehead, Catharine Roth, licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Shown unchanged, under the same licence, non-commercially. Original on SOL ↗