This interpretation will always remain a possibility, but in my view an unlikely one. The demonstration just made of the close parallels Thucydides drew between the events leading to the two ten-year wars offers a more satisfactory explanation for Thucydides' remarks in 5.26. If we compare the statements with which Thucydides opens and closes his account of the first ten-year war and begins the next section of his History, we find them to be nearly identical:2.1: "and having started hostilities, they fought continu¬ously; and it has been composed in succession as each event occurred by summers and winters".5.24.2: "these ten years, the first war, occurring continuously, have been composed".5.26.1: "And the same Thucydides an Athenian composed also these things in succession, as each event occurred by summers and winters".