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Bibliotheca Historica

§18.11.1-18.11.5

Allied Greek Forces and the Victory in Boeotia

A list of Greek tribes and cities joining the anti-Macedonian alliance is provided. The Athenian relief force, marching through Boeotia, defeats the hostile Boeotians at Plataea, and Leosthenes returns to hold the passes of Thermopylae.

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§18.11.1

αἱ μὲν κατʼ ἔθνος, αἱ δὲ κατὰ πόλιν.1 τῶν δʼ ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων οἱ μὲν πρὸς Μακεδόνας ἀπέκλινον, οἱ δὲ τὴν ἡσυχίαν εἵλοντο. Αἰτωλοὶ μὲν οὖν ἅπαντες πρῶτοι συνέθεντο τὴν συμμαχίαν, καθάπερ προείρηται, μετὰ δὲ τούτους Θετταλοὶ μὲν πάντες πλὴν Πελινναίων, Οἰταῖοι δὲ πλὴν Ἡρακλεωτῶν, Ἀχαιοὶ δὲ Φθιῶται πλὴν Θηβαίων, Μηλιεῖς δὲ πλὴν Λαμιέων, ἑξῆς δὲ Δωριεῖς ἅπαντες καὶ Λοκροὶ καὶ Φωκεῖς, ἔτι δʼ Αἰνιᾶνες καὶ Ἀλυζαῖοι καὶ Δόλοπες, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις Ἀθαμᾶνες καὶ Λευκάδιοι καὶ Μολοττῶν οἱ περὶ Ἀρυπταῖον·2 οὗτος δʼ ὕπουλον συμμαχίαν συνθέμενος ὕστερον διὰ προδοσίας συνήργησε τοῖς Μακεδόσι. τῶν τʼ Ἰλλυριῶν καὶ Θρᾳκῶν ὀλίγοι συνέθεντο συμμαχίαν διὰ τὸ πρὸς τοὺς Μακεδόνας μῖσος.

​some by nation, and others by city. Of the remaining Greeks, some inclined toward the Macedonians, while others chose to remain quiet. Now all the Aetolians were the first to conclude the alliance, as has been said before; and after them, all the Thessalians except the Pelinnaeans, the Oetaeans except the Heracleots, the Achaean Phthiotians except the Thebans, the Malians except the Lamians, and next all the Dorians, Locrians, and Phocians, and also the Aenians, Alyzaeans, and Dolopians; in addition to these, the Athamanians, the Leucadians, and those of the Molossians who were with Aryptaeus. The latter, having concluded an insincere alliance, later cooperated with the Macedonians through treachery. A few of the Illyrians and Thracians also concluded an alliance because of their hatred toward the Macedonians.

§18.11.2

ἑξῆς δὲ συνελάβοντο τοῦ πολέμου Καρύστιοι μὲν ἐξ Εὐβοίας, τελευταῖοι δὲ τῶν Πελοποννησίων Ἀργεῖοι, Σικυώνιοι, Ἠλεῖοι, Μεσσήνιοι καὶ οἱ τὴν Ἀκτὴν κατοικοῦντες. οἱ μὲν οὖν συμμαχίαν συνθέμενοι τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὑπῆρχον οἱ προειρημένοι.

​Next, the Carystians from Euboea took part in the war, and last of the Peloponnesians, the Argives, Sicyonians, Eleans, Messenians, and those who inhabited Acte. These, then, were the Greeks who concluded the alliance.

§18.11.3

ὁ δὲ δῆμος ἀπέστελλε στρατιώτας τῷ Λεωσθένει βοηθήσοντας3 πολιτικοὺς μὲν πεζοὺς πεντακισχιλίους, ἱππεῖς δὲ πεντακοσίους, μισθοφόρους δὲ δισχιλίους. τούτων δὲ πορευομένων διὰ τῆς Βοιωτίας ἀλλοτρίους συνέβαινεν εἶναι τοὺς Βοιωτοὺς τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις διὰ τοιαύτας τινὰς αἰτίας. Ἀλέξανδρος Θήβας κατασκάψας τὴν χώραν τοῖς περιοικοῦσι Βοιωτοῖς ἔδωκεν.

​Meanwhile, the people dispatched soldiers to reinforce Leosthenes: five thousand citizen infantry, five hundred cavalry, and two thousand mercenaries. As these were marching through Boeotia, it happened that the Boeotians were hostile to the Athenians for reasons such as the following. Alexander, having razed Thebes to the ground, had given its territory to the neighboring Boeotians.

§18.11.4

οὗτοι δὲ κατακληρουχήσαντες τὰς τῶν ἠτυχηκότων κτήσεις ἐκ τῆς χώρας μεγάλας ἐλάμβανον προσόδους. διόπερ εἰδότες ὅτι κρατήσαντες4 Ἀθηναῖοι τῷ πολέμῳ τοῖς Θηβαίοις ἀποκαταστήσουσι τήν τε κατρίδα5 καὶ τὴν χώραν, ἀπέκλινον πρὸς τοὺς Μακεδόνας.

​They, having divided the possessions of those unfortunate people by lot, were receiving great revenues from the territory. Therefore, knowing that if the Athenians prevailed in the war they would restore both their fatherland and their territory to the Thebans, they inclined toward the Macedonians.

§18.11.5

στρατοπεδευόντων δʼ αὐτῶν περὶ τὰς Πλαταιὰς ὁ Λεωσθένης μέρος τῆς ἰδίας δυνάμεως ἀναλαβὼν ἧκεν εἰς τὴν Βοιωτίαν. μετὰ δὲ τῶν Ἀθηναίων παραταξάμενος πρὸς τοὺς ἐγχωρίους μάχῃ τε ἐνίκησε καὶ τρόκαιον στήσας ταχέως ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς Πύλας· ἐνταῦθα γὰρ διατρίβων χρόνον τινὰ προκατείληπτο τὰς παρόδους καὶ τὴν τῶν Μακεδόνων δύναμιν ἀνεδέχετο.

​While they were encamped around Plataea, Leosthenes, taking a part of his own force, arrived in Boeotia. Having drawn up his lines along with the Athenians against the locals, he defeated them in battle, and after setting up a trophy, quickly returned to Pylae; for lingering there for some time, he had pre-occupied the passes and was awaiting the force of the Macedonians.

Syntax notes5 items
  1. 18.11.1αἱ μὲν κατʼ ἔθνος, αἱ δὲ κατὰ πόλιν

    An elliptical construction in which the subject 「αἱ πλεῖσται [πόλεις]」 and the verb 「συνέθεντο [τὴν συμμαχίαν]」 are understood from the main clause of the preceding section (§18.10.5), meaning that some of the allied cities joined by nation, and others by city.

  2. 18.11.1οἱ περὶ Ἀρυπταῖον

    The idiomatic phrase 「οἱ περί + accusative」 refers here to the faction or portion of the Molossians under the leadership or control of the Molossian king Aryptaeus (also known as Arybbas).

  3. 18.11.3βοηθήσοντας

    A future participle expressing purpose, modifying 「στρατιώτας」 and meaning 'soldiers to help' or 'to reinforce'.

  4. 18.11.4κρατήσαντες

    An adverbial participle expressing condition ('if they should prevail' or 'if they conquered'), modifying the subsequent future verb 「ἀποκαταστήσουσι」.

  5. 18.11.4κατρίδα

    Widely regarded as a scribal error (cacography) in the manuscripts for 「πατρίδα」 ('fatherland'), and is standardly emended and translated as such.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-10-12)
  • 2026-10-12 AI review — source 1
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:18.11.1-18.11.5