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Bibliotheca Historica

§18.19.1-18.19.5

Thibron's Invasion of Cyrene and Forced Treaty

The author transitions to the war in Cyrene, explaining how Thibron assassinated Harpalus, took over his funds and troops, invaded Cyrene with the help of local exiles, and forced the Cyrenaeans into a treaty after defeating them.

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§18.19.1

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐπεὶ τὰς κατὰ τὸν Λαμιακὸν πόλεμον ἐπιτελεσθείσας πράξεις διήλθομεν, μεταβησόμεθα πρὸς τὸν ἐν τῇ Κυρήνῃ γενόμενον πόλεμον, ἵνα μὴ μακρὰν τοῖς χρόνοις1 ἀποπλανῶμεν τὸ συνεχὲς τῆς ἱστορίας. ἀναγκαῖον δʼ ἐστὶ βραχὺ τοῖς χρόνοις προσαναδραμεῖν, ὅπως σαφεστέρας ποιήσωμεν τὰς κατὰ μέρος πράξεις.

​Since we have gone through the deeds accomplished during the Lamian War, we shall pass on to the war that took place in Cyrene, lest we wander far in chronology from the continuity of our history. But it is necessary to run back a little in time in order to make the details of the events clearer.

§18.19.2

Ἁρπάλου γὰρ τὸν ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας δρασμὸν ποιησαμένου2 καὶ καταπλεύσαντος εἰς Κρήτην μετὰ τῶν μισθοφόρων, καθάπερ ἐν τῇ πρὸ ταύτης βύβλῳ δεδηλώκαμεν, Θίβρων, εἷς τῶν φίλων νομιζόμενος, δολοφονήσας τὸν Ἅρπαλον κύριος ἐγένετο τῶν τε χρημάτων καὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν, ὄντων ἑπτακισχιλίων. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τῶν νεῶν ἐγκρατὴς γενόμενος καὶ τοὺς στρατιώτας εἰς ταύτας θέμενος κατέπλευσεν εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Κυρηναίων. ἀνειληφὼς δὲ μεθʼ αὑτοῦ τοὺς ἐκ τῆς Κυρήνης φυγάδας καὶ τούτους ἔχων καθηγουμένους τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς3 διὰ τὴν τῶν τόπων ἐμπειρίαν, ἀπαντησάντων τῶν Κυρηναίων καὶ μάχης γενομένης ὁ Θίβρων νικήσας πολλοὺς μὲν ἀπέκτεινεν, οὐκ ὀλίγους δʼ ἐζώγρησε.

​For when Harpalus made his escape from Asia and sailed down to Crete with his mercenaries, as we have shown in the preceding book, Thibron, who was considered one of his friends, assassinated Harpalus and became master of both the money and the soldiers, ​who numbered seven thousand. Likewise, having also got possession of the ships and having put the soldiers on them, he sailed down to the territory of the Cyrenaeans. Having taken along with him the exiles from Cyrene, and having them lead the enterprise because of their familiarity with the region, when the Cyrenaeans met them and a battle ensued, Thibron was victorious, killing many and capturing not a few alive.

§18.19.4

κυριεύσας δὲ τοῦ λιμένος καὶ πολιορκήσας καὶ καταπληξάμενος τοὺς Κυρηναίους ἠνάγκασεν ὁμολογίας ποιήσασθαι ὥστε αὐτοὺς δοῦναι4 ἀργυρίου τάλαντα πεντακόσια, τῶν δὲ ἁρμάτων τά ἡμίση πρὸς τὰς στρατείας συνεκπέμπειν.

​Having mastered the harbor, besieged the city, and terrified the Cyrenaeans, he forced them to make an agreement on terms that they should pay talents of silver five hundred and send out half of their chariots to join his campaigns.

§18.19.5

διεπρεσβεύσατο δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὰς ἄλλας πόλεις, ἀξιῶν συμμαχεῖν ὡς μέλλοντος αὐτοῦ τὴν πλησιόχωρον Λιβύην καταστρέφεσθαι.5 διήρπασε δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐμπόρων τὰ καταληφθέντα χρήματα ἐν τῷ λιμένι καὶ τοῖς στρατιώταις εἰς διαρπαγὴν ἔδωκεν, ἐκκαλούμενος αὐτῶν τὰς προθυμίας εἰς τὸν πόλεμον.

​He also sent embassies to the other cities, asking them to be allies on the ground that he was about to conquer the neighboring Libya. He also plundered the goods of the merchants that had been seized in the harbor and gave them to the soldiers for plunder, thereby summoning up their enthusiasm for the war.

Syntax notes5 items
  1. 18.19.1τοῖς χρόνοις

    Dative of respect or relation ('in chronology', 'in terms of time'), indicating the author's methodological intention to maintain historical continuity.

  2. 18.19.2Ἁρπάλου γὰρ τὸν ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας δρασμὸν ποιησαμένου

    Genitive absolute construction (ποιησαμένου... καὶ καταπλεύσαντος) introducing the background actions of Harpalus, which are distinct from the subject of the main clause, Thibron (Θίβρων).

  3. 18.19.3καθηγουμένους τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς

    Predicative participle modifying the object τούτους of the participle ἔχων, forming a double-accusative-like construction ('having them as leaders of the enterprise'). The verb καθηγέομαι (to lead/guide) governs the genitive object τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς.

  4. 18.19.4ὥστε αὐτοὺς δοῦναι

    The conjunction ὥστε introduces an infinitive clause with the accusative subject αὐτοὺς and the infinitives δοῦναι and συνεκπέμπειν, expressing the specific terms or conditions of the agreement (ὁμολογίας).

  5. 18.19.5ὡς μέλλοντος αὐτοῦ ... καταστρέφεσθαι

    The conjunction ὡς expressing subjective or asserted reason is used with a genitive absolute construction (μέλλοντος αὐτοῦ), meaning 'on the ground that he himself was about to...'.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
  • 2026-09-21 AI review — source 1
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:18.19.1-18.19.5