Marriage Plans of Perdiccas and Flight of Antigonus — Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica Book 18 (18.23.1–18.23.3), Greek & English

§18.23.1

μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἀπώλειαν τῶν πόλεων ἧκον δύο γυναῖκες εἰς συνοικισμὸν τῷ Περδίκκᾳ,¹ Νίκαιά τε ἡ Ἀντιπάτρου θυγάτηρ, ἣν αὐτὸς ὁ Περδίκκας ἦν μεμνηστευκώς, καὶ Κλεοπάτρα ἡ Ἀλεξάνδρου μὲν ἀδελφὴ γνησία, θυγάτηρ δὲ Φιλίππου τοῦ Ἀμύντου.

After the destruction of the cities, two women arrived to be united in marriage with Perdiccas: Nicaea, the daughter of Antipater, to whom Perdiccas himself had been betrothed, and Cleopatra, who was the full sister of Alexander, and the daughter of Philip the son of Amyntas.

§18.23.2

ὁ δὲ Περδίκκας πρότερον μὲν ἦν κεκρικὼς κοινοπραγίαν Ἀντιπάτρῳ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὴν μνηστείαν ἐπεποίητο, μήπω τῶν κατʼ αὐτὸν πραγμάτων βεβαίως ἐστερεωμένων· ὡς δὲ παρέλαβε τάς τε βασιλικὰς δυνάμεις καὶ τὴν τῶν βασιλέων προστασίαν, μετέπεσε τοῖς λογισμοῖς.

For Perdiccas had previously decided upon a common course of action with Antipater, and for this reason had made the betrothal, at a time when his own affairs were not yet firmly established; but when he took over the royal forces and the guardianship of the kings, he changed his plans.

§18.23.3

ὀρεγόμενος γὰρ βασιλείας ἔσπευδε τὴν Κλεοπάτραν γῆμαι, νομίζων διὰ ταύτης προτρέψεσθαι τοὺς Μακεδόνας συγκατάσκευάζειν αὐτῷ τὴν τῶν ὅλων ἐξουσίαν. οὔπω δὲ βουλόμενος ἀποκαλύψασθαι πρὸς τὴν ἐπιβολὴν κατὰ μὲν τὸ παρὸν ἦγε τὴν Νίκαιαν,² ὅπως μὴ τὸν Ἀντίπατρον ἀλλότριον ἔχῃ ταῖς ἰδίαις ἐπιβολαῖς· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα Ἀντιγόνου τὴν προαίρεσιν αὐτοῦ κατανοήσαντος καὶ φιλίαν ἔχοντος πρὸς Ἀντίπατρον, ἔτι δὲ ὄντος τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου πρακτικωτάτου τῶν ἡγεμόνων ἔκρινεν αὐτὸν ἐκποδῶν ποιήσασθαι. ἐπιβαλὼν οὖν αὐτῷ διαβολὰς ψευδεῖς καὶ κατηγορίας ἀδίκους φανερὸς ἦν ἀναιρήσων αὐτόν ὁ δʼ Ἀντίγονος συνέσει καὶ τόλμῃ διαφέρων φανερῶς μὲν ἀπεφαίνετο βούλεσθαι περὶ τῶν ἐγκαλουμένων ἀπολογήσασθαι, λάθρᾳ δὲ παρασκευασάμενος τὰ πρὸς τὸν δρασμὸν ἔλαθε μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων φίλων καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ Δημητρίου νυκτὸς εἰσβὰς³ εἰς τὰς Ἀττικὰς ναῦς. ἐν δὲ ταύταις κομισθεὶς εἰς τὴν Εὐρώπην προῆγε συμμίξων Ἀντιπάτρῳ.

For aspiring to the kingship, he was eager to marry Cleopatra, thinking that through her he could induce the Macedonians to help him secure the supreme power over all. But not yet wishing to disclose his design, for the present he married Nicaea, so that he might not have Antipater hostile to his own designs. After this, when Antigonus perceived his purpose, and since he was on friendly terms with Antipater and was furthermore the most energetic of the leaders, Perdiccas decided to put him out of the way. Therefore, laying false charges and unjust accusations against him, it was obvious that he intended to destroy him. But Antigonus, excelling in intelligence and daring, openly pretended that he wished to make his defense regarding the charges, but secretly prepared everything for flight, and escaped notice by embarking at night with his own friends and his son Demetrius on Attic ships. Carried in these to Europe, he went forward to join Antipater.

Syntax notes3 items

18.23.1εἰς συνοικισμὸν τῷ Περδίκκᾳ
Dative of relation/reference with the noun συνοικισμός (cohabitation, marriage), meaning "for marriage with Perdiccas".
18.23.3ἦγε τὴν Νίκαιαν
The verb ἄγω is used here in the sense of "to lead (as a wife)" or "to marry/keep as a wife".
18.23.3ἔλαθε ... εἰσβὰς
Idiomatic combination of the verb λανθάνω (to escape notice) with the aorist participle εἰσβάς (having embarked), meaning "he secretly embarked" or "he escaped notice in embarking".

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:18.23.1-18.23.3