- Source
- Diodorus Siculus. Diodori Bibliotheca Historica. Vols. 4-5 (partial). Bekker, Immanuel; Dindorf, Ludwig; Fischer, Curt Theodor; editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1903-1906.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
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- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:18.26.1-18.26.6
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
The passage details the construction and magnificent ornamentation of the luxurious funeral carriage built by Arrhidaeus to transport Alexander the Great's body.
ἐπʼ ἄρχοντος δʼ Ἀθήνησι Φιλοκλέους1 ἐν Ῥώμῃ κατεστάθησαν ὕπατοι Γάιος Σολπίκιος καὶ Γάιος Αἴλιος. ἐπὶ δὲ τούτων Ἀρριδαῖος ὁ κατασταθεὶς ἐπὶ τὴν κατακομιδὴν τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου σώματος, συντετελεκὼς τὴν ἁρμάμαξαν ἐφʼ ἧς ἔδει κατακομισθῆναι τὸ βασιλικὸν σῶμα, παρεσκευάζετο τὰ πρὸς τὴν κομιδήν.
When Philocles was archon in Athens, and Gaius Sulpicius and Gaius Aelius were established as consuls in Rome, Arrhidaeus, who had been appointed to supervise the transport of Alexander’s body, having finished the funeral carriage on which the royal body was to be transported, made preparations for the journey.
ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸ κατασκευασθὲν ἔργον, ἄξιον ὑπάρχον τῆς Ἀλεξάνδρου δόξης, οὐ μόνον κατὰ τὴν δαπάνην διήνεγκε τῶν ἄλλων, ὡς ἀπὸ πολλῶν ταλάντων κατασκευασθέν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ κατὰ τὴν τέχνην περιττότητι περιβόητον ὑπῆρξε, καλῶς ἔχειν ὑπολαμβάνομεν ἀναγράψαι περὶ αὐτοῦ.
Since the constructed work, being worthy of the glory of Alexander, not only surpassed all others in expense, as it was built at the cost of many talents, but was also celebrated for the exceptional quality of its craftsmanship, we consider it proper to write a description of it.
πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ τῷ σώματι2 κατεσκευάσθη χρυσοῦν σφυρήλατον ἁρμόζον καὶ τοῦτʼ ἀνὰ μέσον ἐπλήρωσαν ἀρωμάτων τῶν ἅμα δυναμένων τὴν εὐωδίαν καὶ τὴν διαμονὴν παρέχεσθαι τῶ σώματι.
For first, a coffin of hammered gold fitted to the body was constructed, and they filled the space around the body with spices which were able at once to provide a sweet odor and preservation for the body.
ἐπάνω δὲ τῆς θήκης ἐπετέθειτο καλυπτὴρ χρυσοῦς, ἁρμόζων ἀκριβῶς καὶ περιλαμβάνων τὴν ἀνωτάτω περιφέρειαν. ταύτης δʼ ἐπάνω περιέκειτο φοινικὶς διαπρεπὴς χρυσοποίκιλτος, παρʼ ἣν ἔθεσαν τὰ τοῦ μετηλλαχότος ὅπλα, βουλόμενοι συνοικειοῦν τὴν ὅλην φαντασίαν ταῖς προκατειργασμέναις πράξεσι.
Over the coffin had been placed a golden cover, fitting exactly and enclosing its uppermost rim. Over this was spread a magnificent purple pall embroidered with gold, next to which they placed the armor of the deceased, wishing to make the whole appearance harmonize with the deeds he had accomplished in his lifetime.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα παρέστησαν τὴν τοῦτο κομιοῦσαν ἁρμάμαξαν, ἧς3 κατεσκεύαστο κατὰ μὲν τὴν κορυφὴν καμάρα χρυσῆ, ἔχουσα φολίδα λιθοκόλλητον, ἧς ἦν τὸ μὲν πλάτος ὀκτὼ πηχῶν, τὸ δὲ μῆκος δώδεκα, ὑπὸ δὲ τὴν ὑπωροφίαν παρʼ ὅλον τὸ ἔργον θριγκὸς χρυσοῦς, τῷ σχήματι τετράγωνος, ἔχων τραγελάφων προτομὰς ἐκτύπους, ἐξ ὧν ἤρτηντο κρίκοι χρυσοῖ διπάλαιστοι, διʼ ὧν κατακεκρέμαστο στέμμα πομπικόν, χρώμασι παντοδαποῖς διαπρεπῶς κατηνθισμένον.
After this, they brought forward the carriage that was to convey this, on the top of which had been constructed a golden vault, having a scale-like decoration set with precious stones; its width was eight cubits, and its length twelve. Under the ceiling, along the entire work, ran a golden cornice, rectangular in shape, having embossed busts of goat-stags, from which hung golden rings of two palms’ width, through which was suspended a processional garland, brilliantly adorned with all kinds of colors.
ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἄκρων ὑπῆρχε θύσανος δικτυωτός, ἔχων εὐμεγέθεις κώδωνας, ὥστʼ ἐκ πολλοῦ διαστήματος προσπίπτειν τὸν ψόφον τοῖς ἐγγίζουσι. κατὰ δὲ τὰς τῆς καμάρας γωνίας ἐφʼ ἑκάστης ἦν πλευρᾶς Νίκη χρυσῆ τροπαιοφόρος. τὸ δʼ ἐκδεχόμενον τὴν καμάραν περίστυλον χρυσοῦν ὑπῆρχεν, ἔχον Ἰωνικὰ κιονόκρανα. ἐντὸς δὲ τοῦ περιστύλου δίκτυον ἦν χρυσοῦν, τὸ πάχος τῇ πλοκῇ δακτυλιαῖον καὶ πίνακας παραλλήλους ζῳοφόρους τέσσαρας ἴσους τοῖς τοίχοις ἔχον.
At the ends, there was a netted fringe having very large bells, so that the sound fell upon those who approached from a great distance. At the corners of the vault, on each side, was a golden Victory bearing a trophy. The colonnade supporting the vault was of gold, having Ionic capitals. Inside the colonnade was a golden net, the thickness of its mesh being a finger’s breadth, and it had four parallel figured panels, equal in size to the walls.
- 18.26.1ἐπʼ ἄρχοντος δʼ Ἀθήνησι Φιλοκλέους
The preposition ἐπί with the genitive of the eponymous archon of Athens is a standard formula used to indicate the calendar year (322/1 BC).
- 18.26.3τῷ σώματι
A dative case governed by the following present participle ἁρμόζον ("fitting"), meaning "a coffin fitting the body."
- 18.26.5ἧς
The feminine singular genitive relative pronoun referring back to the preceding noun ἁρμάμαξαν ("carriage"). The genitive establishes a partitive/possessive relationship with the following phrase κατὰ τὴν κορυφήν ("at the top [of it]").
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-22)
- 2026-09-22 AI review — source 1