- 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
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:18.8.1-18.8.7
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
In Europe, Rhodes regains its freedom by expelling the Macedonian garrison, and Athens declares the Lamian War against Antipater. The narrative explains that King Alexander's decree ordering the restoration of all Greek exiles caused severe discontent in states like Athens and Aetolia.
κατὰ δὲ τὴν Εὐρώπην Ῥόδιοι μὲν ἐκβαλόντες τὴν Μακεδονικὴν φρουρὰν ἠλευθέρωσαν τὴν πόλιν, Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ πρὸς Ἀντίπατρον πόλεμον ἐξήνεγκαν τὸν ὀνομασθέντα Λαμιακόν. τούτου δὲ τὰς αἰτίας ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστι προεκθέσθαι χάριν τοῦ σαφεστέρας γενέσθαι τὰς ἐν αὐτῷ συντελεσθείσας πράξεις.1
In Europe, on the other hand, the Rhodians, having expelled the Macedonian garrison, liberated their city, while the Athenians declared against Antipater the war called the Lamian War. It is necessary to set forth beforehand the causes of this war, in order that the actions accomplished in it may become clearer.
Ἀλέξανδρος γὰρ βραχεῖ χρόνῳ πρότερον τῆς τελευτῆς ἔκρινε κατάγειν ἅπαντας τοὺς ἐν ταῖς Ἑλληνίσι πόλεσι φυγάδας, ἅμα μὲν δόξης ἕνεκεν, ἅμα δὲ βουλόμενος ἔχειν ἐν ἑκάστῃ πόλει πολλοὺς ἰδίους ταῖς εὐνοίαις πρὸς τοὺς νεωτερισμοὺς καὶ τὰς ἀποστάσεις τῶν Ἑλλήνων.
For Alexander, a short time before his death, decided to restore all the exiles in the Greek cities, partly for the sake of glory, and partly because he wished to have in each city many persons bound to him individually by goodwill against the revolutionary designs and revolts of the Greeks.
διόπερ ὑπογύων ὄντων τῶν Ὀλυμπίων ἐξέπεμψεν εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα Νικάνορα τὸν Σταγειρίτην, δοὺς ἐπιστολὴν περὶ τῆς καθόδου· ταύτην δὲ προσέταξεν ἐν τῇ πανηγύρει διὰ τοῦ νικήσαντος κήρυκος2 ἀναγνωσθῆναι τοῖς πλήθεσιν.
Therefore, as the Olympic games were near at hand, he sent Nicanor of Stagira to Greece, giving him a letter concerning the restoration; and this he ordered to be read aloud to the multitudes at the festival by the herald who won the contest.
τούτου δὲ ποιήσαντος τὸ προσταχθὲν λαβὼν ὁ κῆρυξ ἀνέγνω τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τήνδε. “βασιλεὺς Ἀλέξανδρος τοῖς ἐκ τῶν Ἐλληνίδων πόλεων φυγάσι. τοῦ μὲν φεύγειν ὑμᾶς οὐχ ἡμεῖς αἴτιοι γεγόναμεν, τοῦ δὲ κατελθεῖν3 εἰς τὰς ἰδίας πατρίδας ἡμεῖς ἐσόμεθα πλὴν τῶν ἐναγῶν. γεγράφαμεν δὲ Ἀντιπάτρῳ περὶ τούτων, ὅπως τὰς μὴ βουλομένας τῶν πόλεων κατάγειν ἀναγκάσῃ.” κηρυχθέντων δὲ τούτων μεγάλῳ κρότῳ ἐπεσήμηνε τὸ πλῆθος· ἀποδεξάμενοι γὰρ οἱ κατὰ τὴν πανήγυριν τὴν χάριν τοῦ βασιλέως διὰ τὴν χαρὰν ἠμείβοντο τὴν εὐεργεσίαν τοῖς ἐπαίνοις. ἦσαν δʼ οἱ φυγάδες ἀπηντηκότες ἅπαντες ἐπὶ τὴν πανήγυριν, ὄντες πλείους τῶν δισμυρίων.
When the latter had done what was ordered, the herald took and read the following letter: “King Alexander to the exiles from the Greek cities. Of your exile we have not been the cause, but of your return to your own native lands we shall be the cause, except for those who are under a curse. And we have written to Antipater concerning these matters, so that he may compel such of the cities as are unwilling to restore them.” When these things had been proclaimed, the multitude signified its approval with loud applause; for those at the festival, accepting the favor of the king, because of their joy repaid his beneficence with praises. The exiles had all assembled for the festival, being more than twenty thousand.
οἱ μὲν οὖν πολλοὶ τὴν κάθοδον τῶν φυγάδων ὡς ἐπʼ ἀγαθῷ γινομένην ἀπεδέχοντο, Αἰτωλοὶ δὲ καὶ Ἀθηναῖοι δυσχεραίνοντες τῇ πράξει χαλεπῶς ἔφερον. Αἰτωλοὶ μὲν γὰρ τοὺς Οἰνιάδας ἐκβεβληκότες ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος προσεδόκων τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς παρανομήμασιν ἐπακολουθοῦσαν κόλασιν· καὶ γὰρ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἠπειληκὼς ἦν ὡς οὐκ Οἰνιαδῶν παῖδες, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς ἐπιθήσει τὴν δίκην αὐτοῖς·4
Now the majority welcomed the return of the exiles as something happening for the good, but the Aetolians and the Athenians, being displeased with the action, took it hard. For the Aetolians, having expelled the inhabitants of Oeniadae from their native land, expected the punishment that would follow upon their lawless deeds; for indeed the king had threatened that not the children of the Oeniadae, but he himself would inflict punishment upon them.
ὁμοίως δὲ τούτοις Ἀθηναῖοι τὴν Σάμον κατακεκληρουχηκότες οὐδαμῶς τὴν νῆσον ταύτην προΐεντο. οὐκ ὄντες δʼ ἀξιόμαχοι ταῖς τούτου δυνάμεσι κατὰ μὲν τὸ παρὸν ἡσυχίαν ἦγον, ἐπιτηροῦντες καιρὸν
In like manner to these, the Athenians, having distributed Samos by lot as a cleruchy, would by no means give up this island. But not being a match for his forces, for the present they remained quiet, watching for an opportunity.
- 18.8.1χάριν τοῦ σαφεστέρας γενέσθαι τὰς ἐν αὐτῷ συντελεσθείσας πράξεις
A gerundial (articular infinitive) clause introduced by χάριν which governs the genitive. The subject of the infinitive γενέσθαι is the accusative τὰς ... πράξεις, and the comparative adjective σαφεστέρας acts as its predicate accusative complement.
- 18.8.3διὰ τοῦ νικήσαντος κήρυκος
The aorist participle νικήσαντος refers to the winner of the contest of the heralds (κήρυξ) which took place at the opening of the Olympic games; the victor was given the honor of reading the royal decree.
- 18.8.4τοῦ μὲν φεύγειν ὑμᾶς ... τοῦ δὲ κατελθεῖν
Genitive articular infinitives dependent on the adjective αἴτιοι ("responsible for," "the cause of"). The accusative ὑμᾶς functions as the subject of the infinitive.
- 18.8.6ὡς οὐκ Οἰνιαδῶν παῖδες, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς ἐπιθήσει τὴν δίκην αὐτοῖς
An indirect speech clause introduced by ὡς after ἠπειληκὼς ἦν. After οὐκ Οἰνιαδῶν παῖδες, a verb of inflicting punishment is understood in parallel to ἐπιθήσει, highlighting the contrast with the intensive pronoun αὐτὸς ("he himself").
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-22)
- 2026-09-22 AI review — source 1