The Recovery of Galeria and Carthaginian Inaction — Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica Book 19 (19.104.1–19.104.4), Greek & English

§19.104.1

οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Δεινοκράτην¹ φυγάδες, ἔχοντες πεζοὺς μὲν ὑπὲρ τοὺς τρισχιλίους, ἱππεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐλάττους δισχιλίων, τὴν καλουμένην Γαλερίαν κατελάβοντο, τῶν πολιτῶν ἑκουσίως ἐπικαλεσαμένων, καὶ τοὺς μὲν Ἀγαθοκλέους ἐξέβαλον, αὐτοὶ δὲ πρὸ τῆς πόλεως ἐστρατοπέδευσαν.

The exiles with Deinocrates, having more than three thousand infantry and no fewer than two thousand cavalry, seized the city called Galeria, since the citizens had voluntarily invited them in; and having expelled the men of Agathocles, they themselves encamped before the city.

§19.104.2

Ἀγαθοκλέους δὲ ταχέως ἀποστείλαντος ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς Πασίφιλον καὶ Δημόφιλον μετὰ στρατιωτῶν πεντακισχιλίων ἐγένετο μάχη πρὸς τοὺς φυγάδας, ὧν ἠγεῖτο Δεινοκράτης καὶ Φιλωνίδης, τὰ κέρατα διειληφότες.² ἐφʼ ἱκανὸν μὲν οὖν χρόνον ἰσόρροπος ἦν ὁ κίνδυνος, φιλοτίμως ἀμφοτέρων τῶν στρατοπέδων ἀγωνιζομένων· τοῦ δʼ ἑτέρου τῶν στρατηγῶν Φιλωνίδου πεσόντος καὶ τοῦ κατὰ τοῦτον μέρους τραπέντος ἠναγκάσθη καὶ Δεινοκράτης ἀποχωρῆσαι. οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Πασίφιλον τούτων τε πολλοὺς κατὰ τὴν φυγὴν ἀνεῖλον καὶ τὴν Γαλερίαν ἀνακτησάμενοι τοὺς αἰτίους τῆς ἀποστάσεως ἐκόλασαν.

Since Agathocles quickly sent Pasiphilus and Demophilus against them with five thousand soldiers, a battle took place against the exiles, who were led by Deinocrates and Philonides, who had divided the command of the wings. Now, for a considerable time, the danger was evenly balanced, as both armies fought with ambition; but when one of the generals, Philonides, fell and the part of the army under him was turned to flight, Deinocrates also was forced to retreat. The men under Pasiphilus killed many of them during the flight, and having recovered Galeria, they punished those responsible for the revolt.

§19.104.3

Ἀγαθοκλῆς δὲ πυνθανόμενος τοὺς Καρχηδονίους τὸν Ἔκνομον καλούμενον λόφον ἐν τῇ Γελῴα κατειληφέναι, διέγνω πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει διαγωνίσασθαι. ὁρμήσας δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς καὶ πλησίον γενόμενος προεκαλεῖτο εἰς μάχην, ἐπηρμένος τῇ προγεγενημένῃ νίκῃ.

But Agathocles, learning that the Carthaginians had seized the hill called Ecnomus in the territory of Gela, decided to fight to a finish with all his forces. Having set out against them and come near, he challenged them to battle, encouraged by the previous victory.

§19.104.4

οὐ τολμώντων δὲ τῶν βαρβάρων παρατάξασθαι νομίσας ἀκονιτὶ κρατεῖν τῶν ὑπαίθρων ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς τὰς Συρακούσσας καὶ τῶν ναῶν τοὺς ἐπιφανεστάτους τοῖς σκύλοις ἐκόσμησεν. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐπράχθη κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν ὧν ἡμεῖς ἐδυνήθημεν ἐφικέσθαι.³

But since the barbarians did not dare to draw up their lines, thinking that he held the open country without a struggle, he returned to Syracuse and adorned the most conspicuous of the temples with the spoils. These, then, were the things done during this year, among those which we have been able to attain.

Syntax notes3 items

19.104.1οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Δεινοκράτην
The construction 'οἱ περὶ + accusative' literally means 'those around Deinocrates,' but in Hellenistic Greek (Koine), it frequently functions as a periphrasis for the leader himself or 'the group led by Deinocrates.' Here, it denotes the force of exiles commanded by Deinocrates.
19.104.2τὰ κέρατα διειληφότες
Active perfect participle of the verb διαλαμβάνω ('to divide,' 'to share'), literally meaning 'having divided the wings.' It indicates that Deinocrates and Philonides divided the command of the army's left and right wings (κέρατα) between themselves.
19.104.4ὧν ἡμεῖς ἐδυνήθημεν ἐφικέσθαι
The relative pronoun ὧν is attracted into the genitive case required by the verb of the relative clause, ἐφικνέομαι ('to reach,' 'to obtain information about'), with its antecedent omitted. It is a formulaic expression used by the author to refer to 'the historical events which we have been able to access' or investigate.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:19.104.1-19.104.4