Resolution of Command Rivalry and Preparations of Both Armies — Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica Book 19 (19.15.1–19.15.6), Greek & English

§19.15.1

ἐπεὶ δὲ παρεγενήθησαν εἰς τὴν Σουσιανὴν πρὸς τοὺς περὶ τὸν Εὐμενῆ, συνήγαγον ἐκκλησίαν κοινήν, ἐν ᾗ πολλὴν συνέβη γενέσθαι φιλοτιμίαν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡγεμονίας. Πευκέστης μὲν γὰρ διά τε τὸ πλῆθος τῶν συναγωνιζομένων καὶ τὴν παρʼ Ἀλεξάνδρου προαγωγὴν ἑαυτὸν ᾤετο δεῖν ἔχειν¹ τὴν τῶν πάντων ἡγεμονίαν, Ἀντιγένης δὲ τῶν ἀργυρασπίδων Μακεδόνων στρατηγῶν ἔφη δεῖν δοθῆναι τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῆς αἱρέσεως τοῖς μετʼ αὐτοῦ Μακεδόσιν, συγκαταπεπολεμηκόσιν Ἀλεξάνδρῳ τὴν Ἀσίαν καὶ γεγονόσι διὰ τὰς ἀρετὰς ἀνικήτοις.

When they arrived in Susiana and met with Eumenes and his followers, they called a general assembly, in which it happened that there was great rivalry for the supreme command. For Peucestas, because of both the large number of his fellow-combatants and his promotion by Alexander, thought that he himself ought to have the command of the whole army, while Antigenes, the commander of the Macedonian Silver Shields, said that the power of choice should be given to the Macedonians who were with him, who had fought through Asia with Alexander and had become invincible through their bravery.

§19.15.3

Εὐμενὴς δὲ φοβούμενος μὴ διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους στάσιν εὐχείρωτοι κατασταθῶσιν Ἀντιγόνῳ, συνεβούλευεν ἕνα μὲν μὴ καθιστᾶν ἡγεμόνα, πάντας δὲ τοὺς προκεκριμένους ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους σατράπας καὶ στρατηγοὺς εἰς τὴν βασιλικὴν αὐλὴν συνιόντας καθʼ ἡμέραν βουλεύεσθαι κοινῇ περὶ τῶν συμφερόντων·

But Eumenes, fearing lest because of their dispute with one another they should become an easy prey to Antigonus, advised them not to appoint a single leader, but that all the satraps and generals who had been preferred by the multitude should meet daily in the royal tent and deliberate in common on their mutual interests.

§19.15.4

ἕστατο γὰρ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ τετελευτηκότι² σκηνὴ καὶ κατὰ ταύτην θρόνος, πρὸς ᾧ θύοντες εἰώθεισαν συνεδρεύειν περὶ τῶν κατεπειγόντων. πάντων δὲ διασημαινομένων τὸ ῥηθὲν ὡς συμφέρον εἰρημένον συνῆγε καθʼ ἡμέραν συνέδριον οἷόν τινος δημοκρατουμένης πόλεως.

For a tent had been erected for the deceased Alexander, and in it a throne, before which they were accustomed to offer sacrifice and to hold council concerning urgent matters. Since everyone agreed to what had been said as being useful, he convened a daily council like that of a democratic state.

§19.15.5

μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα παρελθόντων αὐτῶν εἰς Σοῦσα παρὰ τῶν θησαυροφυλακούντων Εὐμενὴς ἔλαβε χρημάτων πλῆθος ὅσον ἦν ἱκανὸν εἰς τὰς χρείας· μόνῳ γὰρ τούτῳ διὰ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν οἱ βασιλεῖς συνετετάχεισαν διδόναι καθʼ ὅ, τι ἂν αὐτὸς προαιρῆται. μισθοδοτήσας δὲ τοὺς Μακεδόνας εἰς ἓξ μῆνας Εὐδάμῳ τῷ τοὺς ἐλέφαντας καταγαγόντι τοὺς ἐκ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς ἔδωκε διακόσια τάλαντα, τῷ μὲν λόγῳ πρὸς τὰς τῶν θηρίων δαπάνας, τῷ δʼ ἔργῳ διὰ τῆς δωρεᾶς ταύτης θεραπεύων τὸν ἄνδρα· ᾧ γὰρ ἂν τῶν στασιαζόντων οὗτος προσθοῖτο, μεγίστην ἐποιεῖτο ῥοπήν,³ καταπληκτικῆς οὔσης τῆς τῶν θηρίων χρείας. τῶν δʼ ἄλλων σατραπῶν ἕκαστος ἔτρεφε τοὺς ἐκ τῆς ὑφʼ ἑαυτὸν χώρας συνηκολουθηκότας.

After this, when they had entered Susa, Eumenes received from the guardians of the treasury a sum of money sufficient for their needs; for to him alone through their letters the kings had commanded them to give whatever he himself might choose. Having paid the Macedonians their wages for six months, he gave two hundred talents to Eudamus, who had brought the elephants from India, ostensibly for the expenses of the beasts, but in reality courting the man by means of this gift. For to whichever of the rivals this man should attach himself, he would bring the greatest weight, since the usefulness of the beasts was formidable. Each of the other satraps supported the men who had accompanied him from his own country.

§19.15.6

Εὐμενὴς μὲν οὖν ἐν τῇ Σουσιανῇ διατρίβων ἀνελάμβανε τὴν δύναμιν, Ἀντίγονος δὲ παραχειμάσας ἐν τῇ Μεσοποταμίᾳ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον διενοήθη τοὺς περὶ τὸν Εὐμενῆ διώκειν ἐκ ποδὸς πρὶν αὐξηθῆναι,⁴ ὡς δʼ ἤκουσε τοὺς σατράπας καὶ τὰς μετʼ αὐτῶν δυνάμεις συνεληλυθυίας τοῖς Μακεδόσιν, ἐπέσχε τὴν σπουδὴν καὶ τήν τε δύναμιν ἀνελάμβανε καὶ προσκατέγραφε στρατιώτας· ἑώρα γὰρ τὸν πόλεμον μεγάλων στρατοπέδων καὶ παρασκευῆς οὐ τῆς τυχούσης προσδεόμενον.

While Eumenes, therefore, was staying in Susiana and recruiting his forces, Antigonus, having wintered in Mesopotamia, at first intended to pursue Eumenes and his men closely before they could grow stronger; but when he heard that the satraps and the forces with them had united with the Macedonians, he checked his haste, and began to recruit his own forces and to enlist additional soldiers; for he saw that the war demanded large armies and no ordinary preparation.

Syntax notes4 items

19.15.2ἑαυτὸν ᾤετο δεῖν ἔχειν
The accusative reflexive pronoun ἑαυτόν functions as the subject of the infinitive phrase (δεῖν ... ἔχειν), referring back to the subject of the main verb ᾤετο (Peucestas).
19.15.4Ἀλεξάνδρῳ τετελευτηκότι
The dative case Ἀλεξάνδρῳ with the perfect participle τετελευτηκότι functions as a dative of interest (commodi) or dative of possession, indicating that the tent was erected and maintained "for the deceased Alexander" (in his honor or memory).
19.15.5ᾧ γὰρ ἂν τῶν στασιαζόντων οὗτος προσθοῖτο, μεγίστην ἐποιεῖτο ῥοπήν
The relative pronoun ᾧ with the particle ἄν and the optative προσθοῖτο (from προστίθημι) expresses a past general condition. It corresponds with the imperfect verb ἐποιεῖτο in the main clause, describing a past rule or state: "whomever among the rivals this man should join, he would bring the greatest weight."
19.15.6πρὶν αὐξηθῆναι
When the conjunction πρίν is introduced by an affirmative main clause (the intention διενοήθη), it takes an infinitive (here the aorist passive infinitive αὐξηθῆναι) and means "before doing something" or "before they should grow stronger."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:19.15.1-19.15.6