Defeat of Antigonus at the Coprates River — Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica Book 19 (19.18.1–19.18.7), Greek & English

§19.18.1

τῶν δὲ περὶ τὸν Εὐμενῆ καὶ Πευκέστην ταῦτα διοικούντων¹ Ἀντίγονος, ἐπειδὴ προάγων μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως ἧκεν εἰς Σοῦσα τὸ βασίλειον, Σέλευκον μὲν ἀπέδειξε τῆς χώρας σατράπην καὶ δοὺς αὐτῷ στρατιώτας προσέταξε πολιορκεῖν τὴν ἄκραν ἀπειθοῦντος Ξενοφίλου τοῦ θησαυροφύλακος,² αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἀνέζευξεν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους, οὔσης τῆς ὁδοῦ καυματώδους καὶ παντελῶς ἐπικινδύνου ξενικαῖς δυνάμεσι διελθεῖν.³ διὸ καὶ τὰς πορείας ἠναγκάζοντο νυκτὸς ποιεῖσθαι καὶ στρατοπεδεύεσθαι περὶ τὸν ποταμὸν πρὶν ἥλιον ἀνατέλλειν.

While Eumenes and Peucestas were managing these matters, Antigonus, when he had arrived at Susa the royal seat, advancing with his force, appointed Seleucus satrap of the region, and giving him soldiers, ordered him to besiege the citadel since Xenophilus the treasurer was disobedient; but he himself set out with his army against the enemy, the road being burning hot and altogether dangerous for foreign forces to pass through. For this reason, they were compelled to make their marches by night and to encamp near the river before the sun rose.

§19.18.2

οὐ μὴν ἠδυνήθη γε κατὰ πάντα ἄθικτος γενέσθαι τῶν κατὰ τὴν χώραν κακῶν, ἀλλὰ καίπερ ἐνδεχομένως ἅπαντα πράξας συχνοὺς ἀπέβαλε τῶν στρατιωτῶν διὰ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τοῦ καύματος, ἅτε καὶ τῆς ὥρας οὔσης περὶ κυνὸς ἀνατολάς.

Yet he was not able to remain entirely untouched by the hardships of the region, but although he did everything as far as possible, he lost many of his soldiers because of the excessive heat, since the season also was about the rising of the Dog Star.

§19.18.3

ἐπεὶ δὲ παρεγενήθη πρὸς τὸν Κοπράτην ποταμόν, τὰ πρὸς τὴν διάβασιν παρεσκευάζετο. οὗτος δὲ ἔκ τινος ὀρεινῆς ῥέων ἐξέπιπτεν εἰς τὸν Πασιτίγριν, ὃς ἀπεῖχε τῆς Εὐμενοῦς στρατοπεδείας σταδίους ὀγδοήκοντα καὶ τὸ μὲν πλάτος εἶχεν ὡς ἂν τεσσάρων πλέθρων,⁴ ὀξὺς δὲ ὢν ἐν τῇ καταφορᾷ προσεδεῖτο πλοίων ἢ ζεύγματος.

When he arrived at the Coprates River, he prepared the things for the crossing. This river, flowing from a certain mountainous country, emptied into the Pasitigris, which was eighty stadia distant from the camp of Eumenes; and it had a width of about four plethra, and being swift in its descent, it required boats or a bridge.

§19.18.4

καταλαβὼν δʼ ὀλίγα πλοῖα κοντωτὰ διεβίβασεν ἐν τούτοις τινὰς τῶν πεζῶν, προστάξας τάφρον ὀρύττειν καὶ χάρακα βαλομένους ὑποδέχεσθαι τὴν λοιπὴν δύναμιν. Εὐμενὴς δὲ πυθόμενος παρὰ τῶν κατασκόπων τὴν ἐπιβολὴν τῶν πολεμίων, διαβὰς τὸ ζεῦγμα τοῦ Τίγριδος μετὰ στρατιωτῶν μὲν πεζῶν τετρακισχιλίων, ἱππέων δὲ χιλίων τριακοσίων κατέλαβε διαβεβηκότας⁵ τῶν Ἀντιγόνου πεζοὺς μὲν πλείους τῶν τρισχιλίων, ἱππεῖς δὲ τετρακοσίους καὶ τῶν εἰωθότων σποράδην διαβαίνειν ἐπὶ τὰς προνομὰς οὐκ ἐλάττους ἑξακισχιλίων.

Having found a few punts, he sent some of the infantry across in these, ordering them to dig a trench and throw up a palisade to receive the rest of the force. But Eumenes, having learned of the attempt of the enemy from his scouts, crossed the bridge of the Tigris with four thousand infantry and thirteen hundred cavalry, and surprised those of Antigonus’ men who had already crossed, being more than three thousand infantry, four hundred cavalry, and no fewer than six thousand of those accustomed to cross in scattered groups for foraging.

§19.18.5

ἄφνω δὲ προσπεσὼν τεθορυβημένοις τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους εὐθὺς ἐτρέψατο, τῶν δὲ Μακεδόνων τοὺς ὑποστάντας τῇ βίᾳ καὶ τῷ πλήθει κατισχύσας φυγεῖν εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν πάντας κατηνάγκασε.

Falling suddenly upon them while they were in confusion, he immediately routed the others, and overpowering those of the Macedonians who resisted by force and numbers, he compelled them all to flee into the river.

§19.18.6

πάντων δὲ ὁρμησάντων ἐπὶ τὰ πλοῖα ταῦτα μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἐπιβάντων κατεποντίσθη, τῶν δὲ διανήχεσθαι τολμησάντων οἱ πλεῖστοι μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ ῥεύματος παρενεχθέντες διεφθάρησαν, ὀλίγοι δὲ διεσώθησαν.

Since everyone rushed to the boats, these were sunk by the multitude of those who embarked, and of those who dared to swim across, most were swept away by the current and perished, while only a few were saved.

§19.18.7

οἱ δὲ ἄπειροι τοῦ κολυμβᾶν ὄντες τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τῆς ἐν τῷ ποταμῷ τελευτῆς προκρίναντες ἥλωσαν, εἰς τετρακισχιλίους ὄντες. Ἀντίγονος δὲ θεωρῶν τοσοῦτο πλῆθος ἀπολλύμενον βοηθῆσαι μὲν οὐκ ἴσχυσε διὰ⁶

Those who were unable to swim, preferring captivity to death in the river, surrendered, being about four thousand in number. But Antigonus, though beholding so great a multitude perishing, was unable to help because of

Syntax notes6 items

19.18.1τῶν δὲ περὶ τὸν Εὐμενῆ καὶ Πευκέστην ταῦτα διοικούντων
Genitive absolute construction expressing parallel action by a different subject (Eumenes, Peucestas, and their followers) than that of the main clause (Antigonus).
19.18.1ἀπειθοῦντος Ξενοφίλου τοῦ θησαυροφύλακος
Genitive absolute construction indicating the reason ("since Xenophilus the treasurer was disobedient").
19.18.1ξενικαῖς δυνάμεσι διελθεῖν
The dative ξενικαῖς δυνάμεσι depends on the adjective ἐπικινδύνου ("dangerous for..."), while the infinitive διελθεῖν limits the adjective, expressing the action to be performed ("to pass through").
19.18.3ὡς ἂν τεσσάρων πλέθρων
The particle combination ὡς ἄν used with numerals or measurements indicates an approximation ("about", "approximately").
19.18.4κατέλαβε διαβεβηκότας
The verb καταλαμβάνω is here constructed with a participle in the accusative (διαβεβηκότας) to mean "surprised them while they had already crossed" or "found them in the state of having crossed."
19.18.7βοηθῆσαι μὲν οὐκ ἴσχυσε διὰ
The sentence abruptly ends with the preposition διὰ, indicating a lacuna in the manuscript tradition. The translation preserves this incomplete structure.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:19.18.1-19.18.7