Demetrius Stationed in Syria and Antigonus Winters in Phrygia — Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica Book 19 (19.69.1–19.69.3), Greek & English

§19.69.1

Ἀντίγονος δʼ ὁρῶν τὸν Κάσανδρον ἀντεχόμενον τῆς Ἀσίας Δημήτριον μὲν τὸν υἱὸν ἀπέλιπεν ἐν τῇ Συρίᾳ, προστάξας ἐνεδρεύειν τοὺς περὶ Πτολεμαῖον, οὓς ὑπώπτευεν ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου προάξειν μετὰ δυνάμεως ἐπὶ Συρίας, συναπέλιπε δʼ αὐτῷ πεζοὺς μὲν ξένους μυρίους, Μακεδόνας δὲ δισχιλίους, Λυκίους δὲ καὶ Παμφυλίους πεντακοσίους, Πέρσας δὲ τοξότας καὶ σφενδονήτας τετρακοσίους, ἱππεῖς δὲ πεντακισχιλίους, ἐλέφαντας δὲ πλείους τῶν τεσσαράκοντα. παρακατέστησε δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ συμβούλους τέσσαρας, Νέαρχόν τε τὸν Κρῆτα καὶ Πίθωνα τὸν Ἀγήνορος, ὃς καταβεβήκει πρότερον ὀλίγαις ἡμέραις ἐκ Βαβυλῶνος, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις Ἀνδρόνικόν τε τὸν Ὀλύνθιον καὶ Φίλιππον, ἄνδρας πρεσβυτέρους καὶ συνεστρατευκότας Ἀλεξάνδρῳ πᾶσαν τὴν στρατείαν· ἦν γὰρ Δημήτριος ἔτι νέος τὴν ἡλικίαν, ὡς ἂν γεγονὼς¹ ἔτη δύο πρὸς τοῖς εἴκοσιν.

Antigonus, seeing that Cassander was contending for Asia, left his son Demetrius in Syria, ordering him to lie in wait for the party of Ptolemy, whom he suspected would advance from Egypt with an army against Syria. And he left with him ten thousand mercenary infantry, two thousand Macedonians, five hundred Lycians and Pamphylians, four hundred Persian archers and slingers, five thousand cavalry, and more than forty elephants. He also appointed for him four advisers: Nearchus, namely the Cretan, and Pithon the son of Agenor, who had come down from Babylon a few days before, and in addition to these, Andronicus of Olynthus and Philip, men who were older and had campaigned with Alexander through his entire expedition. For Demetrius was still young in years, being, as it were, twenty-two years of age.

§19.69.2

αὐτὸς δὲ τὴν ἄλλην δύναμιν ἀνέλαβε καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ὑπερβάλλων τὸν Ταῦρον καὶ περιπεσὼν χιόνι πολλῇ συχνοὺς ἀπέβαλε τῶν στρατιωτῶν. διὸ καὶ πάλιν ἀναστρέψας εἰς τὴν Κιλικίαν καὶ μεταλαβὼν ἕτερον καιρὸν διεξῆλθε μὲν ἀσφαλέστερον τὸ προειρημένον ὄρος, παραγενόμενος δʼ εἰς Κελαινὰς τῆς Φρυγίας διεῖλε τὸ στρατόπεδον εἰς χειμασίαν.

He himself took the rest of the army, and at first, while crossing the Taurus and encountering heavy snow, lost many of his soldiers. For this reason, turning back again to Cilicia and choosing another season, he traversed the aforementioned mountain more safely; and having arrived at Celaenae in Phrygia, he distributed the army into winter quarters.

§19.69.3

μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τὸν στόλον ἐκ Φοινίκης μετεπέμψατο Μηδίου ναυαρχοῦντος,² ὃς περιτυχὼν ταῖς Πυδναίων ναυσίν, οὔσαις τριάκοντα ἕξ, καὶ καταναυμαχήσας αὐτάνδρων³ τῶν σκαφῶν ἐκυρίευσεν. καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα καὶ τὴν Ἀσίαν ἐν τούτοις ἦν.

After this, he summoned the fleet from Phoenicia under the command of Medius, who, having encountered the ships of the Pydnaeans, thirty-six in number, and having defeated them in a naval battle, captured the vessels with their crews. And the affairs in Greece and Asia were in this state.

Syntax notes3 items

19.69.1ὡς ἂν γεγονὼς
The conjunction ὡς combined with the particle ἄν and the participle (perfect participle γεγονώς) expresses an approximate age or subjective reason ("as being about," "since he was approximately"). It explains the background of Demetrius' youth and lack of experience.
19.69.3Μηδίου ναυαρχοῦντος
A genitive absolute construction, expressing an attendant circumstance or time: "Medius serving as admiral" or "under the command of Medius."
19.69.3αὐτάνδρων
The adjective αὐτάνδρων ("with their crews") modifies the noun τῶν σκαφῶν ("the ships"). The entire phrase is in the genitive case because the governing verb ἐκυρίευσεν ("to get possession of") takes a genitive object.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:19.69.1-19.69.3