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Bibliotheca Historica

§20.18.1-20.18.3

Agathocles' Relief of Tunis and Defeat of Ailymas

Upon learning of the Carthaginian siege of Tunis, Agathocles quickly returned and delivered a major blow to the enemy via a surprise dawn attack. He also defeated and killed the revolted Libyan king Ailymas, recovering his dominance.

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§20.18.1

ἀναζεύξαντος οὖν αὐτοῦ καὶ πλείους ἡμέρας ὁδοιποροῦντος Καρχηδόνιοι τὴν ἐκ Σικελίας διακομισθεῖσαν δύναμιν καὶ τὴν ἄλλην στρατιὰν προαγαγόντες πάλιν τὸν Τύνητα πολιορκεῖν ἐπεχείρησαν καὶ τῶν χωρίων οὐκ ὀλίγα τῶν ὑπὸ τοὺς πολεμίους ὄντων ἀνεκτήσαντο. Ἀγαθοκλῆς δέ, βιβλιαφόρων αὐτῷ παραγεγενημένων ἀπὸ τοῦ Τύνητος καὶ τὰ πεπραγμένα τοῖς Φοίνιξι1 διασαφούντων, εὐθὺς ἀνέστρεψεν.

​Therefore, when he had set out and had been marching for several days, the Carthaginians, having led forward the force transported from Sicily and the other army, attempted again to besiege Tunis and recovered not a few of the places that were under the enemy’s control. But Agathocles, when letter-carriers had come to him from Tunis and made clear the things done by the Phoenicians, immediately turned back.

§20.18.2

ὡς δʼ ἀπέσχε τῶν πολεμίων σταδίους διακοσίους, κατεστρατοπέδευσε καὶ τοῖς στρατιώταις πυρὰ κάειν ἀπηγόρευσεν. χρησάμενος δὲ νυκτοπορίᾳ προσέπεσεν ἅμʼ ἡμέρᾳ τοῖς τε προνομεύουσι τὴν χώραν καὶ τοῖς ἐκτὸς τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἄνευ τάξεως πλανωμένοις καὶ φονεύσας μὲν ὑπὲρ δισχιλίους, ζωγρήσας δʼ οὐκ ὀλίγους πολλὰ πρὸς τὸ μέλλον ἐπλεονέκτησεν.2

​And when he was two hundred stades away from the enemy, he encamped and forbade his soldiers to burn campfires. Having made a night march, he fell upon those plundering the countryside and those wandering outside the camp without order at daybreak, and having slain over two thousand and taken not a few alive, he gained a great advantage for the future.

§20.18.3

οἱ γὰρ Καρχηδόνιοι τῆς ἐκ Σικελίας προσγενομένης βοηθείας καὶ τῶν κατὰ Λιβύην συμμάχων συναγωνιζομένων ἐδόκουν ὑπερέχειν τῶν περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα· τούτου δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ προτερήματος γενομένου3 πάλιν συνεστάλη τὰ φρονήματα τῶν βαρβάρων. καὶ γὰρ Αἰλύμαν τὸν βασιλέα τῶν Λιβύων ἀποστάτην γενόμενον ἐνίκησεν μάχῃ καὶ τόν τε δυνάστην καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν βαρβάρων ἀνεῖλεν. καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ Σικελίαν καὶ Λιβύην ἐν τούτοις ἦν.

​For the Carthaginians, because of the assistance arrived from Sicily and their Libyan allies fighting alongside them, seemed to have the upper hand over those with Agathocles; but when this advantage occurred, the spirits of the barbarians were again dampened. For he also defeated in battle Ailymas, the king of the Libyans who had revolted, and slew both the ruler and many of the barbarians. And the affairs concerning Sicily and Libya were in this state.

Syntax notes3 items
  1. 20.18.1τοῖς Φοίνιξι

    Dative of agent, functioning with the passive participle τὰ πεπραγμένα to mean 'the things done by the Phoenicians (i.e., Carthaginians)'.

  2. 20.18.2πολλὰ πρὸς τὸ μέλλον ἐπλεονέκτησεν

    πολλὰ is an adverbial accusative meaning 'greatly'. The verb πλεονεκτέω means 'to gain an advantage' or 'to have the upper hand', indicating that Agathocles secured a major strategic advantage for the future through this successful night raid.

  3. 20.18.3τούτου δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ προτερήματος γενομένου

    Genitive absolute. τούτου refers back to either the victory or Agathocles himself. The idiom γίγνομαι ἐπί + genitive means 'to come into possession of' or 'to achieve (an advantage/victory)', meaning here 'when this advantage [victory] had been gained'.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:20.18.1-20.18.3