- Source
- Diodorus Siculus. Diodori Bibliotheca Historica. Vols. 4-5 (partial). Bekker, Immanuel; Dindorf, Ludwig; Fischer, Curt Theodor; editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1903-1906.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
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- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:20.23.1-20.23.8
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-07
After their defeat, Aripharnes and Eumelus retreat to a well-fortified palace, which Satyrus besieges by clearing the surrounding forest. However, Satyrus is mortally wounded during the assault and dies, prompting the mercenary leader Meniscus to lift the siege and retreat.
οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἀριφάρνην καὶ τὸν Εὔμηλον λειφθέντες ἐν τῇ μάχῃ συνέφυγον εἰς τὰ βασίλεια. ταῦτα δʼ ἔκειτο μὲν παρὰ τὸν Θάτην ποταμόν, ὃς περιρρέων αὐτὰ καὶ βάθος ἔχων ἱκανὸν ἐποίει δυσπρόσιτα, περιείχετο δὲ κρημνοῖς μεγάλοις, ἔτι δʼ ὕλης πλήθει, τὰς πάσας εἰσβολὰς δύο ἔχοντα1 χειροποιήτους, ὧν ἡ μὲν ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς βασιλείοις, ὠχυρωμένη πύργοις ὑψηλοῖς καὶ προτειχίσμασιν, ἡ δʼ ἐκ θατέρου μέρους ἐν ἕλεσιν ὑπῆρχε, φρουρουμένη ξυλίνοις ἐρύμασι, διεστύλωτο δὲ δοκοῖς, ὑπεράνω δὲ τῶν ὑδάτων εἶχε τὰς οἰκήσεις. τοιαύτης δʼ οὔσης τῆς περὶ τὸν τόπον ὀχυρότητος τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ὁ Σάτυρος τήν τε χώραν τῶν πολεμίων ἐδῄωσε καὶ τὰς κώμας ἐνεπύρισεν, ἐξ ὧν αἰχμάλωτα σώματα καὶ λείας πλῆθος ἤθροισε.
Those under Aripharnes and Eumelus, having been defeated in the battle, fled together to the palace. This was situated by the river Thatis, which, flowing around it and having sufficient depth, made it difficult of approach; and it was enclosed by great cliffs, and furthermore by a great abundance of forest, having in all only two hand-made entrances. Of these, one was within the palace itself, fortified with high towers and outworks, while the other was on the opposite side in the marshes, guarded by wooden breastworks, propped up with beams, and having its dwellings above the water. Since the strength of the place was of such a kind, Satyrus at first plundered the territory of the enemy and set fire to the villages, from which he gathered captives and a great quantity of booty.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐγχειρήσας διὰ τῶν παρόδων βιάζεσθαι, κατὰ μὲν τὸ προτείχισμα καὶ τοὺς πύργους πολλοὺς ἀποβαλὼν τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἀπεχώρησε, κατὰ δὲ τὰ ἕλη βιασάμενος ἐκράτησε τῶν ξυλίνων φρουρίων.
After this, having attempted to force his way through the passages, on the side of the outwork and the towers he withdrew after losing many of his soldiers, but on the side of the marshes he forced his way through and captured the wooden forts.
ταῦτα δὲ διαρπάσας καὶ διαβὰς τὸν ποταμὸν ἤρξατο κόπτειν τὴν ὕλην, διʼ ἧς ἀναγκαῖον ἦν ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ βασίλεια. τούτων δὲ ἐνεργῶς συντελουμένων Ἀριφάρνης ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀγωνιάσας μὴ κατὰ κράτος ἁλῶναι συμβῇ τὴν ἀκρόπολιν,2 διηγωνίζετο τολμηρότερον, ὡς ἐν μόνῳ τῷ νικᾶν κειμένης τῆς σωτηρίας.
Having plundered these and crossed the river, he began to cut down the forest through which it was necessary to go to reach the palace. While these things were being actively carried out, King Aripharnes, anxious lest the stronghold should be taken by storm, fought on more boldly, believing that safety lay only in victory.
διείλετο δὲ καὶ τοὺς τοξότας ἐπʼ ἀμφότερα τὰ μέρη τῆς παρόδου, διʼ ὧν ῥᾳδίως κατετίτρωσκε τοὺς τὴν ὕλην κόπτοντας, μὴ δυναμένους3 μήτε προορᾶσθαι τὰ βέλη μήτʼ ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς βάλλοντας διὰ τὴν πυκνότητα τῶν δένδρων.
He also posted his archers on both sides of the passage, through whom he easily wounded those who were cutting the forest, since they were unable either to see the arrows beforehand or to defend themselves against those who were shooting them because of the density of the trees.
οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Σάτυρον ἐπὶ τρεῖς μὲν ἡμέρας ἔτεμνον τὴν ὕλην, ὁδοποιούμενοι καὶ διακαρτεροῦντες ἐπιπόνως· τῇ δὲ τετάρτῃ συνήγγισαν μὲν τῷ τείχει, νικώμενοι δὲ τῷ πλήθει τῶν βελῶν καὶ τῇ τῶν τόπων στενοχωρίᾳ μεγάλοις ἐλαττώμασι περιέπιπτον.
Those about Satyrus for three days cut down the forest, making a road and enduring with great labor; but on the fourth day they drew near the wall, yet, being overcome by the multitude of the missiles and the narrowness of the places, they met with great reverses.
Μενίσκος μὲν γὰρ ὁ τῶν μισθοφόρων ἡγεμών, ἀνὴρ καὶ συνέσει καὶ τόλμῃ διαφέρων, προσπεσὼν διὰ τῆς διόδου πρὸς τὸ τεῖχος καὶ μετὰ τῶν περὶ ἑαυτὸν λαμπρῶς ἀγωνισάμενος ἐξεβιάσθη, πολλαπλασίων ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἐπεξελθόντων.
For Meniscus, the leader of the mercenaries, a man outstanding in both intelligence and courage, having rushed through the passage against the wall and having fought brilliantly with those about him, was forced back when far greater numbers sallied out against him.
ὃν ἰδὼν ὁ Σάτυρος κινδυνεύοντα ταχέως παρεβοήθει καὶ τὴν ἐπιφορὰν τῶν πολεμίων ὑποστὰς ἐτρώθη λόγχῃ διὰ τοῦ βραχίονος καὶ κακῶς ἀπαλλάττων ὑπὸ τοῦ τραύματος4 ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν καὶ νυκτὸς ἐπιγενομένης ἐξέλιπε τὸν βίον, ἐννέα μόνον μῆνας βασιλεύσας μετὰ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς τελευτὴν Παρυσάδου.
Satyrus, seeing him in danger, quickly went to his rescue, and having withstood the onset of the enemy, he was wounded through the arm with a spear; and being in a bad way from the wound, he returned to the camp, and when night came on, he departed this life, having reigned for only nine months after the death of his father Parysades.
Μενίσκος δʼ ὁ τῶν μισθοφόρων ἡγεμὼν λύσας τὴν πολιορκίαν ἀπήγαγε τὴν δύναμιν εἰς Γάργαζαν πόλιν κἀκεῖθεν τὸ τοῦ βασιλέως σῶμα διὰ τοῦ ποταμοῦ διεκόμισεν εἰς Παντικάπαιον πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν Πρύτανιν.
Meniscus, the leader of the mercenaries, having raised the siege, led the army away to the city of Gargaza, and from there he conveyed the king’s body by way of the river to Panticapaeum to his brother Prytanis.
- 20.23.1ἔχοντα
A neuter plural present participle modifying the preceding neuter plural subject ταῦτα (referring to τὰ βασίλεια). It functions as an appositive or supplementary participle describing the subject of περιείχετο.
- 20.23.3ἀγωνιάσας μὴ κατὰ κράτος ἁλῶναι συμβῇ τὴν ἀκρόπολιν
The aorist participle ἀγωνιάσας (from ἀγωνιάω, 'to be anxious/fear') introduces a clause of fearing with μή and the subjunctive συμβῇ ('lest it should happen'), which in turn takes the infinitive ἁλῶναι (from ἁλίσκομαι, 'to be captured') and its adverbial phrase κατὰ κράτος ('by storm/by force').
- 20.23.4μὴ δυναμένους
The accusative plural participle δυναμένους modifies the preceding accusative phrase τοὺς τὴν ὕλην κόπτοντας ('those cutting the forest'), indicating the circumstantial or causal state of their being unable to see or defend themselves due to the density of the trees.
- 20.23.7κακῶς ἀπαλλάττων ὑπὸ τοῦ τραύματος
The phrase κακῶς ἀπαλλάττω with the present participle ἀπαλλάττων is an idiomatic expression meaning 'to be in a bad state / to suffer severely' regarding physical health, with the preposition ὑπό followed by the genitive τοῦ τραύματος indicating the cause (the wound).
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — source 1