Display of Hamilcar's Head and Mutiny after Lyciscus' Murder — Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica Book 20 (20.33.1–20.33.8), Greek & English

§20.33.1

περὶ δὲ τὴν Λιβύην Ἀγαθοκλῆς, ἐπειδὴ κατέπλευσαν οἱ τὴν Ἀμίλκα κεφαλὴν κομίζοντες, ἀναλαβὼν ταύτην καὶ παριππεύσας πλησίον τῆς παρεμβολῆς τῶν πολεμίων εἰς φωνῆς ἀκοὴν¹ ἔδειξε τοῖς πολεμίοις καὶ τὴν τῶν στρατοπέδων ἧτταν διεσάφησεν.

In Libya, Agathocles, when those bringing Hamilcar’s head had sailed into port, took it and, riding on horseback near the enemy’s camp within earshot, showed it to the enemy and made clear the defeat of their armies.

§20.33.2

οἱ δὲ Καρχηδόνιοι περιαλγεῖς γενόμενοι καὶ βαρβαρικῶς προσκυνήσαντες συμφορὰν ἑαυτῶν ἐποιοῦντο τὸν τοῦ βασιλέως θάνατον καὶ πρὸς τὸν ὅλον πόλεμον ἄθυμοι καθειστήκεισαν. οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα² τοῖς περὶ Λιβύην προτερήμασιν ἐπαρθέντες τηλικούτων εὐτυχημάτων προσγενομένων μετέωροι ταῖς ἐλπίσιν ἐγενήθησαν, ὡς ἀπηλλαγμένοι τῶν δεινῶν.

The Carthaginians, being deeply grieved and making prostration in the barbarian fashion, considered the king’s death their own misfortune and became disheartened for the whole war. Agathocles and his followers, elated by their successes in Libya, since such great successes had been added, became buoyant in their expectations, as though they were freed from their dangers.

§20.33.3

οὐ μὴν ἡ τύχη γε εἴασε τὴν εὔροιαν μένειν ἐπὶ τῆς αὐτῆς τάξεως, ἀλλʼ ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων στρατιωτῶν τῷ δυνάστῃ τοὺς μεγίστους ἐπήνεγκε κινδύνους. Λυκίσκος γάρ τις τῶν ἐφʼ ἡγεμονίᾳ τεταγμένων, παραληφθεὶς ὑπʼ Ἀγαθοκλέους ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον, οἰνωθεὶς ἐβλασφήμει τὸν δυνάστην.

Yet Fortune did not allow this smooth flow to remain in the same state, but brought upon the ruler the greatest dangers from among his own soldiers. For a certain Lyciscus, one of those appointed to command, having been invited by Agathocles to dinner, became drunk and began to abuse the ruler.

§20.33.4

ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἀγαθοκλῆς διὰ τὰς ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ χρείας ἀποδεχόμενος τὸν ἄνδρα τῇ παιδιᾷ τὰ πρὸς πικρίαν λεγόμενα³ διέσυρεν· ὁ δʼ υἱὸς Ἀρχάγαθος χαλεπῶς φέρων ἐπετίμα τε καὶ διηπειλεῖτο.

Now Agathocles, accepting the man because of his usefulness in the war, treated with jesting the remarks made with bitterness; but his son Archagathus, taking it ill, rebuked and threatened him.

§20.33.5

διαλυθέντος δὲ τοῦ πότου καὶ πρὸς τὴν σκηνὴν ἀπιόντων ἐλοιδόρησεν ὁ Λυκίσκος τὸν Ἀρχάγαθον εἰς τὴν τῆς μητρυιᾶς μοιχείαν· ἐδόκει γὰρ ἔχειν λάθρᾳ τοῦ πατρὸς τὴν Ἀλκίαν·⁴

When the drinking-party broke up and they were departing to their tents, Lyciscus reviled Archagathus for adultery with his stepmother; for he was thought to have Alcia secretly from his father.

§20.33.6

τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν ὄνομα τῇ γυναικί. ὁ δʼ Ἀρχάγαθος εἰς ὀργὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν προαχθεὶς καὶ παρά τινος τῶν ὑπασπιστῶν ἁρπάσας σιβύνην διήλασε διὰ τῶν πλευρῶν. τοῦτον μὲν οὖν παραχρῆμα τελευτήσαντα πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ἀπήνεγκαν σκηνὴν οἷς ἦν ἐπιμελές· ἅμα δʼ ἡμέρᾳ συνελθόντες οἱ τοῦ φονευθέντος φίλοι καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν ἄλλων στρατιωτῶν συνδραμόντες ἠγανάκτουν ἐπὶ τοῖς πραχθεῖσι καὶ θορύβου τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἐπλήρωσαν.

For this was the woman’s name. But Archagathus, driven into exceeding rage and snatching a spear from one of the bodyguards, drove it through his ribs. When he died instantly, those whose duty it was carried him off to his own tent; but at daybreak, the friends of the murdered man assembled and many of the other soldiers ran together, being indignant at what had been done, and filled the camp with clamor.

§20.33.7

πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐφʼ ἡγεμονίαις τεταγμένων, ἐν ἐγκλήμασιν ὄντες καὶ φοβούμενοι περὶ σφῶν αὐτῶν, συνεπιθέμενοι τῷ καιρῷ στάσιν οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν ἐξέκαυσαν. παντὸς δὲ τοῦ στρατεύματος μισοπονηροῦντος ἕκαστοι τὰς πανοπλίας ἀνελάμβανον ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ φονεύσαντος τιμωρίαν· καὶ πέρας τὸ πλῆθος ᾤετο δεῖν Ἀρχάγαθον ἀναιρεῖσθαι, μὴ ἐκδιδόντος δὲ τὸν υἱὸν Ἀγαθοκλέους⁵ αὐτὸν ἀντʼ ἐκείνου τὴν τιμωρίαν ὑπέχειν.

And many of those appointed to commands, being under accusation and fearing for themselves, joined in utilizing the opportunity and kindled no ordinary mutiny. Since the whole army hated the crime, each man took up his full armor to punish the murderer; and finally the multitude thought that Archagathus should be put to death, and that if Agathocles did not give up his son, he himself should suffer punishment in his stead.

§20.33.8

ἀπῄτουν δὲ καὶ τοὺς μισθοὺς τοὺς ὀφειλομένους καὶ στρατηγοὺς ᾑροῦντο τοὺς ἀφηγησομένους τοῦ στρατοπέδου καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον τὰ τείχη κατελαμβάνοντό τινες τοῦ Τύνητος καὶ πανταχόθεν φυλακαῖς περιέλαβον τοὺς δυνάστας.

They also demanded the wages owed to them and chose generals to lead the army, and finally some seized the walls of Tunis and surrounded the rulers on all sides with guards.

Syntax notes5 items

20.33.1εἰς φωνῆς ἀκοὴν
The noun ἀκοή means "hearing". The prepositional phrase with the accusative, εἰς φωνῆς ἀκοήν, functions adverbially to mean "within earshot" or "within the range of a voice being heard."
20.33.2οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα
The idiomatic expression οἱ περί τινα here refers not just to Agathocles himself but to "Agathocles and his followers" or "Agathocles and his forces."
20.33.4τὰ πρὸς πικρίαν λεγόμενα
The preposition πρὸς with the accusative noun πικρίαν expresses the manner or intent ("with bitterness"), making the entire phrase mean "the remarks made in a bitter or hostile manner."
20.33.5ἐδόκει γὰρ ἔχειν λάθρᾳ τοῦ πατρὸς τὴν Ἀλκίαν
The verb ἔχειν here has the sexual nuance of "having a relationship with" or "keeping as a mistress." The adverb λάθρᾳ governs the genitive τοῦ πατρὸς, meaning "secretly from his father."
20.33.7μὴ ἐκδιδόντος δὲ τὸν υἱὸν Ἀγαθοκλέους
A genitive absolute construction. The negative particle μὴ implies a conditional force, meaning "if Agathocles should not surrender his son."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:20.33.1-20.33.8