- 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-grc6:20.62.1-20.62.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-07
Agathocles secured naval supremacy through an unexpected victory, relieving Syracuse's food shortage. He then dispatched Leptines to Agrigentine territory, where Leptines defeated the forces of Xenodocus, who was weakened by internal political strife.
Ἀγαθοκλῆς μὲν οὖν οὐδʼ ἐλπίδας ἔχων τοῦ κατὰ θάλατταν περιέσεσθαί ποτε Καρχηδονίων1 ἐνίκησε ναυμαχίᾳ παραδόξως καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν θαλασσοκρατῶν παρείχετο τοῖς ἐμπόροις τὴν ἀσφάλειαν. διόπερ οἱ Συρακόσιοι, πάντοθεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς κομιζομένης ἀγορᾶς, ἀντὶ τῆς τῶν ἐπιτηδείων σπάνεως ταχέως πάντων ἔσχον δαψίλειαν.
Agathocles, then, although not even having hopes of ever prevailing over the Carthaginians by sea, won the naval battle unexpectedly, and thereafter, ruling the sea, provided safety to the merchants. Therefore the Syracusans, since provisions were being brought to them from all sides, quickly had an abundance of all things instead of the scarcity of necessaries.
ὁ δὲ δυνάστης μετεωρισθεὶς τῷ γεγονότι προτερήματι Λεπτίνην ἐξαπέστειλε λεηλατήσοντα τὴν πολεμίαν καὶ μάλιστα τὴν Ἀκραγαντίνην. ὁ γὰρ Ξενόδοκος διὰ τὴν γεγενημένην ἧτταν βλασφημούμενος ὑπὸ τῶν ἀντιπολιτευομένων ἐστασίαζε πρὸς αὐτούς.
But the ruler, elated by the victory that had occurred, sent Leptines out to ravage the enemy territory, especially that of Agrigentum. For Xenodocus, being slandered by his political opponents because of the defeat that had occurred, was in conflict with them.
παρήγγειλε μὲν οὖν τῷ Λεπτίνῃ πειρᾶσθαι προκαλέσασθαι τὸν ἄνδρα πρὸς τὴν μάχην· ῥᾳδίως γὰρ προτερήσειν2 ὡς στασιαζούσης δυνάμεως καὶ προηττημένης.
Accordingly, he ordered Leptines to try to challenge the man to battle; for [he said] he would easily prevail, since the force was in discord and had already been defeated.
ὅπερ καὶ συνετελέσθη· ὁ μὲν γὰρ Λεπτίνης ἐμβαλὼν εἰς τὴν Ἀκραγαντίνην τὴν χώραν ἐδῄου, ὁ δὲ Ξενόδοκος τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἡσυχίαν εἶχεν, οὐ νομίζων αὑτὸν ἀξιόμαχον εἶναι, ὀνειδιζόμενος δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν πολιτῶν εἰς δειλίαν προήγαγε τὴν στρατιάν, τῷ μὲν ἀριθμῷ βραχὺ λειπομένην τῶν ἐναντίων, τῇ δʼ ἀρετῇ πολὺ καταδεεστέραν οὖσαν, ὡς ἂν τῆς μὲν πολιτικῆς ἐν ἀνέσει καὶ σκιατραφίᾳ γεγενημένης,3 τῆς δʼ ἐν ἀγραυλίᾳ καὶ συνεχέσι στρατείαις γεγυμνασμένης.
Which indeed was accomplished; for Leptines, invading the Agrigentine territory, ravaged the country, while Xenodocus at first remained quiet, not thinking himself a match for them, but, being reproached by the citizens for cowardice, led out his army, which fell short of the opponents by only a little in number, but was far inferior in valor, inasmuch as the citizen force had been brought up in ease and shade, while the other had been trained in open-air life and continuous campaigns.
διὸ καὶ μάχης γενομένης οἱ περὶ τὸν Λεπτίνην ταχὺ τοὺς Ἀκραγαντίνους τρεψάμενοι συνεδίωξαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν· ἔπεσον δʼ ἐπὶ τῆς παρατάξεως τῶν ἡττηθέντων πεζοὶ μὲν περὶ πεντακοσίους, ἱππεῖς δὲ πλείω τῶν πεντήκοντα. εἶθʼ οἱ μὲν Ἀκραγαντῖνοι δυσφοροῦντες ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐλαττώμασιν ἐν αἰτίαις εἶχον τὸν Ξενόδοκον, ὡς δι’ ἐκεῖνον δὶς ἡττημένοι· ὁ δὲ φοβηθεὶς τὰς ἐπιφερομένας εὐθύνας καὶ κρίσεις ἀπεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν Γέλαν.
Therefore, when battle was joined, Leptines and his men quickly routed the Agrigentines and pursued them into the city; and there fell on the battleline of the defeated about five hundred infantry and more than fifty cavalry. Then the Agrigentines, bearing their defeats with difficulty, held Xenodocus in blame, as if they had been twice defeated because of him; but he, fearing the pending accountability and trials, withdrew to Gela.
- 20.62.1Καρχηδονίων
Genitive of comparison governed by the verb περιέσεσθαί (future infinitive of περιγίγνομαι, "to prevail over, overcome").
- 20.62.3προτερήσειν
Infinitive in indirect discourse. It expresses the content of the command (or the thoughts of Agathocles) introduced by παρήγγειλε, with the subject (Leptines) omitted in the accusative.
- 20.62.4ὡς ἂν τῆς μὲν πολιτικῆς ... γεγενημένης
Genitive absolute with ὡς ἄν. Rather than a conditional clause with the subjunctive, it presents a subjective reason or hypothetical comparison based on real circumstances ("inasmuch as," "as though").