- 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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- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:20.68.1-20.68.4
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-06
Due to the revolt of the Libyans and lack of forces, Agathocles decides to escape Libya secretly with a few men, but he is captured by his soldiers after being betrayed by his son Archagathus.
Ἀγαθοκλῆς δέ, μετὰ τὴν γενομένην ἀτυχίαν τῶν μὲν Λιβύων ἁπάντων ἀποστάντων ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, τῆς δὲ ὑπολειπομένης δυνάμεως ἀδυνατούσης1 διαπολεμεῖν πρὸς τοὺς Καρχηδονίους διέγνω τὴν Λιβύην ἐκλιπεῖν. διακομίσαι δὲ τοὺς στρατιώτας οὐχ ὑπελάμβανεν δυνήσεσθαι διὰ τὸ μήτε πόρια παρεσκευάσθαι μήτε τοὺς Καρχηδονίους ἐπιτρέψαι ποτʼ ἂν θαλασσοκρατοῦντας.2
But Agathocles, after the misfortune that had occurred, since all the Libyans had revolted from him and the remaining force was unable to continue the war against the Carthaginians, decided to abandon Libya. But he did not suppose that he would be able to transport the soldiers, because transport vessels had not been prepared, nor would the Carthaginians, who held the command of the sea, ever permit it.
διαλύσεις δʼ οὐκ ἐνόμιζε ποιήσεσθαι τοὺς βαρβάρους, πολὺ προέχοντας ταῖς δυνάμεσι καὶ διαβεβαιουμένους ταῖς τῶν πρῶτον διαβάντων ἀπωλείαις ἀποτρέψαι τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπιτίθεσθαι τῇ Λιβύῃ.
And he did not think that the barbarians would make terms, since they were far superior in their forces and were determined, by the destruction of those who had first crossed over, to deter others from attacking Libya.
ἔκρινεν οὖν μετʼ ὀλίγων λάθρᾳ ποιήσασθαι τὴν ἀναγωγὴν καὶ συνενεβίβασε τὸν νεώτερον τῶν υἱῶν Ἡρακλείδην· τὸν γὰρ Ἀρχάγαθον εὐλαβεῖτο μήποτε συνὼν τῇ μητρυιᾷ καὶ φύσει τολμηρὸς ὢν ἐπιβουλὴν κατʼ αὐτοῦ συστήσῃ.3 ὁ δʼ Ἀρχάγαθος ὑποπτεύσας αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπίνοιαν παρετήρει τὸν ἔκπλουν, διανοούμενος μηνῦσαι τῶν ἡγεμόνων τοῖς διακωλύσουσι τὴν ἐπιβολήν· ἡγεῖτο γὰρ δεινὸν εἶναι τὸ τῶν μὲν κινδύνων ἑαυτὸν προθύμως μετεσχηκέναι, προαγωνιζόμενον τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τἀδελφοῦ, τῆς δὲ σωτηρίας μόνον ἀποστερεῖσθαι,4 καταλειπόμενον ἔκδοτον τοῖς πολεμίοις.
He decided, therefore, to make his departure secretly with a few men, and embarked Heracleides, the younger of his sons; for he was wary of Archagathus, lest he, being intimate with his stepmother and being bold by nature, might form a plot against him. But Archagathus, having suspected his intention, was watching the departure, intending to report to those of the commanders who would prevent the attempt; for he thought it a terrible thing that, while he had eagerly shared in the dangers, fighting in front of his father and brother, he alone should be deprived of safety, being left abandoned to the enemy.
διὸ δὴ τοὺς περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα μέλλοντας λάθρᾳ τὸν ἀπόπλουν ποιεῖσθαι νυκτὸς ἐμήνυσέ τισι τῶν ἡγεμόνων. οἱ δὲ συνδραμόντες οὐ μόνον διεκώλυσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ πλήθει τὴν ῥᾳδιουργίαν ἐξέθηκαν· ἐφʼ οἷς οἱ στρατιῶται περιαλγεῖς γενόμενοι συνελάβοντο τὸν δυνάστην καὶ δήσαντες παρέδωκαν εἰς
For this very reason, he reported to some of the commanders those around Agathocles who were about to make their departure secretly by night. And they, running together, not only prevented it, but also exposed the trickery to the multitude; at which the soldiers, becoming exceedingly grieved, seized the ruler and, having bound him, delivered him over to
- 20.68.1τῶν μὲν Λιβύων ἁπάντων ἀποστάντων... τῆς δὲ ὑπολειπομένης δυνάμεως ἀδυνατούσης
Although positioned immediately after the prepositional phrase with μετά, both τῶν μὲν Λιβύων... and τῆς δὲ ὑπολειπομένης... are genitive absolutes, indicating the background or reasons for the main verb διέγνω ('decided'). They are not coordinated with the prepositional phrase but explain the circumstances.
- 20.68.1διὰ τὸ μήτε πόρια παρεσκευάσθαι μήτε τοὺς Καρχηδονίους ἐπιτρέψαι ποτʼ ἂν θαλασσοκρατοῦντας
The preposition διά with the neuter accusative article τό governs the two subsequent infinitives (παρεσκευάσθαι and ἐπιτρέψαι), forming an adverbial phrase of reason. The second infinitive ἐπιτρέψαι is accompanied by the particle ἄν to express potentiality/likelihood, and the participle θαλασσοκρατοῦντας modifies its subject accusative τοὺς Καρχηδονίους.
- 20.68.3τὸν γὰρ Ἀρχάγαθον εὐλαβεῖτο μήποτε... συστήσῃ
A construction of prolepsis (anticipation). Archagathus, which would logically be the subject of the dependent clause (μήποτε... συστήσῃ), is anticipated and placed as the direct object (accusative τὸν Ἀρχάγαθον) of the main verb εὐλαβεῖτο.
- 20.68.3δεινὸν εἶναι τὸ τῶν μὲν κινδύνων ἑαυτὸν προθύμως μετεσχηκέναι... τῆς δὲ σωτηρίας μόνον ἀποστερεῖσθαι
The article τό substantivizes and groups the two contrasted infinitive clauses (μετεσχηκέναι and ἀποστερεῖσθαι), serving as the subject of εἶναι with the predicate adjective δεινόν. The subject accusative of the first perfect infinitive μετεσχηκέναι is ἑαυτόν.