- 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-grc6:20.92.1-20.92.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-05
The passage details the appearance of Demetrius, who was called "the Besieger" for his ingenuity and ferocity, his contrasting character of peacetime indulgence and wartime diligence, and the massive engines and ships constructed under his reign.
διόπερ τῇ πολυχειρίᾳ τάχιον τῆς προσδοκίας ἁπάντων ἐπιτελουμένων1 φοβερὸς ἦν ὁ Δημήτριος τοῖς Ῥοδίοις. οὐ μόνον γὰρ τὰ μεγέθη τῶν μηχανῶν καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῆς ἠθροισμένης δυνάμεως ἐξέπληττεν αὐτούς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τοῦ βασιλέως βίαιον καὶ φιλότεχνον ἐν ταῖς πολιορκίαις.
Therefore, as the works were being completed more rapidly than anyone expected because of the large number of hands, Demetrius became an object of dread to the Rhodians. For it was not only the sizes of the engines and the multitude of the gathered forces that astounded them, but also the king’s violence and love of technical ingenuity in sieges.
εὐμήχανος γὰρ ὢν καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν ἐν ταῖς ἐπινοίαις καὶ πολλὰ παρὰ τὴν τῶν ἀρχιτεκτόνων τέχνην παρευρίσκων ὠνομάσθη μὲν πολιορκητής, τὴν δʼ ἐν ταῖς προσβολαῖς ὑπεροχὴν καὶ βίαν τοιαύτην εἶχεν ὥστε δόξαι μηδὲν οὕτως ὀχυρὸν εἶναι τεῖχος ὃ δύναιτʼ ἂν2 τὴν ἀπʼ ἐκείνου τοῖς πολιορκουμένοις ἀσφάλειαν παρέχεσθαι.
For being exceedingly inventive in his designs and discovering many things beyond the art of the architects, he was on the one hand surnamed “the Besieger,” but on the other hand, he possessed such superiority and force in his assaults that it seemed no wall was so strong as to be able to afford safety to the besieged from his attacks.
ἦν δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ σώματος καὶ κατὰ τὸ κάλλος ἡρωικὸν ἀποφαίνων3 ἀξίωμα, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς ἀφικνουμένους τῶν ξένων θεωροῦντας εὐπρέπειαν κεκοσμημένην ὑπεροχῇ βασιλικῇ θαυμάζειν καὶ παρακολουθεῖν ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις ἕνεκεν τῆς θέας.
Moreover, both in the size of his body and in his beauty, he displayed a heroic dignity, so that even those of the foreigners who arrived, beholding his comeliness adorned with royal superiority, marveled at him and followed him in his public appearances just for the sake of seeing him.
ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις ὑπῆρχε καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ μετέωρος καὶ μεγαλοπρεπὴς καὶ καταφρονῶν οὐ τῶν πολλῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐν ταῖς δυναστείαις ὄντων, καὶ τὸ πάντων ἰδιώτατον, κατὰ μὲν τὴν εἰρήνην ἐν μέθαις διέτριβε καὶ συμποσίοις ἔχουσιν ὀρχήσεις καὶ κώμους καὶ τὸ σύνολον ἐζήλου τὴν μυθολογουμένην ποτὲ γενέσθαι κατʼ ἀνθρώπους τοῦ Διονύσου διάθεσιν, κατὰ δὲ τοὺς πολέμους ἐνεργὸς ἦν καὶ νήφων, ὥστε παρὰ πάντας τοὺς ἐργατευομένους ἐναγώνιον παρέχεσθαι τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὴν ψυχήν.4
In addition to this, he was also lofty and magnificent in soul, and looked down not only upon the common people but also upon those in power, and, what was most peculiar of all, in times of peace he spent his time in drinking bouts and banquets that featured dancing and revelry, and as a whole, he emulated the life and disposition of Dionysus which myth says once existed among men; but in times of war he was active and sober, so that beyond all others engaged in the works, he presented his body and soul fully intent on the struggle.
ἐπὶ γὰρ τούτου βέλη τὰ μέγιστα συνετελέσθη καὶ μηχαναὶ παντοῖαι πολὺ τὰς παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις γενομένας ὑπεραίρουσαι· καὶ σκάφη δὲ μέγιστα καθείλκυσεν οὗτος μετὰ τὴν πολιορκίαν ταύτην καὶ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς τελευτήν.
For under him the largest missiles were constructed and all kinds of engines far surpassing those built by others; and he also launched the largest vessels after this siege and the death of his father.
- 20.92.1ἐπιτελουμένων
Genitive absolute construction without an explicit subject. In this context, a subject such as "the works" (τὰ ἔργα) or "the preparations" is naturally supplied from the preceding section.
- 20.92.2ὃ δύναιτʼ ἂν
A relative clause with ἄν and the optative. Within the consecutive clause led by ὥστε δόξαι, it expresses potential ability ('such as would be able to...'). The subject is the antecedent τεῖχος. The verb παρέχεσθαι is used in the middle voice with active force ('to afford/provide').
- 20.92.3ἦν ... ἀποφαίνων
A periphrastic imperfect construction combining the copula ἦν with the present participle ἀποφαίνων. Rather than a simple imperfect ἀπέφαινεν, it emphasizes the continuous or characteristic display of his heroic quality.
- 20.92.4ἐναγώνιον παρέχεσθαι τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὴν ψυχήν
The subject of the infinitive παρέχεσθαι is Demetrius (omitted as identical to the main subject). The adjective ἐναγώνιον ('in a state of contest/struggle') functions as a predicate accusative, forming a double accusative construction with the direct objects 'body and soul' (τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὴν ψυχήν), meaning 'to present his body and soul fully intent on the struggle'.