- Source
- Polybius. Vols. 1-4. Büttner-Wobst, Theodor, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1893.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
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- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:16.21.1-16.21.12
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
The character of the young Tlepolemus, regent of Egypt, is described. While capable in military command, he was utterly incompetent in state administration and finance, and vanity led him to squander the royal treasury on flatterers.
ὅτι1 ὁ Τληπόλεμος ὁ τὰ τῆς βασιλείας τῶν Αἰγυπτίων πράγματα μεταχειριζόμενος ἦν μὲν κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν νέος καὶ κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς ἐν στρατιωτικῷ βίῳ διεγεγόνει μετὰ φαντασίας, ἦν δὲ καὶ τῇ φύσει μετέωρος καὶ φιλόδοξος, καὶ καθόλου πολλὰ μὲν εἰς πραγμάτων λόγον ἀγαθὰ προσεφέρετο, πολλὰ δὲ καὶ κακά.
Tlepolemus, who was managing the affairs of the kingdom of Egypt, was young in age and had continuously spent his life in military service with much ostentation. He was also by nature flighty and ambitious, and on the whole, while he contributed many good things to the administration of affairs, he also brought many bad things.
στρατηγεῖν μὲν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ὑπαίθροις καὶ χειρίζειν πολεμικὰς πράξεις δυνατὸς ἦν, καὶ ἀνδρώδης ὑπῆρχε τῇ φύσει, καὶ πρὸς τὰς στρατιωτικὰς ὁμιλίας εὐφυῶς διέκειτο·
For he was capable of commanding in the field and managing military operations, and he was courageous by nature, and was naturally well-disposed to military intercourse.
πρὸς δὲ ποικίλων πραγμάτων χειρισμόν, δεόμενον ἐπιστάσεως καὶ νήψεως, καὶ πρὸς φυλακὴν χρημάτων καὶ καθόλου τὴν περὶ τὸ λυσιτελὲς οἰκονομίαν, ἀφυέστατος ὑπῆρχε πάντων.
But for the management of complex affairs, which require attention and sobriety, and for the safe-keeping of money, and in general for the administration concerned with utility, he was the most incompetent of all.
ᾗ καὶ ταχέως οὐ μόνον ἔσφηλεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἠλάττωσε.
Wherefore he quickly not only stumbled himself, but also diminished the power of the kingdom.
παραλαβὼν γὰρ τὴν τῶν χρημάτων ἐξουσίαν, τὸ μὲν πλεῖστον μέρος τῆς ἡμέρας κατέτριβε σφαιρομαχῶν καὶ πρὸς τὰ μειράκια διαμιλλώμενος ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις, ἀπὸ δὲ τούτων γινόμενος2 εὐθέως πότους συνῆγε καὶ τὸ πλεῖον μέρος τοῦ βίου περὶ ταῦτα καὶ σὺν τούτοις εἶχε τὴν διατριβήν.
For having taken over the control of the finances, he spent the greatest part of the day playing ball-games and competing in arms with the youths. And having finished with these things, he immediately gathered drinking parties, and had his pastime for the greater part of his life concerning these things and with these companions.
ὃν δέ ποτε χρόνον τῆς ἡμέρας ἀπεμέριζε πρὸς ἐντεύξεις, ἐν τούτῳ διεδίδου,3 μᾶλλον δʼ, εἰ δεῖ τὸ φαινόμενον εἰπεῖν, διερρίπτει τὰ βασιλικὰ χρήματα τοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς Ἑλλάδος παραγεγονόσι πρεσβευταῖς καὶ τοῖς περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον τεχνίταις, μάλιστα δὲ τοῖς περὶ τὴν αὐλὴν ἡγεμόσι καὶ στρατιώταις.
And whatever small portion of the day he set apart for audiences, in this he distributed, or rather, if one must speak the apparent truth, he squandered the royal funds among the ambassadors who had arrived from Greece, and the artists of Dionysus, and most of all among the officers and soldiers about the court.
καθόλου γὰρ ἀνανεύειν4 οὐκ ᾔδει, τῷ δὲ πρὸς χάριν ὁμιλήσαντι πᾶν ἐξ ἑτοίμου τὸ φανὲν ἐδίδου.
For in general he did not know how to refuse, and to anyone who spoke to please him, he readily gave whatever was at hand.
τὸ λοιπὸν ηὐξάνετο τὸ κακόν, ἐξ αὑτοῦ λαμβάνον τὴν ἐπίδοσιν.5
Consequently, the evil grew, receiving its increase from itself.
πᾶς γὰρ ὁ παθὼν εὖ παρὰ τὴν προσδοκίαν καὶ τοῦ γεγονότος χάριν καὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος ὑπερεβάλλετο ταῖς τῶν λόγων εὐχαριστίαις·
For everyone who had received benefits beyond expectation exceeded in their expressions of gratitude, both for the sake of what had been done and for the sake of the future.
ὁ δὲ πυνθανόμενος τὸν γινόμενον ἐκ πάντων ἔπαινον ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ καὶ τὰς ἐν τοῖς πότοις ἐπιχύσεις,6 ἔτι δὲ τὰς ἐπιγραφὰς καὶ τὰ διὰ τῶν ἀκροαμάτων εἰς αὑτὸν ᾀδόμενα παίγνια καθʼ ὅλην τὴν πόλιν, εἰς τέλος ἐχαυνοῦτο καὶ μᾶλλον ἀεὶ καὶ μᾶλλον ἐξετυφοῦτο, καὶ προχειρότερος ἐγίνετο πρὸς τὰς
And he, hearing the praise that came from all concerning himself and the toasts poured at drinking parties, and furthermore the inscriptions and the playful songs sung about him throughout the whole city by the performers, was in the end completely puffed up and grew more and more conceited, and became readier to...
- 16.21.1ὅτι
The introductory ὅτι is a characteristic feature of Byzantine excerpts (Excerpta), serving to introduce the summarizing passage ('That...'). In translations, it is rendered as a direct statement for stylistic naturalness.
- 16.21.7ἀπὸ δὲ τούτων γινόμενος
A participial idiom meaning 'having finished with these things' or 'departing from these activities,' referring to the completion of the physical exercises mentioned in the previous sentence.
- 16.21.8ὃν δέ ποτε χρόνον τῆς ἡμέρας ἀπεμέριζε πρὸς ἐντεύξεις, ἐν τούτῳ διεδίδου
An attraction of the antecedent, where the noun χρόνον is incorporated into the relative clause ὃν ... χρόνον, and subsequently picked up by the demonstrative en toutō in the main clause.
- 16.21.9ἀνανεύειν
Literally 'to throw the head back' (a gesture of denial), used here metaphorically to mean 'to refuse' or 'to say no.'
- 16.21.10ἐξ αὑτοῦ λαμβάνον τὴν ἐπίδοσιν
The present participle lambanon modifies to kakon ('the evil'), describing a self-generating process of growth or deterioration, where the evil feeds on itself.
- 16.21.12τὰς ἐν τοῖς πότοις ἐπιχύσεις
The noun epichysis means 'pouring over,' referring here to the practice of pouring additional wine during banquets accompanied by toasts and flattering speeches.
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-10-09)
- 2026-10-09 Collated with the printed edition — source 1