- 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
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:16.9.1-16.9.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
The Rhodian commander Theophiliscus died of his wounds, but he was highly praised and posthumously honored for his proactive stance, which forced both his own country and Attalus to confront Philip courageously.
Θεοφιλίσκος δὲ μίαν ἡμέραν ἐπιβιώσας, καὶ τῇ πατρίδι γράψας ὑπὲρ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ναυμαχίαν, καὶ Κλεωναῖον ἡγεμόνα συστήσας ἀνθʼ ἑαυτοῦ ταῖς δυνάμεσι, μετήλλαξε τὸν βίον ἐκ τῶν τραυμάτων, ἀνὴρ καὶ κατὰ τὸν κίνδυνον ἀγαθὸς γενόμενος καὶ κατὰ τὴν προαίρεσιν μνήμης ἄξιος.
Theophiliscus, having survived for but a single day, and having written to his country concerning the events of the sea-battle, and having recommended Cleonaeus as commander of the forces in his stead, departed this life from his wounds, a man who had shown himself brave in the hour of danger and worthy of remembrance for his purpose.
μὴ γὰρ ἐκείνου τολμήσαντος1 προεπιβαλεῖν τῷ Φιλίππῳ τὰς χεῖρας πάντες ἂν καταπροεῖντο τοὺς καιρούς, δεδιότες τὴν τοῦ Φιλίππου τόλμαν.
For if he had not dared to be the first to lay hands on Philip, everyone would have let the opportunity slip, fearing the daring of Philip.
νῦν δʼ ἐκεῖνος ἀρχὴν πολέμου ποιήσας ἠνάγκασε μὲν τὴν αὑτοῦ πατρίδα συνεξαναστῆναι τοῖς καιροῖς, ἠνάγκασε δὲ τὸν Ἄτταλον μὴ μέλλειν καὶ παρασκευάζεσθαι2 τὰ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον, ἀλλὰ πολεμεῖν ἐρρωμένως καὶ κινδυνεύειν.
But as it was, by making a beginning of the war, he forced his own country to rise up together to meet the occasion, and forced Attalus not to delay and prepare for the war, but to fight vigorously and face the danger.
τοιγαροῦν εἰκότως αὐτὸν οἱ Ῥόδιοι καὶ μεταλλάξαντα τοιαύταις ἐτίμησαν τιμαῖς διʼ ὧν οὐ μόνον τοὺς ζῶντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐπιγενομένους ἐξεκαλέσαντο πρὸς τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος καιρούς. —
Therefore, with good reason, the Rhodians honored him, even after his death, with such honors as would stimulate not only those now living, but also those yet to come, to face critical moments on behalf of their country.
- 16.9.3μὴ ... ἐκείνου τολμήσαντος
A genitive absolute construction expressing a conditional clause ("if he had not dared"), which, in combination with ἂν καταπροεῖντο in the apodosis, forms a past counterfactual conditional sentence.
- 16.9.4μὴ μέλλειν καὶ παρασκευάζεσθαι
The infinitive μέλλειν here means "to delay" or "to hesitate". Combined with καὶ παρασκευάζεσθαι under the negative particle μή, it expresses the idea of preventing them from merely procrastinating and limiting themselves to preparations.