- 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-grc2:18.4.1-18.4.8
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
In response to Alexander's speech, Philip criticizes him as being Aetolian and theatrical, defending his actions as necessitated by circumstances. Furthermore, Philip mocks the visually impaired Phaeneas for interrupting him and defends his interventions in Lysimacheia and Cius.
ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἀλέξανδρος ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν ἀπεσιώπησεν. ὁ δὲ Φίλιππος ἐγγίσας τῇ γῇ μᾶλλον ἢ πρόσθεν καὶ διαναστὰς ἐπὶ τῆς νεὼς Αἰτωλικὸν ἔφη καὶ θεατρικὸν1 διατεθεῖσθαι τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον λόγον.
So Alexander, having said this, fell silent. But Philip, having approached closer to the land than before and standing up on his ship, said that Alexander had delivered an Aetolian and theatrical speech.
σαφῶς γὰρ πάντας γινώσκειν ὅτι τοὺς ἰδίους συμμάχους ἑκὼν μὲν οὐδεὶς διαφθείρει, κατὰ δὲ τὰς τῶν καιρῶν περιστάσεις πολλὰ ποιεῖν ἀναγκάζεσθαι τοὺς ἡγουμένους παρὰ τὰς ἑαυτῶν προαιρέσεις.
For, he said, everyone clearly knew that no one willingly destroys his own allies, but that rulers, according to the circumstances of the times, are forced to do many things contrary to their own intentions.
ἔτι δὲ ταῦτα λέγοντος τοῦ βασιλέως ὁ Φαινέας, ἠλαττωμένος τοῖς ὄμμασιν ἐπὶ πλεῖον,2 ὑπέκρουε τὸν Φίλιππον, φάσκων αὐτὸν ληρεῖν· δεῖν γὰρ ἢ μαχόμενον νικᾶν ἢ ποιεῖν τοῖς κρείττοσι τὸ προσταττόμενον.
While the king was still saying this, Phaeneas, whose eyesight was extremely impaired, interrupted Philip, claiming that he was talking nonsense; for, he said, one must either conquer in battle or do what is commanded by those who are stronger.
ὁ δὲ Φίλιππος, καίπερ ἐν κακοῖς ὤν, ὅμως οὐκ ἀπέσχετο τοῦ καθʼ αὑτὸν ἰδιώματος, ἀλλʼ ἐπιστραφείς "τοῦτο μὲν" ἔφησεν "ὦ Φαινέα, καὶ τυφλῷ δῆλον". ἦν γὰρ εὔθικτος καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο τὸ μέρος εὖ πεφυκὼς πρὸς τὸ διαχλευάζειν ἀνθρώπους.
But Philip, although in a difficult situation, nevertheless did not refrain from his characteristic humor, but turned and said: “Phaeneas, that is obvious even to a blind man.” For he was quick-witted and naturally well-suited to this kind of mocking of people.
αὖθις δὲ πρὸς τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον ἐπιστρέψας "ἐρωτᾷς με" φησὶν "Ἀλέξανδρε, διὰ τί Λυσιμάχειαν προσέλαβον;
Then, turning back to Alexander, he said: “Alexander, do you ask me why I took Lysimacheia?
ἵνα μὴ διὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν ὀλιγωρίαν ἀνάστατος ὑπὸ Θρᾳκῶν γένηται, καθάπερ νῦν γέγονεν ἡμῶν ἀπαγαγόντων τοὺς στρατιώτας διὰ τοῦτον τὸν πόλεμον, οὐ τοὺς φρουροῦντας αὐτήν, ὡς σὺ φής, ἀλλὰ τοὺς παραφυλάττοντας.3
”In order that, through your neglect, it might not be laid waste by the Thracians, just as has now happened because we withdrew our soldiers on account of this war—not those who were garrisoning it, as you say, but those who were protecting it.”
Κιανοῖς δʼ ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἐπολέμησα, Προυσίου δὲ πολεμοῦντος βοηθῶν ἐκείνῳ συνεξεῖλον αὐτούς, ὑμῶν αἰτίων γενομένων·
”As for the Cianians, I did not make war on them; but when Prusias was waging war, I helped him and joined in taking them, you yourselves being the cause.”
πολλάκις γὰρ κἀμοῦ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων διαπρεσβευομένων πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἵνα τὸν νόμον ἄρητε τὸν διδόντα τὴν ἐξουσίαν ὑμῖν ἄγειν λάφυρον ἀπὸ λαφύρου,4 πρότερον ἔφατε τὴν Αἰτωλίαν ἐκ τῆς Αἰτωλίας ἀρεῖν ἢ τοῦτον τὸν νόμον."
”For when I and the other Greeks repeatedly sent embassies to you, that you might abolish the law which gives you the authority to carry off plunder from plunder, you said that you would sooner remove Aetolia from Aetolia than this law.”
- 18.4.1Αἰτωλικὸν καὶ θεατρικὸν
The adjective Αἰτωλικός ('Aetolian') is juxtaposed with θεατρικός ('theatrical' or 'dramatic'), referring to emotional exaggeration and histrionic gestures in oratory. This is Philip's dry sarcasm targeting the Aetolian style of diplomatic negotiation, which was characterized by passionate outbursts and dramatic appeals to the audience.
- 18.4.3ἠλαττωμένος τοῖς ὄμμασιν ἐπὶ πλεῖον
Meaning 'extremely impaired in his eyesight.' The phrase τοῖς ὄμμασιν is a dative of respect ('with respect to his eyes'), and ἠλαττωμένος is the perfect passive participle of ἐλαττόω ('to weaken, impair'). This physical detail serves as a setup for Philip's wordplay in the next section (§18.4.4): 'obvious even to a blind man' (τυφλῷ δῆλον).
- 18.4.6οὐ τοὺς φρουροῦντας αὐτήν ... ἀλλὰ τοὺς παραφυλάττοντας
A contrast between the participles φρουροῦντας (a garrison for occupation/surveillance) and παραφυλάττοντας (guards for protection/defense). Philip argues that those he placed in Lysimacheia were not a 'garrison' (φρουρά) to control the city, but 'protectors' to guard it against the Thracians, directly refuting Alexander's vocabulary in §18.3.11 (φρουρᾷ κατάσχοι).
- 18.4.8ἄγειν λάφυρον ἀπὸ λαφύρου
Literally 'to carry off plunder from plunder.' This phrase refers to the Aetolian customary right of privateering or pillaging. It denotes a law or practice allowing individual Aetolians to plunder and seize goods even from states with which Aetolia was at peace, especially in the context of wars involving third parties. Philip uses this to charge the Aetolians with lawlessness.