Constitutional Reforms and Expansion under Aratus — Polybius, The Histories Book 2 (2.43.1–2.43.10), Greek & English

§2.43.1

εἴκοσι μὲν οὖν ἔτη τὰ πρῶτα καὶ πέντε συνεπολιτεύσαντο μεθʼ ἑαυτῶν αἱ προειρημέναι πόλεις, γραμματέα κοινὸν ἐκ περιόδου¹ προχειριζόμεναι καὶ δύο στρατηγούς.

For the first twenty-five years, then, the aforementioned cities lived under a common constitution, appointing in rotation a common secretary and two generals.

§2.43.2

μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα πάλιν ἔδοξεν αὐτοῖς ἕνα καθιστάνειν² καὶ τούτῳ πιστεύειν ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅλων. καὶ πρῶτος ἔτυχε τῆς τιμῆς ταύτης Μάργος ὁ Καρυνεύς.

After this, however, they resolved again to appoint one general and to entrust him with the supreme command of all their affairs. And Margos of Keryneia was the first to obtain this honor.

§2.43.3

τετάρτῳ δʼ ὕστερον ἔτει τοῦ προειρημένου στρατηγοῦντος³ Ἄρατος ὁ Σικυώνιος, ἔτη μὲν ἔχων εἴκοσι, τυραννουμένην δʼ ἐλευθερώσας τὴν πατρίδα διὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς τῆς ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τόλμης προσένειμε πρὸς τὴν τῶν Ἀχαιῶν πολιτείαν, ἀρχῆθεν εὐθὺς ἐραστὴς γενόμενος τῆς προαιρέσεως αὐτῶν.

Four years later, while the aforementioned was serving as general, Aratus of Sicyon, though only twenty years of age, having freed his homeland from tyranny by his own virtue and daring, annexed it to the Achaean league, having been from the very beginning a passionate admirer of their policy.

§2.43.4

ὀγδόῳ δὲ πάλιν ἔτει στρατηγὸς αἱρεθεὶς τὸ δεύτερον καὶ πραξικοπήσας τὸν Ἀκροκόρινθον, Ἀντιγόνου κυριεύοντος, καὶ γενόμενος ἐγκρατὴς μεγάλου μὲν ἀπέλυσε φόβου τοὺς τὴν Πελοπόννησον κατοικοῦντας, ἐλευθερώσας δὲ Κορινθίους προσηγάγετο πρὸς τὴν τῶν Ἀχαιῶν πολιτείαν.

Eight years later, having been elected general for the second time, and having taken Acrocorinth by surprise, which was then occupied by Antigonus, and having made himself master of it, he delivered the inhabitants of the Peloponnese from a great fear, and by freeing the Corinthians, attached them to the Achaean league.

§2.43.5

ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς αὐτῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ τὴν τῶν Μεγαρέων πόλιν διαπραξάμενος προσένειμε τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς.

During the same term of office, he also won over the city of Megara by diplomatic means and annexed it to the Achaeans.

§2.43.6

ταῦτά τʼ ἐγίνετο τῷ πρότερον ἔτει τῆς Καρχηδονίων ἥττης, ἐν ᾗ καθόλου Σικελίας ἐκχωρήσαντες πρῶτον ὑπέμειναν τότε φόρους ἐνεγκεῖν Ῥωμαίοις.

These events took place in the year before the defeat of the Carthaginians, in which, evacuating the whole of Sicily, they then submitted for the first time to pay tribute to the Romans.

§2.43.7

μεγάλην δὲ προκοπὴν ποιήσας τῆς ἐπιβολῆς ἐν ὀλίγῳ χρόνῳ λοιπὸν ἤδη διετέλει προστατῶν μὲν τοῦ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν ἔθνους, πάσας δὲ τὰς ἐπιβολὰς καὶ πράξεις πρὸς ἓν τέλος ἀναφέρων·

Having made great progress in his enterprise in a short time, he henceforth continued to lead the Achaean nation, directing all his plans and actions to a single end;

§2.43.8

τοῦτο δʼ ἦν τὸ Μακεδόνας μὲν ἐκβαλεῖν ἐκ Πελοποννήσου, τὰς δὲ μοναρχίας καταλῦσαι, βεβαιῶσαι δʼ ἑκάστοις τὴν κοινὴν καὶ πάτριον ἐλευθερίαν.

and this was to expel the Macedonians from the Peloponnese, to destroy the tyrannies, and to secure to each state their common and ancestral liberty.

§2.43.9

μέχρι μὲν οὖν ἦν Ἀντίγονος ὁ Γονατᾶς, πρός τε τὴν ἐκείνου πολυπραγμοσύνην καὶ πρὸς τὴν Αἰτωλῶν πλεονεξίαν ἀντιταττόμενος διετέλει, πραγματικῶς ἕκαστα χειρίζων, καίπερ εἰς τοῦτο προβάντων ἀμφοτέρων ἀδικίας καὶ τόλμης⁴ ὥστε ποιήσασθαι συνθήκας πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὑπὲρ

As long, then, as Antigonus Gonatas lived, Aratus continued to oppose both his intrigues and the greed of the Aetolians, managing every matter with practical skill, although both of them had gone to such lengths of injustice and audacity as to make a treaty with each other concerning...

Syntax notes4 items

2.43.1ἐκ περιόδου
An adverbial phrase meaning 'in rotation' or 'by turns', indicating that the offices of secretary and general were held by turns among the member cities of the league.
2.43.2ἕνα καθιστάνειν
The pronoun ἕνα is used as the direct object of the infinitive καθιστάνειν (to appoint), with στρατηγόν (general) understood from the context, in contrast to the δύο στρατηγούς in the preceding sentence.
2.43.3τοῦ προειρημένου στρατηγοῦντος
Genitive absolute construction. The logical subject is 'the aforementioned', referring to Margos of Keryneia mentioned in section 2.
2.43.10καίπερ εἰς τοῦτο προβάντων ἀμφοτέρων ἀδικίας καὶ τόλμης
Genitive absolute with καίπερ expressing concession. ἀμφοτέρων (both, i.e., Antigonus and the Aetolians) is the logical subject. εἰς τοῦτο ... ἀδικίας καὶ τόλμης (to such a pitch of injustice and audacity) shows degree, where the demonstrative pronoun τοῦτο governs the partitive genitives ἀδικίας and tolmes.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — note 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.43.1-2.43.10