The Virtue of Queen Apollonis and Filial Piety of Her Sons — Polybius, The Histories Book 22 (22.20.1–22.20.8), Greek & English

§22.20.1

ὅτι Ἀπολλωνίς, ἡ Ἀττάλου τοῦ πατρὸς Εὐμένους τοῦ βασιλέως γαμετή, Κυζικηνὴ ἦν, γυνὴ διὰ πλείους αἰτίας ἀξία μνήμης καὶ παρασημασίας.

That Apollonis, the wife of Attalus the father of King Eumenes, was a Cyzicene, a woman worthy of memory and record for several reasons.

§22.20.2

καὶ γὰρ ὅτι δημότις ὑπάρχουσα¹ βασίλισσα ἐγεγόνει καὶ ταύτην διεφύλαξε τὴν ὑπεροχὴν μέχρι τῆς τελευταίας, οὐχ ἑταιρικὴν προσφερομένη πιθανότητα, σωφρονικὴν δὲ καὶ πολιτικὴν σεμνότητα καὶ καλοκαγαθίαν, δικαία τυγχάνειν τῆς ἐπʼ ἀγαθῷ μνήμης ἐστίν,² καὶ καθότι τέτταρας υἱοὺς γεννήσασα πρὸς πάντας τούτους ἀνυπέρβλητον διεφύλαξε τὴν εὔνοιαν καὶ φιλοστοργίαν μέχρι τῆς τοῦ βίου καταστροφῆς, καίτοι χρόνον οὐκ ὀλίγον ὑπερβιώσασα τἀνδρός.

For since, though being a commoner, she became queen, and preserved this high dignity until the very end, not by employing any courtesan-like allurements, but by displaying a sober and civic dignity and goodness, she deservedly meets with honorable memory; and also because, having given birth to four sons, she preserved towards all of them an unsurpassable goodwill and affection until the end of her life, although she survived her husband for no short a time.

§22.20.4

πλὴν οἵγε περὶ τὸν Ἄτταλον³ ἐν τῇ παρεπιδημίᾳ καλὴν περιεποιήσαντο φήμην, ἀποδιδόντες τῇ μητρὶ τὴν καθήκουσαν χάριτα καὶ τιμήν.

At any rate, Attalus and his brothers won a fine reputation during their stay, by rendering due gratitude and honor to their mother.

§22.20.5

ἄγοντες γὰρ ἐξ ἀμφοῖν τοῖν χεροῖν μέσην αὑτῶν τὴν μητέρα περιῄεσαν τά θʼ ἱερὰ καὶ τὴν πόλιν μετὰ τῆς θεραπείας.

For leading their mother between them, holding her by both hands, they went round the temples and the city with their retinue.

§22.20.6

ἐφʼ οἷς οἱ θεώμενοι μεγάλως τοὺς νεανίσκους ἀπεδέχοντο καὶ κατηξίουν καὶ μνημονεύοντες τῶν περὶ τὸν Κλέοβιν καὶ Βίτωνα συνέκρινον τὰς αἱρέσεις αὐτῶν, καὶ τὸ τῆς προθυμίας τῆς ἐκείνων λαμπρὸν τῷ τῆς ὑπεροχῆς τῶν βασιλέων ἀξιώματι συναναπληροῦντες.⁴

At which the spectators, greatly... welcomed and honored the young men; and recalling the story of Cleobis and Biton, they compared their choice, completing the splendor of the former’s devotion with the dignity of the kings’ superiority.

§22.20.8

ταῦτα δʼ ἐτελέσθη ἐν Κυζίκῳ μετὰ τὴν διάλυσιν τὴν πρὸς Προυσίαν τὸν βασιλέα. —

These things were performed in Cyzicus after the reconciliation with King Prusias. —

Syntax notes4 items

22.20.2δημότις ὑπάρχουσα
The participle ὑπάρχουσα (used instead of οὖσα to emphasize the existing state) functions concessively ('although she was a commoner') in relation to the subsequent became queen (βασίλισσα ἐγεγόνει).
22.20.2δικαία τυγχάνειν... ἐστίν
A personal construction where the adjective δικαία agrees with the subject (Apollonis) and governs the infinitive τυγχάνειν, meaning 'she rightfully deserves to obtain', as opposed to an impersonal δίκαιόν ἐστι + accusative and infinitive.
22.20.4οἵγε περὶ τὸν Ἄτταλον
The idiomatic expression οἱ περί + accusative. Here it refers not merely to 'Attalus and his attendants' but specifically to Attalus (the future Attalus II) and his brothers acting together.
22.20.7τὸ τῆς προθυμίας... συναναπληροῦντες
The participle of συναναπληρόω ('to fill up/complete') takes the substantived neuter adjective τὸ λαμπρόν ('splendor') as its direct object and the dative τῷ ἀξιώματι ('dignity/status') as the instrument. It means they complemented the splendor of the former's (Cleobis and Biton, referred to by ἐκείνων) devotion with the high status of their own kingship.

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

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:22.20.1-22.20.8