- 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-grc2:22.4.1-22.4.17
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
Following the treaty between Rome and Antiochus, political conflicts arise in Boeotia over the return of Zeuxippus. As Boeotia resists Roman orders and the Achaeans authorize the right of reprisal, military tensions escalate between the powers.
ὅτι κατὰ τὴν Βοιωτίαν μετὰ τὸ συντελεσθῆναι τὰς πρὸς Ἀντίοχον Ῥωμαίοις συνθήκας ἀποκοπεισῶν τῶν ἐλπίδων πᾶσι τοῖς καινοτομεῖν ἐπιβαλλομένοις, ἄλλην ἀρχὴν καὶ διάθεσιν ἐλάμβανον αἱ πολιτεῖαι.
In Boeotia, after the treaty between the Romans and Antiochus had been concluded, as the hopes of all those who attempted to make innovations were cut off, the states began to assume a different beginning and disposition.
διὸ καὶ τῆς δικαιοδοσίας ἑλκομένης παρʼ αὐτοῖς σχεδὸν ἐξ εἴκοσι καὶ πέντʼ ἐτῶν, τότε λόγοι διεδίδοντο κατὰ τὰς πόλεις, φασκόντων τινῶν διότι δεῖ γίνεσθαι διέξοδον καὶ συντέλειαν τῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους.1
For this reason, since the administration of justice among them had been dragged out for nearly twenty-five years, reports were then spread through the cities, with some asserting that there must be an outlet and completion of their mutual disputes.
πολλῆς δὲ περὶ τούτων ἀμφισβητήσεως ὑπαρχούσης διὰ τὸ πλείους εἶναι τοὺς καχέκτας τῶν εὐπόρων, ἐγίνετό τι συνέργημα τοῖς τὰ βέλτισθʼ αἱρουμένοις ἐκ ταὐτομάτου τοιοῦτον.
Since there was much controversy regarding these matters because the insolvent debtors were more numerous than the wealthy, a certain assistance of this kind arose from chance for those who chose the best course.
ὁ γὰρ Τίτος ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ πάλαι μὲν ἐσπούδαζε περὶ τοῦ καταπορευθῆναι τὸν Ζεύξιππον εἰς τὴν Βοιωτίαν, ἅτε κεχρημένος αὐτῷ συνεργῷ πρὸς πολλὰ κατὰ τοὺς Ἀντιοχικοὺς καὶ Φιλιππικοὺς καιρούς.
For Titus in Rome had long been anxious about the return of Zeuxippus to Boeotia, inasmuch as he had used him as a helper in many things during the times of the wars with Antiochus and Philip.
κατὰ δὲ τοὺς τότε χρόνους ἐξείργαστο γράψαι τὴν σύγκλητον τοῖς Βοιωτοῖς διότι δεῖ κατάγειν Ζεύξιππον καὶ τοὺς ἅμʼ αὐτῷ φυγόντας εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν.
And around that time, he managed to have the senate write to the Boeotians that they must restore Zeuxippus and those who had fled with him to their home country.
ὧν προσπεσόντων, δείσαντες οἱ Βοιωτοὶ μὴ κατελθόντων τῶν προειρημένων ἀποσπασθῶσιν2 ἀπὸ τῆς Μακεδόνων εὐνοίας, βουλόμενοι κατακηρυχθῆναι τὰς κρίσεις τὰς κατὰ τῶν περὶ τὸν Ζεύξιππον, ἃς ἦσαν πρότερον αὐτοῖς ἐπιγεγραμμένοι, καὶ τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ τῶν δικῶν μίαν μὲν αὐτῶν κατεδίκασαν ἱεροσυλίας, διότι λεπίσαιεν τὴν τοῦ Διὸς τράπεζαν ἀργυρᾶν οὖσαν, μίαν δὲ θανάτου διὰ τὸν Βραχύλλου φόνον.
When these tidings arrived, the Boeotians, fearing lest, if the aforementioned men returned, they might be torn away from the goodwill of the Macedonians, and wishing to publish the judgments against Zeuxippus and his associates which they had previously recorded against them, in this manner, in one of these suits, condemned them for temple-robbery, because they had stripped the silver table of Zeus, and in another, condemned them to death for the murder of Brachylles.
ταῦτα δὲ διοικήσαντες οὐκέτι προσεῖχον τοῖς γραφομένοις, ἀλλʼ ἔπεμπον πρεσβευτὰς εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην τοὺς περὶ Καλλίκριτον, φάσκοντες οὐ δύνασθαι τὰ κατὰ τοὺς νόμους ᾠκονομημένα παρʼ αὑτοῖς ἄκυρα ποιεῖν.
Having arranged these matters, they no longer paid attention to the letters, but sent Callicritus and his associates as ambassadors to Rome, claiming that they could not make invalid what had been administered among themselves according to the laws.
ἐν δὲ τοῖς καιροῖς τούτοις πρεσβεύσαντος αὐτοῦ τοῦ Ζευξίππου πρὸς τὴν σύγκλητον, οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι τὴν τῶν Βοιωτῶν προαίρεσιν ἔγραψαν πρός τε τοὺς Αἰτωλοὺς καὶ πρὸς Ἀχαιούς, κελεύοντες κατάγειν Ζεύξιππον εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν.
At this juncture, as Zeuxippus himself had sent an embassy to the senate, the Romans wrote about the decision of the Boeotians to the Aetolians and to the Achaeans, commanding them to restore Zeuxippus to his home country.
οἱ δʼ Ἀχαιοὶ τοῦ μὲν διὰ στρατοπέδων ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἔφοδον ἀπέσχον, πρεσβευτὰς δὲ προεχειρίσαντο πέμπειν τοὺς παρακαλέσοντας τοὺς Βοιωτοὺς τοῖς λεγομένοις ὑπὸ τῶν Ῥωμαίων πειθαρχεῖν καὶ τὴν δικαιοδοσίαν, καθάπερ καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς, οὕτω καὶ τὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τέλος ἀγαγεῖν.
But the Achaeans abstained from making an incursion with armies, and resolved to send ambassadors to exhort the Boeotians to obey the words of the Romans, and to bring the administration of justice to an end, just as they did among themselves, so also with respect to them.
συνέβαινε γὰρ καὶ τὰ πρὸς τούτους συναλλάγματα παρέλκεσθαι πολὺν ἤδη χρόνον. ὧν διακούσαντες οἱ Βοιωτοί, στρατηγοῦντος Ἱππίου παρʼ αὐτοῖς, παραχρῆμα μὲν ὑπέσχοντο ποιήσειν τὰ παρακαλούμενα, μετʼ ὀλίγον δὲ πάντων ὠλιγώρησαν. διόπερ ὁ Φιλοποίμην, Ἱππίου μὲν ἀποτεθειμένου τὴν ἀρχήν, Ἀλκέτου δὲ παρειληφότος, ἀπέδωκε τοῖς αἰτουμένοις τὰ ῥύσια3 κατὰ τῶν Βοιωτῶν.
For it happened that their mutual contracts with them had also been delayed for a long time. Having heard these things, the Boeotians, while Hippias was general among them, immediately promised to do what was requested, but after a short time they neglected everything. Wherefore Philopoemen, when Hippias had laid down his office and Alketas had succeeded him, granted to the claimants the right of reprisal against the Boeotians.
ἐξ ὧν ἐγίνετο καταρχὴ διαφορᾶς τοῖς ἔθνεσιν οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητος. παραυτίκα γὰρ ἔλαχε4 τῶν Μυρρίχου θρεμμάτων καὶ τοῦ Σίμωνος· καὶ περὶ ταῦτα γενομένης συμπλοκῆς, οὐκέτι πολιτικῆς διαφορᾶς, ἀλλὰ πολεμικῆς ἔχθρας ἐγένετο καταρχὴ καὶ προοίμιον.
From this arose no negligible beginning of difference between the nations. For immediately there fell to seizure the cattle of Myrrichus and Simon; and as a clash occurred concerning these, it became the beginning and prelude, no longer of a civil difference, but of warlike hostility.
εἰ μὲν οὖν ἡ σύγκλητος προσέθηκε τἀκόλουθον περὶ τῆς καθόδου τῶν περὶ τὸν Ζεύξιππον, ταχέως ἂν ἐξεκαύθη πόλεμος· νῦν δʼ ἐκείνη τε παρεσιώπησεν, οἵ τε Μεγαρεῖς ἐπέσχον τὰ ῥύσια, διαπρεσβευσαμένων τοῖς συναλλάγμασιν. —
If, therefore, the senate had added the consequence concerning the return of Zeuxippus and his associates, a war would have quickly been kindled; but as it was, they kept silent, and the Megarians suspended the reprisals, since embassies had been sent regarding the contracts.
- 22.4.2τῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους
A prepositional phrase substantivized by the article, meaning 'mutual disputes' or 'civil lawsuits' among citizens in this context.
- 22.4.6δείσαντες ... μὴ ... ἀποσπασθῶσιν
A clause of fearing introduced by the participle δείσαντες, consisting of the negative particle μή and the subjunctive ἀποσπασθῶσιν (passive, third-person plural). A genitive absolute clause of condition κατελθόντων τῶν προειρημένων is embedded within it.
- 22.4.13τὰ ῥύσια
A technical term in ancient Greek international law referring to the official granting of the 'right of reprisal' or 'retaliatory seizure' of the property or persons of a foreign state's citizens in cases of international disputes or unfulfilled debts.
- 22.4.14ἔλαχε
The aorist (third-person singular) of the verb λαγχάνω, used here intransitively or impersonally to mean 'it fell to one's lot' or 'was targeted for seizure.' It governs the subsequent genitive τῶν Μυρρίχου θρεμμάτων....