- 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-grc2:23.16.1-23.16.13
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
Lycortas, the Achaean general, subdues the Messenians and proposes strict terms of peace, including the surrender of those responsible for the revolt and the death of Philopoemen. The Messenians unanimously accept the terms, the citadel is occupied, and the direct perpetrators of Philopoemen's murder are ordered to commit suicide.
ὅτι ὁ Λυκόρτας ὁ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν στρατηγὸς τοὺς Μεσσηνίους καταπληξάμενος τῷ πολέμῳ πάλαι μὲν οἱ Μεσσήνιοι καταπεπληγμένοι τὸν πρὸ τοῦ χρόνον τοὺς προεστῶτας,1 τότε μόλις ἐθάρρησάν τινες αὐτῶν φωνὴν ἀφιέναι, πιστεύσαντες τῇ τῶν πολεμίων ἐφεδρείᾳ, καὶ λέγειν2 ὅτι δεῖ πρεσβεύειν ὑπὲρ διαλύσεως.
That Lycortas, the general of the Achaeans, having struck terror into the Messenians by the war, though the Messenians had formerly been intimidated by their leaders, then at last some of them dared to raise their voice, trusting in the reserve force of the enemy, and to say that they ought to send envoys for a settlement.
οἱ μὲν οὖν περὶ τὸν Δεινοκράτην οὐκέτι δυνάμενοι πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος ἀντοφθαλμεῖν διὰ τὸ περιέχεσθαι τοῖς πράγμασιν εἴξαντες ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς τὰς ἰδίας οἰκήσεις.
Therefore, those around Deinocrates, no longer able to face the multitude because they were hemmed in by the circumstances, yielded and retired to their own homes.
οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ παρακληθέντες ὑπό τε τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ μάλιστα τῶν ἐκ Βοιωτίας πρεσβευτῶν, οἳ πρότερον ἤδη παραγεγονότες ἐπὶ τὰς διαλύσεις, Ἐπαίνετος καὶ Ἀπολλόδωρος, εὐκαίρως τότε παρέτυχον ἐν τῇ Μεσσήνῃ, ταχέως ἐπακολουθήσαντες ἐπὶ τὰς διαλύσεις οἱ Μεσσήνιοι κατέστησαν πρεσβευτὰς καὶ τούτους ἐξέπεμψαν, δεόμενοι τυχεῖν συγγνώμης ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμαρτημένοις.
But the majority, encouraged by the elders and especially by the envoys from Boeotia, who, having already arrived previously for the settlement, namely Epaenetus and Apollodorus, happened to be opportunely present then in Messene—the Messenians, quickly following up on the settlement, appointed envoys and sent them out, begging to obtain pardon for their offences.
ὁ δὲ στρατηγὸς τῶν Ἀχαιῶν παραλαβὼν τοὺς συνάρχοντας καὶ διακούσας τῶν παραγεγονότων μίαν ἔφη Μεσσηνίοις πρὸς τὸ ἔθνος εἶναι διάλυσιν, ἐὰν μὲν τοὺς αἰτίους τῆς ἀποστάσεως καὶ τῆς Φιλοποίμενος ἀναιρέσεως ἤδη παραδῶσιν αὐτῷ, περὶ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ἐπιτροπὴν δῶσιν τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς, εἰς δὲ τὴν ἄκραν εἰσδέξωνται παραχρῆμα φυλακήν.
The general of the Achaeans, taking his colleagues in office and hearing the newcomers fully, said that there was only one way of settlement for the Messenians with the league, if they would immediately surrender to him the authors of the revolt and of the murder of Philopoemen, and for all other matters give full power of decision to the Achaeans, and immediately admit a garrison into the citadel.
ἀναγγελθέντων δὲ τούτων εἰς τοὺς ὄχλους, οἱ μὲν πάλαι πικρῶς διακείμενοι πρὸς τοὺς αἰτίους τοῦ πολέμου πρόθυμοι τούτους ἦσαν ἐκδιδόναι καὶ συλλαμβάνειν, οἱ δὲ πεπεισμένοι μηδὲν πείσεσθαι δεινὸν ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν ἑτοίμως συγκατέβαινον εἰς τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅλων ἐπιτροπήν.
When these terms were announced to the crowds, those who had long been bitterly disposed toward the authors of the war were eager to surrender and arrest them, while those who were persuaded that they would suffer nothing terrible from the Achaeans readily agreed to the submission concerning the whole matter.
τὸ δὲ συνέχον, οὐκ ἔχοντες αἵρεσιν περὶ τῶν παρόντων ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐδέξαντο τὰ προτεινόμενα.
In short, having no choice in their present circumstances, they unanimously accepted the proposals.
τὴν μὲν οὖν ἄκραν εὐθέως παραλαβὼν ὁ στρατηγὸς τοὺς πελταστὰς εἰς αὐτὴν παρήγαγεν, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα προσλαβὼν τοὺς ἐπιτηδείους ἐκ τοῦ στρατοπέδου παρῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ συναγαγὼν τοὺς ὄχλους παρεκάλεσε τὰ πρέποντα τοῖς ἐνεστῶσι καιροῖς, ἐπαγγελλόμενος ἀμεταμέλητον αὐτοῖς ἔσεσθαι τὴν πίστιν.3
The general, therefore, immediately taking possession of the citadel, led the peltasts into it, and after this, taking with him his associates from the camp, he entered the city and, having gathered the crowds, exhorted them with words appropriate to the present circumstances, promising that their loyalty would not bring them regret.
τῆς μὲν οὖν ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅλων διαλήψεως τὴν ἀναφορὰν ἐπὶ τὸ ἔθνος ἐποιήσατο — καὶ γὰρ ὥσπερ ἐπίτηδες συνέβαινε τότε πάλιν συνάγεσθαι τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς εἰς Μεγάλην πόλιν ἐπὶ τὴν δευτέραν σύνοδον —
Now, concerning the decision on the whole matter, he referred it to the league—for indeed, as if on purpose, it happened that the Achaeans were then assembling again at Megalopolis for their second assembly—
τῶν δʼ ἐν ταῖς αἰτίαις ὅσοι μὲν μετέσχον τοῦ παρʼ αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν ἐπανελέσθαι τὸν Φιλοποίμενα, τούτοις ἐπέταξε παραχρῆμα πάντας αὐτοὺς ἐξάγειν ἐκ τοῦ ζῆν4 —
but of those under accusation, as many as had shared in the murder of Philopoemen at that very moment, he ordered them all immediately to depart from life.
- 23.16.2καταπεπληγμένοι τὸν πρὸ τοῦ χρόνον τοὺς προεστῶτας
The passive participle καταπεπληγμένοι (perfect passive of καταπλήσσω) is used here in an active sense ("having been intimidated by" or "fearing") and governs the direct object in the accusative, τοὺς προεστῶτας.
- 23.16.2καὶ λέγειν
The infinitive λέγειν depends on the preceding main verb ἐθάρρησαν and is coordinate with φωνὴν ἀφιέναι, meaning "they dared to raise their voice and to say."
- 23.16.11ἀμεταμέλητον αὐτοῖς ἔσεσθαι τὴν πίστιν
An accusative with infinitive construction governed by ἐπαγγελλόμενος. αὐτοῖς is a dative of interest/advantage, indicating that "their loyalty (τὴν πίστιν) would be without regret for them."
- 23.16.13ἐξάγειν ἐκ τοῦ ζῆν
Literally "to lead out of life," which is a common Classical Greek euphemism for committing suicide or being forced to take one's own life.