The Senate Receives Envoys from Greece and Asia — Polybius, The Histories Book 24 (24.1.1–24.1.7), Greek & English

§24.1.1

εἰς δὲ τὴν Ῥώμην παραγεγονότων τῶν πρεσβευτῶν παρά τε τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων¹ καὶ τῶν ἐκ Λακεδαίμονος φυγάδων, ἔτι δὲ παρὰ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τῶν παρʼ Εὐμένους καὶ παρʼ Ἀριαράθου τοῦ βασιλέως ἡκόντων καὶ τῶν παρὰ Φαρνάκου, τούτοις πρῶτον ἐχρημάτισεν ἡ σύγκλητος.

When the envoys from Lacedaemon and the exiles from Lacedaemon arrived in Rome, and moreover those from the Achaeans, and at the same time those who came from Eumenes and King Ariarathes, and those from Pharnaces, the Senate gave them audience first.

§24.1.2

βραχεῖ δὲ χρόνῳ πρότερον ἀνηγγελκότων τῶν περὶ τὸν Μάρκον πρεσβευτῶν,² οὓς ἀπεστάλκεισαν ἐπὶ τὸν Εὐμένει καὶ Φαρνάκῃ συνεστηκότα πόλεμον, καὶ διασεσαφηκότων περί τε τῆς Εὐμένους μετριότητος ἐν πᾶσιν καὶ περὶ τῆς Φαρνάκου πλεονεξίας καὶ καθόλου τῆς ὑπερηφανίας, οὐκέτι πολλῶν προσεδεήθη λόγων ἡ σύγκλητος διακούσασα τῶν παραγεγονότων, ἀπεκρίθη δὲ διότι πάλιν πέμψει πρεσβευτὰς τοὺς φιλοτιμότερον ἐπισκεψομένους ὑπὲρ τῶν διαφερόντων τοῖς προειρημένοις.³

A short time previously, Marcus and his fellow envoys, whom the Senate had dispatched because of the war that had broken out between Eumenes and Pharnaces, had returned and reported, making clear Eumenes’ moderation in all things and Pharnaces’ greed and general arrogance. Therefore, the Senate, after hearing those who had arrived, did not require any more words, but replied that it would send envoys again to investigate more thoroughly the matters in dispute between the aforementioned.

§24.1.4

μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τῶν ἐκ τῆς Λακεδαίμονος φυγάδων εἰσπορευθέντων καὶ τῶν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἅμα τούτοις, ἐπὶ πολὺ διακούσασα τοῖς μὲν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως οὐδὲν ἐπετίμησε περὶ τῶν γεγονότων, τοῖς δὲ φυγάσιν ἐπηγγείλατο γράψειν πρὸς τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς περὶ τοῦ κατελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν.⁴

After this, when the exiles from Lacedaemon and with them the envoys from the city entered, the Senate, having heard them at great length, did not blame the envoys from the city at all for what had occurred. But to the exiles, it promised to write to the Achaeans regarding their return to their own country.

§24.1.6

μετὰ δέ τινας ἡμέρας εἰσπορευθέντων τῶν περὶ Βίππον τὸν Ἀργεῖον, οὓς ἀπεστάλκει τὸ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν ἔθνος, καὶ διασαφούντων περὶ τῆς Μεσσηνίων ἀποκαταστάσεως, οὐθενὶ δυσαρεστήσασα περὶ τῶν οἰκονουμένων ἡ σύγκλητος ἀπεδέξατο φιλανθρώπως τοὺς πρεσβευτάς.

After a few days, when Bippus of Argos and his colleagues, whom the Achaean nation had sent, entered and explained the restoration of the Messenians, the Senate, finding no fault with any of the arrangements made, received the envoys cordially.

Syntax notes4 items

24.1.1εἰς δὲ τὴν Ῥώμην παραγεγονότων τῶν πρεσβευτῶν παρά τε τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων...
The segment from 'εἰς δὲ τὴν Ῥώμην παραγεγονότων τῶν πρεσβευτῶν...' to '...καὶ τῶν παρὰ Φαρνάκου' forms a large genitive absolute construction, explaining the simultaneous arrival of envoys from various regions to the main subject (ἡ σύγκλητος) and verb (ἐχρημάτισεν).
24.1.2τῶν περὶ τὸν Μάρκον πρεσβευτῶν
An idiomatic expression of 'οἱ περί + accusative', referring to the delegation headed by Marcus.
24.1.3τοῖς προειρημένοις
Dative plural, functioning in association with 'διαφερόντων' (differing/disputing with). It is interpreted here as 'matters in dispute among/between the aforementioned (Eumenes, Ariarathes, Pharnaces, etc.)'.
24.1.5περὶ τοῦ κατελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν
Articular infinitive in the genitive (τοῦ κατελθεῖν) governed by the preposition 'περί'. 'αὐτούς' is the subject accusative of the infinitive, referring back to 'τοῖς φυγάσιν' (the exiles).

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-grc2:24.1.1-24.1.7