Embassies to Rome over the Coele-Syrian War — Polybius, The Histories Book 28 (28.1.1–28.1.9), Greek & English

§28.1.1

ὅτι¹ τοῦ πολέμου τοῦ περὶ Κοίλης Συρίας ἤδη καταρχὴν λαβόντος Ἀντιόχῳ καὶ Πτολεμαίῳ² τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν, ἧκον πρέσβεις εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην παρὰ μὲν Ἀντιόχου Μελέαγρος καὶ Σωσιφάνης καὶ Ἡρακλείδης, παρὰ δὲ Πτολεμαίου Τιμόθεος καὶ Δάμων.

That, the war over Coele-Syria having already begun between the kings Antiochus and Ptolemy, ambassadors came to Rome, from Antiochus, Meleager, Sosiphanes, and Heracleides, and from Ptolemy, Timotheus and Damon.

§28.1.2

συνέβαινε δὲ κρατεῖν τὸν Ἀντίοχον τῶν κατὰ Κοίλην Συρίαν καὶ Φοινίκην πραγμάτων.

And it happened that Antiochus was in control of the affairs in Coele-Syria and Phoenicia.

§28.1.3

ἐξ οὗ γὰρ Ἀντίοχος ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ νῦν λεγομένου βασιλέως ἐνίκησε τῇ περὶ τὸ Πάνιον μάχῃ τοὺς Πτολεμαίου στρατηγούς, ἀπʼ ἐκείνων τῶν χρόνων ἐπείθοντο πάντες οἱ προειρημένοι τόποι τοῖς ἐν Συρίᾳ βασιλεῦσιν.

For ever since Antiochus, the father of the king now spoken of, defeated the generals of Ptolemy in the battle near Panium, from those times all the aforementioned places were subject to the kings in Syria.

§28.1.4

διόπερ ὁ μὲν Ἀντίοχος ἡγούμενος τὴν κατὰ πόλεμον ἰσχυροτάτην καὶ καλλίστην εἶναι κτῆσιν, ὡς ὑπὲρ ἰδίων ἐποιεῖτο τὴν σπουδήν·

Therefore Antiochus, on his part, believing that acquisition by war was the strongest and noblest kind of possession, showed his zeal as if on behalf of his own property;

§28.1.5

ὁ δὲ Πτολεμαῖος ἀδίκως ὑπολαμβάνων τὸν πρότερον Ἀντίοχον συνεπιθέμενον τῇ τοῦ πατρὸς ὀρφανίᾳ³ παρῃρῆσθαι τὰς κατὰ Κοίλην Συρίαν πόλεις αὐτῶν, οὐχ οἷός τʼ ἦν ἐκείνῳ παραχωρεῖν τῶν τόπων τούτων. διόπερ οἱ περὶ τὸν Μελέαγρον ἧκον, ἐντολὰς ἔχοντες μαρτύρεσθαι τὴν σύγκλητον διότι Πτολεμαῖος αὐτῷ παρὰ πάντα τὰ δίκαια τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιβάλλει πρότερος, οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Τιμόθεον περί τε τῆς τῶν φιλανθρώπων ἀνανεώσεως καὶ τοῦ διαλύειν⁴ τὸν πρὸς Περσέα πόλεμον, μάλιστα δὲ παρατηρεῖν τὰς τῶν περὶ τὸν Μελέαγρον ἐντεύξεις.

but Ptolemy, on his part, conceiving that the former Antiochus had unjustly deprived them of the cities in Coele-Syria by taking advantage of his father’s orphanhood, was unable to cede these places to him. For this reason Meleager and his colleagues had come, having instructions to protest to the senate that Ptolemy, contrary to all justice, had been the first to lay hands on him, while Timotheus and his colleagues had come both to renew the friendly relations and to mediate in the war against Perseus, but most of all to watch the negotiations of Meleager and his embassy.

§28.1.8

περὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς διαλύσεως οὐκ ἐθάρρησαν εἰπεῖν, Μάρκου συμβουλεύσαντος αὐτοῖς Αἰμιλίου· περὶ δὲ τῶν φιλανθρώπων ἀνανεωσάμενοι καὶ λαβόντες ἀποκρίσεις ἀκολούθους τοῖς ἀξιουμένοις ἐπανῆλθον εἰς τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν.

Now, concerning the mediation, they did not venture to speak, Marcus Aemilius having advised them against it; but having renewed the friendly relations and received answers in conformity with their requests, they returned to Alexandria.

§28.1.9

τοῖς δὲ περὶ τὸν Μελέαγρον ἡ σύγκλητος ἀπεκρίθη διότι Κοΐντῳ Μαρκίῳ δώσει τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν γράψαι περὶ τούτων πρὸς Πτολεμαῖον, ὡς αὐτῷ δοκεῖ συμφέρειν ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας πίστεως. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν οὕτως ἐχειρίσθη κατὰ τὸ παρόν. —

To Meleager and his colleagues, the senate replied that they would give Quintus Marcius instructions to write to Ptolemy concerning these matters in the way he thought most advantageous in accordance with his own good faith. And these matters were thus handled for the present. —

Syntax notes4 items

28.1.1ὅτι
An introductory conjunction characteristic of historical epitomes, leading a noun clause to present the summarized fact as 'That...'.
28.1.1Ἀντιόχῳ καὶ Πτολεμαίῳ
A dative of reference (or 'dative of interest') used within the genitive absolute clause τοῦ πολέμου ... λαβόντος, indicating that the start of the war occurred 'between them' or 'for them'.
28.1.5τῇ τοῦ πατρὸς ὀρφανίᾳ
A dative object taken by the participle συνεπιθέμενον ('taking advantage of', 'attacking'), meaning 'by taking advantage of his father's orphanhood'.
28.1.7τοῦ διαλύειν
An articular infinitive in the genitive case governed by the preposition περί, expressing purpose ('to mediate'). It modifies the main verb ἧκον supplied from the end of §28.1.5.

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-grc2:28.1.1-28.1.9