- 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-grc2:28.14.1-28.14.4
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-11
This passage records the heinous treachery of the Cydoniatæ of Crete, who broke their sacred oaths, friendship, and joint citizenship with the Apolloniatae to capture their city, slaughter the men, and plunder their property and land.
ὅτι1 οἱ Κυδωνιᾶται κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἐποίησαν πρᾶγμα δεινὸν καὶ παράσπονδον ὁμολογουμένως.
That the Cydoniatæ at this time committed an act that was admittedly dreadful and a breach of treaty.
καίπερ γὰρ πολλῶν τοιούτων γενομένων κατὰ τὴν Κρήτην, ὅμως ἔδοξεν ὑπεραίρειν τὴν συνήθειαν τὸ τότε γενόμενον.
For although many such things had occurred in Crete, nevertheless what happened then seemed to surpass all common experience.
ὑπαρχούσης γὰρ αὐτοῖς οὐ μόνον φιλίας, ἀλλὰ συμπολιτείας πρὸς Ἀπολλωνιάτας καὶ καθόλου κοινωνίας πάντων τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις νομιζομένων δικαίων, καὶ περὶ τούτων κειμένης ἐνόρκου συνθήκης2 παρὰ τὸν Δία τὸν Ἰδαῖον, παρασπονδήσαντες τοὺς Ἀπολλωνιάτας κατελάβοντο τὴν πόλιν καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄνδρας κατέσφαξαν, τὰ δʼ ὑπάρχοντα διήρπασαν, τὰς δὲ γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα καὶ τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὴν χώραν διανειμάμενοι κατεῖχον.3 —
For though there existed between them and the Apolloniatae not only friendship but also a joint citizenship, and indeed a complete sharing of all that is considered just among men, and a sworn treaty concerning these matters was deposited in the temple of Idaean Zeus, they broke the treaty with the Apolloniatae, seized their city, slaughtered the men, plundered their property, and dividing the women, children, city, and territory among themselves, kept possession of them.
- 28.14.1ὅτι
This introductory ὅti is used without a main verb, which is a characteristic feature of Byzantine historical excerpts (Excerpta) to introduce the subject matter of a selected passage, functioning like 'That...'.
- 28.14.3ὑπαρχούσης γὰρ αὐτοῖς οὐ μόνον φιλίας... καὶ περὶ τούτων κειμένης ἐνόρκου συνθήκης
These are coordinated genitives absolute. In this context, they are best interpreted as having concessive force ('although there existed... and although a sworn treaty was deposited...'), which logically connects to 'παρασπονδήσαντες' (having broken the treaty) in the following clause.
- 28.14.4διανειμάμενοι κατεῖχον
A combination of an aorist participle (διανειμάμενοι) and an imperfect main verb (κατεῖχον). This highlights the aspectual contrast: the action of dividing took place first (aorist), followed by the continuous possession or occupation of the spoils (imperfect).