Criticism of Perseus Fleeing Battle Under Pretext — Polybius, The Histories Book 29 (29.18.1), Greek & English

§29.18.1

ὁ δὲ τῶν Μακεδόνων βασιλεύς, ὥς φησι Πολύβιος, τῆς μάχης ἀρχὴν λαμβανούσης¹ ἀποδειλιάσας εἰς πόλιν ἀφιππάσατο, σκηψάμενος Ἡρακλεῖ θύειν, δειλὰ παρὰ δειλῶν ἱερὰ μὴ δεχομένῳ μηδʼ εὐχὰς ἀθεμίτους ἐπιτελοῦντι.² —

The king of the Macedonians, as Polybius says, turned coward when the battle was beginning and rode away to the city, making a pretext of sacrificing to Heracles, who does not accept cowardly offerings from cowards, nor fulfill unlawful prayers. —

Syntax notes2 items

29.18.1τῆς μάχης ἀρχὴν λαμβανούσης
A genitive absolute construction with a present participle, expressing synchronism: "while the battle was beginning" or "as the battle was getting under way."
29.18.1Ἡρακλεῖ θύειν, δειλὰ παρὰ δειλῶν ἱερὰ μὴ δεχομένῳ μηδʼ εὐχὰς ἀθεμίτους ἐπιτελοῦντι
The dative present participles δεχομένῳ and ἐπιτελοῦντι modify the preceding dative noun Ἡρακλεῖ. The verb ἐπιτελέω is used here in the sense of "fulfilling" or "granting" prayers, as an action of the deity.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:29.18.1