- 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-grc2:31.13.1-31.13.14
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-12
Demetrius makes detailed preparations for his escape from Rome, conspiring with his companions to plan their departure via Anagnia. From his sickbed, Polybius, anxious that Demetrius' youth and love of drinking might ruin the plan, secretly sends him a note of philosophical maxims urging bold action and sobriety.
ἐπειδὴ δὲ πάντʼ ἦν ἕτοιμα τῷ ναυκλήρῳ λοιπόν τʼ ἔδει τὸν Δημήτριον ἀπαρτίζειν τὰ καθʼ αὑτόν, τὸν τροφέα προαπέστειλεν εἰς τὴν Συρίαν ὠτακουστήσοντα καὶ κατοπτεύσοντα τἀκεῖ συμβαίνοντα περὶ τοὺς ὄχλους.
When everything was ready for the shipmaster, and it only remained for Demetrius to complete his own preparations, he sent his foster-father ahead to Syria to play the eavesdropper and to reconnoitre what was happening there among the crowds.
ὁ δὲ σύντροφος Ἀπολλώνιος ἐξ ἀρχῆς αὐτῷ μετεῖχε τῆς ἐπιβολῆς· δυεῖν δʼ ὑπαρχόντων ἀδελφῶν, Μελεάγρου καὶ Μενεσθέως, τούτοις ἐκοινώσατο τὴν πρᾶξιν, ἄλλῳ δʼ οὐδενὶ τῶν μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καίτοι πλειόνων ὄντων.
His foster-brother Apollonius had shared the enterprise with him from the beginning; and since he had two brothers, Meleager and Menestheus, he communicated the plan to them, but to no one else of his companions, although they were numerous.
οὗτοι δʼ ἦσαν Ἀπολλωνίου1 κατὰ φύσιν υἱοί, τοῦ μεγάλην μὲν εὐκαιρίαν ἔχοντος παρὰ Σελεύκῳ, μεταστάντος δὲ κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχου μετάληψιν τῆς ἀρχῆς εἰς Μίλητον.
These were the natural sons of Apollonius, who had enjoyed great influence with Seleucus, but had removed to Miletus at the time when Antiochus succeeded to the sovereignty.
τῆς δὲ συνταχθείσης ἡμέρας πρὸς τοὺς ναυτικοὺς συνεγγιζούσης, ἔδει γενέ σθαι παρά τινι τῶν φίλων ὑποδοχὴν πρὸς τὴν ἔξοδον.
As the day agreed upon with the crew approached, it was necessary that a reception for their departure should take place at the house of one of their friends.
παρὰ γὰρ αὐτῷ ποιεῖν τὸ δεῖπνον οὐχ οἷόν τʼ ἦν· εἴθιστο γὰρ ἐπιμελῶς καλεῖν ἅπαντας τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν ὄντας.
For it was impossible to hold the dinner at Demetrius’ own house, because he was accustomed to invite scrupulously all those who were about him.
οἱ δὲ συνειδότες τὴν πρᾶξιν ἔμελλον ἐξ οἴκου δειπνήσαντες ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον ἥξειν, ἔχοντες ἕνα παῖδα μεθʼ ἑαυτῶν ἕκαστος· τοὺς γὰρ λοιποὺς ἀπεστάλκεισαν εἰς Ἀναγνείας, κατὰ τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν2 αὐτοὶ παρεψόμενοι.
Those who were in on the plot were to dine at home and then come to the ship, each having one attendant with him; for they had sent the rest of their servants ahead to Anagnia, intending to follow them themselves on the next day.
τὸν δὲ Πολύβιον συνέβαινεν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἠσθενηκότα μένειν κατὰ κλίνην, εἰδέναι δὲ πάντα τὰ πραττόμενα, τοῦ Μενύλλου συνεχῶς αὐτῷ μεταδιδόντος αἰεὶ περὶ τῶν ὑποπιπτόντων.
Now it happened that Polybius at this time was ill and confined to his bed, but he knew everything that was being done, since Menyllus continuously kept him informed of all that occurred.
διόπερ ἀγωνιάσας ὁ προειρημένος μὴ τῆς συνηθείας ἑλκυσθείσης, ἅτε τοῦ Δημητρίου συμποτικοῦ φυσικῶς καὶ νεωτέρου τελέως ὑπάρχοντος, ἀπόρημά τι γένηται3 περὶ τὴν ἔξοδον διὰ τὴν μέθην, γράψας βραχὺ πιττάκιον καὶ σφραγισάμενος πέμπει παρʼ αὑτοῦ παῖδα συσκοτάζοντος ἄρτι τοῦ θεοῦ, συντάξας ἐκκαλεσάμενον τὸν οἰνοχόον τοῦ Δημητρίου δοῦναι τὸ πιττάκιον, μηδὲν εἰπόντα τίς ἢ παρὰ τίνος, καὶ κελεύειν ἀποδιδόναι τῷ Δημητρίῳ παραχρῆμα διαναγνῶναι.
Therefore, the aforementioned Polybius, anxious lest, if the drinking-party were prolonged, since Demetrius was naturally fond of conviviality and quite young, some embarrassment regarding the escape might arise through intoxication, wrote a short note, and having sealed it, sent a servant of his own just as it was growing dark, instructing him to call out Demetrius’ cupbearer and give him the note, without saying who he was or from whom it came, and to bid him hand it to Demetrius to read at once.
γενομένων δὲ πάντων κατὰ τὸ συνταχθέν, λαβὼν ὁ Δημήτριος ἐπανέγνω.
Everything having been done according to his instructions, Demetrius received and read the note.
τὸ δὲ πιττάκιον περιεῖχε τὰς γνώμας ταύτας. ὁ δρῶν τὰ τοῦ μέλλοντος οἴχεται φέρων.
The note contained the following maxims: “He who acts carries off the prizes of the future.”
ἴσον φέρει νύξ, τοῖς δὲ τολμῶσιν πλέον. τόλμα τι, κινδύνευε, πρᾶττʼ, ἀποτύγχανε, ἐπίτυχε, πάντα μᾶλλον ἢ σαυτὸν προοῦ.
”Night brings equal things, but to the daring, more. Dare something,” ”run risks, act, fail, succeed; anything rather than betray yourself.”
νᾶφε καὶ μέμνασʼ ἀπιστεῖν·4 ἄρθρα ταῦτα τᾶν φρενῶν.
”Be sober and remember to distrust; these are the very joints of the mind.”
- 31.13.3Ἀπολλωνίου
The genitive Ἀπολλωνίου here refers not to the son Apollonius mentioned in the preceding section (§31.13.2), but to his father of the same name. This is made clear by the subsequent articular participle phrase τοῦ μεγάλην μὲν εὐκαιρίαν ἔχοντος... (who had enjoyed great influence...) which modifies this noun.
- 31.13.6κατὰ τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν
Behind the feminine singular accusative article and participle τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν, the feminine noun ἡμέραν (day) is omitted, forming a temporal adverbial phrase meaning 'on the next day'.
- 31.13.8μὴ ... ἀπόρημά τι γένηται
A subordinate clause introduced by the participle of apprehension/anxiety ἀγωνιάσας (anxious/fearful), using the subjunctive γένηται to express the fear of a negative outcome ('lest some embarrassment should arise').
- 31.13.14νᾶφε καὶ μέμνασʼ ἀπιστεῖν
A quotation from a verse of the Sicilian comic poet Epicharmus (fr. 250 Kaibel), preserving the Doric dialectal forms νᾶφε and μέμνασ' with long alpha, corresponding to the Attic forms νῆφε (be sober) and μέμνησ' (remember).