Reception of Attalus and the Senate's Decree for Alexander — Polybius, The Histories Book 33 (33.18.1–33.18.14), Greek & English

§33.18.1

ὅτι πρέσβεων διαφόρων παραγενομένων εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην ἡ σύγκλητος πρῶτον μὲν εἰσεκαλέσατο τὸν Εὐμένους τοῦ βασιλέως υἱὸν Ἄτταλον·

That, when various ambassadors had arrived in Rome, the Senate first of all summoned Attalus, the son of King Eumenes.

§33.18.2

παραγεγόνει γὰρ ἔτι παῖς ὢν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον εἰς Ῥώμην χάριν τοῦ τῇ τε συγκλήτῳ συσταθῆναι¹ καὶ τὰς πατρικὰς ἀνανεώσασθαι φιλίας καὶ ξενίας.

For he had come to Rome at this time, while still a boy, for the purpose of being introduced to the Senate and of renewing his father’s friendships and guest-friendships.

§33.18.3

οὗτος μὲν οὖν φιλανθρώπως ὑπό τε τῆς συγκλήτου καὶ τῶν πατρικῶν φίλων ἀποδεχθεὶς καὶ λαβὼν ἀποκρίσεις ἃς ἐβούλετο καὶ τιμὰς ἁρμοζούσας τῇ καθʼ αὑτὸν ἡλικίᾳ, μετά τινας ἡμέρας ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν, πασῶν αὐτὸν τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἑλλάδα πόλεων ἐκτενῶς καὶ μεγαλοψύχως ἀποδεξαμένων κατὰ τὴν δίοδον.

Having therefore been kindly received both by the Senate and by his father’s friends, and having obtained the answers he desired and honors appropriate to his age, after a few days he returned home, all the cities throughout Greece receiving him eagerly and generously on his passage.

§33.18.5

ἧκε δὲ καὶ Δημήτριος κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρόν, τυχὼν δὲ μετρίας ἀποδοχῆς ὡς παῖς αὖθις ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν.

Demetrius also arrived at the same time, but having met with only a moderate reception as being a boy, he returned again to his own country.

§33.18.6

ὁ δʼ Ἡρακλείδης κεχρονικὼς ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ παρῆλθεν εἰς τὴν σύγκλητον, ἔχων μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ τὴν Λαοδίκην καὶ τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον.

But Heracleides, having lingered in Rome, came before the Senate, having with him Laodice and Alexander.

§33.18.7

πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ὁ νεανίσκος ἐποιήσατό τινας μετρίους λόγους, ἠξίου δὲ Ῥωμαίους μνησθῆναι τῆς πρὸς τὸν Ἀντίοχον τὸν αὑτοῦ πατέρα φιλίας καὶ συμμαχίας, μάλιστα δὲ συγκατασκευάζειν αὑτῷ τὴν βασιλείαν·

First, then, the young man made a moderate speech, and requested the Romans to remember their friendship and alliance with his father Antiochus, and above all to assist him in securing his kingdom;

§33.18.8

εἰ δὲ μή,² συγχωρῆσαι τὴν κάθοδον καὶ μὴ κωλῦσαι τοὺς βουλομένους συμπράττειν αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸ καθικέσθαι τῆς πατρῴας ἀρχῆς.

or, if not, to permit his return and not to hinder those who wished to cooperate with him in recovering his paternal dominion.

§33.18.9

ὁ δʼ Ἡρακλείδης παραλαβὼν τὸν λόγον καὶ πολλήν τινα ποιησάμενος Ἀντιόχου μὲν μνείαν ἐπʼ ἀγαθῷ, Δημητρίου δὲ κατηγορίαν, εἰς τοῦτο κατήντησεν ὅτι δεῖ συγχωρεῖν τὴν κάθοδον τῷ τε νεανίσκῳ καὶ τῇ Λαοδίκῃ κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον, οὖσιν Ἀντιόχου τοῦ βασιλέως ἐκγόνοις κατὰ φύσιν.

Heracleides, taking up the discourse, and having made much honorable mention of Antiochus and accusation against Demetrius, came to this conclusion, that they ought in justice to permit the return of the young man and Laodice, who were by nature descendants of King Antiochus.

§33.18.10

τοῖς μὲν οὖν μετρίοις τῶν ἀνθρώπων οὐδὲν ἤρεσκε τούτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν κατασκευὴν τοῦ δράματος ἐνενόουν καὶ τὸν Ἡρακλείδην ἐβδελύττοντο προφανῶς.

Now to the sensible among men none of these things was pleasing, but they even perceived the composition of the drama and openly detested Heracleides.

§33.18.11

οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ τεθεραπευμένοι ταῖς Ἡρακλείδου γοητείαις συγκατηνέχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ γράφειν δόγμα τοιοῦτον· "

But the majority, won over by the deceits of Heracleides, were induced to draft a decree to this effect:

§33.18.12

Ἀλέξανδρος καὶ Λαοδίκη, βασιλέως υἱοί, φίλου καὶ συμμάχου ἡμετέρου γεγενημένου, ἐπελθόντες ἐπὶ τὴν σύγκλητον λόγους ἐποιήσαντο·

”Alexander and Laodice, children of a king who was our friend and ally, having come before the Senate, made their speeches.

§33.18.13

ἡ δὲ σύγκλητος αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν ἔδωκεν ἐπὶ τὴν πατρῴαν ἀρχὴν καταπορεύεσθαι, καὶ βοηθεῖν αὐτοῖς, ὡς ἠξίουν, ἔδοξεν.

The Senate has given them permission to return to their paternal dominion, and has resolved to assist them as they requested.”

§33.18.14

" ὁ δʼ Ἡρακλείδης ἐπιλαβόμενος τῆς ἀφορμῆς ταύτης εὐθέως ἐξενολόγει καὶ προσεκαλεῖτο τῶν ἐπιφανῶν ἀνδρῶν³ ἀφικόμενος δʼ εἰς τὴν Ἔφεσον ἐγίνετο περὶ τὴν παρασκευὴν τῆς προκειμένης ἐπιβολῆς.

Heracleides, seizing this opportunity, immediately began to enlist mercenaries and to call upon some of the distinguished men, and having arrived in Ephesus, he occupied himself with the preparation of the proposed enterprise.

Syntax notes3 items

33.18.2χάριν τοῦ τῇ τε συγκλήτῳ συσταθῆναι
The prepositional adverb χάριν ("for the sake of") takes the genitive to express purpose, and here governs the genitive articular infinitives τοῦ ... συσταθῆναι καὶ ... ἀνανεώσασθαι.
33.18.8εἰ δὲ μή
An elliptical conditional expression meaning "otherwise" or "if not," introducing an alternative request in case the preceding "to assist him in securing his kingdom" (βασιλείαν συγκατασκευάζειν) is not granted.
33.18.14προσεκαλεῖτο τῶν ἐπιφανῶν ἀνδρῶν
The middle-voice verb προσεκαλεῖτο ("to call to oneself, win over") is followed by the genitive τῶν ἐπιφανῶν ἀνδρῶν. This is a partitive genitive, meaning "he called to his side some of the distinguished men."

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-grc2:33.18.1-33.18.14