Archias' Plot to Betray Cyprus and His Suicide — Polybius, The Histories Book 33 (33.5.1–33.5.4), Greek & English

§33.5.1

προτείνειν αὐτῷ πεντακόσια τάλαντα παραχωρήσαντι¹ τῆς Κύπρου, καὶ τἄλλα συνακολουθήσοντα λυσιτελῆ καὶ τίμια παρʼ αὐτῷ συνεπιδεικνύειν, προσενεγκαμένῳ τὴν χρείαν ταύτην.

That they should offer him five hundred talents on condition of his surrendering Cyprus, and point out, in addition, other advantageous and honorable benefits that would follow under him, if he rendered this service.

§33.5.2a

τῷ δὲ Πτολεμαίῳ γενομένης προσαγγελίας² παρεῖναι τὸν Ἀρχίαν. —

But when a report was made to Ptolemy, Archias was to be brought before him. —

§33.5.2

ὅτι Ἀρχίας βουλόμενος τὴν Κύπρον προδοῦναι τῷ Δημητρίῳ καὶ φωραθεὶς καὶ εἰς κρίσιν ἀχθεὶς καλῳδίῳ τῶν ἐκ τῆς αὐλαίας παραπεπετασμένων³ ἑαυτὸν ἀπεκρέμασεν.

That Archias, wishing to betray Cyprus to Demetrius, was detected and brought to trial, and hanged himself with a cord from one of the curtains hung in the palace.

§33.5.3

τῷ γὰρ ὄντι διὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας κενοὶ κενὰ λογίζονται κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν.

For in truth, “empty men form empty calculations because of their desires,” as the proverb says.

§33.5.4

καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος δόξας πεντακόσια τάλαντα προσλήψεσθαι καὶ τὰ προϋπάρχοντα χρήματα καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα προσαπέβαλεν.⁴

For he too, thinking that he would receive five hundred talents in addition, lost both his pre-existing property and his life as well.

Syntax notes4 items

33.5.1παραχωρήσαντι
Aorist participle dative masculine singular agreeing with the dative pronoun αὐτῷ. It functions conditionally ('if he surrendered'). Similarly, προσενεγκαμένῳ at the end of the section also expresses a condition ('if he rendered').
33.5.2aγενομένης προσαγγελίας
Genitive absolute construction ('when a report was made'). The following παρεῖναι is the present infinitive of πάρειμι ('to be present, appear'), here used to express a command or decision.
33.5.2τῶν ἐκ τῆς αὐλαίας παραπεπετασμένων
Perfect passive participle genitive neuter plural accompanied by the prepositional phrase ἐκ τῆς αὐλαίας ('from the curtain'). It depends on the noun καλῳδίῳ ('with a cord') in a partitive sense, indicating 'the cords stretched out from the curtain'.
33.5.4προσαπέβαλεν
Third person singular aorist indicative active of the verb προσαποβάλλω ('to lose in addition'). A compound of the prefix προσ- ('in addition, besides') and ἀποβάλλω ('to lose'), fitting the context that, far from gaining five hundred talents, he lost his life in addition to his original property.

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-grc2:33.5.1-33.5.4