- 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-grc2:4.36.1-4.36.9
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
The Aetolian envoy Machatas successfully incites Sparta to declare war on the Achaeans and persuades the Eleans to do the same. This places the Aetolians in an advantageous position, while the Achaeans are left isolated due to delays and non-cooperation from their allies.
ὁ δὲ Μαχατᾶς, πυθόμενος τὰ γεγονότα περὶ τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους, ἧκε πάλιν ὑποστρέψας εἰς τὴν Σπάρτην, καὶ παρεκάλει τοὺς ἐφόρους καὶ τοὺς βασιλέας ἐξανεγκεῖν τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς τὸν πόλεμον·
Machatas, having heard of the events concerning the Lacedaemonians, returned again to Sparta, and urged the ephors and the kings to declare war against the Achaeans;
μόνως γὰρ οὕτως ἔφη λῆξαι τὴν τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων φιλονεικίαν τῶν ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου διακοπτόντων1 τὴν πρὸς Αἰτωλοὺς συμμαχίαν τήν τε τῶν ἐν Αἰτωλίᾳ τὰ παραπλήσια τούτοις πραττόντων.
for he said that only in this way would the animosity of the Lacedaemonians cease—both of those who were by every means trying to break off the alliance with the Aetolians, and of those in Aetolia who were doing things similar to these.
πεισθέντων δὲ τῶν ἐφόρων καὶ τῶν βασιλέων, ὁ μὲν Μαχατᾶς ἐπανῆλθε, συντετελεσμένος τὴν πρόθεσιν διὰ τὴν ἄγνοιαν τῶν συμπραττόντων,2 ὁ δὲ Λυκοῦργος ἀναλαβὼν τοὺς στρατιώτας καί τινας τῶν πολιτικῶν ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὴν Ἀργείαν, ἀφυλάκτως διακειμένων εἰς τέλος τῶν Ἀργείων διὰ τὴν προϋπάρχουσαν κατάστασιν.
When the ephors and the kings were persuaded, Machatas returned, having accomplished his purpose through the ignorance of his cooperators. But Lycurgus, taking his soldiers and some of the citizens, invaded Argolis, while the Argives were entirely off their guard owing to the previously existing state of affairs.
καὶ Πολίχναν μὲν καὶ Πρασίας καὶ Λεύκας καὶ Κύφαντα προσπεσὼν ἄφνω κατέσχε· Γλυμπέσι δὲ καὶ Ζάρακι προσπεσὼν ἀπέπεσε.
And falling upon Polichna, Prasiae, Leucae, and Cyphanta, he suddenly captured them; but falling upon Glympeis and Zarax, he was repulsed.
τούτου δὲ ταῦτα πράξαντος, ἐπεκήρυξαν τὸ λάφυρον οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι κατὰ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν. ἔπεισαν δὲ καὶ τοὺς Ἠλείους οἱ περὶ τὸν Μαχατᾶν, παραπλήσια λέγοντες ἅπερ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους, ἐξενεγκεῖν τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς τὸν πόλεμον.
When he had done this, the Lacedaemonians proclaimed the right of plunder against the Achaeans. And Machatas and his associates also persuaded the Eleans, saying much the same as they had to the Lacedaemonians, to declare war against the Achaeans.
παραδόξως δὲ καὶ κατὰ νοῦν τοῖς Αἰτωλοῖς τῶν πραγμάτων προκεχωρηκότων, οὗτοι μὲν εὐθαρσῶς ἐνέβαινον εἰς τὸν πόλεμον, οἱ δʼ Ἀχαιοὶ τἀναντία· Φίλιππος μὲν γάρ, ἐφʼ ᾧ τὰς ἐλπίδας εἶχον, ἀκμὴν ἐγίνετο περὶ παρασκευήν, Ἠπειρῶται δʼ ἔμελλον πολεμεῖν,3 Μεσσήνιοι δʼ ἡσυχίαν εἶχον, Αἰτωλοὶ δέ, προσειληφότες τὴν Ἠλείων καὶ Λακεδαιμονίων ἄγνοιαν, πανταχόθεν περιεῖχον αὐτοὺς τῷ πολέμῳ.
Since affairs had turned out for the Aetolians unexpectedly and according to their wish, they entered upon the war with high courage, but the Achaeans did the opposite; for Philip, on whom they had placed their hopes, was still busy with preparations, while the Epirots delayed in entering the war, and the Messenians remained quiet; but the Aetolians, having taken advantage of the ignorance of the Eleans and Lacedaemonians, hemmed them in with war on all sides.
- 4.36.2τῶν ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου διακοπτόντων
This genitive participle clause and the subsequent parallel τῶν ἐν Αἰτωλίᾳ ... πραττόντων modify τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων, specifying the factions (the Spartan opponents of the Aetolian alliance and those in Aetolia acting similarly) whose political friction (φιλονεικίαν) was preventing stability.
- 4.36.3τῶν συμπραττόντων
Meaning 'those acting in cooperation.' It refers here to the Spartan collaborators (the newly established ephors and rebels) who aligned with Machatas. It implies that these individuals, in their ignorance (ἄγνοιαν), unwittingly served as instruments for Machatas's diplomatic designs.
- 4.36.8ἔμελλον πολεμεῖν
The auxiliary verb μέλλω here carries a nuance of hesitation or delay ('were delaying to engage in war') rather than simple intention, highlighting the reluctance of the Epirots to actively support the Achaean cause at this juncture.