- 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-grc2:4.64.1-4.64.11
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
Having received a request for aid from the Achaeans, King Philip of Macedon burned Metropolis, defeated the Aetolian cavalry's attempt to block him at the river, and took control of the area near Conope. He then advanced, destroying the stronghold of Ithoria and other towers.
οἱ δʼ Ἀχαιοὶ κατὰ τοὺς καιροὺς τούτους πιεζόμενοι τῷ πολέμῳ, τὸν δὲ βασιλέα πυνθανόμενοι σύνεγγυς εἶναι, πέμπουσι πρέσβεις, ἀξιοῦντες βοηθεῖν.
Meanwhile the Achaeans, being hard pressed by the war at this time, and hearing that the king was near, sent envoys to request his assistance.
οἳ καὶ συμμίξαντες ἔτι περὶ Στράτον ὄντι τῷ Φιλίππῳ τά τε λοιπὰ διελέγοντο κατὰ τὰς ἐντολάς, καὶ τὰς ὠφελείας ὑποδεικνύντες τῷ στρατοπέδῳ τὰς ἐκ τῆς πολεμίας ἔπειθον1 αὐτὸν διαβάντα τὸ Ῥίον ἐμβαλεῖν εἰς τὴν Ἠλείαν.
These envoys, meeting Philip while he was still near Stratos, discussed the other matters in accordance with their instructions, and by pointing out the advantages for the army to be gained from the enemy’s country, they urged him to cross Rhion and invade Elis.
ὧν ὁ βασιλεὺς διακούσας τοὺς μὲν πρεσβευτὰς παρακατέσχε, φήσας βουλεύσασθαι περὶ τῶν παρακαλουμένων, αὐτὸς δʼ ἀναζεύξας προῆγε, ποιούμενος τὴν πορείαν ὡς ἐπὶ Μητροπόλεως καὶ Κωνώπης.
The king, having heard them out, detained the envoys, saying that he would deliberate on their requests, and having broken camp himself, advanced, making his march as if towards Metropolis and Conope.
οἱ δʼ Αἰτωλοὶ τὴν μὲν ἄκραν τῆς Μητροπόλεως κατεῖχον, τὴν δὲ πόλιν ἐξέλιπον. ὁ δὲ Φίλιππος ἐμπρήσας τὴν Μητρόπολιν προῄει κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς ἐπὶ τὴν Κωνώπην.
The Aetolians held the citadel of Metropolis, but had abandoned the city. Philip, having set fire to Metropolis, advanced continuously towards Conope.
τῶν δʼ Αἰτωλῶν ἱππέων ἁθροισθέντων καὶ τολμησάντων ἀπαντᾶν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ποταμοῦ διάβασιν, ἣ κεῖται πρὸ τῆς πόλεως εἴκοσι στάδια διέχουσα, καὶ πεπεισμένων2 ἢ κωλύειν τελείως ἢ κακοποιήσειν πολλὰ τοὺς Μακεδόνας περὶ τὴν ἔκβασιν, συννοήσας αὐτῶν τὴν ἐπιβολὴν ὁ βασιλεὺς παρήγγειλε τοῖς πελτασταῖς πρώτοις ἐμβαλεῖν εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν καὶ ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἔκβασιν ἁθρόους κατὰ τάγμα συνησπικότας.
Since the Aetolian cavalry had gathered and dared to oppose him at the crossing of the river, which lies twenty stades in front of the city, being convinced that they would either prevent the Macedonians from crossing altogether or inflict heavy damage on them during their landing, the king, perceiving their design, ordered the peltasts to be the first to enter the river and effect their landing in close order, battalion by battalion, with locked shields.
τῶν δὲ πειθαρχούντων, ἅμα τῷ τὴν πρώτην διαβῆναι σημαίαν3 βραχέα ταύτης καταπειράσαντες οἱ τῶν Αἰτωλῶν ἱππεῖς, ἐν τῷ ταύτην τε μεῖναι συνασπίσασαν καὶ τὴν δευτέραν καὶ τρίτην διαβαινούσας συμφράττειν τοῖς ὅπλοις πρὸς τὴν ὑφεστῶσαν, ἀπραγοῦντες καὶ δυσχρήστως ἀπαλλάττοντες4 ἀπεχώρουν πρὸς τὴν πόλιν.
When they obeyed, as soon as the first company had crossed, the Aetolian cavalry made a brief trial of them; but when this company stood its ground with locked shields, and the second and third, as they crossed, linked their shields to the one already in position, the Aetolians, achieving nothing and finding themselves in a difficult situation, retreated towards the city.
καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη τὸ μὲν τῶν Αἰτωλῶν φρόνημα συμπεφευγὸς εἰς τὰς πόλεις ἦγε τὴν ἡσυχίαν.
After this, the proud spirit of the Aetolians, having taken refuge in their cities, remained quiet.
ὁ δὲ Φίλιππος ἐπιδιαβὰς τῷ στρατεύματι, καὶ πορθήσας ἀδεῶς καὶ ταύτην τὴν χώραν προῆγε ποιούμενος τὴν πορείαν εἰς τὴν Ἰθωρίαν· τοῦτο δʼ ἔστι χωρίον, ὃ κεῖται μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς παρόδου κυρίως, ὀχυρότητι δὲ φυσικῇ καὶ χειροποιήτῳ διαφέρει.
Philip, having crossed over with his army and plundered this territory also without fear, advanced, making his march towards Ithoria. This is a place which lies directly on the pass, and is distinguished both by natural strength and artificial fortifications.
συνεγγίζοντος δʼ αὐτοῦ, καταπλαγέντες οἱ φυλάττοντες ἐξέλιπον τὸν τόπον· ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τοῦ τόπου κυριεύσας εἰς ἔδαφος καθεῖλε.
As he approached, the garrison, struck with terror, abandoned the place; the king, having made himself master of the place, razed it to the ground.
παραπλησίως δὲ καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς πύργους τοὺς κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἐπέταξε τοῖς προνομεύουσι
In like manner, he also ordered the foragers to treat the other towers throughout the country.
- 4.64.2ἔπειθον
Imperfect tense. Here it is used as a conative imperfect (imperfect of attempted action), meaning "they tried to persuade" or "they urged".
- 4.64.5τῶν δʼ Αἰτωλῶν ἱππέων ἁθροισθέντων καὶ τολμησάντων ἀπαντᾶν... καὶ πεπεισμένων
Genitive absolute construction. Multiple participles (such as ἁθροισθέντων, τολμησάντων, and πεπεισμένων) are connected by καί, indicating the circumstances or reasons for the main subject's (ὁ βασιλεύς) subsequent action.
- 4.64.7ἅμα τῷ τὴν πρώτην διαβῆναι σημαίαν
The construction "ἅμα τῷ + infinitive" expresses immediate simultaneity ("as soon as..."). ἅμα τῷ is construed with the articular dative infinitive διαβῆναι, which has τὴν πρώτην σημαίαν as its subject accusative.
- 4.64.7ἀπαλλάττοντες
The verb ἀπαλλάττω is used here intransitively (or with the omission of the reflexive pronoun ἑαυτούς) in the sense of "getting off" or "faring". Combined with the adverb δυσχρήστως, it means "getting out of the situation in a difficult state" or "faring badly."