- 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-grc2:5.36.1-5.36.9
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
Sosibius becomes wary of Cleomenes, whom he had previously involved in his royal assassination plot, upon learning of his immense influence over the foreign mercenaries. Despite the king's indolence, Sosibius convinces the court to pre-emptively detain Cleomenes.
τίαν.1 καθʼ ὃν γὰρ καιρὸν ἐγίνοντο περὶ τὴν ἀναίρεσιν τοῦ Μάγα καὶ τῆς Βερενίκης, ἀγωνιῶντες μὴ διασφαλῶσι τῆς ἐπιβολῆς,2 καὶ μάλιστα διὰ τὴν Βερενίκης τόλμαν, ἠναγκάζοντο πάντας αἰκάλλειν τοὺς περὶ τὴν αὐλὴν καὶ πᾶσιν ὑπογράφειν ἐλπίδας, ἐὰν κατὰ λόγον αὐτοῖς χωρήσῃ τὰ πράγματα.
...reason. For at the time when they were engaged in the assassination of Magas and Berenice, being anxious lest they should fail in their attempt, and especially on account of Berenice’s boldness, they were compelled to flatter everyone around the court and to hold out hopes to all, in case things should go according to their plan.
τότε δὴ κατανοῶν ὁ Σωσίβιος τὸν Κλεομένην δεόμενον μὲν τῆς ἐκ τῶν βασιλέων ἐπικουρίας, ἔχοντα δὲ γνώμην καὶ πραγμάτων ἀληθινὴν ἔννοιαν, ὑπογράφων αὐτῷ μεγάλας ἐλπίδας ἅμα συμμετέδωκε τῆς ἐπιβολῆς.3
It was then indeed that Sosibius, observing that Cleomenes stood in need of aid from the kings, and that he possessed a sound judgment and a true understanding of affairs, held out great hopes to him and at the same time made him a partner in the plot.
θεωρῶν δʼ αὐτὸν ὁ Κλεομένης ἐξεπτοημένον καὶ μάλιστα δεδιότα τοὺς ξένους καὶ μισθοφόρους, θαρρεῖν παρεκάλει· τοὺς γὰρ μισθοφόρους βλάψειν μὲν αὐτὸν οὐδέν,4 ὠφελήσειν δʼ ὑπισχνεῖτο.
But Cleomenes, seeing him terrified and especially afraid of the foreign troops and mercenaries, urged him to be of good courage; for he promised that the mercenaries would do him no harm, but rather be of assistance.
μᾶλλον δʼ αὐτοῦ θαυμάσαντος τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν "οὐχ ὁρᾷσ" ἔφη "διότι5 σχεδὸν εἰς τρισχιλίους εἰσὶν ἀπὸ Πελοποννήσου ξένοι καὶ Κρῆτες εἰς χιλίους, οἷς ἐὰν νεύσωμεν ἡμεῖς μόνον, ἑτοίμως ὑπουργήσουσι πάντες; τούτων δὲ συστραφέντων, τίνας ἀγωνιᾷς;
And when Sosibius wondered all the more at his promise, Cleomenes said, “Do you not see that there are nearly three thousand foreign troops from the Peloponnese and about a thousand Cretans, all of whom, if we but give them a nod, will readily serve us? When these are banded together, of whom are you afraid?
ἢ δῆλον" ἔφη "τοὺς ἀπὸ Συρίας καὶ Καρίας στρατιώτας;"
Or is it clearly,” he said, “the soldiers from Syria and Caria?”
τότε μὲν οὖν ἡδέως ὁ Σωσίβιος ἀκούσας ταῦτα διπλασίως ἐπερρώσθη πρὸς τὴν κατὰ τῆς Βερενίκης πρᾶξιν·
At that time, indeed, Sosibius heard these words with pleasure and was doubly encouraged for the action against Berenice;
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα θεωρῶν τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως ῥᾳθυμίαν, ἀεὶ τὸν λόγον ἀνενεοῦτο, καὶ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν τήν τε τοῦ Κλεομένους τόλμαν ἐλάμβανε καὶ τὴν τῶν ξένων πρὸς αὐτὸν εὔνοιαν.
but afterwards, observing the king’s indolence, he constantly recalled this conversation, and kept before his eyes both the boldness of Cleomenes and the goodwill of the foreign troops towards him.
διὸ καὶ τότε μάλιστα παρέστησε τῷ τε βασιλεῖ καὶ τοῖς φίλοις ὁρμὴν οὗτος εἰς τὸ προκαταλαβέσθαι καὶ συγκλεῖσαι τὸν Κλεομένην.
Therefore at that time especially, he inspired both the king and his friends with an impulse to forestall and shut up Cleomenes.
πρὸς δὲ τὴν ἐπίνοιαν ταύτην
And to this plan...
- 5.36.1τίαν
Connects with "αἰ-" at the end of the preceding section (§5.35.13) to form "αἰτίαν" (reason). This division is a result of the line break in the manuscript source.
- 5.36.1ἀγωνιῶντες μὴ διασφαλῶσι τῆς ἐπιβολῆς
Led by the participle ἀγωνιῶντες (being anxious), the clause μὴ with the subjunctive (διασφαλῶσι, aorist passive) expresses fear ("lest they should fail"). The verb διασφάλλομαι governs the genitive case (τῆς ἐπιβολῆς), meaning "to fail in the attempt."
- 5.36.2συμμετέδωκε τῆς ἐπιβολῆς
The verb συμμεταδίδωμι (to share with) takes a dative of person (αὐτῷ) and a genitive of the thing shared (τῆς ἐπιβολῆς), meaning "to make someone a partner in the plot."
- 5.36.3τοὺς γὰρ μισθοφόρους βλάψειν μὲν αὐτὸν οὐδέν
An accusative with infinitive construction in indirect speech. The subject of the future active infinitive βλάψειν is τοὺς μισθοφόρους, and the object is αὐτὸν (referring to Sosibius). οὐδέν is used adverbially as an emphatic negative ("not at all").
- 5.36.4διότι
Although usually a causal conjunction (because), in Polybius it frequently functions as a substitute for ὅτι, introducing a noun clause ("that...") serving as the object of a verb of perception (ὁρᾷς).
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — note 1