Capture of Tyre and Abandonment of the March on Egypt — Polybius, The Histories Book 5 (5.62.1–5.62.8), Greek & English

§5.62.1

τρεψάμενος¹ ἐπεστρατοπέδευσε τοῖς στενοῖς. προσδεξάμενος δὲ καὶ τὴν λοιπὴν δύναμιν ἐνταῦθα, καὶ παρακαλέσας τὰ πρέποντα ταῖς προκειμέναις ἐπιβολαῖς, μετὰ ταῦτα προήγαγε μετὰ πάσης τῆς δυνάμεως, εὐθαρσὴς καὶ μετέωρος ὢν πρὸς τὰς ὑπογραφομένας ἐλπίδας.

Having routed them, he encamped at the pass. Having also awaited the arrival of the rest of his army there, and having encouraged them in terms suitable to the undertakings before them, he then advanced with his entire force, full of courage and highly elated at the prospects painted before him.

§5.62.2

ἀπαντησάντων δὲ τῶν περὶ τὸν Θεόδοτον καὶ Παναίτωλον αὐτῷ καὶ τῶν ἅμα τούτοις φίλων, ἀποδεξάμενος τούτους φιλανθρώπως παρέλαβε τήν τε Τύρον καὶ Πτολεμαΐδα καὶ τὰς ἐν ταύταις παρασκευάς, ἐν αἷς ἦν καὶ πλοῖα τετταράκοντα·

When Theodotus, Panaetolus, and the friends with them came to meet him, he received them kindly and took possession of Tyre and Ptolemais, as well as the military preparations in them, among which were forty ships.

§5.62.3

τούτων κατάφρακτα μὲν εἴκοσι διαφέροντα ταῖς κατασκευαῖς, ἐν οἷς οὐδὲν ἔλαττον ἦν τετρήρους, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τριήρεις καὶ δίκροτα καὶ κέλητες. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν Διογνήτῳ παρέδωκε τῷ ναυάρχῳ·

Of these, twenty were decked ships, outstanding in their construction, among which none was inferior to a quadrireme; the rest were triremes, dicrota, and light vessels. These, then, he handed over to Diognetus, his admiral.

§5.62.4

προσπεσόντος² δʼ αὐτῷ τὸν μὲν Πτολεμαῖον εἰς Μέμφιν ἐξεληλυθέναι, τὰς δὲ δυνάμεις ἡθροῖσθαι πάσας εἰς Πηλούσιον καὶ τάς τε διώρυχας ἀναστομοῦν καὶ τὰ πότιμα τῶν ὑδάτων ἐμφράττειν, τῆς μὲν ἐπὶ τὸ Πηλούσιον ἐπιβολῆς ἀπέστη, τὰς δὲ πόλεις ἐπιπορευόμενος ἐπειρᾶτο τὰς μὲν βίᾳ, τὰς δὲ πειθοῖ, πρὸς αὑτὸν ἐπάγεσθαι.

But when news reached him that Ptolemy had departed for Memphis, that all his forces had assembled at Pelusium, and that they were opening the sluices of the canals and damming up the drinking water, he abandoned his plan of attacking Pelusium, and visiting the cities in order, tried to win them over to his side, some by force and others by persuasion.

§5.62.6

τῶν δὲ πόλεων αἱ μὲν ἐλαφραὶ καταπεπληγμέναι τὴν ἔφοδον αὐτοῦ προσετίθεντο· αἱ δὲ πιστεύουσαι ταῖς παρασκευαῖς καὶ ταῖς ὀχυρότησι τῶν τόπων ὑπέμενον· ἃς ἠναγκάζετο προσκαθεζόμενος πολιορκεῖν καὶ κατατρίβειν τοὺς χρόνους.

Of these cities, those that were easily swayed, terrified at his approach, submitted to him; but those which trusted in their fortifications and the strength of their positions held out, which forced him to sit down before them and waste his time in sieges.

§5.62.7

οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Πτολεμαῖον τοῦ μὲν ἐκ χειρὸς βοηθεῖν³ τοῖς σφετέροις πράγμασιν, ὅπερ ἦν καθῆκον, οὕτως παρεσπονδημένοι προφανῶς, οὐδʼ ἐπιβολὴν εἶχον διὰ τὴν ἀδυναμίαν·

As for Ptolemy and his advisers, though they had been so blatantly betrayed, they did not even have any plan to bring immediate assistance to their cause, which was their duty, owing to their powerlessness.

§5.62.8

ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὠλιγώρητο πάντα τὰ κατὰ τὰς πολεμικὰς

For to such a degree had everything relating to war been neglected by them.

Syntax notes3 items

5.62.1τρεψάμενος
The middle aorist participle of τρέπω, here used transitively in the sense of "having routed (the enemy) for oneself," functioning similarly to the active voice.
5.62.4προσπεσόντος
An impersonal genitive absolute (or neuter singular genitive absolute) whose logical subject is the subsequent accusative and infinitive clauses starting with τὸν μὲν Πτολεμαῖον.
5.62.7τοῦ μὲν ἐκ χειρὸς βοηθεῖν
An articular genitive infinitive clause, best understood as depending on the noun ἐπιβολὴν (plan, undertaking) in the main clause, meaning "plan to bring immediate assistance."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.62.1-5.62.8