- 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-grc2:5.99.1-5.99.10
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
After the failed attempt, Philip gathers siege equipment near the Enipeus river and besieges the strategic city of Phthiotic Thebes, which had been a base for Aetolian raids.
ὁ δὲ Φίλιππος διαψευσθεὶς τῆς πράξεως,1 καὶ καταστρατοπεδεύσας περὶ τὸν Ἐνιπέα ποταμόν, συνῆγε τὰς παρασκευὰς ἔκ τε τῆς Λαρίσης καὶ τῶν ἄλλων πόλεων, ἃς ἐπεποίητο κατὰ χειμῶνα πρὸς τὴν πολιορκίαν·
Philip, having been frustrated in his enterprise, encamped near the Enipeus river and began to collect from Larissa and the other cities the provisions which he had prepared during the winter for the siege.
ἡ γὰρ ὅλη πρόθεσις ἦν αὐτῷ τῆς στρατείας ἐξελεῖν τὰς Φθιώτιδας καλουμένας Θήβας.
For the whole purpose of his expedition was to capture the city called Phthiotic Thebes.
ἡ δὲ πόλις αὕτη κεῖται μὲν οὐ μακρὰν ἀπὸ τῆς θαλάττης, ἀπέχουσα Λαρίσης ὡς τριακοσίους σταδίους, ἐπίκειται δʼ εὐκαίρως τῇ τε Μαγνησίᾳ καὶ τῇ Θετταλίᾳ, καὶ μάλιστα τῆς μὲν Μαγνησίας2 τῇ τῶν Δημητριέων χώρᾳ, τῆς δὲ Θετταλίας τῇ τῶν Φαρσαλίων καὶ Φεραίων.
This city lies not far from the sea, being about three hundred stades distant from Larissa, and commands an advantageous position over both Magnesia and Thessaly, particularly over the territory of the Demetrians in Magnesia, and that of the Pharsalians and Pheraeans in Thessaly.
ἐξ ἧς καὶ τότε, κατεχόντων αὐτὴν τῶν Αἰτωλῶν3 καὶ συνεχεῖς ποιουμένων τὰς ἐπιδρομάς, μεγάλα συνέβαινε βλάπτεσθαι4 τούς τε Δημητριεῖς καὶ τοὺς Φαρσαλίους, ἔτι δὲ Λαρισαίους·
At that time too, since the Aetolians held it and made continuous incursions, it happened that the Demetrians, the Pharsalians, and also the Larisaeans suffered great damage from it;
πολλάκις γὰρ ἐποιοῦντο τὰς καταδρομὰς ἕως ἐπὶ τὸ καλούμενον Ἀμυρικὸν πεδίον.
for they frequently made raids as far as the so-called Amyric plain.
διόπερ ὁ Φίλιππος οὐκ ἐν μικρῷ τιθέμενος μεγάλην ἐποιεῖτο σπουδὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ κατὰ κράτος ἐξελεῖν αὐτήν.
Therefore Philip, regarding this as no small matter, showed great eagerness to take it by force.
συναχθέντων δὲ καταπελτῶν μὲν ἑκατὸν πεντήκοντα, πετροβολικῶν δʼ ὀργάνων πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι, προσῆλθε ταῖς Θήβαις, καὶ διελὼν τὸ στρατόπεδον εἰς τρία μέρη διέλαβε τοὺς πέριξ τόπους τῆς πόλεως, καὶ τῷ μὲν ἑνὶ περὶ τὸ Σκόπιον ἐστρατοπέδευσε, τῷ δʼ ἄλλῳ περὶ τὸ καλούμενον Ἡλιοτρόπιον, τὸ δὲ τρίτον εἶχε κατὰ τὸ τῆς πόλεως ὑπερκείμενον ὄρος, τὰ δὲ μεταξὺ τῶν στρατοπέδων τάφρῳ καὶ διπλῷ χάρακι διαλαβὼν ὠχυρώσατο, πρὸς δὲ καὶ πύργοις ξυλίνοις ἠσφαλίσατο, κατὰ πλέθρον στήσας αὐτοὺς μετὰ φυλακῆς τῆς ἀρκούσης.
When one hundred and fifty catapults and twenty-five stone-throwing engines had been collected, he advanced to Thebes, and dividing his army into three parts, he occupied the surrounding areas of the city. With one part he encamped near Scopion, with another near the so-called Heliotropion, and the third he stationed on the mountain that commands the city. He fortified the intervals between the camps by securing them with a trench and a double palisade, and further strengthened them with wooden towers, placing them at intervals of a plethron with sufficient guards.
ἑξῆς δὲ τούτοις τὰς παρασκευὰς ἁθροίσας ὁμοῦ πάσας ἤρξατο προσάγειν τὰ μηχανήματα πρὸς τὴν ἄκραν.
Following this, having gathered all his preparations together, he began to bring the siege engines against the citadel.
- 5.99.1τῆς πράξεως
Genitive of separation governed by the passive verb διαψεύδομαι ('to be frustrated in', 'to fail of'), meaning 'having failed in his enterprise'.
- 5.99.3τῆς μὲν Μαγνησίας
Partitive genitive depending on the subsequent dative phrase τῇ τῶν Δημητριέων χώρᾳ ('the territory of the Demetrians [belonging to Magnesia]').
- 5.99.4κατεχόντων αὐτὴν τῶν Αἰτωλῶν
Genitive absolute construction consisting of the present participle κατεχόντων and its subject τῶν Αἰτωλῶν, expressing time or cause ('since the Aetolians occupied it'), coordinated with the following participle ποιουμένων.
- 5.99.4μεγάλα συνέβαινε βλάπτεσθαι
The impersonal verb συνέβαινε ('it happened that') takes the passive infinitive βλάπτεσθαι with its subject accusatives (τούς τε Δημητριεῖς...). The neuter plural accusative μεγάλα is used adverbially, modifying the infinitive ('to be greatly harmed').