- Source
- Titi Livi ab urbe condita libri editionem priman, Pars I-IV, Libri I-XL. Editio Stereotypica. Weissenborn, Wilhelm; Mueller, Moritz, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1884-1911.
- 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:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:37.10.1-37.10.12
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
Polyxenidas proposes a fake defection to the Rhodian commander Pausistratus, who believes the offer and lets down his guard. Meanwhile, Polyxenidas secretly gathers his forces.
dum haec in Hellesponto geruntur, Polyxenidas regius praefectus — erat autem exul Rhodius — cum audisset profectam ab domo popularium suorum classem, et Pausistratum praefectum superbe quaedam et contemptim in se contionantem dixisse, praecipuo certamine animi adversus eum sumpto nihil aliud dies noctesque agitabat animo, quam ut verba magnifica eius rebus confutaret.
While these things were being done in the Hellespont, Polyxenidas, the royal prefect—who was a Rhodian exile—having heard that a fleet of his countrymen had set out from home, and that the prefect Pausistratus had spoken certain things arrogantly and contemptuously against him in an assembly, conceived a special rivalry of spirit against him, and turned nothing else over in his mind day and night than how he might refute his boastful words by deeds.
mittit ad eum hominem et illi notum, qui diceret et se Pausistrato patriaeque suae magno usui, si liceat, fore, et a Pausistrato se restitui in patriam posse.1
He sent to him a man also known to him, who was to say both that he would be of great service to Pausistratus and to his own country, if it were permitted, and that he could be restored to his country by Pausistratus.
cum, quonam modo ea fieri possent, mirabundus Pausistratus percunctaretur, fidem petenti dedit agendae communiter rei aut tegendae silentio.2
When, wondering how those things could be done, Pausistratus inquired, he gave a pledge to the one requesting it that the business would either be conducted in common or kept covered in silence.
tum internuntius: regiam classem aut totam aut maiorem eius partem Polyxenidam traditurum ei; pretium tanti meriti nullum aliud pacisci quam reditum in patriam.3
Then the intermediary said: that Polyxenidas would hand over to him either the entire royal fleet or the greater part of it; and that he bargained for no other reward for so great a service than his return to his country.
magnitudo rei nec ut crederet nec ut aspernaretur dicta effecit.4 Panhormum Samiae terrae petit, ibique ad explorandam rem, quae oblata erat, substitit.
The magnitude of the matter made him neither believe nor reject what was said. He headed for Panhormus in the territory of Samos, and there halted to investigate the matter which had been offered.
ultro citroque nuntii cursare, nec fides ante Pausistrato facta est, quam coram nuntio eius Polyxenidas sua manu scripsit se ea, quae pollicitus esset, facturum signoque suo impressas tabellas misit. eo vero pignore velut auctoratum sibi proditorem ratus est: neque enim eum, qui sub rege viveret, commissurum fuisse, ut adversus semet ipsum indicia manu sua testata daret.5
Messengers ran to and fro, and trust was not established for Pausistratus until, in the presence of his messenger, Polyxenidas wrote with his own hand that he would perform those things, and sent tablets stamped with his own seal. Indeed, by that pledge he thought the traitor bound to him: for he believed that one who lived under a king would not have allowed himself to give evidence attested by his own hand against himself.
inde ratio simulatae proditionis composita. omnium se rerum apparatum omissurum Polyxenidas dicere; non remigem, non socios navalis ad classem frequentis habiturum;
Thence the plan of the simulated betrayal was composed. Polyxenidas said that he would neglect the preparation of all things; that he would not keep the rowers or naval allies assembled for the fleet;
subducturum per simulationem reficiendi quasdam naves, alias in propinquos portus dimissurum; paucas ante portum Ephesi in salo habiturum, quas, si exire res cogeret, obiecturus certamini foret.
that he would draw up certain ships on the pretext of repairing them, and dismiss others to neighboring ports; and that he would keep a few in the roadstead before the harbor of Ephesus, which he would oppose to the contest if circumstances forced them to go out.
quam neglegentiam Polyxenidam in classe sua habiturum Pausistratus audivit, eam ipse extemplo habuit,6 partem navium ad commeatus accersendos Halicarnassum, partem Samum ad urbem misit, ipse ad Panhormum mansit, ut paratus esset, cum signum adgrediendi a proditore accepisset. Polyxenidas augere simulando errorem; subducit quasdam naves, alias velut subducturus esset, navalia reficit; remiges ex hibernis non Ephesum accersit, sed Magnesiam occulte cogit.
Which negligence Pausistratus heard Polyxenidas would maintain in his fleet, he himself immediately maintained; he sent a part of the ships to Halicarnassus to fetch provisions, and another part to the city of Samos, while he himself remained at Panhormus so that he might be ready, when he should receive the signal for attacking from the traitor. Polyxenidas increased the error by pretending; he drew up some ships, was about to draw up others as if he would, and repaired the dockyards; he did not summon the rowers from their winter quarters to Ephesus, but gathered them secretly at Magnesia.
- 37.10.3fore, et a Pausistrato se restitui in patriam posse.
The accusative subject se in both infinitive clauses se ... fore (future infinitive) and se ... posse (present infinitive with passive infinitive restitui) refers to the sender of the message, Polyxenidas. These clauses depend on qui diceret introducing indirect speech.
- 37.10.4agendae communiter rei aut tegendae silentio
agendae ... rei and tegendae [rei] are gerundives in agreement with the genitive noun rei, modifying fidem (pledge/assurance) to express its content: "a pledge of carrying out the business in common or keeping it secret in silence."
- 37.10.5pretium tanti meriti nullum aliud pacisci quam reditum in patriam.
pacisci can be interpreted as a historical infinitive representing the main verb (with Polyxenidas as subject), or as an infinitive in indirect speech depending on an implied verb of saying after internuntius. It is treated here as a historical infinitive describing Polyxenidas's action.
- 37.10.6magnitudo rei nec ut crederet nec ut aspernaretur dicta effecit.
This is a variation of the result clause effecit ut..., where the negation is brought forward using nec ... nec before the conjunction ut. It is structurally equivalent to magnitudo rei effecit ut neque crederet neque aspernaretur dicta.
- 37.10.8neque enim eum, qui sub rege viveret, commissurum fuisse, ut adversus semet ipsum indicia manu sua testata daret.
commissurum fuisse is the future active participle with fuisse representing the apodosis of a contrary-to-fact condition in indirect speech (depending on ratus est), corresponding to non commisisset in direct speech. ut ... daret depends on the idiom committere ut (to commit oneself to doing, to bring about that).
- 37.10.11quam neglegentiam Polyxenidam in classe sua habiturum Pausistratus audivit, eam ipse extemplo habuit
A structure of relative attraction or prolepsis, where the antecedent neglegentiam is incorporated into the relative clause. It corresponds to: Pausistratus extemplo habuit eam neglegentiam, quam Polyxenidam in classe sua habiturum [esse] audivit.