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Plutarch · Comparison of Timoleon with Aemilius Paulus §1.1-1.5

Comparison of military feats and opponents

Passage 1 of 2 · Greek

Summary

The author compares the lives of Aemilius Paulus and Timoleon, noting their similar achievements against formidable enemies, while counterbalancing arguments regarding the strength of their opponents and the quality of the armies they commanded.

§1.1τοιούτων δὲ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν ὄντων, δῆλον ὡς οὐκ ἔχει πολλὰς διαφορὰς οὐδὲ ἀνομοιότητας ἡ σύγκρισις.
Since the facts in their histories are of such a kind, it is clear that the comparison does not admit of many differences or dissimilarities.
§1.2οἵ τε γὰρ πόλεμοι πρὸς ἐνδόξους γεγόνασιν ἀμφοτέροις ἀνταγωνιστάς, τῷ μὲν Μακεδόνας, τῷ δὲ Καρχηδονίους, αἵ τε νῖκαι περιβόητοι, τοῦ μὲν ἑλόντος Μακεδονίαν καὶ τὴν ἀπʼ Ἀντιγόνου διαδοχὴν ἐν ἑβδόμῳ βασιλεῖ καταπαύσαντος, τοῦ δὲ τὰς τυραννίδας πάσας ἀνελόντος ἐκ Σικελίας καὶ τὴν νῆσον ἐλευθερώσαντος·
For the wars were waged by both against famous antagonists, the one against Macedonians, the other against Carthaginians; and their victories were celebrated, since the one captured Macedonia and terminated the succession from Antigonus at the seventh king, while the other removed all tyrannies from Sicily and set the island free.
§1.3εἰ μὴ νὴ Δία βούλοιτό τις παρεγχειρεῖν ὡς Αἰμίλιος μὲν ἐρρωμένῳ Περσεῖ καὶ Ῥωμαίους νενικηκότι, Τιμολέων δὲ Διονυσίῳ παντάπασιν ἀπειρηκότι καὶ κατατετριμμένῳ συνέπεσε, §1.4καὶ πάλιν ὑπὲρ Τιμολέοντος, ὅτι πολλοὺς μὲν τυράννους, μεγάλην δὲ τὴν Καρχηδονίων δύναμιν ἀπὸ τῆς τυχούσης στρατιᾶς ἐνίκησεν, οὐχ ὥσπερ Αἰμίλιος ἀνδράσιν ἐμπειροπολέμοις καὶ μεμαθηκόσιν ἄρχεσθαι χρώμενος, ἀλλὰ μισθοφόροις οὖσι καὶ στρατιώταις ἀτάκτοις, πρὸς ἡδονὴν εἰθισμένοις στρατεύεσθαι.
Unless, by Zeus, one should wish to interpose the objection that Aemilius encountered Perseus when the latter was in his full strength and had even defeated the Romans, whereas Timoleon met with Dionysius when he was utterly exhausted and worn out, and on the other hand, in favor of Timoleon, that he defeated many tyrants and a great force of Carthaginians with an ordinary army, not, like Aemilius, employing men experienced in war and trained to obey, but mercenaries and undisciplined soldiers, who were accustomed to military service only for pleasure.
§1.5τὰ γὰρ ἀπʼ οὐκ ἴσης παρασκευῆς ἴσα κατορθώματα τῷ στρατηγῷ τὴν αἰτίαν περιτίθησι.
For equal achievements resulting from unequal preparations attribute the credit to the general.

Notes

  1. 1.1τοιούτων δὲ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν ὄντων — A genitive absolute construction expressing cause ("since the facts in their histories are of such a kind"). τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν refers to "the things in the history" or "the biographical facts."
  2. 1.2τοῦ μὲν ἑλόντος ... τοῦ δὲ ... ἀνελόντος — Genitive absolute participles explaining the preceding nominal clause αἵ τε νῖκαι περιβόητοι ("their victories were celebrated"). They contrast the specific achievements of each general (τοῦ μὲν... τοῦ δὲ...).
  3. 1.3εἰ μὴ νὴ Δία βούλοιτό τις παρεγχειρεῖν — A conditional clause containing an optative (βούλοιτο), functioning as a potential optative (often without ἄν in this type of parenthetical transition), presenting a hypothetical objection ("unless indeed someone should wish to object"). νὴ Δία ("by Zeus") is a strong formula of assertion.
  4. 1.4ἀπὸ τῆς τυχούσης στρατιᾶς — τυχούσης is the aorist active participle (feminine genitive singular) of τυγχάνω. Used adjectivally, it means "ordinary," "chance," or "haphazard."
  5. 1.5τῷ στρατηγῷ τὴν αἰτίαν περιτίθησι — The verb περιτίθημι means "to bestow" or "attribute." Here, αἰτία is used in a positive sense of "cause" or "credit," rather than "blame." Thus, the phrase means "attributes the credit to the general."

Cite this passage

Plutarch, Comparison of Timoleon with Aemilius Paulus §1.1-1.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg020.humanitext-grc2:1.1-1.5

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