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Plutarch · Life of Sertorius §15.1-15.2

Perpenna Forced by His Troops to Join Sertorius

Passage 15 of 27 · Greek

Summary

Describes how Sertorius was also beloved by the Roman soldiers, and how Perpenna was forced to join forces with him due to his soldiers' revolt.

§15.1οὐ μόνον δὲ τοῖς Ἴβηρσιν ἦν ποθεινός, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐξ Ἰταλίας στρατευομένοις.
He was desired not only by the Iberians, but also by those who were serving from Italy.
Περπέννα γοῦν Οὐέντωνος ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς Σερτωρίῳ στάσεως εἰς Ἰβηρίαν παραγενομένου μετὰ χρημάτων πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλης δυνάμεως, ἰδίᾳ δὲ καθʼ ἑαυτὸν ἐγνωκότος πολεμεῖν πρὸς τὸν Μέτελλον, ἐδυσχέραινον οἱ στρατιῶται, καὶ πολὺς ἦν τοῦ Σερτωρίου λόγος ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ, τὸν Περπένναν ἀνιῶν εὐγενείᾳ καὶ πλούτῳ τετυφωμένον.
Indeed, when Perpenna Vento, who belonged to the same faction as Sertorius, arrived in Iberia with much money and a large force, having resolved to make war on his own account against Metellus, the soldiers were disgruntled, and there was much talk of Sertorius in the camp, which annoyed Perpenna, who was puffed up with his noble birth and wealth.
§15.2οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ Πομπήϊος ἠγγέλλετο τὴν Πυρήνην ὑπερβάλλων, ἀναλαβόντες οἱ στρατιῶται τὰ ὅπλα καὶ τὰ σημεῖα τῶν τάξεων ἀναρπάσαντες κατεβόησαν τοῦ Περπέννα, κελεύοντες ὡς τὸν Σερτώριον ἄγειν αὐτοὺς· εἰ δὲ μή, καταλιπόντες ἐκεῖνον ἠπείλουν αὐτοὶ βαδιεῖσθαι πρὸς ἄνδρα σώζεσθαι καὶ σῴζειν δυνάμενον.
However, when it was reported that Pompey was crossing the Pyrenees, the soldiers took up their arms, snatched up the standards of their cohorts, and cried out against Perpenna, ordering him to lead them to Sertorius; otherwise, they threatened that they would leave him behind and go on their own to a man who was capable of saving himself and saving others.
συγχωρήσας δὲ ὁ Περπέννας ἤγαγεν αὐτοὺς, καὶ συνέμιξε τῷ Σερτωρίῳ πεντήκοντα καὶ τρεῖς ἔχων σπείρας.
Perpenna gave way and led them, and joined Sertorius, having fifty-three cohorts.

Notes

  1. §15.1Περπέννα γοῦν Οὐέντωνος ... παραγενομένου ... ἐγνωκότος — A genitive absolute construction with the proper name Περπέννας Οὐέντωνος as its subject. The perfect active participle ἐγνωκότος also modifies Perpenna.
  2. §15.1τὸν Περπένναν ἀνιῶν εὐγενείᾳ καὶ πλούτῳ τετυφωμένον — The present participle ἀνιῶν (nominative singular masculine) agrees with the subject of the main clause, πολὺς λόγος ("much talk", masculine singular), describing its effect. τετυφωμένον is a perfect passive participle (accusative singular masculine) modifying the direct object τὸν Περπένναν.
  3. §15.2ἐπεὶ Πομπήϊος ἠγγέλλετο ... ὑπερβάλλων — A personal construction of reporting where the verb ἠγγέλλετο (imperfect passive of ἀγγέλλω) is coupled with the participle ὑπερβάλλων. Instead of an impersonal "it was reported that Pompey was crossing," Pompey is made the grammatical subject: "Pompey was reported as crossing."
  4. §15.2πρὸς ἄνδρα σώζεσθαι καὶ σῴζειν δυνάμενον — δυνάμενον is a participle (accusative singular masculine) modifying ἄνδρα ("a man"). It governs two infinitives: σώζεσθαι (present passive or middle infinitive, "to save oneself" or "to be safe") and σῴζειν (present active infinitive, "to save [others]").

Cite this passage

Plutarch, Life of Sertorius §15.1-15.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg042.humanitext-grc2:15.1-15.2

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