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Plutarch · Life of Sertorius §27.1-27.4

Perpenna's Defeat and Execution and Burning of the Letters

Passage 27 of 27 · Greek

Summary

Perpenna attempts to confront Pompey with Sertorius's forces but is swiftly defeated and captured. Hoping to save his life, Perpenna offers to reveal traitorous letters from prominent Romans, but Pompey burns the documents unread to prevent domestic chaos and executes Perpenna along with his fellow conspirators.

§27.1οἱ μὲν οὖν πλεῖστοι τῶν Ἰβήρων εὐθὺς ᾤχοντο καὶ παρέδωκαν ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιπρεσβευσάμενοι τοῖς περὶ Πομπήϊον καὶ Μέτελλον τοὺς δὲ συμμείναντας ὁ Περπέννας ἀναλαβὼν ἐπεχείρει τι πράττειν.
Most of the Iberians, therefore, immediately departed and surrendered themselves, having sent embassies to Pompey and Metellus. But Perpenna, taking those who remained together, attempted to achieve something.
χρησάμενος δὲ ταῖς Σερτωρίου παρασκευαῖς ὅσον ἐνασχημονῆσαι καὶ φανερὸς γενέσθαι μήτε ἄρχειν μήτε ἄρχεσθαι πεφυκώς, Πομπηΐῳ συνέβαλε·
And having made use of the preparations of Sertorius only so far as to disgrace himself and make it clear that he was by nature fitted neither to rule nor to be ruled, he clashed with Pompey.
§27.2καὶ ταχὺ συντριβεὶς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ γενόμενος αἰχμάλωτος οὐδὲ τὴν ἐσχάτην ὑπέμεινε συμφορὰν ἡγεμονικῶς, ἀλλὰ τῶν Σερτωρίου γραμμάτων κύριος γεγονώς ὑπισχνεῖτο Πομπηΐῳ δείξειν ὑπατικῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ μέγιστον ἐν Ῥώμῃ δυναμένων αὐτογράφους ἐπιστολάς, καλούντων Σερτώριον εἰς Ἰταλίαν, ὡς πολλῶν ποθούντων τὰ παρόντα κινῆσαι καὶ μεταβαλεῖν τὴν πολιτείαν.
And being quickly crushed by him and made a prisoner, he did not even endure his ultimate misfortune in a manner worthy of a leader, but having come into possession of the papers of Sertorius, he promised to show Pompey autograph letters from consular men and those of the greatest power in Rome, inviting Sertorius to Italy, on the ground that many desired to disturb the present state of affairs and to change the constitution.
§27.3ἔργον οὖν ὁ Πομπήϊος οὐ νέας φρενός, ἀλλʼ εὖ μάλα βεβηκυίας καὶ κατηρτυμένης ἐργασάμενος μεγάλων ἀπήλλαξε τὴν Ῥώμην φόβων καὶ νεωτερισμῶν, τὰς μὲν γὰρ ἐπιστολὰς ἐκείνας καὶ τὰ γράμματα τοῦ Σερτωρίου συναγαγὼν ἅπαντα κατέκαυσεν οὔτε αὐτὸς ἀναγνοὺς οὔτε ἐάσας ἕτερον· αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν Περπένναν κατὰ τάχος ἀνεῖλε, φοβηθεὶς μὴ τῶν ὀνομάτων ἐξενεχθέντων πρός τινας ἀποστάσεις καὶ ταραχαὶ γένωνται.
Pompey, therefore, having performed a deed not of a young mind, but of one well-established and disciplined, delivered Rome from great fears and revolutionary dangers. For he gathered all those letters and the papers of Sertorius and burned them, neither reading them himself nor permitting anyone else to do so; and Perpenna himself he quickly put to death, fearing lest, if the names were made public, rebellions and disturbances might arise in some quarters.
§27.4τῶν δὲ τῷ Περπέννᾳ συνομοσαμένων οἱ μὲν ἐπὶ Πομπήϊον ἀναχθέντες διεφθάρησαν, οἱ δὲ φεύγοντες εἰς Λιβύην ὑπὸ Μαυρουσίων κατηκοντίσθησαν.
Of those who had conspired with Perpenna, some were brought before Pompey and put to death, while others, fleeing to Libya, were shot down with javelins by the Maurusians.
διέφυγε δʼ οὐδεὶς πλὴν Αὐφίδιος ὁ τοῦ Μαλλίου ἀντεραστής· οὗτος δὲ ἢ λαθὼν ἢ παραμεληθεὶς ἔν τινι βαρβάρῳ κώμῃ πενόμενος καὶ μισούμενος κατεγήρασεν.
And no one escaped except Aufidius, the rival lover of Mallius; and he, either escaping notice or being neglected, grew old in poverty and hatred in some barbarian village.

Notes

  1. §27.1ὅσον ἐνασχημονῆσαι καὶ φανερὸς γενέσθαι — The word ὅσον, derived from a relative pronoun/adverb, is used here with infinitives to express degree or result ("so far as to...", "just enough to..."). It ironically indicates that Perpenna's use of Sertorius's forces achieved nothing but the exposure of his own incompetence.
  2. §27.2καλούντων ... ὡς πολλῶν ποθούντων — The participle καλούντων is in the genitive, agreeing with the preceding phrase ὑπατικῶν ἀνδρῶν... (attributive use). The subsequent phrase ὡς πολλῶν ποθούντων is a genitive absolute construction introduced by the particle ὡς, indicating the subjective reason alleged by the writers ("on the ground that many desired...").
  3. §27.3ἔργον ... οὐ νέας φρενός ... ἐργασάμενος — The genitive phrase οὐ νέας φρενός (not of a young mind, i.e., of a mature mind) is a genitive of quality describing the deed (ἔργον). The noun ἔργον itself functions as a cognate accusative governed by the participle ἐργασάμενος.

Cite this passage

Plutarch, Life of Sertorius §27.1-27.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg042.humanitext-grc2:27.1-27.4

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