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Plutarch · Comparison of Demetrius and Antony §6.1-6.2

Comparison of the Causes of Their Fall and Their Deaths

Passage 6 of 6 · Greek

Summary

The author compares the causes of Demetrius' and Antony's fall from power, contrasting the abandoned with the abandoner, and evaluates their deaths, finding Demetrius' submission to captivity more blameworthy than Antony's suicide.

§6.1ἐξέπεσον δὲ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀμφότεροι μὲν δι’ αὑτούς, οὐ μὴν ὁμοίως, ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἐγκαταλειφθείς, ἀπέστησαν γὰρ αὐτοῦ Μακεδόνες, ὁ δὲ ἐγκαταλιπών, ἔφυγε γὰρ τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ κινδυνεύοντας·
Both of them fell from power through their own fault, yet not in the same manner; but the one because he was abandoned—for the Macedonians revolted from him—and the other because he abandoned others—for he fled from those who were risking their lives for him.
ὥστε τοῦ μὲν ἔγκλημα εἶναι τὸ δυσμενεῖς οὕτω πρὸς αὑτὸν ἀπεργάσασθαι τοὺς μαχομένους, τοῦ δὲ τὸ παρεσκευασμένην εὔνοιαν τοιαύτην καὶ πίστιν ἐγκαταλιπεῖν. §6.2τὸν δὲ θάνατον οὐδετέρου μὲν ἔστιν ἐπαινέσαι, ψεκτὸς δὲ ὁ Δημητρίου μᾶλλον.
Consequently, the charge against the former is that he made those who fought for him so hostile to himself, and against the latter that he abandoned such prepared goodwill and fidelity. Furthermore, the death of neither is to be praised, but that of Demetrius is more blameworthy.
αἰχμάλωτός τε γὰρ ὑπέμεινε γενέσθαι, καὶ καθειρχθεὶς ἠγάπησεν ἐπικερδᾶναι τριετίαν, οἴνῳ καὶ γαστρὶ καθάπερ τὰ ζῷα χειροήθης γενόμενος.
For he submitted to becoming a captive, and when imprisoned was content to gain three years of life, having become tame, like brute beasts, through wine and gluttony.
Ἀντώνιος δὲ δειλῶς μὲν καὶ οἰκτρῶς καὶ ἀτίμως, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ πρό γε τοῦ κύριον γενέσθαι τὸν πολέμιον τοῦ σώματος ἑαυτόν ἐξήγαγεν.
Antony, on the other hand, though in a cowardly, pitiable, and ignoble manner, nevertheless, at least before the enemy could become master of his body, took himself out of life.

Notes

  1. §6.1τοῦ μὲν... τοῦ δὲ — These function as subjective or possessive genitives modifying the noun `ἔγκλημα` (charge, accusation), meaning "the charge against the former... and against the latter." They refer back to `ὁ μὲν... ὁ δὲ` respectively.
  2. §6.2ἠγάπησεν — The aorist of `ἀγαπάω` followed by an infinitive (`ἐπικερδᾶναι`) is used idiomatically here to mean "to be content to do something" or "to acquiesce in doing something" rather than its standard meaning "to love."
  3. §6.2οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ — An idiomatic adversative particle group meaning "nevertheless," "yet," or "at any rate," used to qualify a preceding negative statement with a contrasting positive fact.

Cite this passage

Plutarch, Comparison of Demetrius and Antony §6.1-6.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg059.humanitext-grc2:6.1-6.2

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