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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §11.59.1-11.59.4

Assessment of Themistocles and Micythus' Colony at Pyxus

Passage 60 of 723 · Greek

Summary

The author presents rhetorical questions praising the unique achievements of Themistocles in contrast with Athens' unjust treatment. Finally, the account of Themistocles is concluded, and the narrative transitions to the founding of Pyxus by Micythus in Italy.

§11.59.1τίς γὰρ ἕτερος, τῆς Σπάρτης πλέον ἰσχυούσης καὶ τοῦ ναυτικοῦ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἔχοντος Εὐρυβιάδου τοῦ Σπαρτιάτου, ταῖς ἰδίαις πράξεσιν ἀφείλετʼ ἂν τῆς Σπάρτης ταύτην τὴν δόξαν;
For what other man, while Sparta was more powerful and Eurybiades the Spartan held the command of the fleet, could have deprived Sparta of this glory by his own deeds?
τίνα δʼ ἄλλον ἱστορήκαμεν μιᾷ πράξει ποιήσαντα διενεγκεῖν αὑτὸν μὲν τῶν ἡγεμόνων, τὴν δὲ πόλιν τῶν Ἑλληνίδων πόλεων, τοὺς δʼ Ἕλληνας τῶν βαρβάρων;
And whom else have we recorded as having, by a single deed, made himself surpass the other commanders, his city surpass the other Greek cities, and the Greeks surpass the barbarians?
ἐπὶ τίνος δὲ στρατηγοῦντος ἐλάττονας ἀφορμὰς ἢ μείζονας κινδύνους συνέβη γενέσθαι; §11.59.2τίς δὲ πρὸς ἅπασαν τὴν ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας δύναμιν ἀναστάτῳ τῇ πόλει παραταχθεὶς ἐνίκησε;
Under what other general's command did it happen that fewer resources or greater dangers existed? And who, when his city was laid waste, drew up his forces against the entire power from Asia and conquered?
τίς δὲ τοῖς ἔργοις ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὴν πατρίδα δυνατὴν κατεσκεύασε τοιούτοις;
Who by such deeds in time of peace made his homeland powerful?
τίς δὲ πολέμου μεγίστου κατασχόντος αὐτὴν διέσωσε, μιᾷ δʼ ἐπινοίᾳ τῇ περὶ τοῦ ζεύγματος γενομένῃ τὴν πεζὴν τῶν πολεμίων δύναμιν ἐξ ἡμίσους μέρους ἐταπείνωσεν, ὥστʼ εὐχείρωτον γενέσθαι τοῖς Ἕλλησι; §11.59.3διόπερ ὅταν τὸ μέγεθος τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ θεωρήσωμεν, καὶ σκοποῦντες τὰ κατὰ μέρος εὕρωμεν ἐκεῖνον μὲν ὑπὸ τῆς πόλεως ἠτιμασμένον, τὴν δὲ πόλιν διὰ τὰς ἐκείνου πράξεις ἐπαιρομένην, εἰκότως τὴν δοκοῦσαν εἶναι τῶν ἁπασῶν πόλεων σοφωτάτην καὶ ἐπιεικεστάτην χαλεπωτάτην πρὸς ἐκεῖνον εὑρίσκομεν γεγενημένην. §11.59.4περὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς Θεμιστοκλέους ἀρετῆς εἰ καὶ πεπλεονάκαμεν παρεκβάντες, ἀλλʼ οὖν οὐκ ἄξιον ἐκρίναμεν τὴν ἀρετὴν αὐτοῦ παραλιπεῖν ἀνεπισήμαντον· ἅμα δὲ τούτοις πραττομένοις κατὰ τὴν Ἰταλίαν Μίκυθος ὁ τὴν δυναστείαν ἔχων Ῥηγίου καὶ Ζάγκλης πόλιν ἔκτισε Πυξοῦντα.
And who saved her when the greatest war overwhelmed her, and by a single device concerning the bridge humbled the land force of the enemy by half, so that it became easy for the Greeks to overcome? Therefore, when we consider the greatness of his deeds, and upon examining the details find that while he was dishonored by his city, the city was exalted because of his deeds, we reasonably find that the city which seemed to be the wisest and most moderate of all had become the most harsh toward him. Now, regarding the virtue of Themistocles, even if we have spoken at too great length by digressing, we nevertheless did not judge it right to leave his virtue without mention; and while these things were being done, in Italy, Micythus, who held the lordship of Rhegium and Zancle, founded the city of Pyxus.

Notes

  1. §11.59.1ἀφείλετʼ ἂν — An indicative aorist with the potential particle ἄν, expressing past potentiality. It forms a rhetorical question meaning "who could have deprived...?" (implying no one else could).
  2. §11.59.1ποιήσαντα διενεγκεῖν — The participle ποιήσαντα is supplementary to the main verb ἱστορήκαμεν, and it governs the infinitive διενεγκεῖν in a causative or resultative sense, meaning "made [someone] surpass."
  3. §11.59.2ἀναστάτῳ τῇ πόλει — A dative noun phrase functioning as a dative of attendant circumstance or manner, referring to the historical situation where Athens was depopulated and laid waste.
  4. §11.59.3τὴν δοκοῦσαν εἶναι τῶν ἁπασῶν πόλεων σοφωτάτην καὶ ἐπιεικεστάτην — An accusative noun phrase serving as the subject of the supplementary participle γεγενημένην which depends on the verb εὑρίσκομεν, referring to Athens as "the city which seemed to be the wisest and most moderate."

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §11.59.1-11.59.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:11.59.1-11.59.4

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