Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §11.90.1-11.90.4

The Fate of Palice and the Brief Refounding of Sybaris

Passage 91 of 723 · Greek

Summary

The passage describes the foundation and rapid abandonment of Palike by Ducetius, and the refoundation of Sybaris by Thessalus in Italy, followed by their subsequent expulsion.

§11.90.1ὁ γὰρ Δουκέτιος τὴν Παλικὴν κτίσας καὶ περιλαβὼν αὐτὴν ἀξιολόγῳ τείχει, κατεκληρούχησε τὴν ὅμορον χώραν.

For Ducetius, having founded Palike and having enclosed it with a noteworthy wall, portioned out the neighboring territory.

συνέβη δὲ τὴν πόλιν ταύτην διὰ τὴν τῆς χώρας ἀρετὴν καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκητόρων ταχεῖαν λαβεῖν αὔξησιν.

And it happened that this city, because of the fertility of the land and the multitude of inhabitants, received rapid growth.

§11.90.2οὐ πολὺν δὲ χρόνον εὐδαιμονήσασα κατεσκάφη, καὶ διέμεινεν ἀοίκητος μέχρι τῶν καθʼ ἡμᾶς χρόνων· περὶ ὧν τὰ κατὰ μέρος ἀναγράψομεν ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις χρόνοις.

But having enjoyed prosperity for no long time, it was razed to the ground, and remained uninhabited until our times; concerning which matters we shall record the details in their proper times.

§11.90.3καὶ τὰ μὲν κατὰ τὴν Σικελίαν ἐν τούτοις ἦν.

Now, such was the state of affairs in Sicily.

κατὰ δὲ τὴν Ἰταλίαν μετὰ τὴν κατασκαφὴν τῆς Συβάρεως ὑπὸ τῶν Κροτωνιατῶν ὕστερον ἔτεσιν ὀκτὼ πρὸς τοῖς πεντήκοντα Θετταλὸς συναγαγὼν τοὺς ὑπολοίπους τῶν Συβαριτῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ᾤκισε τὴν Σύβαριν, κειμένην ἀνὰ μέσον ποταμῶν δυοῖν, τοῦ τε Συβάριος καὶ Κράθιος.

But in Italy, fifty-eight years after the destruction of Sybaris by the Crotoniates, Thessalus, having gathered the remaining Sybarites, refounded Sybaris from its foundations, lying between two rivers, the Sybaris and the Crathis.

§11.90.4ἀγαθὴν δʼ ἔχοντες χώραν ταχὺ ταῖς οὐσίαις προσανέβησαν.

Since they possessed a good territory, they quickly increased in their wealth.

κατασχόντες δὲ τὴν πόλιν ἔτη ὀλίγα πάλιν ἐξέπεσον ἐκ τῆς Συβάρεως· περὶ ὧν τὰ κατὰ μέρος ἀναγράψαι πειρασόμεθα κατὰ τὴν ἐχομένην βίβλον.

But after holding the city for a few years, they were again expelled from Sybaris; concerning which matters we shall endeavor to record the details in the following book.

Notes

11.90.1συνέβη δὲ τὴν πόλιν ταύτην ... ταχεῖαν λαβεῖν αὔξησιν — The infinitive phrase with an accusative subject (τὴν πόλιν ταύτην ... λαβεῖν αὔξησιν) functions as the subject of the impersonal verb συνέβη. The conjunction δέ marks the transition from the cause stated in the previous sentence to the result.
11.90.3ἔτεσιν ὀκτὼ πρὸς τοῖς πεντήκοντα — An expression for 'fifty-eight'. The dative plural ἔτεσιν functions as the dative of measure of difference modifying the comparative adverb ὕστερον (later). πρὸς τοῖς πεντήκοντα means 'in addition to fifty'.
11.90.4ἔχοντες — A present participle in the nominative plural masculine, agreeing with the unexpressed subject representing the Sybarites (derived from τοὺς ὑπολοίπους τῶν Συβαριτῶν in the preceding sentence). It is best understood as a circumstantial participle expressing cause ('since they possessed').

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §11.90.1-11.90.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:11.90.1-11.90.4

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