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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §11.91.1-11.91.4

Ducetius' Campaigns and Defeat at Nomae

Passage 92 of 723 · Greek

Summary

Ducetius, the leader of the Sicels, captures Aetna and besieges Motyon, but suffers a crushing defeat by the Syracusans at Nomae, falling into extreme isolation and despair.

§11.91.1ἐπʼ ἄρχοντος δʼ Ἀθήνησιν Ἀντιδότου Ῥωμαῖοι κατέστησαν ὑπάτους Λεύκιον Ποστούμιον καὶ Μάρκον Ὁράτιον.
When Antidotus was archon in Athens, the Romans established Lucius Postumius and Marcus Horatius as consuls.
ἐπὶ δὲ τούτων Δουκέτιος ὁ τῶν Σικελῶν ἔχων τὴν ἡγεμονίαν Αἴτνην μὲν κατελάβετο, τὸν ἡγούμενον αὐτῆς δολοφονήσας, εἰς δὲ τὴν Ἀκραγαντίνων χώραν ἀναζεύξας μετὰ δυνάμεως Μότυον φρουρούμενον ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀκραγαντίνων ἐπολιόρκησε·
During their term of office, Ducetius, who held the leadership of the Sicels, seized Aetna, having assassinated its leader, and having marched with his forces into the territory of the Akragantines, he besieged Motyon, which was garrisoned by the Akragantines.
τῶν δὲ Ἀκραγαντίνων καὶ Συρακοσίων ἐπιβοηθησάντων, συνάψας μάχην καὶ προτερήσας ἐξήλασεν ἀμφοτέρους ἐκ τῶν στρατοπέδων.
Although the Akragantines and Syracusans came to their aid, he joined battle and, having gained the upper hand, drove both of them out of their camps.
§11.91.2καὶ τότε μὲν τοῦ χειμῶνος ἐνισταμένου διεχωρίσθησαν εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν, οἱ δὲ Συρακόσιοι τὸν στρατηγὸν Βόλκωνα, τῆς ἥττης αἴτιον ὄντα καὶ δόξαντα λάθρᾳ συμπράττειν τῷ Δουκετίῳ, καταδικάσαντες ὡς προδότην ἀπέκτειναν.
At that time, as winter was setting in, they separated to their own homes; but the Syracusans, having condemned their general Bolcon as a traitor, because he was responsible for the defeat and was thought to be secretly collaborating with Ducetius, put him to death.
τοῦ θέρους δὲ ἀρχομένου στρατηγὸν ἕτερον κατέστησαν, ᾧ δύναμιν ἀξιόλογον δόντες προσέταξαν καταπολεμῆσαι Δουκέτιον.
At the beginning of summer, they appointed another general, and having given him a noteworthy force, they ordered him to subdue Ducetius.
§11.91.3οὗτος δὲ πορευθεὶς μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως κατέλαβε τὸν Δουκέτιον στρατοπεδεύοντα περὶ τὰς Νομάς·
This general, having set out with his force, came upon Ducetius encamped near Nomae.
γενομένης δὲ παρατάξεως μεγάλης, καὶ πολλῶν παρʼ ἀμφοτέροις πιπτόντων, μόγις Συρακόσιοι βιασάμενοι τοὺς Σικελοὺς ἐτρέψαντο, καὶ κατὰ τὴν φυγὴν πολλοὺς ἀνεῖλον.
A great battle ensued, and many fell on both sides, but the Syracusans with difficulty forced back the Sicels and put them to flight, killing many in the pursuit.
τῶν δὲ διαφυγόντων οἱ πλείους μὲν εἰς τὰ φρούρια τῶν Σικελῶν διεσώθησαν, ὀλίγοι δὲ μετὰ Δουκετίου τῶν αὐτῶν ἐλπίδων μετέχειν προείλοντο.
Of those who escaped, the majority found safety in the strongholds of the Sicels, but only a few chose to share the same hopes with Ducetius.
§11.91.4ἅμα δὲ τούτοις πραττομένοις Ἀκραγαντῖνοι τὸ Μότυον φρούριον κατεχόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν μετὰ Δουκετίου Σικελῶν ἐξεπολιόρκησαν, καὶ τὴν δύναμιν ἀπαγαγόντες πρὸς τοὺς Συρακοσίους νενικηκότας ἤδη κοινῇ κατεστρατοπέδευσαν.
While these things were taking place, the Akragantines besieged and captured the stronghold of Motyon, which was held by the Sicels with Ducetius, and leading their force to the already victorious Syracusans, they encamped together in common.
Δουκέτιος δὲ διὰ τὴν ἧτταν τοῖς ὅλοις συντριβείς, καὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν αὐτὸν τῶν μὲν καταλειπόντων, τῶν δʼ ἐπιβουλευόντων, εἰς τὴν ἐσχάτην ἦλθεν ἀπόγνωσιν.
But Ducetius, utterly crushed by the defeat, and since, among his soldiers, some were deserting him and others were plotting against him, fell into the deepest despair.

Notes

  1. §11.91.1τὸν ἡγούμενον αὐτῆς δολοφονήσας — The pronoun αὐτῆς (feminine genitive singular) refers to the preceding feminine noun Αἴτνην (Aetna). It means 'having assassinated its [Aetna's] leader'.
  2. §11.91.2δόξαντα λάθρᾳ συμπράττειν τῷ Δουκετίῳ — δόξαντα is the accusative participle of δοκέω, agreeing with the object of the main clause, Βόλκωνα, meaning 'having been thought to ...'. It takes the infinitive συμπράττειν (to collaborate), which in turn governs the dative τῷ Δουκετίῳ.
  3. §11.91.3τῶν αὐτῶν ἐλπίδων μετέχειν — The verb μετέχω (to share in, partake of) governs the genitive case, hence τῶν αὐτῶν ἐλπίδων is in the genitive. Here, ἐλπίς (hope, expectation) refers to the uncertain 'fortunes' or 'prospects' after the defeat.
  4. §11.91.4τῶν στρατιωτῶν αὐτὸν τῶν μὲν καταλειπόντων, τῶν δʼ ἐπιβουλευόντων — In this genitive absolute construction, while τῶν στρατιωτῶν indicates the whole group of soldiers, the partitive elements τῶν μὲν ... τῶν δʼ act as the subjects of the participles. αὐτόν (him) is the common accusative object of both present participles (καταλειπόντων and ἐπιβουλευόντων).

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §11.91.1-11.91.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:11.91.1-11.91.4

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