Humanitext Reader

Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §12.5.1-12.5.2

The Revolt of Megara and Athenian Invasion

Passage 99 of 723 · Greek

Summary

The chronological records of the Athenian archon, Roman consuls, and the 83rd Olympiad are stated. In this year, Megara revolted from Athens to ally with Sparta, leading to an Athenian invasion and victory over the Megarians.

§12.5.1ἐπʼ ἄρχοντος δὲ Ἀθήνησι Φιλίσκου Ῥωμαῖοι κατέστησαν ὑπάτους Τίτον Ῥωμίλιον Οὐατικανὸν καὶ Γάιον Οὐετούριον Κιχώριον, Ἠλεῖοι δὲ ἤγαγον Ὀλυμπιάδα τρίτην πρὸς ταῖς ὀγδοήκοντα, καθʼ ἣν ἐνίκα στάδιον Κρίσων Ἱμεραῖος.
When Philiscus was archon in Athens, the Romans established Titus Romilius Vaticanus and Gaius Veturius Cichorius as consuls, and the Eleans celebrated the eighty-third Olympiad, in which Crison of Himera won the stadion.
§12.5.2ἐπὶ δὲ τούτων Μεγαρεῖς μὲν ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ Ἀθηναίων, καὶ πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους διαπρεσβευσάμενοι συμμαχίαν ἐποίησαν· οἱ δὲ Ἀθηναῖοι παροξυνθέντες ἐξέπεμψαν στρατιώτας εἰς τὴν τῶν Μεγαρέων χώραν, καὶ τὰς κτήσεις διαρπάσαντες πολλῆς ὠφελείας κύριοι κατέστησαν.
During their term, the Megarians revolted from the Athenians, and having sent ambassadors to the Lacedaemonians, they made an alliance; but the Athenians, being provoked, sent soldiers into the territory of the Megarians, and having plundered their properties, they made themselves masters of much booty.
τῶν δʼ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως βοηθούντων τῇ χώρᾳ συνέστη μάχη, καθʼ ἣν οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι νικήσαντες συνεδίωξαν τοὺς Μεγαρεῖς ἐντὸς τῶν τειχῶν.
When those from the city came to help the territory, a battle ensued, in which the Athenians, having won the victory, pursued the Megarians within their walls.

Notes

  1. 12.5.2ἐπὶ δὲ τούτων — Meaning "during their term" or "under these men." The demonstrative pronoun `τούτων` (genitive plural) refers to the Roman consuls (or more broadly, the magistrates of that year) mentioned in the preceding section, serving as a formulaic transition to the events of the new year.
  2. 12.5.2τῶν δʼ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως βοηθούντων τῇ χώρᾳ — A genitive absolute construction. The subject is "those from the city" with the noun omitted after the prepositional phrase `ἐκ τῆς πόλεως`. The present participle `βοηθούντων` (genitive plural) governs the dative object `τῇ χώρᾳ` ("the territory"), meaning "when those from the city went to help the territory."

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §12.5.1-12.5.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:12.5.1-12.5.2

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.