Humanitext Reader

Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §15.15.1-15.15.4

The Battle of Cabala and Dionysius' Victory

Passage 427 of 723 · Greek

Summary

During the archonship of Phanostratus in Athens, Dionysius planned war against the Carthaginians, supporting the rebellion of their subject cities. The Carthaginians allied with the Italiotes to resist, leading to major clashes, where Dionysius triumphed at the Battle of Cabala and killed King Mago.

§15.15.1ἐπʼ ἄρχοντος δʼ Ἀθήνησι Φανοστράτου Ῥωμαῖοι κατέστησαν ἀντὶ τῶν ὑπάτων χιλιάρχους τέτταρας, Λεύκιον Λοκρήτιον, Σέντιον Σολπίκιον, Λεύκιον Αἰμίλιον, Λεύκιον Φούριον.
When Phanostratus was archon in Athens, the Romans appointed four military tribunes instead of consuls: Lucius Lucretius, Sentius Sulpicius, Lucius Aemilius, and Lucius Furius.
ἐπὶ δὲ τούτων Διονύσιος ὁ τῶν Συρακοσίων τύραννος παρασκευασάμενος πολεμεῖν Καρχηδονίοις, ἐζήτει λαβεῖν πρόφασιν εὔλογον τοῦ πολέμου.
Under these magistrates, Dionysius, the tyrant of the Syracusans, having prepared to make war on the Carthaginians, sought to find a plausible pretext for the war.
ὁρῶν οὖν τὰς ὑπὸ Καρχηδονίους τεταγμένας πόλεις οἰκείως ἐχούσας πρὸς ἀπόστασιν, προσεδέχετο τὰς βουλομένας ἀφίστασθαι, καὶ συμμαχίαν πρὸς αὐτὰς συντιθέμενος ἐπιεικῶς προσεφέρετο ταύταις.
Seeing, therefore, that the cities subject to the Carthaginians were favorably disposed toward revolt, he welcomed those that wished to secede, and, entering into alliance with them, treated them with moderation.
§15.15.2οἱ δὲ Καρχηδόνιοι τὸ μὲν πρῶτον πρέσβεις ἀποστέλλοντες πρὸς τὸν δυνάστην ἀπῄτουν τὰς πόλεις, μὴ προσέχοντος δὲ αὐτοῦ συνέβη ταύτην ἀρχὴν γενέσθαι τοῦ πολέμου.
At first, the Carthaginians sent envoys to the ruler and demanded the return of the cities; but since he paid no attention to them, this became the beginning of the war.
Καρχηδόνιοι μὲν οὖν πρὸς τοὺς Ἰταλιώτας συμμαχίαν ποιησάμενοι κοινῇ τὸν πόλεμον ἐπανείλαντο πρὸς τὸν τύραννον·
Therefore, the Carthaginians made an alliance with the Italiotes and jointly undertook the war against the tyrant.
προορώμενοι δʼ ἐμφρόνως τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ πολέμου, τῶν τε πολιτῶν τοὺς εὐθέτους κατέλεγον στρατιώτας καὶ χρημάτων προχειρισάμενοι πλῆθος ξενικὰς δυνάμεις μεγάλας ἐμισθοῦντο.
Wisely foreseeing the magnitude of the war, they enrolled those of the citizens who were fit for service as soldiers, and having prepared a large amount of money, they hired large mercenary forces.
καταστήσαντες δὲ στρατηγὸν Μάγωνα τὸν βασιλέα, πολλὰς μυριάδας στρατιωτῶν ἐπεραίωσαν εἰς τὴν Σικελίαν καὶ τὴν Ἰταλίαν, διαπολεμεῖν ἐξ ἀμφοτέρας βουλόμενοι.
Having appointed King Mago as general, they transported many tens of thousands of soldiers to Sicily and Italy, wishing to wage war thoroughly from both sides.
§15.15.3ὁ δὲ Διονύσιος καὶ αὐτὸς τὰς δυνάμεις διελόμενος, τῷ μὲν ἑνὶ μέρει πρὸς τοὺς Ἰταλιώτας διηγωνίζετο, τῷ δὲ ἑτέρῳ πρὸς τοὺς Φοίνικας.
Dionysius also divided his own forces, contending vigorously with one part against the Italiotes and with the other against the Phoenicians.
πολλαὶ μὲν οὖν κατὰ μέρος ἐγίνοντο μάχαι τοῖς στρατοπέδοις καὶ συμπλοκαὶ μικραὶ καὶ συνεχεῖς, ἐν αἷς οὐδὲν ἀξιόλογον ἔργον συνετελέσθη, δύο δὲ παρατάξεις ἐγένοντο μεγάλαι καὶ περιβόητοι.
Many local battles and small, continuous skirmishes took place between the armies, in which no noteworthy action was accomplished, but two great and celebrated pitched battles occurred.
καὶ τῇ μὲν πρώτῃ Διονύσιος θαυμαστῶς ἀγωνισάμενος περὶ τὰ καλούμενα Κάβαλα προετέρησε, καὶ πλείους μὲν τῶν μυρίων ἀνεῖλε τῶν βαρβάρων, οὐκ ἐλάττους δὲ τῶν πεντακισχιλίων ἐζώγρησε· τὸ δʼ ἄλλο πλῆθος ἠνάγκασε καταφυγεῖν ἐπί τινα λόφον ἐρυμνὸν καὶ ἄνυδρον παντελῶς.
In the first of these, Dionysius, fighting wonderfully near the place called Cabala, gained the upper hand, slaying more than ten thousand of the barbarians and capturing no fewer than five thousand; and he forced the rest of the multitude to flee to a certain hill that was strong and completely waterless.
ἔπεσε δὲ καὶ Μάγων ὁ βασιλεὺς αὐτῶν ἀγωνισάμενος λαμπρῶς.
Their king Mago also fell, after fighting brilliantly.
§15.15.4οἱ δὲ Φοίνικες καταπλαγέντες τὸ μέγεθος τῆς συμφορᾶς εὐθὺς διεπρεσβεύσαντο περὶ διαλύσεων.
The Phoenicians, terrified by the magnitude of the disaster, immediately sent envoys to treat for peace.
ὁ δὲ Διονύσιος ἀπεφήνατο μίαν αὐτοῖς εἶναι σύλλυσιν, ἐὰν ἐκχωρήσωσι τῶν κατὰ τὴν Σικελίαν πόλεων καὶ τὰ δαπανηθέντα χρήματα κατὰ τὸν πόλεμον ἐκτίσωσιν.
But Dionysius declared that there was only one terms of settlement for them, if they would withdraw from the cities throughout Sicily and pay the expenses incurred during the war.

Notes

  1. 15.15.1οἰκείως ἐχούσας — The phrase `οἰκείως ἔχω` (here in the participle `ἐχούσας` agreeing with the feminine plural noun `πόλεις`, the object of `ὁρῶν`) consisting of `ἔχω` with an adverb is equivalent to `εἰμί` with an adjective (`οἰκεῖαι οὖσαι`), meaning "to be favorably disposed" or "to be inclined." Combined with `πρὸς ἀπόστασιν`, it denotes their readiness or inclination toward revolt.
  2. 15.15.2μὴ προσέχοντος δὲ αὐτοῦ — A genitive absolute construction where the negative particle `μή` is used rather than `οὐ`, as is common with participles expressing a conditional or subjective circumstance. The verb `προσέχω` is used intransitively with the ellipsis of `τὸν νοῦν` ("to pay attention," "to heed"), and the pronoun `αὐτοῦ` refers back to the dynast Dionysius.
  3. 15.15.4μίαν αὐτοῖς εἶναι σύλλυσιν — An accusative-with-infinitive construction in indirect discourse introduced by the verb of declaring `ἀπεφήνατο`. The subject accusative of the infinitive `εἶναι` is `μίαν ... σύλλυσιν` ("only one settlement"), while `αὐτοῖς` functions as a dative of interest ("for them"). The subsequent `ἐὰν` clause specifies the condition of this settlement.

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §15.15.1-15.15.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:15.15.1-15.15.4

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.