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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §15.24.1-15.24.3

Restoration of Hipponium and Plague in Carthage

Passage 436 of 723 · Greek

Summary

Diodorus records the magistrates of Athens and Rome for 379/8 B.C., the Carthaginian restoration of Hipponium, and the subsequent plague, rebellions, and divine panic that afflicted Carthage.

§15.24.1ἐπʼ ἄρχοντος δʼ Ἀθήνησι Νίκωνος Ῥωμαῖοι χιλιάρχους ἓξ ἀντὶ τῶν ὑπάτων κατέστησαν, Λεύκιον Παπίριον, Γάιον Σερουίλιον, Λεύκιον Κοΐνκτιον, Λεύκιον Κορνήλιον, Λεύκιον Οὐαλέριον Αὖλον Μάλλιον.
When Nikon was archon at Athens, the Romans appointed six military tribunes instead of consuls: Lucius Papirius, Gaius Servilius, Lucius Quinctius, Lucius Cornelius, Lucius Valerius, and Aulus Manlius.
ἐπὶ δὲ τούτων Καρχηδόνιοι στρατεύσαντες εἰς τὴν Ἰταλίαν τοῖς μὲν Ἱππωνιάταις ἐκπεπτωκόσιν ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος ἀποκατέστησαν τὴν πόλιν, καὶ πάντας τοὺς πεφευγότας συναγαγόντες πολλὴν ἐπιμέλειαν αὐτῶν ἐποιήσαντο.
Under their term of office, the Carthaginians, having campaigned into Italy, restored their city to the inhabitants of Hipponium who had been expelled from their homeland, and having gathered together all those who had fled, showed great care for them.
§15.24.2μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα λοιμικῆς νόσου τοῖς κατοικοῦσι τὴν Καρχηδόνα γενομένης, καὶ τῆς νόσου πολλὴν ἐπίτασιν ἐχούσης, πολλοὶ τῶν Καρχηδονίων διεφθάρησαν, καὶ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἐκινδύνευσαν ἀποβαλεῖν·
After this, when a plague arose among the inhabitants of Carthage, and the disease became extremely severe, many of the Carthaginians perished, and they ran the risk of losing their hegemony.
οἵ τε γὰρ Λίβυες καταφρονήσαντες αὐτῶν ἀπέστησαν, οἵ τε τὴν Σαρδόνα κατοικοῦντες, νομίσαντες ἔχειν καιρὸν κατὰ τῶν Καρχηδονίων, ἀπέστησαν ἀπʼ αὐτῶν καὶ συμφρονήσαντες ἐπέθεντο τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις.
For the Libyans, holding them in contempt, revolted, and the inhabitants of Sardinia, thinking they had an opportunity against the Carthaginians, revolted from them, and acting in concert, attacked the Carthaginians.
§15.24.3ἐγένετο δὲ περὶ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν θεόπεμπτός τις ἀτυχία κατὰ τὴν Καρχηδόνα.
About the same time, a certain heaven-sent misfortune befell Carthage.
ταραχαὶ γὰρ καὶ φόβοι καὶ πανικοὶ θόρυβοι συνεχεῖς ἐγίνοντο κατὰ τὴν πόλιν παράδοξοι, καὶ πολλοὶ μὲν μετὰ τῶν ὅπλων ἐξεπήδων ἐκ τῶν οἰκιῶν, ὡς πολεμίων εἰσπεπτωκότων εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὡς πολεμίους διαπολεμοῦντες, οὓς μὲν ἀνῄρουν, οὓς δὲ κατετραυμάτιζον.
For continuous, extraordinary disturbances, fears, and panic-stricken tumults occurred throughout the city; and many rushed out of their houses with arms, as if enemies had broken into the city, and fighting against one another as if they were enemies, they killed some and wounded others.
τέλος δὲ θυσίαις τὸ θεῖον ἐξιλασάμενοι καὶ μόγις τῶν κακῶν ἀπαλλαγέντες, ταχὺ καὶ τοὺς Λίβυας κατεπολέμησαν καὶ τὴν νῆσον ἀνεκτήσαντο.
Finally, however, having appeased the divine power with sacrifices and having with difficulty rid themselves of their troubles, they quickly subdued the Libyans and recovered the island.

Notes

  1. 15.24.1τοῖς μὲν Ἱππωνιάταις ἐκπεπτωκόσιν ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος ἀποκατέστησαν τὴν πόλιν — The dative τοῖς Ἱππωνιάταις is the indirect object of ἀποκατέστησαν ('restored'), modified by the perfect active participle ἐκπεπτωκόσιν ('who had been expelled'). The verb ἀποκαθίστημι ('restore, re-establish') here signifies rebuilding the city for them.
  2. 15.24.2λοιμικῆς νόσου τοῖς κατοικοῦσι τὴν Καρχηδόνα γενομένης — Genitive absolute construction, where λοιμικῆς νόσου is the subject and the participle γενομένης is the predicate. τοῖς κατοικοῦσι is a dative of interest or reference ('for/among the inhabitants'), a substantiated present participle.
  3. 15.24.3ὡς πολεμίων εἰσπεπτωκότων εἰς τὴν πόλιν — Genitive absolute introduced by ὡς, which indicates a subjective reason or an assumed/hypothetical situation ('as if enemies had fallen upon the city'). It expresses the subjective delusion of the panic-stricken citizens.

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §15.24.1-15.24.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:15.24.1-15.24.3

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