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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §15.37.1-15.37.3

Theban Victory at Orchomenus and Hermeias

Passage 449 of 723 · Greek

Summary

Describes how the Thebans defeated a Lacedaemonian force of twice their number at Orchomenus, elevating their reputation, and notes that the historian Hermeias finished his history of Sicily in this year.

§15.37.1ἅμα δὲ τούτοις πραττομένοις Θηβαῖοι μὲν ἐστράτευσαν ἐπʼ Ὀρχομενὸν ἐπιλέκτοις ἀνδράσι πεντακοσίοις, καὶ συνετέλεσαν πρᾶξιν ἀξίαν μνήμης·
At the same time as these things were being done, the Thebans marched against Orchomenus with five hundred select men, and performed a deed worthy of memory.
φρουρούντων γὰρ τὸν Ὀρχομενὸν Λακεδαιμονίων πολλοῖς στρατιώταις, καὶ τοῖς Θηβαίοις ἀντιταξαμένων, ἐγενήθη μάχη καρτερά, καθʼ ἣν οἱ Θηβαῖοι πρὸς διπλασίους συμβαλόντες ἐνίκησαν τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους.
For although the Lacedaemonians were guarding Orchomenus with many soldiers and drew up their forces against the Thebans, a fierce battle took place, in which the Thebans, engaging with twice their number, defeated the Lacedaemonians.
οὐδέποτε γὰρ τοῦτο συνέβη γενέσθαι κατὰ τοὺς ἐπάνω χρόνους, ἀλλʼ ἀγαπητὸν ὑπάρχειν ἐδόκει τὸ πολλοὺς ὀλίγους νικῆσαι.
For never in former times had this been known to happen, but it was thought a thing to be content with if the many defeated the few.
§15.37.2διὸ καὶ φρονήματος ἐπίμπλαντο Θηβαῖοι, καὶ τὴν ἀνδρείαν εἶχον μᾶλλον περιβόητον, καὶ φανεροὶ καθειστήκεισαν ἀμφισβητήσοντες τῆς τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἡγεμονίας.
Therefore the Thebans were filled with pride, and had their courage more widely famed, and they stood revealed as those who would dispute the hegemony of the Greeks.
§15.37.3τῶν δὲ συγγραφέων Ἑρμείας ὁ Μεθυμναῖος τὴν τῶν Σικελικῶν σύνταξιν εἰς τοῦτον τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν κατέστροφε, γράψας βύβλους δέκα, ὡς δέ τινες διαιροῦσι, δώδεκα.
Among the historians, Hermeias of Methymna brought his history of Sicily to a close in this year, having written ten books, or, as some divide them, twelve.

Notes

  1. §15.37.1ἅμα δὲ τούτοις πραττομένοις — The preposition ἅμα ("at the same time as") takes the dative phrase `τούτοις πραττομένοις` ("these things being done"). This construction denotes synchronicity between the main clause and the events described in the previous chunk.
  2. §15.37.1τὸ πολλοὺς ὀλίγους νικῆσαι — An articular infinitive phrase acting as the subject of `ἐδόκει`. Within the phrase, the accusative `πολλοὺς` ("the many") is the subject of the infinitive `νικῆσαι` ("to defeat"), and `ὀλίγους` ("the few") is its object. This reflects the historical context where Spartan military supremacy made even a numerical majority's victory over them a matter of satisfaction.
  3. §15.37.2φανεροὶ καθειστήκεισαν ἀμφισβητήσοντες — The verb `καθειστήκεισαν` (pluperfect of `καθίστημι`, "they had been established / had become") is combined with the predicate adjective `φανεροί` ("manifest") and the future participle `ἀμφισβητήσοντες` ("about to dispute"). This is a variation of the standard `φανερός εἰμι` + participle construction, meaning "they stood revealed as being about to dispute."

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §15.37.1-15.37.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:15.37.1-15.37.3

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