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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §15.61.1-15.61.5

Assassination of Polydorus and Macedonian Intervention

Passage 473 of 723 · Greek

Summary

This passage describes the political strife in Rome over electing military tribunes, the assassination of Polydorus of Pherae, and the intervention of King Alexander of Macedon in Thessaly against the tyranny of his nephew Alexander.

§15.61.1ἐπʼ ἄρχοντος δʼ Ἀθήνησι Λυσιστράτου παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις ἐγένετο στάσις, τῶν μὲν οἰομένων δεῖν ὑπάτους, τῶν δὲ χιλιάρχους αἱρεῖσθαι.
When Lysistratus was archon in Athens, a sedition arose among the Romans, some thinking that they should elect consuls, and others military tribunes.
ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τινα χρόνον ἀναρχία τὴν στάσιν ὑπέλαβε, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἔδοξε χιλιάρχους αἱρεῖσθαι ἕξ· καὶ κατεστάθησαν Λεύκιος Αἰμίλιος καὶ Γάιος Οὐεργίνιος καὶ Σερούιος Σουλπίκιος, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις Λεύκιος Κοΐντιος καὶ Γάιος Κορνήλιος, ἔτι δὲ Γάιος Οὐαλέριος.
For some time, an anarchy took the place of the sedition, but after this it was decided to elect six military tribunes; and Lucius Aemilius, Gaius Verginius, and Servius Sulpicius were appointed, and in addition to these Lucius Quinctius, Gaius Cornelius, and also Gaius Valerius.
§15.61.2ἐπὶ δὲ τούτων Πολύδωρος ὁ Φεραῖος ὁ τῶν Θετταλῶν ἄρξας ὑπὸ Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ ἀδελφιδοῦ ἀνῃρέθη φαρμάκῳ, προκληθεὶς εἰς μέθην· τὴν δὲ δυναστείαν διαδεξάμενος Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ ἀδελφιδοῦς ἦρξεν ἔτη ἕνδεκα.
During their term of office, Polydorus of Pherae, who had ruled the Thessalians, was assassinated with poison by his nephew Alexander, having been invited to a drinking party; and the nephew Alexander, succeeding to the dynasty, ruled for eleven years.
οὗτος δὲ παρανόμως καὶ βιαίως κτησάμενος τὴν δυναστείαν, ἀκολούθως ταύτῃ τῇ προαιρέσει διῴκει τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἀρχήν.
Having acquired the dynasty lawlessly and violently, he administered the affairs of his rule in accordance with this purpose.
τῶν γὰρ πρὸ αὐτοῦ δυναστῶν ἐπιεικῶς προσφερομένων τοῖς πλήθεσι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἀγαπωμένων, οὗτος βιαίως καὶ χαλεπῶς ἄρχων ἐμισεῖτο.
For while the rulers before him had behaved moderately toward the multitudes and were therefore beloved, he, ruling violently and harshly, was hated.
§15.61.3διὸ καὶ τὴν παρανομίαν φοβηθέντες τῶν Λαρισσαίων τινές, οἱ διʼ εὐγένειαν Ἀλευάδαι προσαγορευόμενοι, συνέθεντο πρὸς ἀλλήλους καταλῦσαι τὴν δυναστείαν.
Therefore, some of the Larisaeans, who were called Aleuadae because of their noble birth, fearing his lawlessness, conspired with one another to overthrow the dynasty.
ἀπελθόντες δʼ ἐκ Λαρίσσης εἰς Μακεδονίαν ἔπεισαν Ἀλέξανδρον τὸν βασιλέα συγκαταλῦσαι τὸν τύραννον.
Departing from Larisa for Macedonia, they persuaded King Alexander to join them in overthrowing the tyrant.
§15.61.4τούτων δὲ περὶ ταῦτα διατριβόντων, ὁ Φεραῖος Ἀλέξανδρος πυθόμενος τὴν καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ παρασκευήν, κατέλεγε τοὺς εἰς τὴν στρατείαν εὐθέτους, διανοούμενος ἐν τῇ Μακεδονίᾳ συστήσασθαι τὴν μάχην.
While they were occupied with these matters, Alexander of Pherae, having learned of the preparation against him, began to enlist those fit for military service, intending to join battle in Macedonia.
ὁ δὲ τῶν Μακεδόνων βασιλεύς, ἔχων μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ τοὺς ἐκ Λαρίσσης φυγάδας, φθάσας τοὺς πολεμίους ἧκε μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως εἰς τὴν Λάρισσαν· παρεισαχθεὶς δʼ ὑπὸ τῶν Λαρισσαίων ἐντὸς τοῦ τείχους ἐκράτησε τῆς πόλεως πλὴν τῆς ἄκρας.
But the king of the Macedonians, having with him the exiles from Larisa, anticipated the enemy and arrived with his forces at Larisa; and being let inside the wall by the Larisaeans, he gained control of the city except for the citadel.
§15.61.5μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τήν τε ἄκραν ἐξεπολιόρκησε καὶ Κραννῶνα πόλιν προσαγαγόμενος ὡμολόγησε μὲν τοῖς Θετταλοῖς ἀποδώσειν τὰς πόλεις, καταφρονήσας δὲ τῆς δόξης, καὶ φρουρὰς ἀξιολόγους εἰσαγαγών, αὐτὸς κατεῖχε τὰς πόλεις.
After this, he took the citadel by siege, and having brought the city of Crannon over to his side, he promised to restore the cities to the Thessalians; but disregarding his reputation, and introducing noteworthy garrisons, he himself kept possession of the cities.
ὁ δὲ Φεραῖος Ἀλέξανδρος καταδιωχθεὶς ἅμα καὶ καταπλαγεὶς ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς τὰς Φεράς.
Meanwhile, Alexander of Pherae, being both pursued and terrified, returned to Pherae.
καὶ τὰ μὲν κατὰ τὴν Θετταλίαν ἐν τούτοις ἦν.
Such, then, was the state of affairs in Thessaly.

Notes

  1. §15.61.1ἀναρχία τὴν στάσιν ὑπέλαβε — Meaning "anarchy took the place of the sedition" or "anarchy succeeded the sedition". The verb `ὑπολαμβάνω` is used here in the sense of "to take over", "to succeed", or "to replace", indicating a period without magistrates during which the conflict continued under the guise of general lawlessness.
  2. §15.61.4φθάσας τοὺς πολεμίους — Meaning "anticipating the enemy" or "forestalling the enemy". The verb `φθάνω` (to anticipate, forestall) takes an accusative object (here `τοὺς πολεμίους`) in a participial construction to express that the subject performed the action of arriving before the enemy could act.
  3. §15.61.5καταφρονήσας δὲ τῆς δόξης — Meaning "disregarding his reputation" or "slighting his good name". It implies that the king did not care about the credit or reputation he would gain by keeping his promise, prioritizing physical control instead. The verb `καταφρονέω` (to look down on, disregard) takes its object in the genitive case (`τῆς δόξης`).

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §15.61.1-15.61.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:15.61.1-15.61.5

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