Humanitext Reader

Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §16.13.1-16.13.3

Dionysius' Peace Proposals and Completion of the Wall

Passage 521 of 723 · Greek

Summary

Dionysius buries his dead splendidly and initiates peace negotiations with Syracuse, but Dion delays the talks to complete his defense wall before presenting tough conditions. Dionysius then turns to securing grain supplies and preparing a counterattack, which the Syracusan navy disrupts.

§16.13.1μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα Διονύσιος μὲν ἐπταικὼς καὶ τὴν δυναστείαν ἀπογινώσκων ἤδη ἐν μὲν ταῖς ἀκροπόλεσιν ἀπέλιπε φρουρὰς ἀξιολόγους, αὐτὸς δὲ τοὺς τετελευτηκότας, ὀκτακοσίους ὄντας, λαβὼν τὴν ἀναίρεσιν αὐτῶν ἔθαψε λαμπρῶς, χρυσοῖς μὲν στεφάνοις ἐστεφανωμένους, πορφυρίσι δὲ καλαῖς περιβεβλημένους· ἤλπιζε γὰρ διὰ τῆς τούτων σπουδῆς προτρέψεσθαι τοὺς ἄλλους εἰς τὸ προθύμως κινδυνεύειν ὑπὲρ τῆς τυραννίδος· τοὺς δʼ ἀνδραγαθήσαντας μεγάλαις δωρεαῖς ἐτίμησε.
After this, Dionysius, having suffered a defeat and already despairing of his sovereignty, left behind significant garrisons in the citadels, while he himself, having obtained recovery of the dead, who numbered eight hundred, buried them splendidly, crowned with golden crowns and wrapped in beautiful purple robes; for he hoped that through this attention to them he would encourage the others to face danger eagerly on behalf of the tyranny; and those who had behaved bravely he honored with great gifts.
πρὸς δὲ τοὺς Συρακοσίους διεπέμπετο περὶ διαλύσεων.
Meanwhile, he sent envoys to the Syracusans concerning a settlement.
§16.13.2ὁ δὲ Δίων περὶ μὲν τῶν πρεσβειῶν αἰεί τινας εὐλόγους προφάσεις ποριζόμενος ἀνεβάλλετο, ἐν τοσούτῳ δὲ τὸ λοιπὸν τοῦ τείχους κατασκευάσας μεθʼ ἡσυχίας τότε τὰς πρεσβείας μετεπέμπετο, κατεστρατηγηκὼς τοὺς πολεμίους ταῖς τῆς εἰρήνης ἐλπίσιν.
But Dion, always finding some plausible pretexts concerning the embassies, kept putting them off, and in the meantime, having quietly constructed the remainder of the wall, he only then summoned the embassies, having outmaneuvered the enemy by hopes of peace.
γενομένων δὲ λόγων περὶ συλλύσεων ὁ Δίων ἀπεκρίθη τοῖς πρέσβεσιν μίαν εἶναι σύλλυσιν, ἐὰν ἀποθέμενος τὴν τυραννίδα βούληται τυχεῖν τιμῶν τινων.
When discussions had taken place concerning a settlement, Dion replied to the envoys that there was only one settlement, if having laid aside the tyranny he should wish to obtain certain honors.
ὁ δὲ Διονύσιος ὑπερηφάνου τῆς ἀποκρίσεως γενομένης συναγαγὼν τοὺς ἡγεμόνας ἐβουλεύετο πῶς χρὴ τοὺς Συρακοσίους ἀμύνασθαι.
But Dionysius, since the reply was haughty, gathered his commanders and deliberated how they must retaliate upon the Syracusans.
§16.13.3πάντων δʼ εὐπορῶν πλὴν σίτου καὶ θαλαττοκρατῶν ἐλῄστευε τὴν χώραν καὶ τὰς τροφὰς ἐκ τῶν προνομῶν κακῶς ποριζόμενος ἐξαπέστειλε ναῦς φορτίδας καὶ χρήματα πρὸς τὸν τοῦ σίτου καταγορασμόν.
And although he was well supplied with everything except grain and, ruling the sea, plundered the countryside, obtaining provisions with difficulty from foraging, he sent out merchant ships and money for the purchase of grain.
οἱ δὲ Συρακόσιοι ναῦς μακρὰς πολλὰς ἔχοντες καὶ κατὰ τοὺς εὐκαίρους τόπους ἐπιφαινόμενοι πολλὴν τῆς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐμπόρων κομιζομένης ἀγορᾶς παρῃροῦντο.
But the Syracusans, having many warships and appearing at opportune places, intercepted much of the provision brought by the merchants.
καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ τὰς Συρακούσσας ἐν τούτοις ἦν.
And the affairs around Syracuse were in this state.

Notes

  1. 16.13.1τὴν ἀναίρεσιν — In Greek military contexts, this term refers to the 'recovery of the bodies' of the dead for burial, which was typically requested by the defeated party under a truce.
  2. 16.13.1τούτων — Objective genitive modifying the noun σπουδῆς ('zeal', 'care'). It is understood as 'care/attention shown to them (the dead soldiers)'.
  3. 16.13.2κατεστρατηγηκὼς — Perfect participle. It expresses the completed state of Dion having already outmaneuvered the enemy by using the hope of peace prior to the action of the main verb μετεπέμπετο ('he summoned').
  4. 16.13.2μίαν εἶναι σύλλυσιν — An accusative with infinitive construction introducing indirect discourse after the verb ἀπεκρίθη ('he replied'). It forms the apodosis of a conditional sentence, accompanied by the protasis ἐὰν ... βούληται ('if he should wish').

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §16.13.1-16.13.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:16.13.1-16.13.3

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.