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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §16.43.1-16.43.4

Tennes' Secret Embassy and the Persian Pledge

Passage 551 of 723 · Greek

Summary

As the Persian king advances against Phoenicia, Tennes, the king of Sidon, deems resistance futile and secretly sends his messenger Thessalion to negotiate surrender. Although initially angered by Tennes's demand for a pledge, the king is persuaded by Thessalion and grants the solemn pledge of the right hand.

§16.43.1μετὰ δὲ ταῦθʼ ὁ μὲν τῶν Περσῶν βασιλεὺς ἐκ τῆς Βαβυλῶνος τὴν ἀνάζευξιν ποιησάμενος μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως προῆγεν ἐπὶ τὴν Φοινίκην·
After these events, the king of the Persians, having made his departure from Babylon, advanced with his army against Phoenicia.
ὁ δὲ τῆς Σιδῶνος δυνάστης Τέννης πυνθανόμενος τὸ μέγεθος τῆς τῶν Περσῶν δυνάμεως καὶ νομίσας τοὺς ἀφεστηκότας οὐκ ἀξιομάχους εἶναι τὴν σωτηρίαν ἰδίᾳ πορίζειν ἔκρινεν.
Meanwhile, Tennes, the ruler of Sidon, learning of the size of the Persian forces and thinking that the rebels were not a match for them, decided to secure his own safety individually.
§16.43.2διόπερ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ θεραπόντων τὸν πιστότατον Θετταλίωνα λάθρᾳ τῶν Σιδωνίων ἐξέπεμψε πρὸς τὸν Ἀρταξέρξην ἐπαγγελλόμενος αὐτῷ τὴν μὲν Σιδῶνα παραδώσειν, τὴν δʼ Αἴγυπτον συνεκπολεμήσειν, μεγάλα δʼ αὐτῷ συνεργήσειν ἔμπειρον ὄντα τῶν κατὰ τὴν Αἴγυπτον τόπων καὶ τὰς κατὰ τὸν Νεῖλον ἀποβάσεις ἀκριβῶς εἰδότα.
For this reason, without the knowledge of the Sidonians, he sent Thessalion, the most faithful of his own servants, to Artaxerxes, promising him that he would deliver Sidon to him, would help him in the war against Egypt, and would cooperate with him greatly, being as he was familiar with the places in Egypt and knowing accurately the landing-places along the Nile.
§16.43.3ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀκούσας τοῦ Θετταλίωνος τὰ κατὰ μέρος ἥσθη διαφερόντως καὶ τῶν μὲν κατὰ τὴν ἀπόστασιν ἐγκλημάτων ἀπολύσειν ἔφη τὸν Τέννην, πράξαντος δʼ αὐτοῦ τὰ καθωμολογημένα μεγάλας δωρεὰς δώσειν ἐπηγγείλατο.
When the king heard the details from Thessalion, he was extraordinarily pleased and said he would acquit Tennes of the charges concerning the rebellion, and promised that if he performed what had been agreed, he would give him great gifts.
εἰπόντος δὲ τοῦ Θετταλίωνος ὡς καὶ δεξιὰν λαβεῖν ὁ Τέννης ἠξίωσεν, ἐπὶ τούτοις ὁ μὲν βασιλεὺς ὀργισθεὶς ὡς οὐ πιστευόμενος παρέδωκε τὸν Θετταλίωνα τοῖς ὑπηρέταις καὶ προσέταξεν ἀφελεῖν τὴν κεφαλήν·
But when Thessalion mentioned that Tennes also requested to receive a pledge of the right hand, the king, angered at this on the ground that he was not trusted, handed Thessalion over to his officers and ordered them to cut off his head.
§16.43.4ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀπαγόμενος ὁ Θετταλίων ἐπὶ τὴν τιμωρίαν τοσοῦτον εἶπεν ὅτι Σὺ μέν, ὦ βασιλεῦ, πράξεις ὃ θέλεις, ὁ μέντοι Τέννης δυνάμενος ἅπαντα καταπρᾶξαι διὰ τὸ μὴ δοῦναί σε τὴν πίστιν οὐδὲν μὴ συντελέσει τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων, πάλιν ἀκούσας τούτων μετενόησε καὶ μετακαλεσάμενος τοὺς ὑπηρέτας ἀφεῖναι προσέταξε καὶ τὴν δεξιὰν ἔδωκε τῷ Θετταλίωνι· ἔστι δʼ ἡ πίστις αὕτη βεβαιοτάτη παρὰ τοῖς Πέρσαις.
But as Thessalion was being led away to execution, he said only this: "You, O king, will do what you wish; however, Tennes, who is capable of accomplishing everything, since you do not give him the pledge, will perform absolutely none of his promises." Having heard this, the king changed his mind again, and recalling his servants, ordered them to release him, and gave his right hand to Thessalion; this pledge is the most secure among the Persians.
οὗτος μὲν οὖν παρελθὼν εἰς Σιδῶνα τὰ πεπραγμένα τῷ Τέννῃ λάθρᾳ τῶν Σιδωνίων ἀπήγγειλεν,
So Thessalion, having arrived in Sidon, reported what had been done to Tennes, without the knowledge of the Sidonians.

Notes

  1. 16.43.2ἔμπειρον ὄντα — Although grammatically this accusative participle (and the following εἰδότα) might appear to modify Thessalion (Θετταλίωνα), it contextually refers to the king of Sidon, Tennes. It functions in agreement with the implied accusative subject (referring to Tennes himself, equivalent to an omitted ἑαυτόν) of the future infinitive συνεργήσειν introduced by ἐπαγγελλόμενος.
  2. 16.43.3ὡς καὶ δεξιὰν λαβεῖν ὁ Τέννης ἠξίωσεν — The conjunction ὡς introduces an indirect statement with the indicative ἠξίωσεν. The phrase δεξιὰν λαβεῖν (literally 'to receive the right hand') is an idiomatic expression referring to securing a solemn pledge or treaty, reflecting the diplomatic custom of ancient Persia and the Near East.
  3. 16.43.4οὐδὲν μὴ συντελέσει — The combination of the double negative particles οὐ μὴ followed by the future indicative συντελέσει (or a variant spelling of the aorist subjunctive συντελέσῃ) constitutes a strong negative assertion, expressing emphatic denial regarding a future event ('will by no means perform').

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §16.43.1-16.43.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:16.43.1-16.43.4

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