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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §16.75.1-16.75.4

Persian and Byzantine Aid to Besieged Perinthus

Passage 583 of 723 · Greek

Summary

As the siege of Perinthus drags on and the city faces imminent fall, the Persian king orders his satraps to assist, and with Byzantine reinforcements, fierce hand-to-hand combat ensues.

§16.75.1τῆς δὲ πολιορκίας πολυχρονίου γινομένης καὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν πόλιν πολλῶν μὲν ἀναιρουμένων, οὐκ ὀλίγων δὲ τραυματιζομένων, τῶν δʼ ἐπιτηδείων ἐκλειπόντων προσδόκιμος ἦν ἡ τῆς πόλεως ἅλωσις.
As the siege dragged on and many in the city were killed and not a few wounded, and as provisions were failing, the capture of the city was expected.
οὐ μὴν ἡ τύχη γε περιεῖδε τὴν τῶν κινδυνευόντων σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ παράδοξον αὐτοῖς κατεσκεύασε βοήθειαν.
However, fortune did not overlook the safety of those in danger, but provided them with unexpected help.
τῆς γὰρ τοῦ βασιλέως αὐξήσεως διαβεβοημένης κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὑφορώμενος τὴν τοῦ Φιλίππου δύναμιν ἔγραψε πρὸς τοὺς ἐπὶ θαλάττῃ σατράπας βοηθεῖν Περινθίοις παντὶ σθένει.
For since the rise of the king had been rumored throughout Asia, the king, suspecting Philip's power, wrote to the satraps on the coast to help the Perinthians with all their strength.
§16.75.2διόπερ οἱ σατράπαι συμφρονήσαντες ἐξέπεμψαν εἰς τὴν Πέρινθον μισθοφόρων πλῆθος καὶ χρήματα δαψιλῆ καὶ σῖτον ἱκανὸν καὶ βέλη καὶ τἄλλα πάντα πρὸς τὴν τοῦ πολέμου χρείαν.
Therefore, the satraps, acting in concert, sent a multitude of mercenaries, abundant funds, sufficient food, missiles, and everything else needed for the requirements of war to Perinthus.
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Βυζάντιοι τοὺς ἀρίστους τῶν παρʼ ἑαυτοῖς ἡγεμόνων καὶ στρατιωτῶν ἐξαπέστειλαν.
Likewise, the Byzantines also sent out the best of their commanders and soldiers.
ἐφαμίλλων δὲ τῶν δυνάμεων γενομένων καὶ τοῦ πολέμου καινοποιηθέντος πάλιν ἡ πολιορκία φιλοτιμίαν ἐλάμβανεν ἀνυπέρβλητον.
When the forces became equal and the war was renewed, the siege again took on an unsurpassed intensity.
§16.75.3ὁ μὲν γὰρ Φίλιππος τοῖς κριοῖς τύπτων τὰ τείχη συνεχῶς κατέβαλλε καὶ διὰ τῶν ὀξυβελῶν ἀνείργων τοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν ἐπάλξεων ἅμα μὲν διὰ τῶν πεπτωκότων τειχῶν ἀθρόως τοῖς στρατιώταις εἰσέπιπτεν, ἅμα δὲ διὰ τῶν κλιμάκων πρὸς τὰ γεγυμνωμένα τῶν τειχῶν προσέβαινε· διὸ καὶ τῆς μάχης ἐκ χειρὸς οὔσης οἱ μὲν ἀπέθνησκον, οἱ δὲ τραύμασι πολλοῖς περιέπιπτον.
For Philip, striking the walls continuously with battering rams, threw them down, and keeping back those on the battlements with his bolt-shooters, he at once burst in with his soldiers in a body through the breached walls, and at the same time mounted with ladders against the stripped parts of the walls; wherefore, as the fighting was hand-to-hand, some were killed and others suffered many wounds.
τὰ δὲ τῆς νίκης ἔπαθλα προεκαλεῖτο τὰς τῶν ἀγωνιζομένων ἀνδραγαθίας·
The prizes of victory challenged the valor of the contestants.
§16.75.4οἱ μὲν γὰρ Μακεδόνες ἐλπίζοντες εὐδαίμονα πόλιν διαρπάσειν καὶ δωρεαῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Φιλίππου τιμηθήσεσθαι διὰ τὴν τοῦ λυσιτελοῦς ἐλπίδα τοῖς δεινοῖς ἐνεκαρτέρουν, οἱ δὲ πολιορκούμενοι τὰ τῆς ἁλώσεως δεινὰ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχοντες ὑπέμενον εὐψύχως τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς σωτηρίας κίνδυνον.
For the Macedonians, hoping to plunder a wealthy city and to be honored with gifts by Philip, endured the terrors because of their hope of gain, while the besieged, having the horrors of capture before their eyes, courageously sustained the danger on behalf of their salvation.

Notes

  1. 16.75.1τοῦ βασιλέως ... ὁ βασιλεὺς — The two instances of 'king' in the same sentence refer to different individuals. The first (`τοῦ βασιλέως`) refers to Philip II of Macedon, while the second (`ὁ βασιλεὺς`) refers to the Persian King (Artaxerxes III).
  2. 16.75.1τῆς δὲ πολιορκίας πολυχρονίου γινομένης ... τῶν δʼ ἐπιτηδείων ἐκλειπόντων — Multiple genitive absolute constructions are arranged in parallel, describing the causes and circumstances leading to the main clause `προσδόκιμος ἦν ἡ τῆς πόλεως ἅλωσις` (the capture of the city was expected).
  3. 16.75.3τῆς μάχης ἐκ χειρὸς οὔσης — The phrase `ἐκ χειρός` is an idiom meaning 'hand-to-hand' or 'at close quarters.' Combined with the participle `οὔσης`, it forms a genitive absolute construction expressing cause: 'since the battle was hand-to-hand.'

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §16.75.1-16.75.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:16.75.1-16.75.4

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