§17.100.1ὁ δὲ Ἀλέξανδρος διασωθεὶς ἐκ τοῦ τραύματος καὶ θύσας τοῖς θεοῖς σωτήρια μεγάλας ἑστιάσεις τῶν φίλων ἐποιεῖτο.
, having recovered from his wound and having sacrificed thank-offerings to the gods, held grand banquets for his friends.
παρὰ δὲ τὸν πότον ἴδιόν τι συνέβη γενέσθαι καὶ μνήμης ἄξιον. §17.100.2ἐν γὰρ τοῖς ἑταίροις παραληφθείς τις Μακεδών, ὄνομα Κόραγος, ῥώμῃ σώματος διαφέρων καὶ πολλάκις ἐν ταῖς μάχαις ἠνδραγαθηκώς, παροξυνθεὶς ὑπὸ τῆς μέθης προεκαλέσατο μονομαχῆσαι Διώξιππον τὸν Ἀθηναῖον, ἀθλητὴν ἄνδρα καὶ ταῖς ἐπιφανεστάταις νίκαις ἐστεφανωμένον.
During the drinking, a peculiar and memorable event happened to occur. a certain Macedonian named Coragus, who was included among the Companions, outstanding in bodily strength and having often performed brave deeds in battles, excited by drunkenness, challenged Dioxippus the Athenian to single combat.
§17.100.3τῶν δὲ παρακεκλημένων ἐπὶ τὸν πότον, ὡς εἰκός, συνεπιλαβομένων τῆς φιλοτιμίας καὶ τοῦ μὲν Διωξίππου συγκαταθεμένου, τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως ἡμέραν τῆς μάχης τάξαντος, ὡς ὁ τῆς μονομαχίας χρόνος ἧκεν, πολλαὶ μυριάδες ἀνδρῶν συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὴν θέαν. §17.100.4καὶ τῶν μὲν Μακεδόνων ὁμοεθνῶν ὄντων τῷ Κοράγῳ καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως συμφιλοτιμουμένου, τῶν δὲ Ἑλλήνων τῷ Διωξίππῳ συναγωνιώντων προῆλθεν εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα ὁ μὲν Μακεδὼν πολυτελέσιν ὅπλοις κεκοσμημένος, ὁ δʼ Ἀθηναῖος γυμνὸς ὑπαληλιμμένος, §17.100.5ἔχων ῥόπαλον σύμμετρον.
This Dioxippus was an athlete and had been crowned with the most illustrious victories. those who had been invited to the drinking, naturally enough, joined in fanning the rivalry, and Dioxippus agreed, and the king appointed a day for the combat, when the time for the duel arrived, many tens of thousands of men gathered for the spectacle. the Macedonians, who were compatriots of Coragus, and the king with them shared their enthusiasm, and the Greeks anxiously cheered for Dioxippus, the Macedonian came forward into the arena adorned with costly weapons, and the Athenian naked and anointed with oil, a well-proportioned club.
ἀμφοτέρων δὲ τῇ τε τοῦ σώματος ῥώμῃ καὶ τῇ τῆς ἀλκῆς ὑπεροχῇ θαυμαζομένων οἱονεί τις θεομαχία μέλλουσα γίνεσθαι προσεδοκήθη·
As both were admired for their bodily strength and the superiority of their valor, a sort of combat of the gods was expected to take place.
ὁ μὲν γὰρ Μακεδὼν διά τε τὴν φύσιν τοῦ σώματος καὶ τὴν λαμπρότητα τῶν ὅπλων μεγάλην ἐπιφέρων κατάπληξιν Ἄρει παρεμφερὴς ὑπελαμβάνετο, ὁ δὲ Διώξιππος ὑπερέχων τε τῇ ῥώμῃ καὶ διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἀθλήσεως μελέτην, ἔτι δὲ διὰ τὴν περὶ τὸ ῥόπαλον ἰδιότητα τὴν πρόσοψιν Ἡρακλεωτικὴν εἶχεν. §17.100.6ὡς δʼ ἐπῆγον ἀλλήλοις, ὁ μὲν Μακεδὼν ἐκ συμμέτρου διαστήματος λόγχην ἠκόντισεν, ὁ δʼ ἕτερος βραχὺ παρεγκλίνας τὴν ἐπιφερομένην πληγὴν ἐξένευσεν.
For the Macedonian, inspiring great terror because of the build of his body and the brilliance of his armor, was thought to resemble Ares, while Dioxippus, excelling in strength and because of his athletic training, and furthermore because of the distinctive nature of his club, had an appearance like Heracles. they advanced against each other, the Macedonian hurled his javelin from an appropriate distance, but the other, swerving slightly, dodged the oncoming blow.
εἶθʼ ὁ μὲν τὴν Μακεδονικὴν σάρισαν προβεβλημένος ἐπεπορεύετο, ὁ δʼ ἐγγίσαντος αὐτοῦ τῷ ῥοπάλῳ πατάξας τὴν σάρισαν ἀπέθραυσεν. §17.100.7ὁ δὲ δυσὶν ἐλαττώμασι περιπεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξίφους μάχην κατήντησεν.
Then, while the former advanced holding forward his Macedonian sarissa, the latter, when he drew near, struck the sarissa with his club and shattered it. having suffered two failures, he resorted to fighting with the sword.
μέλλοντος δʼ αὐτοῦ σπᾶσθαι τὴν μάχαιραν ἔφθασε προπηδήσας καὶ τῇ μὲν εὐωνύμῳ κατέλαβε τὴν ἕλκουσαν τὸ ξίφος χεῖρα, τῇ δʼ ἄλλῃ κινήσας ἐκ τῆς βάσεως τὸν ἀντίπαλον ὑπέσυρε τὰ σκέλη. §17.100.8ῥιφέντος δʼ ἐπὶ γῆν ἐπιβὰς ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον τῷ ποδὶ καὶ τὸ ῥόπαλον ἀνατεινάμενος ἀνέβλεψεν πρὸς τοὺς θεωμένους.
But as he was about to draw his blade, Dioxippus anticipated him by leaping forward, and with his left hand seized the hand that was drawing the sword, while with the other hand, throwing his opponent off balance, he swept his legs from under him. when the other had been thrown to the ground, Dioxippus placed his foot upon his neck, and raising his club, looked up at the spectators.