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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §17.51.1-17.51.4

The Oracle of Ammon and Alexander's Divine Sonship

Passage 656 of 723 · Greek

Summary

Alexander is welcomed as the son of the god by the priest at the temple of Ammon, inquires about his rule over the world and the punishment of his father's murderers, and rejoices at the prophecy of his divine birth and future invincibility.

§17.51.1τοῦ δʼ Ἀλεξάνδρου διὰ τῶν ἱερέων εἰσαχθέντος εἰς τὸν νεὼν καὶ τὸν θεὸν κατανοήσαντος ὁ μὲν προφητεύων ἀνὴρ πρεσβύτερος τὴν ἡλικίαν προσελθὼν αὐτῷ, χαῖρε, εἶπεν, ὦ παῖ· καὶ ταύτην παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἔχε τὴν πρόσρησιν. §17.51.2ὁ δʼ ὑπολαβών, δέχομαι, φησίν, ὦ πάτερ, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν κεκλήσομαι σός.
When Alexander was led into the temple by the priests and observed the god, the prophet, who was elderly in age, approached him and said, "Welcome, child; and accept this greeting from the god." And he, replying, said, "I accept it, father, and henceforth I shall be called yours.
ἀλλʼ εἰπέ μοι εἴ μοι δίδως τὴν ἁπάσης τῆς γῆς ἀρχήν. τοῦ δὲ ἱερέως προσελθόντος τῷ σηκῷ καὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν τῶν αἰρόντων τὸν θεὸν κινηθέντων τεταγμένοις τισὶ τῆς φωνῆς συμβόλοις ὁ μὲν ἀνεῖπεν βεβαίως αὐτῷ διδόναι τὸν θεὸν τὴν αἴτησιν, ὁ δʼ Ἀλέξανδρος ὑπολαβών, τὸ λοιπόν, εἶπεν, ὦ δαῖμον, ἀπόφηναί μοι τῶν ζητουμένων, εἰ πάντας ἤδη μετελήλυθα τοὺς γενομένους φονεῖς τοῦ πατρὸς ἤ τινες διαλελήθασιν. §17.51.3ὁ δὲ προφήτης ἀνεβόησεν εὐφήμει·
But tell me if you grant me the rule over the whole earth." When the priest approached the shrine and the men carrying the god moved according to certain appointed symbols of voice, the prophet proclaimed that the god surely granted him his request, and Alexander, replying, said, "For the rest, oh spirit, declare to me concerning my questions, whether I have already punished all the murderers of my father, or if some have escaped notice." But the prophet cried out, "Speak auspiciously!
οὐδένα γὰρ ἀνθρώπων ὑπάρχειν τὸν δυνησόμενον ἐπιβουλεῦσαι τῷ γεννήσαντι αὐτόν, τοὺς δὲ τοῦ Φιλίππου φονεῖς ἅπαντας τετευχέναι τιμωρίας.
For there is no man who will be able to plot against the one who begat you, and all the murderers of Philip have met with punishment.
τεκμήρια δʼ ἔσεσθαι τῆς ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γενέσεως τὸ μέγεθος τῶν ἐν ταῖς πράξεσι κατορθωμάτων· καὶ γὰρ πρότερον ἀήττητον αὐτὸν γεγονέναι καὶ μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἔσεσθαι διὰ παντὸς ἀνίκητον. §17.51.4ὁ δʼ Ἀλέξανδρος ἡσθεὶς ἐπὶ τοῖς κεχρησμῳδημένοις καὶ τὸν θεὸν μεγαλοπρεπέσιν ἀναθήμασι τιμήσας ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον.
And the proof of your birth from the god will be the greatness of your achievements in your deeds; for indeed you have been undefeated before, and hereafter you shall be invincible for all time." And Alexander, pleased with what had been prophesied and having honored the god with magnificent offerings, returned to Egypt.

Notes

  1. 17.51.1τὴν ἡλικίαν — Accusative of respect or specification modifying the adjective `πρεσβύτερος` (elderly), meaning "in age."
  2. 17.51.2εἴ μοι δίδως — The conjunction `εἰ` ("whether") introducing an indirect question which serves as the object of the verb `εἰπέ` ("tell"). The present indicative `δίδως` is used to present the inquiry as a matter of fact.
  3. 17.51.3τῷ γεννήσαντι αὐτόν — Meaning "the one who begat him [Alexander]," referring to the god Ammon (Zeus) as his true father. In response to Alexander's inquiry about "my father [Philip]," the priest uses this expression to show that no mortal can plot against a divine father, hence the command to "speak auspiciously" (`εὐφήμει`).
  4. 17.51.3τεκμήρια δʼ ἔσεσθαι... τὸ μέγεθος — An accusative and infinitive construction in indirect discourse. The subject is the neuter singular `τὸ μέγεθος` (the greatness) and the predicate noun is the plural `τεκμήρια` (proofs), meaning "the greatness of his achievements in his deeds would be proofs of his birth from the god."

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §17.51.1-17.51.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:17.51.1-17.51.4

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