Humanitext Reader

Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §19.78.1-19.78.5

Liberation of Apollonia and Ptolemy's Successes in Greece

Passage 155 of 301 · Greek

Summary

The Corcyraeans liberate Apollonia and transfer Epidamnus to the Illyrian king, while Antigonus' general Ptolemy successfully expels Cassander's garrisons and liberates or wins over various major strongholds including Chalcis, Oropus, Athens, Thebes, and Phocis.

§19.78.1ἅμα δὲ τούτοις πραττομένοις Κορκυραῖοι μὲν βοηθήσαντες Ἀπολλωνιάταις καὶ τοῖς Ἐπιδαμνίοις τοὺς μὲν στρατιώτας Κασάνδρου ὑποσπόνδους ἀφῆκαν, τῶν δὲ πόλεων Ἀπολλωνίαν μὲν ἠλευθέρωσαν, Ἐπίδαμνον δὲ Γλαυκίᾳ τῷ τῶν Ἰλλυριῶν βασιλεῖ παρέδωκαν.
While these things were being done, the Corcyraeans, having come to the aid of the Apolloniates and the Epidamnians, dismissed the soldiers of Cassander under treaty, and of these cities they liberated Apollonia, but delivered Epidamnus to Glaucias, the king of the Illyrians.
§19.78.2ὁ δʼ Ἀντιγόνου στρατηγὸς Πτολεμαῖος χωρισθέντος εἰς Μακεδονίαν Κασάνδρου καταπληξάμενος τοὺς φρουροῦντας τὴν Χαλκίδα παρέλαβε τὴν πόλιν καὶ τοὺς Χαλκιδεῖς ἀφῆκεν ἀφρουρήτους, ὥστε γενέσθαι φανερὸν ὡς πρὸς ἀλήθειαν Ἀντίγονος ἐλευθεροῦν προῄρηται τοὺς Ἕλληνας· ἐπίκαιρος γὰρ ἡ πόλις ἐστὶ τοῖς βουλομένοις ἔχειν ὁρμητήριον πρὸς τὸ διαπολεμεῖν περὶ τῶν ὅλων.
But Ptolemy, the general of Antigonus, after Cassander had departed into Macedonia, having overawed those who were garrisoning Chalcis, took over the city and left the Chalcidians without a garrison, so that it became clear that Antigonus had in truth chosen to liberate the Greeks; for the city is a key position for those who wish to have a base of operations for carrying through the war for the supreme power.
§19.78.3ὁ δʼ οὖν Πτολεμαῖος ἐκπολιορκήσας Ὠρωπὸν παρέδωκε τοῖς Βοιωτοῖς καὶ τοὺς Κασάνδρου στρατιώτας ὑποχειρίους ἔλαβε.
At any rate, Ptolemy, having taken Oropus by siege, delivered it to the Boeotians and took Cassander's soldiers prisoner.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα Ἐρετριεῖς καὶ Καρυστίους εἰς τὴν συμμαχίαν προσλαβόμενος ἐστράτευσεν εἰς τὴν Ἀττικήν, Δημητρίου τοῦ Φαληρέως ἐπιστατοῦντος τῆς πόλεως.
After this, having received the Eretrians and Carystians into the alliance, he marched into Attica, while Demetrius of Phalerum was governing the city.
§19.78.4οἱ δʼ Ἀθηναῖοι τὸ μὲν πρῶτον λάθρᾳ διεπέμποντο πρὸς Ἀντίγονον, ἀξιοῦντες ἐλευθερῶσαι τὴν πόλιν· τότε δὲ τοῦ Πτολεμαίου παραγενηθέντος πλησίον τῆς πόλεως θαρρήσαντες ἠνάγκασαν τὸν Δημήτριον ἀνοχὰς ποιήσασθαι καὶ πρεσβείας ἀποστέλλειν πρὸς Ἀντίγονον περὶ συμμαχίας.
The Athenians at first had been sending messengers secretly to Antigonus, asking him to liberate their city; but at this time, since Ptolemy had arrived near the city, taking courage they forced Demetrius to make a truce and to send envoys to Antigonus concerning an alliance.
§19.78.5ὁ δὲ Πτολεμαῖος ἀναζεύξας ἐκ τῆς Ἀττικῆς εἰς τὴν Βοιωτίαν τήν τε Καδμείαν εἷλε καὶ τὴν φρουρὰν ἐκβαλὼν ἠλευθέρωσε τὰς Θήβας.
Ptolemy, having marched from Attica into Boeotia, took the Cadmea, and having expelled the garrison, liberated Thebes.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα πορευθεὶς εἰς τὴν Φωκίδα καὶ τὰς μὲν πλείους τῶν πόλεων προσαγόμενος ἐξέβαλε πανταχόθεν τὰς Κασάνδρου φρουράς· ἐπῆλθε δὲ καὶ τὴν Λοκρίδα καὶ τῶν Ὀπουντίων τὰ Κασάνδρου φρονούντων συνεστήσατο πολιορκίαν καὶ συνεχεῖς προσβολὰς ἐποιεῖτο.
After this, having proceeded into Phocis, and while bringing most of the cities over to his side, he expelled Cassander's garrisons from every quarter; and he also entered Locris, and having begun the siege of those among the Opuntians who favored Cassander, he made continuous assaults.

Notes

  1. 19.78.1ὑποσπόνδους — Used predicatively, meaning "under truce/treaty" (from σπονδαί), indicating that the surrendered soldiers of Cassander were allowed to depart safely without harm.
  2. 19.78.2περὶ τῶν ὅλων — Literally "concerning the whole things," referring to the overall empire, the supreme power, or the entire outcome of the war among the Diadochi.
  3. 19.78.5τῶν Ὀπουντίων τὰ Κασάνδρου φρονούντων — The neuter plural article and participle construction `τὰ ... φρονούντων` (acting with the genitive of faction) combined with the partitive genitive `τῶν Ὀπουντίων` means "the part of the Opuntians who sided with Cassander" or "those factions among the Opuntians favoring Cassander."

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §19.78.1-19.78.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:19.78.1-19.78.5

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.