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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §19.89.1-19.89.3

Cassander's Defeat at Apollonia and Death of Alcetas

Passage 166 of 301 · Greek

Summary

Cassander reconciled with Alcetas in Epirus and besieged Apollonia, but retreated after being defeated. Subsequently, the Epirotes killed Alcetas and his sons due to his tyrannical rule.

§19.89.1καθʼ ὃν δὴ χρόνον Κάσανδρος ἀκηκοὼς μὲν τὴν τῶν ἰδίων ἧτταν, ἀγνοῶν δὲ τὸ μετὰ ταῦτα γεγονὸς εὐτύχημα κατὰ σπουδὴν ἧκεν εἰς τὴν Ἤπειρον βοηθήσων τοῖς περὶ Λυκίσκον.
At which very time Cassander, having heard of the defeat of his own men but being ignorant of the success that had occurred after this, came in haste to Epirus to bring aid to Lyciscus and his men.
καταλαβὼν δʼ αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τοῦ προτερήματος γεγονότας πρὸς μὲν Ἀλκέταν διαλυσάμενος φιλίαν συνέθετο, τῆς δὲ δυνάμεως μέρος ἀναλαβὼν ἀνέζευξεν εἰς τὸν Ἀδρίαν, πολιορκήσων Ἀπολλωνιάτας, ὅτι τὴν φρουρὰν ἐκβαλόντες τὴν αὐτοῦ προσέθεντο τοῖς Ἰλλυριοῖς.
But finding them to have gained the advantage, he reconciled with Alcetas and concluded a friendship; then, taking a part of his force, he marched to the Adriatic in order to besiege the Apolloniates, because they had expelled his garrison and allied themselves with the Illyrians.
§19.89.2οὐ μὴν οἵ γε ἐν τῇ πόλει κατεπλάγησαν, ἀλλὰ βοήθειαν μεταπεμψάμενοι παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων συμμάχων πρὸ τῶν τειχῶν παρετάξαντο.
Yet those in the city were by no means transiently terrified, but having sent for aid from their other allies, they drew up for battle before the walls.
γενομένης δὲ καρτερᾶς μάχης ἐπὶ πολὺν χρόνον οἱ μὲν Ἀπολλωνιᾶται τοῖς πλήθεσιν ὑπερέχοντες τοὺς ἀντιτεταγμένους φυγεῖν ἠνάγκασαν, ὁ δὲ Κάσανδρος πολλοὺς στρατιώτας ἀποβαλὼν καὶ δύναμιν μὲν οὐκ ἔχων περὶ αὑτὸν ἀξιόχρεω, τὴν δὲ χειμερινὴν ὥραν θεωρῶν ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς Μακεδονίαν.
When a fierce battle had taken place for a long time, the Apolloniates, surpassing in numbers, forced their opponents to flee; and Cassander, having lost many soldiers and not having a sufficient force about him, and considering the winter season, returned to Macedonia.
§19.89.3τούτου δὲ χωρισθέντος Λευκάδιοι προσλαβόμενοι βοήθειαν παρὰ Κορκυραίων ἐξέβαλον τὴν φρουρὰν τοῦ Κασάνδρου.
After he had departed, the Leucadians, taking additional aid from the Corcyraeans, expelled the garrison of Cassander.
οἱ δʼ Ἠπειρῶται χρόνον μέν τινα διέμενον ὑπʼ Ἀλκέτου βασιλευόμενοι, χρωμένου δʼ αὐτοῦ χαλεπώτερον τοῖς πλήθεσιν αὐτόν τε κατέσφαξαν καὶ δύο τῶν υἱῶν παῖδας ὄντας τὴν ἡλικίαν Ἠσιονέα καὶ Νίσον.
The Epirotes for some time continued to be ruled by Alcetas, but when he treated the multitude too harshly, they slaughtered him and also two of his sons, Hesioneus and Nisus, who were still children in age.

Notes

  1. 19.89.1ἐπὶ τοῦ προτερήματος γεγονότας — Meaning "having gained the upper hand." γεγονότας is the perfect active participle, here functioning as a predicative participle after καταλαβὼν ("finding them to have...").
  2. 19.89.2ἀξιόχρεω — The accusative singular feminine form of the Attic declension adjective ἀξιόχρεως ("sufficient, noteworthy"), modifying the preceding feminine noun δύναμιν.
  3. 19.89.3τὴν ἡλικίαν — An accusative of specification (or respect) meaning "in age" (or "with respect to their age"), modifying παῖδας ὄντας ("being children") to specify their youthfulness.

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §19.89.1-19.89.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc6:19.89.1-19.89.3

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