§20.63.1Ἀγαθοκλῆς δὲ ἐν ἡμέραις ὀλίγαις καὶ πεζῇ καὶ κατὰ θάλατταν νενικηκὼς τοὺς πολεμίους ἔθυε τοῖς θεοῖς καὶ λαμπρὰς ὑποδοχὰς τῶν φίλων ἐποιεῖτο.
Agathocles, having conquered the enemy both by land and by sea within a few days, sacrificed to the gods and gave splendid receptions for his friends.
ἀπετίθετο δʼ ἐν τοῖς πότοις τὸ τῆς τυραννίδος ἀξίωμα καὶ τῶν τυχόντων ἰδιωτῶν ταπεινότερον ἑαυτὸν ἀπεδείκνυεν, ἅμα μὲν διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης πολιτείας θηρώμενος τὴν παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν εὔνοιαν, ἅμα δὲ διδοὺς ἐν τῇ μέθῃ καθʼ αὑτοῦ παρρησίαν ἀκριβῶς κατενόει τὴν ἑκάστου διάνοιαν, τῆς ἀληθείας ἐκφερομένης ἀπαρακαλύπτως διὰ τὸν οἶνον.
In the drinking parties, he would lay aside the dignity of his tyranny and show himself humbler than ordinary citizens, on the one hand hunting for the goodwill of the multitude through such behavior, and on the other hand, by granting in drunkenness freedom of speech against himself, he would accurately discern the mind of each, since the truth is brought out without concealment by wine.
§20.63.2ὑπάρχων δὲ καὶ φύσει γελωτοποιὸς καὶ μῖμος οὐδʼ ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἀπείχετο τοῦ σκώπτειν τοὺς καθημένους καί τινας αὐτῶν εἰκάζειν, ὥστε τὸ πλῆθος πολλάκις εἰς γέλωτα ἐκτρέπεσθαι, καθάπερ τινὰ τῶν ἠθολόγων ἢ θαυματοποιῶν θεωροῦντας.
Since he was also by nature a jester and a mime, even in the assemblies he did not refrain from mocking those who were seated and mimicking some of them, so that the multitude often turned to laughter, just as if they were watching one of the character actors or jugglers.
§20.63.3δορυφορούμενος δὲ ὑπὸ πλήθους εἰς τὰς ἐκκλησίας εἰσῄει μόνος, οὐχ ὁμοίως Διονυσίῳ τῷ τυράννῳ· οὗτος γὰρ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἀπίστως διέκειτο πρὸς ἅπαντας ὥστε κατὰ μὲν τὸ πλεῖστον κομᾶν καὶ πωγωνοτροφεῖν, ὅπως μὴ συναναγκασθῇ τῷ τοῦ κουρέως σιδήρῳ παραβαλεῖν τὰ κυριώτατα μέρη τοῦ σώματος· εἰ δὲ καί ποτε χρεία γένοιτο τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποκείρασθαι, περιέκαε τὰς τρίχας, μίαν ἀσφάλειαν τυραννίδος ἀποφαινόμενος τὴν ἀπιστίαν.
Though attended by a multitude of bodyguards, he entered the assemblies alone, unlike the tyrant Dionysius; for the latter was so distrustful towards everyone that for the most part he kept his hair and beard long, so that he might not be compelled to submit the most vital parts of his body to the barber's iron; and if ever there was a need to clip his head, he would singe his hair, declaring distrust to be the sole safety of tyranny.
§20.63.4ὁ δʼ οὖν Ἀγαθοκλῆς παρὰ τὸν πότον λαβὼν ῥυτὸν μέγαν χρυσοῦν εἶπεν ὡς οὐ πρότερον ἀπέστη τῆς κεραμευτικῆς τέχνης ἕως τοιαῦτα ἐκπωμάτων πλάσματα φιλοτεχνῶν ἐκεραμεύσατο.
At any rate, Agathocles, taking a large golden rhyton during a drinking party, said that he did not previously depart from the ceramic craft until he had, by exercising his artistic skill, fashioned such ceramic vessels.
οὐ γὰρ ἀπηρνεῖτο τὴν ἐπιστήμην, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὐναντίον ἐκαυχᾶτο, διὰ τῆς ἰδίας ἀρετῆς ἀποφαινόμενος ἀντὶ τοῦ ταπεινοτάτου βίου τὸν ἐπιφανέστατον μετειληφέναι.
For he did not deny his knowledge, but on the contrary, boasted of it, declaring that through his own virtue he had exchanged the lowest life for the most illustrious.
§20.63.5καί ποτε πολιορκοῦντος αὐτοῦ τινα τῶν οὐκ ἀδόξων πόλεων καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους βοώντων “κεραμεῦ καὶ καμινεῦ, πότε τοὺς μισθοὺς ἀποδώσεις τοῖς στρατιώταις; ” ὑπολαβὼν εἶπεν “ὅταν ταύτην ἐξέλω. ” §20.63.6οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἐν τοῖς πότοις εὐτραπελίαν κατανοήσας τῶν μεθυόντων τοὺς ἀλλοτρίως τὰ πρὸς τὴν δυναστείαν ἔχοντας παρέλαβεν αὐτούς ποτε κατʼ ἰδίαν πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν ἑστίασιν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Συρακοσίων τοὺς μάλιστα πεφρονηματισμένους, τὸν ἀριθμὸν πεντακοσίους ὄντας· οἷς περιστήσας τῶν μισθοφόρων τοὺς εὐθέτους ἅπαντας ἀπέσφαξεν.
And once, when he was besieging one of the not undistinguished cities, and those from the wall shouted, "Potter and kiln-man, when will you pay the wages to your soldiers?" he retorted, "When I capture this city." Nevertheless, having detected through the pleasantries during the drinking parties those among the drunken who were hostilely disposed towards his rule, he once again invited them privately to a feast along with the most high-spirited of the other Syracusans, who were five hundred in number; and surrounding them with those of the mercenaries who were fit for the purpose, he slaughtered them all.
§20.63.7σφόδρα γὰρ εὐλαβεῖτο μὴ χωρισθέντος αὐτοῦ εἰς Λιβύην καταλύσωσι τὴν δυναστείαν, ἐπικαλεσάμενοι τοὺς μετὰ Δεινοκράτους φυγάδας.
For he was exceedingly cautious lest, after his departure for Libya, they should overthrow his rule by calling in the exiles with Deinocrates.
τοῦτον δὲ τὸν τρόπον ἀσφαλισάμενος τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐξέπλευσεν ἐκ τῶν Συρακουσσῶν.
Having secured his power in this manner, he sailed out from Syracuse.