Humanitext Reader

Dionysius of Halicarnassus · Roman Antiquities §15.5.1-15.5.3

Embassies from Rome and Rival Cities to Neapolis

Passage 911 of 962 · Greek

Summary

Following complaints from the Campanians, the Roman senate dispatches ambassadors to Neapolis to demand peace and a separation from the Samnites. Simultaneously, embassies from Tarentum and Nola arrive in Neapolis, urging the citizens to reject any compromise with Rome and to fight alongside the Samnites.

§15.5.1ἀλλὰ καὶ διότι τοὺς φίλους αὐτῶν Καμπανοὺς πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα ἔβλαπτον.
but also because they were doing many great injuries to their friends, the Campanians.
ἡ δὲ βουλὴ τῶν Ῥωμαίων Καμπανῶν πολλάκις ἐμφανιζόντων καὶ ἀποδυρομένων κατὰ τῶν Νεαπολιτῶν, πρέσβεις ἐψηφίσατο πρὸς τοὺς Νεαπολίτας ἀποστεῖλαι τοὺς ἀξιώσοντας αὐτοὺς μηθὲν εἰς τοὺς ὑπηκόους τῆς τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίας παρανομεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ διδόναι τὰ δίκαια καὶ λαμβάνειν, καί, εἴ γε διαφέρονται πρὸς ἀλλήλους, μὴ δι’ ὅπλων, ἀλλὰ διὰ λόγων, σύμβολα ποιησαμένους πρὸς αὐτούς, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν εἰρήνην ἄγειν πρὸς ἅπαντας τοὺς περιοικοῦντας τὸ Τυρρηνικὸν πέλαγος, μήτʼ αὐτοὺς ἔργα πράττοντας, ἃ μὴ προσήκει Ἕλλησι, μήτε τοῖς πράττουσι συνεργοῦντας· μάλιστα δʼ εἰ δύναιντο θεραπείαις τῶν δυνατῶν παρασκευάσοντας ἀποστῆναι μὲν ἀπὸ Σαυνιτῶν τὴν πόλιν, σφίσι δʼ αὐτοῖς γενέσθαι φίλην.
And the Roman senate, since the Campanians frequently made representations and complained against the Neapolitans, voted to send ambassadors to the Neapolitans who would demand that they do nothing unlawful against the subjects of the Roman hegemony, but rather give and receive justice, and, if they have any dispute with one another, settle it not by arms but by words, having made treaties with them, and for the future to keep peace with all those who dwell around the Tyrrhenian Sea, neither performing themselves deeds which do not befit Greeks, nor cooperating with those who do so; and especially, if they could, by courtings of the influential men, to bring it about that the city should revolt from the Samnites and become friendly to themselves.
§15.5.2ἔτυχον δὲ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον ἀφιγμένοι πρὸς τοὺς Νεαπολίτας πρέσβεις ὑπὸ Ταραντίνων ἀποσταλέντες, ἄνδρες ἐπιφανεῖς καὶ πρόξενοι διὰ γένους τῶν Νεαπολιτῶν· καὶ ἕτεροι ὑπὸ Νωλάνων ὁμόρων ὄντων καὶ σφόδρα τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἀσπαζομένων, τἀναντία τοὺς Νεαπολίτας ἀξιώσοντες μήτε σύμβολα ποιεῖσθαι πρὸς τοὺς Ῥωμαίους ἢ τοὺς ὑπηκόους αὐτῶν μήτε διαλύεσθαι τὴν πρὸς Σαυνίτας φιλίαν.
At the same time, there happened to have arrived to the Neapolitans ambassadors sent by the Tarentines, illustrious men who were hereditary proxenoi of the Neapolitans; and other ambassadors sent by the Nolans, who were neighbors and exceedingly welcomed the Greeks, with the purpose of demanding from the Neapolitans the opposite: neither to make treaties with the Romans or their subjects, nor to dissolve their friendship with the Samnites.
§15.5.3ἐὰν δὲ ταύτην ποιήσωνται Ῥωμαῖοι τοῦ πολέμου τὴν πρόφασιν, μὴ ὀρρωδεῖν, μηδʼ ὡς ἄμαχόν τινα τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῶν καταπεπλῆχθαι, ἀλλὰ μένειν γενναίως καὶ ὡς προσῆκεν Ἕλλησι πολεμεῖν, τῇ τʼ οἰκείᾳ πιστεύοντας δυνάμει καὶ τῇ παρὰ Σαυνιτῶν ἀφιξομένῃ βοηθείᾳ, ναυτικήν τʼ ἰσχὺν προσληψομένους ἔξω τῆς ἑαυτῶν, ἣν Ταραντῖνοι πέμψουσιν, ἐὰν ἄρα καὶ ταύτης δέωνται, πολλὴν καὶ ἀγαθήν.
and if the Romans should make this a pretext for war, not to be afraid, nor to be terrified by their power as if it were invincible, but to stand firm nobly and fight as befitted Greeks, trusting both in their own power and in the assistance that would come from the Samnites, and also receiving in addition to their own a naval force, large and excellent, which the Tarentines would send, if they should indeed need it.

Notes

  1. ¦p.v.4p.268¦παρασκευάσοντας — Future participle in the accusative plural masculine, agreeing not with the subject of the main clause (the senate) but with the sent ambassadors (`πρέσβεις`). It expresses purpose ("in order to bring about...") and stands in parallel with the preceding `ἀξιώσοντας`.
  2. ¦2316¦μὴ ὀρρωδεῖν — Infinitive in indirect discourse, dependent on the preceding `ἀξιώσοντες` ("with the intention of demanding"), with the accusative `τοὺς Νεαπολίτας` (the Neapolitans) functioning as its subject.
  3. ¦p.v.4p.269¦προσληψομένους — Future participle in the accusative plural masculine, agreeing with the implicit subject of the infinitives (the Neapolitans). It expresses the expectation or assurance offered by the ambassadors ("since they would receive...").

Cite this passage

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities §15.5.1-15.5.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0081.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:15.5.1-15.5.3

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.