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Dionysius of Halicarnassus · Roman Antiquities §20.16.1-20.16.2

Suppression of the Revolt at Rhegium and Execution

Passage 961 of 962 · Greek

Summary

Consul Genucius suppresses the rebellion in Rhegium and brings the rebels to Rome. By decision of the senate and people, all 4,500 rebels are brutally executed in the forum.

§20.16.1ἐγένετο δευτέρα ἐπανάστασις ἐν τῇ πόλει τῶν Ῥηγίνων ὑπὸ τῆς καταλειφθείσης αὐτόθι Ῥωμαικῆς καὶ συμμαχικῆς φρουρᾶς, καὶ διʼ αὐτὴν σφαγαί τε πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ φυγαί.
A second uprising occurred in the city of the Rhegians by the Roman and allied garrison that had been left there, and because of it, massacres of many men and banishments took place.
τούτους τιμωρησόμενος τοὺς ἀποστάντας ἅτερος τῶν ὑπάτων Γάιος Γενύκιος ἐξήγαγε τὴν στρατιάν· γενόμενος δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἐγκρατὴς Ῥηγίνων μὲν τοῖς φυγάσι ἀπέδωκε τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἔχειν, τοὺς δὲ ἐπιθεμένους τῇ πόλει συλλαβὼν δεσμίους εἰς Ῥώμην ἀπήγαγεν·
In order to punish these rebels, Gaius Genucius, one of the two consuls, led out the army; and having made himself master of the city, he restored to the Rhegian exiles their own property to possess, while those who had attacked the city he seized and brought in chains to Rome.
ἐφʼ οἷς οὕτως ὠργίσθη καὶ ἠγανάκτησεν ἥ τε βουλὴ καὶ ὁ δῆμος, ὥστε μηδεμίαν γνώμην ἐπιεικῆ γενέσθαι περὶ αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ πάσαις ταῖς φυλαῖς ἁπάντων τῶν ἐν ταῖς αἰτίαις τὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς κακουργοῖς τεταγμένον ὑπὸ τῶν νόμων καταψηφισθῆναι θάνατον.
At this, both the senate and the people were so angry and indignant that no lenient opinion was expressed concerning them, but rather, by all the tribes, the death penalty prescribed by the laws for criminals was decreed against all those who were under accusation.
§20.16.2κυρωθέντος δὲ τοῦ περὶ τῆς τιμωρίας δόγματος πάτταλοί τε κατεπάγησαν ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ, καὶ παραγόμενοι κατὰ τριακοσίους ἄνδρας, περιηγμένοι τοὺς ἀγκῶνας ὀπίσω προσεδοῦντο τοῖς παττάλοις γυμνοί·
When the decree concerning the punishment was ratified, stakes were fixed in the forum, and being brought forward by batches of three hundred men, they were bound to the stakes naked, with their elbows fastened behind them.
ἔπειτα μάστιξιν αἰκισθέντες ἁπάντων ὁρώντων ἀπεκόπτοντο τῷ πελέκει τοὺς ὑπὸ ταῖς κεφαλαῖς νωτιαίους τένοντας·
Then, after being scourged with whips in the sight of all, they had their spinal tendons under their heads cut off with the axe.
καὶ μετὰ τούτους ἕτεροι τριακόσιοι, καὶ αὖθις ἄλλοι τοσοῦτοι διεφθάρησαν, οἱ σύμπαντες τετρακισχίλιοι καὶ πεντακόσιοι.
And after these, another three hundred, and again another such number were put to death, amounting in all to four thousand five hundred.
καὶ οὐδὲ ταφῆς ἔτυχον, ἀλλʼ ἑλκυσθέντες ἐκ τῆς ἀγορᾶς εἰς ἀναπεπταμένον τι πρὸ τῆς πόλεως χωρίον ὑπὸ οἰωνῶν καὶ κυνῶν διεφορήθησαν.
Nor did they even obtain burial, but being dragged out of the forum into an open place before the city, they were torn to pieces by birds and dogs.

Notes

  1. 20.7τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἔχειν — The infinitive `ἔχειν` is a complementary or purposive infinitive modifying `ἀπέδωκε` (restored/returned), meaning 'returned their own things for them to have/possess'.
  2. 20.7ὥστε μηδεμίαν γνώμην ... καταψηφισθῆναι θάνατον — An accusative and infinitive construction introduced by the consecutive conjunction `ὥστε`. The subjects are respectively `μηδεμίαν γνώμην` and `θάνατον` (acting as the subject of the passive `καταψηφισθῆναι`). The verb `καταψηφίζομαι` typically takes the genitive of the person accused (`ἁπάντων τῶν ἐν ταῖς αἰτίαις`) and the accusative of the penalty (`θάνατον`).
  3. 8ἀπεκόπτοντο ... τοὺς ... τένοντας — An example of the accusative of specification (or retained accusative with a passive verb). The subjects (the executed men) are the subject of the passive verb `ἀπεκόπτοντο`, and the part affected (the neck tendons) is expressed in the accusative case (`τοὺς ... τένοντας`).

Cite this passage

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities §20.16.1-20.16.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0081.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:20.16.1-20.16.2

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