§1.11.1πολὺν μὲν χρόνον ἐβουλεύσαντο, καὶ τὸ μὲν συνέδριον οὐδʼ εἰς τέλος ἐκύρωσε τὴν γνώμην διὰ τὰς ἄρτι ῥηθείσας αἰτίας.
They debated for a long time, and the senate did not ratify the proposal even at the end, for the reasons just mentioned.
ἐδόκει γὰρ τὰ περὶ τὴν ἀλογίαν τῆς τοῖς Μαμερτίνοις ἐπικουρίας ἰσορροπεῖν τοῖς ἐκ τῆς βοηθείας συμφέρουσιν.
For the inconsistency of sending help to the Mamertines seemed to be balanced by the advantages to be derived from the assistance.
§1.11.2οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ τετρυμένοι μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν προγεγονότων πολέμων καὶ προσδεόμενοι παντοδαπῆς ἐπανορθώσεως, ἅμα δὲ τοῖς ἄρτι ῥηθεῖσι περὶ τοῦ κοινῇ συμφέρειν τὸν πόλεμον καὶ κατʼ ἰδίαν ἑκάστοις ὠφελείας προδήλους καὶ μεγάλας ὑποδεικνυόντων τῶν στρατηγῶν, ἔκριναν βοηθεῖν.
But the commons, worn out by the previous wars and in need of every kind of recovery, at the same time as the generals pointed out, in addition to what had just been said about the common interest, clear and great advantages for each individual, decided to send help.
§1.11.3κυρωθέντος δὲ τοῦ δόγματος ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου, προχειρισάμενοι τὸν ἕτερον τῶν ὑπάτων στρατηγὸν Ἄππιον Κλαύδιον ἐξαπέστειλαν, κελεύσαντες βοηθεῖν καὶ διαβαίνειν εἰς Μεσσήνην.
The decree having been ratified by the people, they appointed Appius Claudius, one of the consuls, as commander and dispatched him, ordering him to send help and cross over to Messene.
§1.11.4οἱ δὲ Μαμερτῖνοι τὸν μὲν τῶν Καρχηδονίων στρατηγὸν ἤδη κατέχοντα τὴν ἄκραν ἐξέβαλον, τὰ μὲν καταπληξάμενοι, τὰ δὲ παραλογισάμενοι· τὸν δʼ Ἄππιον ἐπεσπῶντο καὶ τούτῳ τὴν πόλιν ἐνεχείριζον.
The Mamertines, partly by terrifying and partly by deceiving him, expelled the Carthaginian commander who already held the citadel; and they invited Appius and handed over the city to him.
§1.11.5Καρχηδόνιοι δὲ τὸν μὲν στρατηγὸν αὐτῶν ἀνεσταύρωσαν, νομίσαντες αὐτὸν ἀβούλως, ἅμα δʼ ἀνάνδρως προέσθαι τὴν ἀκρόπολιν· §1.11.6αὐτοὶ δὲ τῇ μὲν ναυτικῇ δυνάμει περὶ Πελωριάδα στρατοπεδεύσαντες, τῷ δὲ πεζῷ στρατεύματι περὶ τὰς Σύνεις καλουμένας ἐνεργῶς προσέκειντο τῇ Μεσσήνῃ.
The Carthaginians crucified their commander, believing that he had abandoned the citadel thoughtlessly and at the same time cowardly; and they themselves encamped with their naval force near Pelorias, and with their land army pressed hard upon Messene near the place called the Syneis.
§1.11.7κατὰ δὲ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον Ἱέρων νομίσας εὐφυῶς ἔχειν τὰ παρόντα πρὸς τὸ τοὺς βαρβάρους τοὺς τὴν Μεσσήνην κατέχοντας ὁλοσχερῶς ἐκβαλεῖν ἐκ τῆς Σικελίας, τίθεται πρὸς τοὺς Καρχηδονίους συνθήκας.
At this juncture, Hiero, thinking that the present situation was favorable for completely expelling from Sicily the barbarians who held Messene, made a treaty with the Carthaginians.
§1.11.8καὶ μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἀναζεύξας ἐκ τῶν Συρακουσῶν ἐποιεῖτο τὴν πορείαν ἐπὶ τὴν προειρημένην πόλιν· καταστρατοπεδεύσας δʼ ἐκ θατέρου μέρους περὶ τὸ Χαλκιδικὸν ὄρος καλούμενον ἀπέκλεισε καὶ ταύτης τῆς ἐξόδου τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει.
And after this, setting out from Syracuse, he marched towards the aforementioned city; and having encamped on the other side near the mountain called Chalcidicon, he shut off those in the city from this exit as well.
§1.11.9ὁ δὲ στρατηγὸς τῶν Ῥωμαίων Ἄππιος νυκτὸς καὶ παραβόλως περαιωθεὶς τὸν πορθμὸν ἧκεν εἰς τὴν Μεσσήνην.
Appius, the Roman commander, crossed the strait by night and at great risk, and arrived at Messene.
§1.11.10ὁρῶν δὲ πανταχόθεν ἐνεργῶς προσηρεικότας τοὺς πολεμίους καὶ συλλογισάμενος ἅμα μὲν αἰσχράν, ἅμα δʼ ἐπισφαλῆ γίνεσθαι τὴν πολιορκίαν αὑτῷ, τῆς τε γῆς τῶν πολεμίων ἐπικρατούντων καὶ τῆς θαλάττης, §1.11.11τὸ μὲν πρῶτον διεπρεσβεύετο πρὸς ἀμφοτέρους, βουλόμενος ἐξελέσθαι τοῦ πολέμου τοὺς Μαμερτίνους· οὐδενὸς δὲ προσέχοντος αὐτῷ, §1.11.12τέλος ἐπαναγκαζόμενος ἔκρινε διακινδυνεύειν καὶ πρῶτον ἐγχειρεῖν τοῖς Συρακοσίοις.
Seeing that the enemy were vigorously pressing on them from all sides, and reflecting that the siege would be at once disgraceful and dangerous for himself, as the enemy had command of both land and sea, first sent embassies to both parties, wishing to rescue the Mamertines from the war; but as no one paid attention to him, he was finally compelled to decide to run the risk and attack the Syracusans first.
§1.11.13ἐξαγαγὼν δὲ τὴν δύναμιν παρέταξε πρὸς μάχην, ἑτοίμως εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα συγκαταβάντος αὐτῷ καὶ τοῦ τῶν Συρακοσίων βασιλέως·
Having led out his force, he drew them up for battle, and the king of the Syracusans also readily came down to meet him in the contest.
§1.11.14ἐπὶ πολὺν δὲ χρόνον διαγωνισάμενος ἐπεκράτησεν τῶν πολεμίων καὶ κατεδίωξε τοὺς ὑπεναντίους ἕως εἰς τὸν χάρακα πάντας.
After struggling for a long time, he prevailed over the enemy and pursued all the opponents as far as their entrenchments.
§1.11.15Ἄππιος μὲν οὖν σκυλεύσας τοὺς νεκροὺς ἐπανῆλθεν πάλιν εἰς τὴν Μεσσήνην.
Appius, then, having despoiled the dead, returned again to Messene.
ὁ δʼ Ἱέρων ὀττευσάμενός τι περὶ τῶν ὅλων πραγμάτων, ἐπιγενομένης τῆς νυκτὸς ἀνεχώρησε κατὰ σπουδὴν
But Hiero, having boded ill concerning the whole state of affairs, retreated in haste when night came on.