§13.4.1ὁ δὲ Φίλιππος Ἡρακλείδῃ μέν, καθάπερ ὑπόθεσιν δούς, ἐπέταξε φροντίζειν πῶς ἂν κακοποιήσαι καὶ διαφθείραι τὰς τῶν Ῥοδίων νῆας, §13.4.2εἰς δὲ τὴν Κρήτην πρεσβευτὰς ἐξαπέστειλε τοὺς ἐρεθιοῦντας καὶ παρορμήσοντας ἐπὶ τὸν κατὰ τῶν Ῥοδίων πόλεμον.
Philip, as if giving a blueprint, commanded Heracleides to consider how he might damage and destroy the ships of the Rhodians, and to Crete he dispatched envoys who were to incite and urge them to war against the Rhodians.
§13.4.3ὁ δʼ Ἡρακλείδης, ἄνθρωπος εὖ πεφυκὼς πρὸς τὸ κακόν, ἑρμαῖον ἡγησάμενος τὴν ἐπιταγήν, καὶ διανοηθεὶς ἅττα δήποτʼ οὖν παρʼ αὑτῷ, μετά τινα χρόνον ὥρμησε καὶ παρῆν καταπλέων εἰς τὴν Ῥόδον.
Heracleides, a man naturally well-fitted for evil, regarding the command as a godsend, and having devised some scheme or other in his own mind, set out after some time and arrived, sailing into Rhodes.
§13.4.4συνέβαινε δὲ τὸν Ἡρακλείδην τοῦτον τὸ μὲν γένος ἀνέκαθεν εἶναι Ταραντῖνον, πεφυκέναι δʼ ἐκ βαναύσων καὶ χειροτεχνῶν ἀνθρώπων, μεγάλα δʼ ἐσχηκέναι προτερήματα πρὸς ἀπόνοιαν καὶ ῥᾳδιουργίαν·
Now it happened that this Heracleides was by descent originally from Tarentum, born of vulgar artisans and craftsmen, but possessed great advantages for recklessness and unscrupulousness.
§13.4.5πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ἀναφανδὸν τῷ σώματι παρεκέχρητο κατὰ τὴν πρώτην ἡλικίαν, εἶτʼ ἀγχίνους ὑπῆρχε καὶ μνήμων, καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ταπεινοτέρους καταπληκτικώτατος καὶ τολμηρότατος, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ὑπερέχοντας κολακικώτατος.
For first, he had openly prostituted his body in his youth, and secondly, he was quick-witted and of good memory, and while most intimidating and bold towards his inferiors, he was most flattering towards his superiors.
§13.4.6οὗτος ἀρχῆθεν μὲν ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος ἐξέπεσε δόξας τὸν Τάραντα πράττειν Ῥωμαίοις, οὐ πολιτικὴν ἔχων δύναμιν, ἀλλʼ ἀρχιτέκτων ὑπάρχων καὶ διά τινας ἐπισκευὰς τῶν τειχῶν κύριος γενόμενος τῶν κλειδῶν τῆς πύλης τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ μεσόγαιον φερούσης·
This man was originally banished from his native city because he was thought to be plotting to betray Tarentum to the Romans, not because he had political power, but being an architect and, because of some repairs to the walls, having become master of the keys of the gate leading to the interior.
§13.4.7καταφυγὼν δὲ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους, καὶ πάλιν ἐκεῖθεν γράφων καὶ διαπεμπόμενος εἰς τὸν Τάραντα καὶ πρὸς Ἀννίβαν, ἐπεὶ καταφανὴς ἐγένετο, προαισθόμενος τὸ μέλλον αὖθις ἔφυγε πρὸς τὸν Φίλιππον.
Having fled to the Romans, and again from there writing and sending messages to Tarentum and to Hannibal, when he was discovered, having foreseen what was to come, he fled once more to Philip.
§13.4.8παρʼ ᾧ τοιαύτην περιεποιήσατο πίστιν καὶ δύναμιν ὥστε τοῦ καταστραφῆναι τὴν τηλικαύτην βασιλείαν σχεδὸν αἰτιώτατος γεγονέναι. —
With him he acquired such trust and influence that he became almost the chief cause of the ruin of so great a kingdom.