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Polybius · The Histories §16.26.1-16.26.10

Athens' Declaration of War on Philip and Honors for Rhodes

Passage 875 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

King Attalus declined to appear in person before the Athenian assembly but urged them in writing to join the war against Philip. Moved by his letter and the speeches of the Rhodians, the Athenians resolved to declare war on Philip and granted high honors and equal citizenship to the Rhodians.

§16.26.1μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα συναγαγόντες ἐκκλησίαν ἐκάλουν τὸν προειρημένον.
After this, they summoned an assembly and invited the aforementioned king.
§16.26.2παραιτουμένου δὲ καὶ φάσκοντος εἶναι φορτικὸν τὸ κατὰ πρόσωπον εἰσελθόντα διαπορεύεσθαι τὰς εὐεργεσίας τὰς αὑτοῦ τοῖς εὖ πεπονθόσι, §16.26.3τῆς εἰσόδου παρῆκαν, γράψαντα δʼ αὐτὸν ἠξίουν ἐκδοῦναι περὶ ὧν ὑπολαμβάνει συμφέρειν πρὸς τοὺς ἐνεστῶτας καιρούς.
But since he declined, asserting that it would be vulgar for him to enter in person and recount his own benefactions to those who had received them, they excused him from appearing, and requested that he should put in writing and submit what he considered to be advantageous for the present circumstances.
§16.26.4τοῦ δὲ πεισθέντος καὶ γράψαντος εἰσήνεγκαν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν οἱ προεστῶτες.
When he consented and wrote it, the magistrates brought in the letter.
§16.26.5ἦν δὲ τὰ κεφάλαια τῶν γεγραμμένων ἀνάμνησις τῶν πρότερον ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγονότων εὐεργετημάτων εἰς τὸν δῆμον, ἐξαρίθμησις τῶν πεπραγμένων αὐτῷ πρὸς Φίλιππον κατὰ τοὺς ἐνεστῶτας καιρούς, §16.26.6τελευταία δὲ παράκλησις εἰς τὸν κατὰ Φιλίππου πόλεμον, καὶ διορκισμός, ὡς ἐὰν μὴ νῦν ἕλωνται συνεμβαίνειν εὐγενῶς εἰς τὴν ἀπέχθειαν ἅμα Ῥοδίοις καὶ Ῥωμαίοις καὶ αὐτῷ, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα παρέντες τοὺς καιροὺς κοινωνεῖν βούλωνται τῆς εἰρήνης, ἄλλων αὐτὴν κατεργασαμένων, ἀστοχήσειν αὐτοὺς τοῦ τῇ πατρίδι συμφέροντος.
The main points of what was written were a reminder of the benefactions previously performed by him for the people, an enumeration of what had been done by him against Philip during the present circumstances, and lastly, an exhortation to the war against Philip, and a solemn warning that if they did not now choose to enter nobly into the hostility along with the Rhodians, the Romans, and himself, but after this, having let the opportunities slip, should wish to share in the peace when others had achieved it, they would miss what was advantageous for their country.
§16.26.7τῆς δʼ ἐπιστολῆς ταύτης ἀναγνωσθείσης ἕτοιμον ἦν τὸ πλῆθος ψηφίζεσθαι τὸν πόλεμον καὶ διὰ τὰ λεγόμενα καὶ διὰ τὴν εὔνοιαν τὴν πρὸς τὸν Ἄτταλον.
When this letter was read, the multitude was ready to vote for war, both because of what was said and because of their goodwill toward Attalus.
§16.26.8οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν Ῥοδίων ἐπεισελθόντων καὶ πολλοὺς πρὸς τὴν αὐτὴν ὑπόθεσιν διαθεμένων λόγους, ἔδοξε τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις ἐκφέρειν τῷ Φιλίππῳ τὸν πόλεμον.
Moreover, when the Rhodians also came forward and made many speeches on the same subject, it was resolved by the Athenians to declare war on Philip.
§16.26.9ἀπεδέξαντο δὲ καὶ τοὺς Ῥοδίους μεγαλομερῶς καὶ τόν τε δῆμον ἐστεφάνωσαν ἀριστείων στεφάνῳ καὶ πᾶσι Ῥοδίοις ἰσοπολιτείαν ἐψηφίσαντο διὰ τὸ κἀκείνους αὐτοῖς χωρὶς τῶν ἄλλων τάς τε ναῦς ἀποκαταστῆσαι τὰς αἰχμαλώτους γενομένας καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας.
They also received the Rhodians magnificently, crowned their people with a crown of valor, and voted equal citizenship to all Rhodians, because they too, independently of the others, had restored to them the captured ships and men.
§16.26.10οἱ μὲν οὖν πρέσβεις οἱ παρὰ τῶν Ῥοδίων ταῦτα διαπράξαντες ἀνήχθησαν εἰς τὴν Κέων ἐπὶ τὰς νήσους μετὰ τοῦ στόλου. —
So the ambassadors from the Rhodians, having accomplished these things, put to sea with the fleet for Ceos in the islands.

Notes

  1. §16.26.2εἶναι φορτικὸν τὸ κατὰ πρόσωπον εἰσελθόντα διαπορεύεσθαι τὰς εὐεργεσίας — The subject of the infinitive `εἶναι` is the articular infinitive `τὸ ... διαπορεύεσθαι`. `εἰσελθόντα` is an accusative participle acting as the subject of this infinitive (referring to Attalus himself), and `φορτικόν` is the predicate adjective with `εἶναι`.
  2. §16.26.3τῆς εἰσόδου — The verb `παρίημι` is used here with the genitive `τῆς εἰσόδου` to mean "to excuse from" or "to let go of."
  3. §16.26.6ὡς ἐὰν μὴ νῦν ἕλωνται ... ἀστοχήσειν — After `ὡς`, instead of a finite verb, an accusative with infinitive (`ἀστοχήσειν αὐτούς`) is used. This is an anacoluthon or a mixture of constructions common in Polybius to introduce indirect speech following a word of warning (`διορκισμός`), where the infinitive serves as the apodosis to the conditional clauses (`ἐὰν μὴ... ἕλωνται... βούλωνται`).
  4. §16.26.9διὰ τὸ κἀκείνους αὐτοῖς ... ἀποκαταστῆσαι — This is an articular infinitive construction `διὰ τὸ ... ἀποκαταστῆσαι` expressing cause ("because they restored"). `κἀκείνους` (and those, i.e., the Rhodians) is the accusative subject of the infinitive, while `αὐτοῖς` (to them, i.e., the Athenians) is the dative object.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §16.26.1-16.26.10. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:16.26.1-16.26.10

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