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Polybius · The Histories §18.6.1-18.6.8

Philip's Response to Rhodes, Attalus, and the Achaians

Passage 895 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Philip V voices his complaints against Rhodes and Attalus, but agrees to Titus's demands to restore Peraea, ships, and surviving men, while offering a mock compensation for the destroyed sanctuaries. He then turns to the Achaians, denouncing their betrayal while offering to restore Argos and negotiate on Corinth.

§18.6.1τοῦ δὲ Τίτου γελάσαντος "ἀλλὰ δὴ πρὸς μὲν Αἰτωλοὺς ἀρκείτω μοι ταῦτʼ" ἔφη· "πρὸς δὲ Ῥοδίους καὶ πρὸς Ἄτταλον ἐν μὲν ἴσῳ κριτῇ δικαιότερον ἂν νομισθείη τούτους ἡμῖν ἀποδιδόναι τὰς αἰχμαλώτους ναῦς καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας ἤπερ ἡμᾶς τούτοις· §18.6.2οὐ γὰρ ἡμεῖς Ἀττάλῳ πρότεροι καὶ Ῥοδίοις τὰς χεῖρας ἐπεβάλομεν, οὗτοι δʼ ἡμῖν ὁμολογουμένως.
And when Titus laughed, 'Well, as for the Aetolians, let these remarks suffice for me,' he said; 'but as for the Rhodians and Attalus, before an impartial judge, it would be deemed more just that these should restore to us the captured ships and men than that we should do so to them; for we did not first lay hands on Attalus and the Rhodians, but they admittedly did so on us.
§18.6.3οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ σοῦ κελεύοντος Ῥοδίοις μὲν ἀποδίδωμι τὴν Περαίαν, Ἀττάλῳ δὲ τὰς ναῦς καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας τοὺς διασῳζομένους.
Nevertheless, since you bid me, I restore the Peraea to the Rhodians, and to Attalus the ships and those of the men who survive.
§18.6.4τὴν δὲ τοῦ Νικηφορίου καταφθορὰν καὶ τοῦ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης τεμένους ἄλλως μὲν οὐκ εἰμὶ δυνατὸς ἀποκαταστῆσαι, φυτὰ δὲ καὶ κηπουροὺς πέμψω τοὺς φροντιοῦντας θεραπείας τοῦ τόπου καὶ τῆς αὐξήσεως τῶν ἐκκοπέντων δένδρων" §18.6.5. πάλιν δὲ τοῦ Τίτου γελάσαντος ἐπὶ τῷ χλευασμῷ, μεταβὰς ὁ Φίλιππος ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς πρῶτον μὲν τὰς εὐεργεσίας ἐξηριθμήσατο τὰς ἐξ Ἀντιγόνου γεγενημένας εἰς αὐτούς, εἶτα τὰς ἰδίας·
As for the destruction of the Nicephorium and the sanctuary of Aphrodite, I am unable to restore them in any other way, but I will send plants and gardeners who will take care of the place and the growth of the trees that were cut down.' And when Titus laughed again at this mockery, Philip, passing on to the Achaians, first enumerated the benefits conferred on them by Antigonus, and then his own; next to this, he brought forward the greatness of the honors that had been paid to them by the Achaians.
§18.6.6ἑξῆς δὲ τούτοις προηνέγκατο τὸ μέγεθος τῶν τιμῶν τῶν ἀπηντημένων αὐτοῖς παρὰ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν. §18.6.7τελευταῖον δʼ ἀνέγνω τὸ περὶ τῆς ἀποστάσεως ψήφισμα καὶ τῆς πρὸς Ῥωμαίους μεταθέσεως, ᾗ χρησάμενος ἀφορμῇ πολλὰ κατὰ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν εἰς ἀθεσίαν εἶπε καὶ ἀχαριστίαν.
Finally, he read the decree concerning their defection and transfer to the Romans, using this as an occasion to say many things against the Achaians for their treachery and ingratitude.
§18.6.8ὅμως δʼ ἔφη τὸ μὲν Ἄργος ἀποδώσειν, περὶ δὲ τοῦ Κορίνθου βουλεύσεσθαι μετὰ τοῦ Τίτου.
Nevertheless, he said he would restore Argos, but would deliberate about Corinth with Titus.

Notes

  1. 18.6.1ἐν μὲν ἴσῳ κριτῇ — The preposition ἐν with the dative here signifies 'before' or 'in the court of' a judge, implying 'under the judgment of an impartial arbitrator'.
  2. 18.6.1τούτους ἡμῖν ἀποδιδόναι τὰς αἰχμαλώτους ναῦς καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας ἤπερ ἡμᾶς τούτοις — An accusative and infinitive construction is juxtaposed by ἤπερ after the comparative. In the first clause, τούτους refers to the Rhodians and Attalus, and ἡμῖν to Philip and his allies. In the second, ἡμᾶς refers to Philip's side, and τούτοις to the Rhodians and Attalus. The symmetrical contrast must be kept clear.
  3. 18.6.4τοὺς φροντιοῦντας — The masculine accusative plural active future participle of φροντίζω, modifying the antecedent κηπουρούς. The future participle here expresses purpose or intention ('who are to take care of...').

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §18.6.1-18.6.8. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:18.6.1-18.6.8

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