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Polybius · The Histories §2.5.1-2.5.8

Capture of Phoenice and Defeat of the Epirotes

Passage 93 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

The Illyrian fleet attacks and captures the Epiriot city of Phoenice with the help of Gallic mercenaries. The Epiriot relief force, failing to maintain vigilance and splitting their troops, is heavily defeated by the Illyrians.

§2.5.1οἱ δʼ ἐξαποσταλέντες τὴν μὲν πρώτην ἐπιβολὴν ἔσχον ἐπὶ τὴν Ἠλείαν καὶ τὴν Μεσσηνίαν· ταύτας γὰρ ἀεὶ τὰς χώρας Ἰλλυριοὶ πορθοῦντες διετέλουν.
Those who had been sent out made their first attack upon Elis and Messenia; for the Illyrians were continually plundering these countries. Those who had been sent out made their first attack upon Elis and Messenia; for the Illyrians were continually plundering these countries.
§2.5.2διὰ γὰρ τὸ μῆκος τῆς παραλίας καὶ διὰ τὸ μεσογαίους εἶναι τὰς δυναστευούσας ἐν αὐταῖς πόλεις μακραὶ καὶ βραδεῖαι λίαν ἐγίνοντο τοῖς προειρημένοις αἱ παραβοήθειαι πρὸς τὰς ἀποβάσεις τῶν Ἰλλυριῶν· ὅθεν ἀδεῶς ἐπέτρεχον καὶ κατέσυρον ἀεὶ ταύτας τὰς χώρας.
For owing to the length of the coast, and because the principal cities in them were inland, the aid sent by the aforementioned peoples to meet the landings of the Illyrians was long and very slow; hence they overran and plundered these countries constantly without fear. For owing to the length of the coast, and because the principal cities in them were inland, the aid sent by the aforementioned peoples to meet the landings of the Illyrians was long and very slow; hence they overran and plundered these countries constantly without fear.
§2.5.3οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ τότε γενόμενοι τῆς Ἠπείρου κατὰ Φοινίκην προσέσχον ἐπισιτισμοῦ χάριν.
Nevertheless, arriving at that time off Phoenice in Epirus, they put in for the purpose of getting provisions. Nevertheless, arriving at that time off Phoenice in Epirus, they put in for the purpose of getting provisions.
§2.5.4συμμίξαντες δὲ τῶν Γαλατῶν τισιν, οἳ μισθοφοροῦντες παρὰ τοῖς Ἠπειρώταις διέτριβον ἐν τῇ Φοινίκῃ, τὸ πλῆθος ὄντες εἰς ὀκτακοσίους, καὶ κοινολογηθέντες τούτοις περὶ προδοσίας τῆς πόλεως ἐξέβησαν, συγκαταθεμένων σφίσι τῶν προειρημένων, καὶ τῆς πόλεως ἐξ ἐφόδου καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ κύριοι κατέστησαν, συνεργησάντων ἔσωθεν αὐτοῖς τῶν Γαλατῶν.
And having fallen in with some of the Gauls, who were staying in Phoenice serving as mercenaries under the Epiriots, being about eight hundred in number, and having parleyed with them about the betrayal of the city, they landed, the aforementioned Gauls having agreed with them, and by a sudden assault made themselves masters of the city and of all within it, the Gauls cooperating with them from inside. And having fallen in with some of the Gauls, who were staying in Phoenice serving as mercenaries under the Epiriots, being about eight hundred in number, and having parleyed with them about the betrayal of the city, they landed, the aforementioned Gauls having agreed with them, and by a sudden assault made themselves masters of the city and of all within it, the Gauls cooperating with them from inside.
§2.5.5οἱ δʼ Ἠπειρῶται πυθόμενοι τὸ γεγονὸς ἐβοήθουν πανδημεὶ μετὰ σπουδῆς. παραγενόμενοι δὲ πρὸς τὴν Φοινίκην καὶ προβαλόμενοι τὸν παρὰ τῇ πόλει ῥέοντα ποταμὸν ἐστρατοπέδευσαν, τῆς ἐπʼ αὐτῷ γεφύρας ἀνασπάσαντες τὰς σανίδας ἀσφαλείας χάριν.
But the Epiriots, on hearing of what had happened, came to help with all their forces in haste. Arriving near Phoenice, and throwing up as a defense the river that flowed past the city, they encamped, having pulled up the planks of the bridge over it for the sake of safety. But the Epiriots, on hearing of what had happened, came to help with all their forces in haste. Arriving near Phoenice, and throwing up as a defense the river that flowed past the city, they encamped, having pulled up the planks of the bridge over it for the sake of safety.
§2.5.6προσαγγελθέντος δʼ αὐτοῖς Σκερδιλαΐδαν ἔχοντα πεντακισχιλίους Ἰλλυριοὺς παραγίνεσθαι κατὰ γῆν διὰ τῶν παρʼ Ἀντιγόνειαν στενῶν, μερίσαντες αὑτῶν τινας ἐξαπέστειλαν παραφυλάξοντας τὴν Ἀντιγόνειαν· αὐτοὶ δὲ τά τε λοιπὰ ῥᾳθύμως διῆγον, ἀπολαύοντες τῶν ἐκ τῆς χώρας ἀνέδην, τῶν τε κατὰ τὰς φυλακὰς καὶ προκοιτίας ὠλιγώρουν.
But when it was reported to them that Scerdilaidas was coming by land with five thousand Illyrians through the passes near Antigoneia, they detached some of their own forces and sent them to guard Antigoneia; while they themselves passed their time lazily in other respects, enjoying the products of the country without restraint, and neglecting their guards and outposts. But when it was reported to them that Scerdilaidas was coming by land with five thousand Illyrians through the passes near Antigoneia, they detached some of their own forces and sent them to guard Antigoneia; while they themselves passed their time lazily in other respects, enjoying the products of the country without restraint, and neglecting their guards and outposts.
§2.5.7οἱ δʼ Ἰλλυριοὶ συνέντες τὸν μερισμὸν αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν λοιπὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν ἐκπορεύονται νυκτός· καὶ τῇ γεφύρᾳ σανίδας ἐπιβαλόντες τόν τε ποταμὸν ἀσφαλῶς διέβησαν καὶ λαβόντες ὀχυρὸν τόπον ἔμειναν τὸ λοιπὸν μέρος τῆς νυκτός.
But the Illyrians, perceiving their division of forces and their general negligence, set out by night; and having laid planks upon the bridge, they crossed the river safely, and having seized a strong position, they remained there for the rest of the night. But the Illyrians, perceiving their division of forces and their general negligence, set out by night; and having laid planks upon the bridge, they crossed the river safely, and having seized a strong position, they remained there for the rest of the night.
§2.5.8ἐπιγενομένης δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ παραταξαμένων ἀμφοτέρων πρὸ τῆς πόλεως, συνέβη λειφθῆναι τοὺς Ἠπειρώτας, καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν αὐτῶν πεσεῖν, ἔτι δὲ πλείους ἁλῶναι, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς διαφυγεῖν ὡς ἐπʼ Ἀτιντάνων.
But when day came, and both sides drew up in battle array before the city, it came to pass that the Epiriots were defeated, and many of them fell, and still more were captured, while the rest fled towards the Atintanes. But when day came, and both sides drew up in battle array before the city, it came to pass that the Epiriots were defeated, and many of them fell, and still more were captured, while the rest fled towards the Atintanes.

Notes

  1. 2.5.2μεσογαίους εἶναι τὰς δυναστευούσας ἐν αὐταῖς πόλεις — The subject accusative of the infinitive εἶναι is τὰς δυναστευούσας ἐν αὐταῖς πόλεις ('the ruling/principal cities in them'), while μεσογαίους ('inland') is its predicate. The entire infinitive phrase is governed by the preposition διὰ.
  2. 2.5.4τὸ πλῆθος ὄντες εἰς ὀκτακοσίους — The phrase τὸ πλῆθος is an accusative of specification (respect), meaning 'in number'. The participle ὄντες is plural masculine, agreeing by synesis with the preceding relative pronoun οἳ.
  3. 2.5.6προσαγγελθέντος δʼ αὐτοῖς — An impersonal genitive absolute. The following accusative with infinitive clause (Σκερδιλαΐδαν ... παραγίνεσθαι) functions as the logical subject of the passive participle προσαγγελθέντος, used impersonally.
  4. 2.5.8συνέβη λειφθῆναι τοὺς Ἠπειρώτας — The impersonal verb συνέβη ('it happened', 'it came to pass') takes the accusative with infinitive clause λειφθῆναι τοὺς Ἠπειρώτας and the subsequent infinitives (πεσεῖν, ἁλῶναι, διαφυγεῖν) as its subject.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §2.5.1-2.5.8. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.5.1-2.5.8

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