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Polybius · The Histories §20.3.1-20.3.7

Antiochus III Receives Envoys from Epirus and Elis

Passage 950 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

While staying in Chalcis, Antiochus III received envoys with different requests from the Epirotes and the Eleans, and he responded to each of them accordingly.

§20.3.1ὅτι Ἀντιόχου διατρίβοντος ἐν τῇ Χαλκίδι καὶ τοῦ χειμῶνος καταρχομένου παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν πρεσβευταὶ παρὰ μὲν τοῦ τῶν Ἠπειρωτῶν ἔθνους οἱ περὶ Χάροπα, παρὰ δὲ τῆς τῶν Ἠλείων πόλεως οἱ περὶ Καλλίστρατον.
While Antiochus was staying in Chalcis and winter was beginning, there came to him as envoys Charops and his associates on behalf of the nation of the Epirotes, and Callistratus and his associates on behalf of the city of the Eleans.
§20.3.2οἱ μὲν οὖν Ἠπειρῶται παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν μὴ προεμβιβάζειν σφᾶς εἰς τὸν πρὸς Ῥωμαίους πόλεμον, θεωροῦντα διότι πρόκεινται πάσης τῆς Ἑλλάδος πρὸς τὴν Ἰταλίαν·
Now the Epirotes requested him not to involve them prematurely in the war against the Romans, [asking him] to consider that they lay in front of all Greece, facing Italy.
§20.3.3ἀλλʼ εἰ μὲν αὐτὸς δύναται προκαθίσας τῆς Ἠπείρου παρασκευάζειν σφίσι τὴν ἀσφάλειαν, ἔφασαν αὐτὸν δέξασθαι καὶ ταῖς πόλεσι καὶ τοῖς λιμέσιν·
But if he himself, by stationing himself in front of Epirus, could provide safety for them, they said they would receive him both in their cities and in their harbors.
§20.3.4εἰ δὲ μὴ κρίνει τοῦτο πράττειν κατὰ τὸ παρόν, συγγνώμην ἔχειν ἠξίουν αὐτοῖς δεδιόσι τὸν ἀπὸ Ῥωμαίων πόλεμον.
If, however, he should decide not to do this for the present, they asked him to have understanding for them, as they were in fear of the war with the Romans.
§20.3.5οἱ δʼ Ἠλεῖοι παρεκάλουν πέμπειν τῇ πόλει βοήθειαν· ἐψηφισμένων γὰρ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν τὸν πόλεμον εὐλαβεῖσθαι τὴν τούτων ἔφοδον.
On the other hand, the Eleans requested him to send help to their city; for, since the Achaeans had voted for war, they were on their guard against an invasion by them.
§20.3.6ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τοῖς μὲν Ἠπειρώταις ἀπεκρίθη διότι πέμψει πρεσβευτὰς τοὺς διαλεχθησομένους αὐτοῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν κοινῇ συμφερόντων, §20.3.7τοῖς δʼ Ἠλείοις ἐξαπέστειλε χιλίους πεζούς, ἡγεμόνα συστήσας Εὐφάνη τὸν Κρῆτα. —
And the king replied to the Epirotes that he would send envoys to discuss with them concerning their common interests, while to the Eleans he dispatched a thousand infantry, having appointed Euphanes the Cretan as their commander. —

Notes

  1. 20.3.2θεωροῦντα — Accusative present participle modifying the main clause's object αὐτόν (Antiochus), meaning '[asking/expecting] him to consider that...'.
  2. 20.3.3ἔφασαν αὐτὸν δέξασθαι — Although αὐτόν might at first glance appear to be the subject of the infinitive δέξασθαι, in this context, the subject of δέξασθαι is the Epirotes (the subject of ἔφασαν), and αὐτόν (Antiochus) is its object: 'they said they would receive him'.
  3. 20.3.5εὐλαβεῖσθαι — Infinitive. Following the genitive absolute construction ἐψηφισμένων ... τῶν Ἀχαιῶν ('since the Achaeans had voted for war'), it functions to explain the reason why the Eleans made their request, expressing that they were on their guard against an invasion.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §20.3.1-20.3.7. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:20.3.1-20.3.7

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