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Polybius · The Histories §21.17.1-21.17.12

Publius Dictates Peace Terms Accepted by Envoys

Passage 977 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Publius presented harsh peace terms to Antiochus's envoys, including evacuation of Europe and Asia Minor, a large indemnity, the surrender of Hannibal and others, and hostages. The envoys agreed, and they resolved to send missions to Rome for the official ratification of the treaty.

§21.17.1ὁ δὲ προειρημένος ἀνὴρ οὔτε νικήσαντας ἔφη Ῥωμαίους οὐδέποτε γενέσθαι βαρυτέρους, §21.17.2διὸ καὶ νῦν αὐτοῖς τὴν αὐτὴν ἀπόκρισιν δοθήσεσθαι παρὰ Ῥωμαίων, ἣν καὶ πρότερον ἔλαβον, ὅτε πρὸ τῆς μάχης παρεγενήθησαν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον.
The aforementioned man said that the Romans had never become more overbearing when victorious, and therefore even now the same answer would be given to them by the Romans which they had also received before, when they came to the Hellespont before the battle.
§21.17.3δεῖν γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἔκ τε τῆς Εὐρώπης ἐκχωρεῖν καὶ τῆς Ἀσίας τῆς ἐπὶ τάδε τοῦ Ταύρου πάσης.
For they must evacuate Europe and the whole of Asia this side of the Taurus.
§21.17.4πρὸς δὲ τούτοις Εὐβοϊκὰ τάλαντʼ ἐπιδοῦναι μύρια καὶ πεντακισχίλια Ῥωμαίοις ἀντὶ τῆς εἰς τὸν πόλεμον δαπάνης.
In addition to this, they must pay fifteen thousand Euboic talents to the Romans to cover the expenses of the war.
§21.17.5τούτων δὲ πεντακόσια μὲν παραχρῆμα, δισχίλια δὲ καὶ πεντακόσια πάλιν, ἐπειδὰν ὁ δῆμος κυρώσῃ τὰς διαλύσεις, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τελεῖν ἐν ἔτεσι δώδεκα, διδόντα καθʼ ἕκαστον ἔτος χίλια τάλαντα.
Of these, five hundred must be paid immediately, and two thousand five hundred again when the people ratify the treaty, and they must pay the rest in twelve years, paying one thousand talents each year.
§21.17.6ἀποδοῦναι δὲ καὶ Εὐμένει τετρακόσια τάλαντα τὰ προσοφειλόμενα καὶ τὸν ἐλλείποντα σῖτον κατὰ τὰς πρὸς τὸν πατέρα συνθήκας.
They must also pay Eumenes the four hundred talents still owing to him, and the corn remaining due according to the treaty with his father.
§21.17.7σὺν δὲ τούτοις Ἀννίβαν ἐκδοῦναι τὸν Καρχηδόνιον καὶ Θόαντα τὸν Αἰτωλὸν καὶ Μνασίλοχον Ἀκαρνᾶνα καὶ Φίλωνα καὶ Εὐβουλίδαν τοὺς Χαλκιδέας.
And along with these, they must surrender Hannibal the Carthaginian, Thoas the Aetolian, Mnasilochus the Acarnanian, and Philo and Eubulidas of Chalcis.
§21.17.8πίστιν δὲ τούτων ὁμήρους εἴκοσι δοῦναι παραχρῆμα τὸν Ἀντίοχον τοὺς παραγραφέντας.
As security for these conditions, Antiochus must immediately give twenty hostages who will be selected.
§21.17.9ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὁ Πόπλιος ἀπεφήναθʼ ὑπὲρ παντὸς τοῦ συνεδρίου.
These terms then Publius declared on behalf of the whole council.
συγκαταθεμένων δὲ τῶν περὶ τὸν Ἀντίπατρον καὶ Ζεῦξιν, ἔδοξε πᾶσιν ἐξαποστεῖλαι πρεσβευτὰς εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην τοὺς παρακαλέσοντας τὴν σύγκλητον καὶ τὸν δῆμον ἐπικυρῶσαι τὰς συνθήκας.
When Antipater and Zeuxis accepted them, all resolved to send envoys to Rome to petition the senate and the people to ratify the treaty.
§21.17.10καὶ τότε μὲν ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐχωρίσθησαν, ταῖς δʼ ἑξῆς ἡμέραις οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι διεῖλον τὰς δυνάμεις
On these terms they parted on that occasion; but on the following days the Romans divided their forces.
§21.17.11μετὰ δέ τινας ἡμέρας παραγενομένων τῶν ὁμήρων εἰς τὴν Ἔφεσον, εὐθέως ἐγίνοντο περὶ τὸ πλεῖν εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην ὅ τʼ Εὐμένης οἵ τε παρʼ Ἀντιόχου πρεσβευταί, §21.17.12παραπλησίως δὲ καὶ παρὰ Ῥοδίων καὶ παρὰ Σμυρναίων καὶ σχεδὸν τῶν ἐπὶ τάδε τοῦ Ταύρου πάντων τῶν κατοικούντων ἐθνῶν καὶ πολιτευμάτων ἐπρέσβευον εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην.
A few days later, when the hostages had arrived at Ephesus, Eumenes and the envoys from Antiochus immediately prepared to sail to Rome, and similarly, envoys were sent to Rome from the Rhodians, the Smyrnaeans, and almost all the nations and states dwelling this side of Taurus.

Notes

  1. §21.17.1βαρυτέρους — Comparative masculine accusative plural of βαρύς, functioning as the predicate of the infinitive clause with the subject Ῥωμαίους. Derived from the literal meaning 'heavier', it signifies being 'more overbearing', 'harsher', or 'more demanding' toward the vanquished.
  2. §21.17.3δεῖν — Infinitive of δεῖ in indirect discourse introduced by the main verb ἔφη. From this point down to §21.17.8, all subsequent infinitives (ἐπιδοῦναι, τελεῖν, ἀποδοῦναι, ἐκδοῦναι, δοῦναι) depend on this δεῖν, each stating a specific term of the peace conditions.
  3. §21.17.5διδόντα — Present participle active, masculine accusative singular. It grammatically agrees with the logical subject of the infinitives, King Antiochus (singular). The use of the singular rather than the plural stresses the king's personal agency and responsibility in making the annual payments.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §21.17.1-21.17.12. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:21.17.1-21.17.12

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