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Polybius · The Histories §21.35.1-21.35.5

Gnaeus's Relief of Isinda and Treaties with Pamphylian Cities

Passage 997 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Consul Gnaeus responds to a plea for help from Isinda, negotiates with the Termessians and Aspendians, delivers Isinda from their siege, and resumes his march towards Galatia.

§21.35.1ὅτι κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἡνίκα Γνάιος διῄει τὸν Κολοβάτον προσαγορευόμενον ποταμόν, ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν πρέσβεις ἐκ τῆς Ἰσίνδης προσαγορευομένης πόλεως, δεόμενοι σφίσι βοηθῆσαι· §21.35.2τοὺς γὰρ Τερμησσεῖς, ἐπισπασαμένους Φιλόμηλον, τήν τε χώραν ἔφασαν αὑτῶν ἀνάστατον πεποιηκέναι καὶ τὴν πόλιν διηρπακέναι, νῦν τε πολιορκεῖν τὴν ἄκραν, συμπεφευγότων εἰς αὐτὴν πάντων τῶν πολιτῶν ὁμοῦ γυναιξὶ καὶ τέκνοις.
That at the time when Gnaeus was crossing the river called Colobatus, ambassadors came to him from the city called Isinda, entreating him to help them; for they said that the Termessians, having drawn Philomelus to their side, had laid waste their territory and plundered their city, and were now besieging the citadel, into which all the citizens had fled together with their wives and children.
§21.35.3ὧν διακούσας ὁ Γνάιος ἐκείνοις μὲν ὑπέσχετο βοηθήσειν μετὰ μεγάλης χάριτος, αὐτὸς δὲ νομίσας ἑρμαῖον εἶναι τὸ προσπεπτωκὸς ἐποιεῖτο τὴν πορείαν ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς Παμφυλίας.
Gnaeus, having heard them out, promised to help them with great favor, and regarding what had occurred as a godsend, he directed his march towards Pamphylia.
ὁ δὲ Γνάιος συνεγγίσας τῇ Τερμησσῷ, §21.35.4πρὸς μὲν τούτους συνέθετο φιλίαν, λαβὼν πεντήκοντα τάλαντα, παραπλησίως δὲ καὶ πρὸς Ἀσπενδίους.
And Gnaeus, having drawn near to Termessus, concluded a friendship with them upon receiving fifty talents, and likewise also with the Aspendians.
§21.35.5ἀποδεξάμενος δὲ καὶ τοὺς παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων πόλεων πρεσβευτὰς κατὰ τὴν Παμφυλίαν καὶ τὴν προειρημένην δόξαν ἐνεργασάμενος ἑκάστοις κατὰ τὰς ἐντεύξεις, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τοὺς Ἰσινδεῖς ἐξελόμενος ἐκ τῆς πολιορκίας, αὖθις ἐποιεῖτο τὴν πορείαν ὡς ἐπὶ τοὺς Γαλάτας. —
Having also received the ambassadors from the other cities in Pamphylia and, during the interviews, inspired in each of them the aforementioned impression, and at the same time having delivered the Isindians from the siege, he again directed his march towards the Galatians. —

Notes

  1. 21.35.1ὅτι — The sentence-initial ὅτι is an introductory conjunction used in historical excerpts or epitomes to present a summary of events, translated as 'That...'.
  2. 21.35.1σφίσι — An indirect reflexive pronoun, referring back to the subject of the main verb ἦλθον (the ambassadors and the Isindians they represent) from within the infinitive clause.
  3. 21.35.2ἐπισπασαμένους Φιλόμηλον — An aorist participle modifying τοὺς Τερμησσεῖς, expressing prior action or means: 'having drawn Philomelus to their side'.
  4. 21.35.3μετὰ μεγάλης χάριτος — Unlike its passive use in 21.34.12 ('with great gratitude'), here it actively denotes Gnaeus's own display of 'great favor' or 'gracious willingness' in granting the request.
  5. 21.35.5τὴν προειρημένην δόξαν — The 'aforementioned reputation/impression', referring to the awe-inspiring and authoritative impression of Roman power and Gnaeus's severity described in 21.34.6-7.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §21.35.1-21.35.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:21.35.1-21.35.5

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