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Polybius · The Histories §24.15.1-24.15.13

Failure of Roman Mediation and Renewal of the War

Passage 1064 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Although the Roman ambassadors attempted to mediate peace, the negotiations failed due to Pharnaces' persistent refusal to compromise, and the war continued. Eumenes then departed for Lycia at the invitation of the Rhodians.

§24.15.1καταπολεμεῖν.
and to defeat him in war.
παραγενομένων δὲ τῶν πρέσβεων καὶ παρακαλούντων λύειν τὸν πόλεμον, ἔφασαν μὲν οἱ περὶ τὸν Εὐμένη καὶ τὸν Ἀριαράθην ἕτοιμοι πρὸς πᾶν εἶναι τὸ παρακαλούμενον, §24.15.2ἠξίουν δὲ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους, εἰ μέν ἐστι δυνατόν, εἰς σύλλογον αὐτοὺς συναγαγεῖν πρὸς τὸν Φαρνάκην, ἵνα κατὰ πρόσωπον λεγομένων τῶν λόγων ἴδωσι τὴν ἀθεσίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ὠμότητα διὰ πλειόνων· §24.15.3εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῦτʼ εἴη δυνατόν, αὐτοὺς γενέσθαι κριτὰς τῶν πραγμάτων ἴσους καὶ δικαίους.
When the ambassadors arrived and exhorted them to end the war, Eumenes and Ariarathes and their men said that they were ready for everything that was urged, but they requested the Romans, if it were possible, to bring them to a conference with Pharnaces, so that when the arguments were spoken face to face, they might see his faithlessness and cruelty in greater detail; and if this should not be possible, that the Romans themselves should become impartial and just judges of the matters.
§24.15.4τῶν δὲ πρεσβευτῶν ἀναδεχομένων πάντα τὰ δυνατὰ καὶ καλῶς ἔχοντα ποιήσειν, ἀξιούντων δὲ τὴν στρατιὰν ἀπάγειν ἐκ τῆς χώρας· §24.15.5ἄτοπον γὰρ εἶναι παρόντων πρέσβεων καὶ λόγους ποιουμένων ὑπὲρ διαλύσεων, ἅμα παρεῖναι τὰ τοῦ πολέμου καὶ κακοποιεῖν ἀλλήλους· §24.15.6συνεχώρησαν οἱ περὶ τὸν Εὐμένη, καὶ τῇ κατὰ πόδας εὐθέως ἀναζεύξαντες οὗτοι προῆγον ὡς ἐπὶ Γαλατίας.
When the ambassadors undertook to do everything possible and proper, but requested them to withdraw the army from the country; for they said it was absurd, while ambassadors were present and conducting discussions for a settlement, for the operations of war to be present at the same time and for them to harm one another; Eumenes and his men agreed, and immediately decamping, they advanced as if towards Galatia.
§24.15.7οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι πρὸς τὸν Φαρνάκην συμμίξαντες πρῶτον μὲν ἠξίουν αὐτὸν εἰς λόγους ἐλθεῖν τοῖς περὶ τὸν Εὐμένη· μάλιστα γὰρ ἂν οὕτω τυχεῖν τὰ πράγματα διεξαγωγῆς.
The Romans, having met with Pharnaces, first of all requested him to come to a conference with Eumenes and his men; for they thought that in this way especially the matters would reach a settlement.
§24.15.8τοῦ δὲ πρὸς τοῦτο τὸ μέρος ἀντιβαίνοντος καὶ τέλος ἀπειπαμένου, δῆλον μὲν εὐθέως ἦν τοῦτο καὶ Ῥωμαίοις ὅτι καταγινώσκει προφανῶς ἑαυτοῦ καὶ διαπιστεῖ τοῖς σφετέροις πράγμασι· §24.15.9πάντῃ δὲ πάντως βουλόμενοι λῦσαι τὸν πόλεμον προσεκαρτέρουν, ἕως οὗ συνεχώρησε πέμψειν αὐτοκράτορας ἐπὶ τὸν Πέργαμον κατὰ θάλατταν τοὺς συνθησομένους τὴν εἰρήνην, ἐφʼ οἷς ἂν οἱ πρεσβευταὶ κελεύσωσιν.
But when he opposed this course and finally refused, it immediately became clear also to the Romans that he was manifestly condemning himself and distrusted his own cause; yet, wishing by all means to end the war, they persisted until he agreed to send plenipotentiaries by sea to Pergamum to negotiate peace on whatever terms the ambassadors should command.
§24.15.10ἀφικομένων δὲ τῶν πρέσβεων, καὶ συνελθόντων ὁμοῦ τῶν τε Ῥωμαίων καὶ τῶν περὶ Εὐμένη, καὶ τούτων μὲν εἰς ἅπαν ἑτοίμως συγκαταβαινόντων χάριν τοῦ συντελεσθῆναι τὴν εἰρήνην, §24.15.11τῶν δὲ παρὰ τοῦ Φαρνάκου πρὸς πᾶν διαφερομένων καὶ τοῖς ὁμολογηθεῖσιν οὐκ ἐμμενόντων, ἀλλʼ αἰεί τι προσεπιζητούντων καὶ μεταμελομένων, ταχέως τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ἐγένετο δῆλον ὅτι ματαιοπονοῦσιν.
When the ambassadors arrived, and both the Romans and Eumenes' men met together, and while the latter were readily conceding to everything for the sake of concluding peace, but Pharnaces' envoys differed on every point and did not abide by what was agreed, but were always demanding something further and changing their minds, it quickly became clear to the Romans that they were laboring in vain.
οὐ γὰρ οἷος τʼ ἦν συγκαταβαίνειν ὁ Φαρνάκης εἰς τὰς διαλύσεις.
For Pharnaces was not of a character to yield to a settlement.
§24.15.12ὅθεν ἀπράκτου γενομένης τῆς κοινολογίας, καὶ τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἀπαλλαγέντων ἐκ τοῦ Περγάμου, καὶ τῶν παρὰ τοῦ Φαρνάκου πρέσβεων ἀπολυθέντων εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν, ὁ μὲν πόλεμος ἐγεγένητο κατάμονος, οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Εὐμένη πάλιν ἐγίνοντο περὶ τὰς εἰς τοῦτον παρασκευάς.
Consequently, the discussion having come to nothing, and the Romans having departed from Pergamum, and Pharnaces' ambassadors having been dismissed to their own country, the war remained on foot, and Eumenes and his men again turned their attention to preparations for it.
§24.15.13ἐν ᾧ καιρῷ τῶν Ῥοδίων ἐπισπασαμένων τὸν Εὐμένη [καὶ] φιλοτίμως, οὗτος μὲν ἐξώρμησε μετὰ πολλῆς σπουδῆς, πράξων τὰ κατὰ τοὺς Λυκίους
At this time, since the Rhodians invited Eumenes earnestly, he set out with great haste to settle the affairs of the Lycians.

Notes

  1. §24.15.1καταπολεμεῖν — An infinitive depending on δυνατός ἐστι from the end of the previous chapter (δυνατός ἐστι τὸν Φαρνάκην ἀμύνασθαι καὶ), continuing the context.
  2. §24.15.2ἴδωσι — Subjunctive 3rd person plural in a purpose clause. The subject is best understood as the aforementioned τοὺς Ῥωμαίους (the Romans), which fits the context of exposing Pharnaces' faithlessness to them.
  3. §24.15.3αὐτοὺς γενέσθαι — Accusative with infinitive construction. The accusative subject αὐτούς refers to the Romans (τοὺς Ῥωμαίους) rather than Eumenes and his men, meaning 'that the Romans themselves should become judges.'
  4. §24.15.5ἄτοπον γὰρ εἶναι — Infinitive in indirect discourse. In the γάρ clause reporting the ambassadors' argument, the impersonal ἄτοπόν ἐστι is changed into the infinitive εἶναι.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §24.15.1-24.15.13. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:24.15.1-24.15.13

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