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Polybius · The Histories §27.14.1-27.14.3

Negotiations on Ransom of Prisoners by Perseus and Rhodes

Passage 1086 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

When an envoy was sent from Perseus to negotiate the ransom of prisoners, a dispute arose among Rhodian politicians over whether to accept it, but they eventually reached an agreement.

§27.14.1ὅτι κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἡνίκα Περσεὺς ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου τοῦ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἀπελύθη, Ἀντήνορος παραγενομένου παρὰ τοῦ Περσέως περὶ τῆς τῶν αἰχμαλώτων διαλυτρώσεως τῶν μετὰ Διοφάνους πλεόντων, ἐνέπεσε μεγάλη τοῖς πολιτευομένοις ἀπορία περὶ τοῦ τί δέον εἴη ποιεῖν.
At the time when Perseus was released from the war against the Romans, upon the arrival of Antenor from Perseus concerning the ransom of the prisoners who had been sailing with Diophanes, a great dilemma fell upon the politicians as to what ought to be done.
§27.14.2τοῖς μὲν γὰρ περὶ τὸν Φιλόφρονα καὶ Θεαίδητον οὐδαμῶς ἤρεσκε προσδέχεσθαι τὴν τοιαύτην ἐπιπλοκήν, τοῖς δὲ περὶ τὸν Δείνωνα καὶ Πολυάρατον ἤρεσκε.
For to Philophron, Theaidetus, and their circle, it was by no means agreeable to accept such an entanglement, whereas to Deinon, Polyaratus, and their circle, it was agreeable.
§27.14.3καὶ τέλος ἐποιήσαντο διάταξιν πρὸς τὸν Περσέα περὶ τῆς τῶν αἰχμαλώτων διαλυτρώσεως. —
And finally they made an agreement with Perseus concerning the ransom of the prisoners. —

Notes

  1. §27.14.1Ἀντήνορος παραγενομένου — Genitive absolute. It expresses either time ("when Antenor arrived") or cause ("since Antenor arrived"), indicating the direct occasion or cause for the subsequent dilemma among the politicians.
  2. §27.14.2τοῖς περὶ τὸν Φιλόφρονα — The expression using the preposition περί with the accusative to surround a central figure is an idiomatic construction referring to the "faction" or "circle" associated with that person.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §27.14.1-27.14.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:27.14.1-27.14.3

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