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Polybius · The Histories §29.11.1-29.11.6

Rhodes Decides to Mediate for Genthius and Perseus

Passage 1126 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Envoys from Genthius and Perseus arrive in Rhodes, causing a tumultuous assembly. Ultimately, the Rhodians resolve to reply that they have decided to mediate the war.

§29.11.1ὅτι τῶν περὶ τὸν Παρμενίωνα καὶ Μόρκον, τῶν παρὰ τοῦ Γενθίου, καὶ σὺν τούτοις τοῦ Μητροδώρου παραγενομένων εἰς τὴν Ῥόδον, καὶ συναχθείσης τῆς βουλῆς, §29.11.2παντάπασιν θορυβώδης ἦν ἐκκλησία, τῶν μὲν περὶ τὸν Δείνωνα καὶ Πολυάρατον φανερῶς ἤδη τολμώντων λέγειν τὰ τοῦ Περσέως, τῶν δὲ περὶ Θεαίδητον καταπεπληγμένων τὰ συμβαίνοντα· §29.11.3καὶ γὰρ ἡ τῶν λέμβων παρουσία καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἀπολωλότων ἱππέων καὶ ἡ τοῦ Γενθίου μετάθεσις συνέτριβεν αὐτούς. §29.11.4διὸ καὶ τὸ πέρας τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀκόλουθον ἐγενήθη τοῖς προειρημένοις· §29.11.5ἔδοξε γὰρ τοῖς Ῥοδίοις ἀποκριθῆναι φιλανθρώπως ἀμφοτέροις τοῖς βασιλεῦσι καὶ διασαφεῖν ὅτι δέδοκται διαλύειν αὐτοῖς τὸν πόλεμον καὶ παρακαλεῖν κἀκείνους εὐδιαλύτους ὑπάρχειν. §29.11.6ἐδέξαντο δὲ καὶ τοὺς πρεσβευτὰς ἐπὶ τὴν κοινὴν ἑστίαν τοὺς παρὰ τοῦ Γενθίου μετὰ πολλῆς φιλανθρωπίας. —
When Parmenion and Morcus, the envoys from Genthius, and with them Metrodorus, arrived in Rhodes, and the senate was assembled, the assembly was completely tumultuous, as Deinon and Polyaratus and their faction now dared to speak openly in favor of Perseus, while Theaidetus and his party were struck with consternation by what was happening. For the presence of the lemboi, the great number of lost cavalry, and the defection of Genthius were crushing them. Therefore, the outcome of the assembly also proved to be in accordance with the aforementioned circumstances. For the Rhodians resolved to reply friendly to both kings, and to make it clear that they had decided to mediate the war, and to exhort them also to be ready for a settlement. They also received the ambassadors from Genthius at the common hearth with great hospitality.

Notes

  1. §29.11.1ὅτι — An introductory conjunction reflecting the epitomized nature of the text. Grammatically it introduces the main statement, but in translation it is treated as a narrative opening.
  2. §29.11.1τῶν περὶ τὸν Παρμενίωνα καὶ Μόρκον... παραγενομένων... καὶ συναχθείσης τῆς βουλῆς — Two genitive absolute constructions connected by καὶ, indicating the chronological sequence of background events prior to the main clause.
  3. §29.11.2τῶν μὲν περὶ τὸν Δείνωνα... τῶν δὲ περὶ Θεαίδητον — Two genitive absolute constructions contrasted by τῶν μὲν... τῶν δὲ..., functioning to explain the cause of the tumultuous state of the assembly.
  4. §29.11.2καταπεπληγμένων τὰ συμβαίνοντα — The perfect middle-passive participle of καταπλήσσω, used here in a middle sense ('to be struck with terror/consternation') and taking the accusative τὰ συμβαίνοντα as its direct object.
  5. §29.11.5δέδοκται διαλύειν αὐτοῖς τὸν πόλεμον — An impersonal construction with the perfect passive verb δέδοκται ('it has been resolved'), accompanied by the dative of agent αὐτοῖς ('by them', referring to the Rhodians), with the infinitive διαλύειν serving as the subject.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §29.11.1-29.11.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:29.11.1-29.11.6

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