§31.13.1ἐπειδὴ δὲ πάντʼ ἦν ἕτοιμα τῷ ναυκλήρῳ λοιπόν τʼ ἔδει τὸν Δημήτριον ἀπαρτίζειν τὰ καθʼ αὑτόν, τὸν τροφέα προαπέστειλεν εἰς τὴν Συρίαν ὠτακουστήσοντα καὶ κατοπτεύσοντα τἀκεῖ συμβαίνοντα περὶ τοὺς ὄχλους.
When everything was ready for the shipmaster, and it only remained for Demetrius to complete his own preparations, he sent his foster-father ahead to Syria to play the eavesdropper and to reconnoitre what was happening there among the crowds.
§31.13.2ὁ δὲ σύντροφος Ἀπολλώνιος ἐξ ἀρχῆς αὐτῷ μετεῖχε τῆς ἐπιβολῆς· δυεῖν δʼ ὑπαρχόντων ἀδελφῶν, Μελεάγρου καὶ Μενεσθέως, τούτοις ἐκοινώσατο τὴν πρᾶξιν, ἄλλῳ δʼ οὐδενὶ τῶν μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καίτοι πλειόνων ὄντων.
His foster-brother Apollonius had shared the enterprise with him from the beginning; and since he had two brothers, Meleager and Menestheus, he communicated the plan to them, but to no one else of his companions, although they were numerous.
§31.13.3οὗτοι δʼ ἦσαν Ἀπολλωνίου κατὰ φύσιν υἱοί, τοῦ μεγάλην μὲν εὐκαιρίαν ἔχοντος παρὰ Σελεύκῳ, μεταστάντος δὲ κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχου μετάληψιν τῆς ἀρχῆς εἰς Μίλητον.
These were the natural sons of Apollonius, who had enjoyed great influence with Seleucus, but had removed to Miletus at the time when Antiochus succeeded to the sovereignty.
§31.13.4τῆς δὲ συνταχθείσης ἡμέρας πρὸς τοὺς ναυτικοὺς συνεγγιζούσης, ἔδει γενέ
σθαι παρά τινι τῶν φίλων ὑποδοχὴν πρὸς τὴν ἔξοδον.
As the day agreed upon with the crew approached, it was necessary that a reception for their departure should take place at the house of one of their friends.
§31.13.5παρὰ γὰρ αὐτῷ ποιεῖν τὸ δεῖπνον οὐχ οἷόν τʼ ἦν· εἴθιστο γὰρ ἐπιμελῶς καλεῖν ἅπαντας τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν ὄντας.
For it was impossible to hold the dinner at Demetrius' own house, because he was accustomed to invite scrupulously all those who were about him.
§31.13.6οἱ δὲ συνειδότες τὴν πρᾶξιν ἔμελλον ἐξ οἴκου δειπνήσαντες ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον ἥξειν, ἔχοντες ἕνα παῖδα μεθʼ ἑαυτῶν ἕκαστος· τοὺς γὰρ λοιποὺς ἀπεστάλκεισαν εἰς Ἀναγνείας, κατὰ τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν αὐτοὶ παρεψόμενοι.
Those who were in on the plot were to dine at home and then come to the ship, each having one attendant with him; for they had sent the rest of their servants ahead to Anagnia, intending to follow them themselves on the next day.
§31.13.7τὸν δὲ Πολύβιον συνέβαινεν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἠσθενηκότα μένειν κατὰ κλίνην, εἰδέναι δὲ πάντα τὰ πραττόμενα, τοῦ Μενύλλου συνεχῶς αὐτῷ μεταδιδόντος αἰεὶ περὶ τῶν ὑποπιπτόντων.
Now it happened that Polybius at this time was ill and confined to his bed, but he knew everything that was being done, since Menyllus continuously kept him informed of all that occurred.
§31.13.8διόπερ ἀγωνιάσας ὁ προειρημένος μὴ τῆς συνηθείας ἑλκυσθείσης, ἅτε τοῦ Δημητρίου συμποτικοῦ φυσικῶς καὶ νεωτέρου τελέως ὑπάρχοντος, ἀπόρημά τι γένηται περὶ τὴν ἔξοδον διὰ τὴν μέθην, §31.13.9γράψας βραχὺ πιττάκιον καὶ σφραγισάμενος πέμπει παρʼ αὑτοῦ παῖδα συσκοτάζοντος ἄρτι τοῦ θεοῦ, συντάξας ἐκκαλεσάμενον τὸν οἰνοχόον τοῦ Δημητρίου δοῦναι τὸ πιττάκιον, μηδὲν εἰπόντα τίς ἢ παρὰ τίνος, καὶ κελεύειν ἀποδιδόναι τῷ Δημητρίῳ παραχρῆμα διαναγνῶναι.
Therefore, the aforementioned Polybius, anxious lest, if the drinking-party were prolonged, since Demetrius was naturally fond of conviviality and quite young, some embarrassment regarding the escape might arise through intoxication, wrote a short note, and having sealed it, sent a servant of his own just as it was growing dark, instructing him to call out Demetrius' cupbearer and give him the note, without saying who he was or from whom it came, and to bid him hand it to Demetrius to read at once.
§31.13.10γενομένων δὲ πάντων κατὰ τὸ συνταχθέν, λαβὼν ὁ Δημήτριος ἐπανέγνω.
Everything having been done according to his instructions, Demetrius received and read the note.
§31.13.11τὸ δὲ πιττάκιον περιεῖχε τὰς γνώμας ταύτας. ὁ δρῶν τὰ τοῦ μέλλοντος οἴχεται φέρων. §31.13.12ἴσον φέρει νύξ, τοῖς δὲ τολμῶσιν πλέον.
The note contained the following maxims: "He who acts carries off the prizes of the future." "Night brings equal things, but to the daring, more.
τόλμα τι, §31.13.13κινδύνευε, πρᾶττʼ, ἀποτύγχανε,
ἐπίτυχε, πάντα μᾶλλον ἢ σαυτὸν προοῦ. §31.13.14νᾶφε καὶ μέμνασʼ ἀπιστεῖν· ἄρθρα ταῦτα τᾶν φρενῶν.
Dare something," "run risks, act, fail, succeed; anything rather than betray yourself." "Be sober and remember to distrust; these are the very joints of the mind."