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Polybius · The Histories §31.19.1-31.19.4

Elder Ptolemy's Refusal and Envoys Sent to Rome

Passage 1193 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Gnaeus Merula returns from Alexandria and reports to the younger Ptolemy that his brother has rejected all demands. The younger king sends envoys to Rome, while the elder king dismisses the Roman envoys empty-handed.

§31.19.1ὅτι κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἦλθε καὶ Γνάιος ὁ Μερόλας ἐκ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας, διασαφῶν τῷ βασιλεῖ διότι πρὸς οὐθὲν τῶν ἀξιουμένων προσελήλυθεν ὁ ἀδελφός, ἀλλά φησι δεῖν μένειν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐξ ἀρχῆς διομολογουμένοις.
At this time Gnaeus Merula also arrived from Alexandria, explaining to the king that his brother had acceded to none of the demands, but said that they must abide by the original agreements.
§31.19.2ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ταῦτα διακούσας, εὐθέως προχειρισάμενος Κομανὸν καὶ Πτολεμαῖον τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἐξαπέστελλε πρεσβευτὰς εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην μετὰ τοῦ Γναΐου, διασαφήσοντας τῇ συγκλήτῳ περὶ τῆς τἀδελφοῦ πλεονεξίας καὶ καταφρονήσεως.
The king, having heard these things, immediately appointed the brothers Comanus and Ptolemy and dispatched them as ambassadors to Rome along with Gnaeus, in order to make clear to the senate his brother's greed and defiance.
§31.19.3ἀπέλυσε δὲ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν καὶ τοὺς περὶ Τίτον ἀπράκτους ὁ πρεσβύτερος Πτολεμαῖος.
At the same time, the elder Ptolemy also dismissed Titus and his colleagues without having accomplished anything.
§31.19.4καὶ τὰ μὲν κατὰ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν καὶ Κυρήνην ἐπὶ τούτων ἦν.
And such was the state of affairs in Alexandria and Cyrene.

Notes

  1. §31.19.1ὅτι — A conjunction frequently found at the beginning of excerpts, serving to introduce the narrative ('that...') without a main governing verb.
  2. §31.19.1διότι — Used here as synonymous with the ordinary ὅτι ('that') to introduce the content of the participle διασαφῶν ('explaining').
  3. §31.19.2διασαφήσοντας — Future active participle (masculine plural accusative) of διασαφέω, expressing purpose ('in order to make clear'). It agrees with πρεσβευτάς, the direct object of the main verb.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §31.19.1-31.19.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:31.19.1-31.19.4

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