Humanitext Reader

Polybius · The Histories §36.10.1-36.10.7

The Rise of Pseudo-Philip and the Astonishment of Greece

Passage 1273 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Following the public opinion on Rome and Carthage, the narrative details the initial skepticism towards the rise of the Pseudo-Philip in Greece, followed by the public astonishment at his military successes.

§36.10.1περὶ μὲν οὖν Ῥωμαίων καὶ Καρχηδονίων ταῦτʼ ἐλέγετο·
Such, then, were the things said concerning the Romans and the Carthaginians.
§36.10.2περὶ δὲ τοῦ Ψευδοφιλίππου τὸ μὲν πρῶτον οὐδʼ ἀνεκτὸς ὁ λόγος ἐφαίνετο· πάρεστί τις ἐπὶ τὴν Μακεδονίαν ἀεροπετὴς Φίλιππος, καταφρονήσας οὐ μόνον Μακεδόνων ἀλλὰ καὶ Ῥωμαίων, οὐδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν εὔλογον ἔχων πρὸς τὴν ἐπιβολήν, §36.10.3ἅτε γινωσκομένου τοῦ κατʼ ἀλήθειαν Φιλίππου διότι σχεδὸν ὀκτωκαίδεκα γεγονὼς ἐτῶν μετήλλαξε τὸν βίον ἐν Ἄλβᾳ τῆς Ἰταλίας δυσὶν ὕστερον ἔτεσιν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Περσέως.
But concerning the Pseudo-Philip, at first the report seemed not even tolerable; that a certain Philip, fallen from the skies, was present in Macedonia, having despised not only the Macedonians but also the Romans, and having no reasonable ground for his enterprise, since it was known that the real Philip had departed this life at Alba in Italy when he was about eighteen years of age, two years later than Perseus himself.
§36.10.4μετὰ δὲ μῆνας τρεῖς ἢ τέτταρας προσπεσούσης φήμης διότι νενίκηκε μάχῃ τοὺς Μακεδόνας πέραν τοῦ Στρυμόνος κατὰ τὴν Ὀδομαντικήν, τινὲς μὲν ἀπεδέχοντο τὸν λόγον, οἱ δὲ πλείους ἀκμὴν ἠπίστουν.
But when, after three or four months, a rumor arrived that he had defeated the Macedonians in a battle beyond the Strymon in the region of Odomantice, some accepted the report, but the majority still disbelieved it.
§36.10.5μετʼ οὐ πολὺ δὲ πάλιν ἅμα τοῦ λόγου προσπίπτοντος ὅτι νικᾷ μάχῃ τοὺς Μακεδόνας ἐπὶ τάδε τοῦ Στρυμόνος καὶ πάσης Μακεδονίας κρατεῖ, καὶ Θετταλῶν γράμματα καὶ πρεσβευτὰς πεμψάντων πρὸς τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς καὶ παρακαλούντων βοηθεῖν, ὡς καὶ περὶ αὐτοὺς ὑπάρχοντος κινδύνου, θαυμαστὸν ἐφάνη καὶ παράδοξον τὸ γεγονός· §36.10.6οὐδεμία γὰρ οὔτε πιθανότης οὔτʼ εὐλογία προυφαίνετο περὶ τοῦ συμβεβηκότος.
And not long after, when the report arrived again that he was defeating the Macedonians in a battle on this side of the Strymon and was master of all Macedonia, and at the same time the Thessalians sent letters and ambassadors to the Achaeans, entreating them to help, on the ground that the danger threatened them as well, the event appeared wonderful and contrary to expectation; for no probability or reasonable explanation appeared concerning what had happened.
τοιαῦται μὲν οὖν περὶ τούτων ἦσαν διαθέσεις.
Such, then, were the attitudes of people concerning these matters.
§36.10.7—
──

Notes

  1. 36.10.2ὁ λόγος ἐφαίνετο· πάρεστί τις — The content of the report (λόγος) in the main clause is presented in an appositive or quasi-direct statement with the indicative verb (πάρεστι), without an introductory conjunction.
  2. 36.10.3ἅτε γινωσκομένου ... διότι — The genitive absolute (γινωσκομένου τοῦ ... Φιλίππου) with the particle ἅτε expresses an objective ground or causal relation ("since it was known"). The content of what was known is introduced by the διότι clause.
  3. 36.10.5ἅμα τοῦ λόγου προσπίπτοντος ... καὶ Θετταλῶν ... πεμψάντων — The adverb ἅμα indicating simultaneity governs the two parallel genitive absolute constructions (τοῦ λόγου προσπίπτοντος and Θετταλῶν πεμψάντων...).
  4. 36.10.5ὡς καὶ περὶ αὐτοὺς ὑπάρχοντος κινδύνου — The genitive absolute (ὑπάρχοντος κινδύνου) with ὡς represents a subjective reason or pretext ("on the ground that danger threatened them") alleged by the agents (the Thessalians).

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §36.10.1-36.10.7. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:36.10.1-36.10.7

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.