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Polybius · The Histories §4.46.1-4.46.6

The Kingdom of Tylis and Byzantine Tribute

Passage 323 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

The Gauls establish the kingdom of Tylis near Byzantium, forcing the Byzantines to pay heavy tribute, who then seek financial assistance from other Greek states.

§4.46.1εἰς πᾶν ἦλθον περιστάσεως.
They came into the utmost extremity of danger.
οὗτοι δʼ ἐκίνησαν μὲν ἅμα τοῖς περὶ Βρέννον ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας, διαφυγόντες δὲ τὸν περὶ Δελφοὺς κίνδυνον, καὶ παραγενόμενοι πρὸς τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον, εἰς μὲν τὴν Ἀσίαν οὐκ ἐπεραιώθησαν, αὐτοῦ δὲ κατέμειναν διὰ τὸ φιλοχωρῆσαι τοῖς περὶ τὸ Βυζάντιον τόποις.
These Gauls had set out from their own country along with those under Brennus, and having escaped the danger at Delphi, and having arrived at the Hellespont, they did not cross over into Asia, but remained there owing to their fondness for the districts around Byzantium.
§4.46.2οἳ καὶ κρατήσαντες τῶν Θρᾳκῶν, καὶ κατασκευασάμενοι βασίλειον τὴν Τύλιν, εἰς ὁλοσχερῆ κίνδυνον ἦγον τοὺς Βυζαντίους.
And having also overcome the Thracians, and established Tylis as their capital, they brought the Byzantines into complete danger.
§4.46.3κατὰ μὲν οὖν τὰς ἀρχὰς ἐν ταῖς ἐφόδοις αὐτῶν ταῖς κατὰ Κομοντόριον τὸν πρῶτον βασιλεύσαντα δῶρα διετέλουν οἱ Βυζάντιοι διδόντες ἀνὰ τρισχιλίους καὶ πεντακισχιλίους, ποτὲ δὲ καὶ μυρίους χρυσοῦς, ἐφʼ ᾧ μὴ καταφθείρειν τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν.
At first, therefore, during their invasions under Comontorius, their first king, the Byzantines continued to give them presents of three thousand and five thousand, and sometimes even ten thousand gold pieces, on the condition that they should not ravage their territory.
§4.46.4τέλος δʼ ἠναγκάσθησαν ὀγδοήκοντα τάλαντα συγχωρῆσαι φόρον τελεῖν κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν ἕως εἰς Καύαρον, ἐφʼ οὗ κατελύθη μὲν ἡ βασιλεία, τὸ δὲ γένος αὐτῶν ἐξεφθάρη πᾶν, ὑπὸ Θρᾳκῶν ἐκ μεταβολῆς ἐπικρατηθέν.
But finally they were forced to agree to pay a yearly tribute of eighty talents, until the time of Cavarus, under whom the kingdom was indeed abolished, and their whole race was completely destroyed, being conquered in turn by the Thracians.
§4.46.5ἐν οἷς καιροῖς ὑπὸ τῶν φόρων πιεζούμενοι τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐπρέσβευον πρὸς τοὺς Ἕλληνας, δεόμενοι σφίσι βοηθεῖν καὶ συγχορηγεῖν εἰς τοὺς περιεστῶτας καιρούς· §4.46.6τῶν δὲ πλείστων παρολιγωρούντων, ἐνεχείρησαν ἀπαναγκασθέντες παρ
During these times, being hard pressed by the tribute, they at first sent embassies to the Greeks, begging them to help them and contribute to the expenses of their critical situation; but since most of them paid no attention, they attempted, being forced, from...

Notes

  1. §4.46.2οἳ — The relative pronoun οἳ at the beginning of the sentence is used transitionally ('and they') to connect the sentences and refer back to the Gauls mentioned previously.
  2. §4.46.3ἐφʼ ᾧ μὴ καταφθείρειν — The construction ἐφ' ᾧ (preposition ἐπί + dative relative pronoun) followed by the infinitive (here καταφθείρειν) expresses a condition or agreement ('on the condition that they would not ravage'). μή is used for negation.
  3. §4.46.4ἕως εἰς Καύαρον — The prepositional phrase εἰς Καύαρον (up to Cavarus) follows the conjunction/preposition ἕως, where the person's name represents the duration of his reign or his era ('until the time of Cavarus').

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §4.46.1-4.46.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.46.1-4.46.6

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