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Polybius · The Histories §4.73.1-4.73.10

Philip's Invasion of Elis and the Region's Prosperity

Passage 350 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

This passage describes Philip delivering Lasion and other towns to the Achaeans, marching to Olympia, and invading Elis, while highlighting the exceptional population and prosperity of Elis due to its ancient sacred status and rural lifestyle.

§4.73.1τὸν τρόπον.
manner.
οἱ δὲ παραφυλάττοντες τὸν Λασιῶνα τῶν Ἠλείων, συνέντες τὴν παρουσίαν τῶν Μακεδόνων, πεπυσμένοι δὲ καὶ τὰ γεγονότα περὶ τὴν Ψωφῖδα, παραχρῆμα τὴν πόλιν ἐξέλιπον.
But the Eleans who were guarding Lasion, having perceived the presence of the Macedonians, and having also learned of the events concerning Psophis, immediately abandoned the city.
§4.73.2ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ὡς θᾶττον ἧκε, ταύτην μὲν ἐξ ἐφόδου παρέλαβε, συναύξων δὲ τὴν πρόθεσιν, ἣν εἶχε πρὸς τὸ ἔθνος, παρέδωκε καὶ τὸν Λασιῶνα τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς.
As soon as the king arrived, he took this city by assault, and, further carrying out the purpose which he had toward the nation, he delivered Lasion also to the Achaeans.
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὴν Στράτον ἐκλιπόντων τῶν Ἠλείων ἀποκατέστησε τοῖς Τελφουσίοις.
Likewise, when the Eleans abandoned Stratos, he restored it to the Thelpusians.
§4.73.3ταῦτα δὲ διαπραξάμενος ἧκε πεμπταῖος εἰς Ὀλυμπίαν.
Having accomplished these things, he arrived on the fifth day at Olympia.
θύσας δὲ τῷ θεῷ καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας ἑστιάσας, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τὴν λοιπὴν προσαναπαύσας δύναμιν ἐπὶ τρεῖς ἡμέρας, μετὰ ταῦτα πάλιν ἀνέζευξε.
Having sacrificed to the god and feasted his officers, and at the same time having given the rest of his army a rest for three days, he marched away again after this.
§4.73.4καὶ προελθὼν εἰς τὴν Ἠλείαν τὰς μὲν προνομὰς ἐπαφῆκε κατὰ τῆς χώρας, αὐτὸς δὲ κατεστρατοπέδευσε περὶ τὸ καλούμενον Ἀρτεμίσιον.
And having advanced into Elis, he let loose foraging parties over the country, while he himself encamped around the so-called Artemision.
§4.73.5προσδεξάμενος δʼ ἐνταῦθα τὴν λείαν μετέβη πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸ Διοσκούριον.
Having received the booty there, he moved again to the Dioscourion.
δῃουμένης δὲ τῆς χώρας, πολὺ μὲν ἦν τὸ τῶν ἁλισκομένων πλῆθος, ἔτι δὲ πλέον τὸ συμφεῦγον εἰς τὰς παρακειμένας κώμας καὶ τοὺς ἐρυμνοὺς τῶν τόπων.
While the country was being plundered, the number of those captured was great, but still greater was the number of those fleeing together into the neighboring villages and the strongholds of the region.
§4.73.6συμβαίνει γὰρ τὴν τῶν Ἠλείων χώραν διαφερόντως οἰκεῖσθαι καὶ γέμειν σωμάτων καὶ κατασκευῆς παρὰ τὴν ἄλλην Πελοπόννησον.
For it happens that the country of the Eleans is exceptionally well populated and full of inhabitants and property in comparison with the rest of the Peloponnese.
§4.73.7ἔνιοι γὰρ αὐτῶν οὕτως στέργουσι τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀγρῶν βίον ὥστε τινὰς ἐπὶ δύο καὶ τρεῖς γενεάς, ἔχοντας ἱκανὰς οὐσίας, μὴ παραβεβληκέναι τὸ παράπαν εἰς ἁλίαν.
For some of them are so fond of life in the country that certain of them, though possessing sufficient fortunes, have not for two or three generations shown themselves at all in the public assembly.
§4.73.8τοῦτο δὲ γίνεται διὰ τὸ μεγάλην ποιεῖσθαι σπουδὴν καὶ πρόνοιαν τοὺς πολιτευομένους τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς χώρας κατοικούντων, ἵνα τό τε δίκαιον αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ τόπου διεξάγηται καὶ τῶν πρὸς βιωτικὰς χρείας μηδὲν ἐλλείπῃ.
And this happens because the statesmen show great concern and foresight for those who live in the country, in order that justice may be administered for them on the spot, and that they may lack nothing of the necessaries of life.
§4.73.9δοκοῦσι δέ μοι πάντα ταῦτα καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος μὲν τῆς χώρας τὸ παλαιὸν ἐπινοῆσαι καὶ νομοθετῆσαι, τὸ δὲ πλεῖστον διὰ τὸν ὑπάρχοντά ποτε παρʼ αὐτοῖς ἱερὸν βίον, §4.73.10ὅτε λαβόντες παρὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων συγχώρημα διὰ τὸν ἀγῶνα τῶν Ὀλυμπίων ἱερὰν καὶ ἀπόρθητον ᾤκουν τὴν Ἠλείαν, ἄπειροι παντὸς ὄντες
And they seem to me to have devised and legislated all these regulations partly because of the ancient extent of their territory, but mostly because of the sacred way of life that once existed among them, when, having obtained a concession from the Greeks on account of the Olympic games, they inhabited Elis as a sacred and inviolable land, being inexperienced in every danger...

Notes

  1. §4.73.1τὸν τρόπον — Together with `τοῦτον` at the end of the previous chapter (§4.72.10), it forms the phrase `τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον` (adverbial accusative, meaning 'in this manner').
  2. §4.73.3πεμπταῖος — A predicative adjective (nominative masculine singular) describing the state of the subject (Philip), but translated adverbially as 'on the fifth day.'
  3. §4.73.6παρὰ τὴν ἄλλην Πελοπόννησον — The preposition `παρά` followed by the accusative expresses comparison, meaning 'in comparison with the rest of the Peloponnese.'
  4. §4.73.8τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς χώρας κατοικούντων — Objective genitive dependent on the verbal phrase `ποιεῖσθαι σπουδὴν καὶ πρόνοιαν` (to show concern and foresight).
  5. §4.73.9δοκοῦσι δέ μοι — A personal construction meaning 'they seem to me to...', where the logical subject of the infinitives `ἐπινοῆσαι καὶ νομοθετῆσαι` (the statesmen of Elis) is raised as the grammatical subject of the main verb `δοκοῦσι`.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §4.73.1-4.73.10. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.73.1-4.73.10

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