Humanitext Reader

Polybius · The Histories §4.86.1-4.86.8

Exposure of Apelles' Slander and Aratus' Vindication

Passage 363 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

While Apelles fails to produce any proof, Amphidamus escapes arrest and flees to Philip; at the request of Aratus's party, Philip summons him and discovers that Apelles's slander was entirely false, leading to the restoration of Aratus's favor.

§4.86.1ἀνακαλύπτειν τι τούτων.
[or] making clear any of these matters.
τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως εὐαρεστήσαντος τοῖς λεγομένοις, καὶ φήσαντος οὐκ ὀλιγωρήσειν, ἀλλʼ ἐξετάσειν, τότε μὲν διελύθησαν.
When the king was pleased with what was said and stated that he would not neglect it but would investigate, for the time being they dispersed.
§4.86.2ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἑξῆς ἡμέραις ὁ μὲν Ἀπελλῆς οὐδεμίαν ἀπόδειξιν προσῆγε τοῖς εἰρημένοις· τοῖς δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον ἐγένετό τι συγκύρημα τοιοῦτον.
During the following days, Apelles produced no proof of what had been said; but for Aratus and his party, a lucky event of the following kind occurred.
§4.86.3οἱ γὰρ Ἠλεῖοι, καθʼ ὃν καιρὸν ὁ Φίλιππος αὐτῶν ἐπόρθει τὴν χώραν, ὑποπτεύσαντες τὸν Ἀμφίδαμον ἐπεβάλοντο συλλαβεῖν καὶ δήσαντες εἰς τὴν Αἰτωλίαν ἐκπέμπειν.
For the Eleans, at the time when Philip was plundering their territory, having suspected Amphidamus, undertook to arrest him and, having bound him, to send him off to Aetolia.
§4.86.4ὁ δὲ προαισθόμενος αὐτῶν τὴν ἐπίνοιαν ἀπεχώρησε τὰς μὲν ἀρχὰς εἰς Ὀλυμπίαν, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα πυνθανόμενος τὸν Φίλιππον ἐν τῇ Δύμῃ περὶ τὴν τῶν λαφύρων οἰκονομίαν διατρίβειν, ἔσπευσε πρὸς τοῦτον διαπεσεῖν.
But he, having perceived their intention beforehand, withdrew at first to Olympia, and after this, learning that Philip was spending time in Dyme concerning the disposal of the spoils, hastened to escape to him.
§4.86.5ὅθεν οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἄρατον, ἀκούσαντες τὸν Ἀμφίδαμον ἐκ τῆς Ἤλιδος ἐκπεπτωκότα παρεῖναι, γενόμενοι περιχαρεῖς διὰ τὸ μηδὲν αὑτοῖς συνειδέναι, προσελθόντες ᾤοντο δεῖν τὸν βασιλέα καλεῖν τὸν Ἀμφίδαμον· §4.86.6καὶ γὰρ εἰδέναι περὶ τῶν κατηγορουμένων ἐκεῖνον βέλτιστα πρὸς ὃν ἐρρήθη, καὶ δηλώσειν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, πεφευγότα μὲν ἐξ οἴκου διὰ τὸν Φίλιππον, τὰς δʼ ἐλπίδας ἔχοντα τῆς σωτηρίας κατὰ τὸ παρὸν ἐν ἐκείνῳ.
Hence Aratus and his party, hearing that Amphidamus had arrived after having fled from Elis, became overjoyed because they were conscious of no guilt in themselves, and approaching the king, thought that he ought to summon Amphidamus; for [they thought] that he, being the one to whom the accusations were spoken, knew best about them, and would reveal the truth, since he had fled from his home because of Philip, and placed his hopes of safety for the present in him.
§4.86.7πεισθεὶς δὲ τοῖς λεγομένοις ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ μεταπεμψάμενος τὸν Ἀμφίδαμον, εὗρε τὴν διαβολὴν οὖσαν ψευδῆ.
The king, persuaded by what was said and having sent for Amphidamus, found that the slander was false.
§4.86.8διὸ καὶ τὸν μὲν Ἄρατον ἀπὸ ταύτης τῆς ἡμέρας ἀεὶ καὶ μᾶλλον ἀπεδέχετο καὶ κατηξίου, πρὸς δὲ τὸν Ἀπελλῆν λοξότερον εἶχε· τῇ γε μὴν ὁλοσχερεῖ προκατεχόμενος ἀποδοχῇ πολλὰ παρορᾶν ἠναγκάζετο τῶν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ γινομένων.
For this reason, from that day on, he always accepted and valued Aratus more and more, but held a colder attitude toward Apelles; however, being preoccupied by his prior entire acceptance of him, he was forced to overlook many of the things done by him.

Notes

  1. 4.86.1ἀνακαλύπτειν τι τούτων — This infinitive phrase forms part of the clause introduced by the conjunction πρὶν ἤ (before) at the very end of the previous chunk (§4.85.6), standing in coordination with an omitted infinitive (such as ἀπολογίζεσθαι). Syntactically, it is carried over from the preceding sentence.
  2. 4.86.5μηδὲν αὑτοῖς συνειδέναι — An idiomatic expression combining the verb σύνοιδα with a dative reflexive pronoun (αὑτοῖς) and an accusative neuter pronoun (μηδέν), meaning 'to be conscious of no guilt/wrongdoing in oneself.' It functions as an infinitive governed by the preposition διά expressing cause.
  3. 4.86.6πρὸς ὃν ἐρρήθη — The verb ἐρρήθη (was spoken) in the relative clause is passive, with the implicit subject being the 'things accused' (τὰ κατηγορούμενα). The relative pronoun ὅν is the object of the preposition πρός (to/against), designating Amphidamus as the person to whom the slanders were addressed.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §4.86.1-4.86.8. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.86.1-4.86.8

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.