Humanitext Reader

Polybius · The Histories §5.36.1-5.36.9

Sosibius' Alarm and the Decision to Detain Cleomenes

Passage 400 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Sosibius becomes wary of Cleomenes, whom he had previously involved in his royal assassination plot, upon learning of his immense influence over the foreign mercenaries. Despite the king's indolence, Sosibius convinces the court to pre-emptively detain Cleomenes.

§5.36.1τίαν.
...reason.
καθʼ ὃν γὰρ καιρὸν ἐγίνοντο περὶ τὴν ἀναίρεσιν τοῦ Μάγα καὶ τῆς Βερενίκης, ἀγωνιῶντες μὴ διασφαλῶσι τῆς ἐπιβολῆς, καὶ μάλιστα διὰ τὴν Βερενίκης τόλμαν, ἠναγκάζοντο πάντας αἰκάλλειν τοὺς περὶ τὴν αὐλὴν καὶ πᾶσιν ὑπογράφειν ἐλπίδας, ἐὰν κατὰ λόγον αὐτοῖς χωρήσῃ τὰ πράγματα. §5.36.2τότε δὴ κατανοῶν ὁ Σωσίβιος τὸν Κλεομένην δεόμενον μὲν τῆς ἐκ τῶν βασιλέων ἐπικουρίας, ἔχοντα δὲ γνώμην καὶ πραγμάτων ἀληθινὴν ἔννοιαν, ὑπογράφων αὐτῷ μεγάλας ἐλπίδας ἅμα συμμετέδωκε τῆς ἐπιβολῆς. §5.36.3θεωρῶν δʼ αὐτὸν ὁ Κλεομένης ἐξεπτοημένον καὶ μάλιστα δεδιότα τοὺς ξένους καὶ μισθοφόρους, θαρρεῖν παρεκάλει· τοὺς γὰρ μισθοφόρους βλάψειν μὲν αὐτὸν οὐδέν, ὠφελήσειν δʼ ὑπισχνεῖτο. §5.36.4μᾶλλον δʼ αὐτοῦ θαυμάσαντος τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν "οὐχ ὁρᾷσ" ἔφη "διότι σχεδὸν εἰς τρισχιλίους εἰσὶν ἀπὸ Πελοποννήσου ξένοι καὶ Κρῆτες εἰς χιλίους, οἷς ἐὰν νεύσωμεν ἡμεῖς μόνον, ἑτοίμως ὑπουργήσουσι πάντες;
For at the time when they were engaged in the assassination of Magas and Berenice, being anxious lest they should fail in their attempt, and especially on account of Berenice's boldness, they were compelled to flatter everyone around the court and to hold out hopes to all, in case things should go according to their plan. It was then indeed that Sosibius, observing that Cleomenes stood in need of aid from the kings, and that he possessed a sound judgment and a true understanding of affairs, held out great hopes to him and at the same time made him a partner in the plot. But Cleomenes, seeing him terrified and especially afraid of the foreign troops and mercenaries, urged him to be of good courage; for he promised that the mercenaries would do him no harm, but rather be of assistance. And when Sosibius wondered all the more at his promise, Cleomenes said, "Do you not see that there are nearly three thousand foreign troops from the Peloponnese and about a thousand Cretans, all of whom, if we but give them a nod, will readily serve us?
τούτων δὲ συστραφέντων, τίνας ἀγωνιᾷς; §5.36.5ἢ δῆλον" ἔφη "τοὺς ἀπὸ Συρίας καὶ Καρίας στρατιώτας; " §5.36.6τότε μὲν οὖν ἡδέως ὁ Σωσίβιος ἀκούσας ταῦτα διπλασίως ἐπερρώσθη πρὸς τὴν κατὰ τῆς Βερενίκης πρᾶξιν· §5.36.7μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα θεωρῶν τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως ῥᾳθυμίαν, ἀεὶ τὸν λόγον ἀνενεοῦτο, καὶ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν τήν τε τοῦ Κλεομένους τόλμαν ἐλάμβανε καὶ τὴν τῶν ξένων πρὸς αὐτὸν εὔνοιαν. §5.36.8διὸ καὶ τότε μάλιστα παρέστησε τῷ τε βασιλεῖ καὶ τοῖς φίλοις ὁρμὴν οὗτος εἰς τὸ προκαταλαβέσθαι καὶ συγκλεῖσαι τὸν Κλεομένην. §5.36.9πρὸς δὲ τὴν ἐπίνοιαν ταύτην
When these are banded together, of whom are you afraid? Or is it clearly," he said, "the soldiers from Syria and Caria?" At that time, indeed, Sosibius heard these words with pleasure and was doubly encouraged for the action against Berenice; but afterwards, observing the king's indolence, he constantly recalled this conversation, and kept before his eyes both the boldness of Cleomenes and the goodwill of the foreign troops towards him. Therefore at that time especially, he inspired both the king and his friends with an impulse to forestall and shut up Cleomenes. And to this plan...

Notes

  1. §5.36.1τίαν — Connects with "αἰ-" at the end of the preceding section (§5.35.13) to form "αἰτίαν" (reason). This division is a result of the line break in the manuscript source.
  2. §5.36.1ἀγωνιῶντες μὴ διασφαλῶσι τῆς ἐπιβολῆς — Led by the participle `ἀγωνιῶντες` (being anxious), the clause `μὴ` with the subjunctive (`διασφαλῶσι`, aorist active) expresses fear ("lest they should fail"). The verb `διασφάλλομαι` governs the genitive case (`τῆς ἐπιβολῆς`), meaning "to fail in the attempt."
  3. §5.36.2συμμετέδωκε τῆς ἐπιβολῆς — The verb `συμμεταδίδωμι` (to share with) takes a dative of person (`αὐτῷ`) and a genitive of the thing shared (`τῆς ἐπιβολῆς`), meaning "to make someone a partner in the plot."
  4. §5.36.3τοὺς γὰρ μισθοφόρους βλάψειν μὲν αὐτὸν οὐδέν — An accusative with infinitive construction in indirect speech. The subject of the future active infinitive `βλάψειν` is `τοὺς μισθοφόρους`, and the object is `αὐτὸν` (referring to Sosibius). `οὐδέν` is used adverbially as an emphatic negative ("not at all").
  5. §5.36.4διότι — Although usually a causal conjunction (because), in Polybius it frequently functions as a substitute for `ὅτι`, introducing a noun clause ("that...") serving as the object of a verb of perception (`ὁρᾷς`).

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §5.36.1-5.36.9. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.36.1-5.36.9

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.