§5.42.1βασιλεῖ·
to the king.
ταῦτα λέγοντος ἔτι τοῦ προειρημένου διοργισθεὶς Ἑρμείας πολὺν ἔφησεν αὐτὸν χρόνον ἐπίβουλον ὄντα καὶ προδότην τῆς βασιλείας διαλεληθέναι, §5.42.2νῦν δὲ καλῶς ποιοῦντα φανερὸν ἐκ τῆς συμβουλῆς γεγονέναι, σπουδάζοντα μετʼ ὀλίγων ἐγχειρίσαι τὸ τοῦ βασιλέως σῶμα τοῖς ἀποστάταις.
While the aforementioned man was still saying these things, Hermeias, having become extremely angry, said that he had for a long time remained undetected as an intriguer and a traitor to the kingdom, but now, fortunately, he had been exposed by his advice, being eager to hand over the person of the king to the rebels with the aid of a few men.
§5.42.3τότε μὲν οὖν οἷον ὑποθύψας τὴν διαβολὴν παρῆκε τὸν Ἐπιγένην, πικρίαν ἄκαιρον μᾶλλον ἢ δυσμένειαν ἐπιφήνας·
At that time, therefore, having as it were smoldered his slander, he let Epigenes go, showing untimely bitterness rather than hostility.
§5.42.4αὐτὸς δὲ κατὰ τὴν αὑτοῦ γνώμην τὴν μὲν ἐπὶ τὸν Μόλωνα στρατείαν, κατάφοβος ὢν τὸν κίνδυνον, ἐξέκλινε διὰ τὴν ἀπειρίαν τῶν πολεμικῶν, ἐπὶ δὲ τὸν Πτολεμαῖον ἐσπούδαζε στρατεύειν, ἀσφαλῆ τοῦτον εἶναι πεπεισμένος τὸν πόλεμον διὰ τὴν τοῦ προειρημένου βασιλέως ῥᾳθυμίαν.
But he himself, according to his own plan, avoided the expedition against Molo, being terrified of the danger due to his lack of military experience, but was eager to march against Ptolemy, being convinced that this war would be safe because of the indolence of the aforementioned king.
§5.42.5τότε μὲν οὖν καταπληξάμενος τοὺς ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ πάντας ἐπὶ μὲν τὸν Μόλωνα στρατηγοὺς ἐξέπεμψε μετὰ δυνάμεως Ξένωνα καὶ Θεόδοτον τὸν ἡμιόλιον, τὸν δʼ Ἀντίοχον παρώξυνε συνεχῶς, οἰόμενος δεῖν ἐπιβάλλειν τὰς χεῖρας τοῖς κατὰ Κοίλην Συρίαν πράγμασι, §5.42.6μόνως οὕτως ὑπολαμβάνων, εἰ πανταχόθεν τῷ νεανίσκῳ περισταίη πόλεμος, οὔτε τῶν πρότερον ἡμαρτημένων ὑφέξειν δίκας οὔτε τῆς παρούσης ἐξουσίας κωλυθήσεσθαι διὰ τὰς χρείας καὶ τοὺς ἀεὶ περιισταμένους ἀγῶνας τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ κινδύνους.
At that time, therefore, having intimidated all those in the council, he sent out Xenon and Theodotus Hemiolius as generals against Molo with a force, while he constantly urged Antiochus, thinking that he ought to lay hands on the affairs in Coele-Syria, assuming that only in this way, if war should surround the young man from all sides, he would neither suffer punishment for his past errors nor be prevented from his present power, because of the needs and the struggles and dangers that were constantly surrounding the king.
§5.42.7διὸ καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον ἐπιστολὴν πλάσας ὡς παρʼ Ἀχαιοῦ διαπεσταλμένην προσήνεγκε τῷ βασιλεῖ, διασαφοῦσαν ὅτι Πτολεμαῖος αὐτὸν παρακαλεῖ πραγμάτων ἀντιποιήσασθαι καί φησι καὶ ναυσὶ καὶ χρήμασι χορηγήσειν πρὸς πάσας τὰς ἐπιβολάς, ἐὰν ἀναλάβῃ διάδημα καὶ φανερὸς γένηται πᾶσιν ἀντιποιούμενος τῆς ἀρχῆς, §5.42.8ἣν τοῖς πράγμασιν ἔχειν αὐτὸν καὶ νῦν, τῆς δʼ ἐπιγραφῆς αὑτῷ φθονοῦντα τὸν ὑπὸ τῆς τύχης διδόμενον ἀποτρίβεσθαι στέφανον.
For this reason, he finally brought to the king a forged letter as if sent from Achaeus, indicating that Ptolemy was urging him to lay claim to the government and saying that he would supply him with both ships and money for all his undertakings, if he would assume the diadem and show himself openly to all as claiming the sovereignty, which indeed he possessed even now in fact, though envying himself the title, he was thrusting away the crown offered to him by fortune.
§5.42.9ὁ μὲν οὖν βασιλεὺς πιστεύσας τοῖς γραφομένοις ἕτοιμος ἦν καὶ μετέωρος στρατεύειν ἐπὶ Κοίλην Συ
The king, therefore, believing what was written, was ready and eager to march against Coele-Syria...