Humanitext Reader

Polybius · The Histories §5.56.1-5.56.15

Assassination of the Favorite Hermeias by Antiochus

Passage 420 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Following the advice of the physician Apollophanes, King Antiochus decides to eliminate Hermeias, and by feigning illness they isolate him in a deserted place and stab him to death.

§5.56.1τούτων δὲ κυρωθέντων Ἀπολλοφάνης ὁ ἰατρός, ἀγαπώμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως διαφερόντως, θεωρῶν τὸν Ἑρμείαν οὐκέτι φέροντα κατὰ σχῆμα τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἠγωνία μὲν καὶ περὶ τοῦ βασιλέως, τὸ δὲ πλεῖον ὑπώπτευε καὶ κατάφοβος ἦν ὑπὲρ τῶν καθʼ αὑτόν.
These matters having been settled, Apollophanes the physician, who was singularly beloved by the king, seeing that Hermeias no longer bore his power with moderation, was anxious indeed about the king, but still more he suspected and was terrified about his own affairs.
§5.56.2διὸ λαβὼν καιρὸν προσφέρει τῷ βασιλεῖ λόγον, παρακαλῶν μὴ ῥᾳθυμεῖν μηδʼ ἀνυπονόητον εἶναι τῆς Ἑρμείου τόλμης, μηδʼ ἕως τούτου περιμεῖναι μέχρις ἂν οὗ τοῖς ὁμοίοις τἀδελφῷ παλαίῃ συμπτώμασιν.
Therefore, taking an opportunity, he addressed the king, exhorting him not to be careless nor unsuspecting of Hermeias's audacity, nor to wait until he should struggle with disasters similar to those of his brother.
§5.56.3ἀπέχειν δʼ οὐ μακρὰν αὐτὸν ἔφη τοῦ κινδύνου· διὸ προσέχειν ἠξίου καὶ βοηθεῖν κατὰ σπουδὴν αὑτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς φίλοις.
He said that the king was not far from danger; wherefore he urged him to pay attention and help himself and his friends with speed.
§5.56.4τοῦ δʼ Ἀντιόχου πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀνθομολογησαμένου διότι καὶ δυσαρεστεῖ καὶ φοβεῖται τὸν Ἑρμείαν, ἐκείνῳ δὲ μεγάλην χάριν ἔχειν φήσαντος ἐπὶ τῷ κηδεμονικῶς τετολμηκέναι περὶ τούτων εἰπεῖν πρὸς αὐτόν, §5.56.5ὁ μὲν Ἀπολλοφάνης εὐθαρσὴς ἐγένετο τῷ δοκεῖν μὴ διεψεῦσθαι τῆς αἱρέσεως καὶ διαλήψεως τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως,
When Antiochus confessed in turn to him that he was both displeased with and feared Hermeias, and said that he was very grateful to him for having had the courage to speak to him about these things in so caring a manner, Apollophanes became encouraged because he seemed not to have been mistaken in his expectation and opinion regarding the king's disposition.
§5.56.6ὁ δʼ Ἀντίοχος ἠξίου τὸν Ἀπολλοφάνην συνεπιλαβέσθαι μὴ μόνον τοῖς λόγοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις τῆς αὑτοῦ τε καὶ τῶν φίλων σωτηρίας.
And Antiochus asked Apollophanes to assist, not only in words but also in deeds, in securing the safety of himself and his friends.
§5.56.7τοῦ δὲ πρὸς πᾶν ἑτοίμως ἔχειν φήσαντος, συμφρονήσαντες μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ προβαλόμενοι σκῆψιν ὡς σκοτωμάτων τινῶν ἐπιπεπτωκότων τῷ βασιλεῖ, τὴν μὲν θεραπείαν ἀπέλυσαν ἐπί τινας ἡμέρας καὶ τοὺς εἰθισμένους παρευτακτεῖν, §5.56.8πρὸς δὲ τοὺς φίλους ἔλαβον ἐξουσίαν οἷς βούλοιντο κατʼ ἰδίαν χρηματίζειν διὰ τὴν τῆς ἐπισκέψεως πρόφασιν.
When he replied that he was ready for anything, they then formed a plan and, putting forward a pretext that some fits of dizziness had befallen the king, they dismissed for a few days his usual attendants and those accustomed to wait upon him, and they obtained the freedom to confer in private with whichever of their friends they wished, under the pretext of medical visitation.
§5.56.9ἐν ᾧ καιρῷ κατασκευασάμενοι τοὺς ἐπιτηδείους πρὸς τὴν πρᾶξιν, πάντων ἑτοίμως αὐτοῖς συνυπακουόντων διὰ τὸ πρὸς τὸν Ἑρμείαν μῖσος, ἐγίνοντο πρὸς τὸ συντελεῖν τὴν ἐπιβολήν.
During this time, having prepared those suitable for the deed, and since everyone readily cooperated with them on account of their hatred for Hermeias, they applied themselves to executing their design.
§5.56.10φασκόντων δὲ δεῖν τῶν ἰατρῶν ἅμα τῷ φωτὶ ποιεῖσθαι τοὺς περιπάτους ὑπὸ τὸ ψῦχος τὸν Ἀντίοχον, ὁ μὲν Ἑρμείας ἧκε πρὸς τὸν ταχθέντα καιρόν, ἅμα δὲ τούτῳ καὶ τῶν φίλων οἱ συνειδότες τὴν πρᾶξιν, §5.56.11οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ καθυστέρουν διὰ τὸ πολὺ παρηλλάχθαι τὴν ἔξοδον τοῦ βασιλέως πρὸς τὸν εἰθισμένον καιρόν.
When the physicians declared that Antiochus must take his walks at daybreak on account of the cool air, Hermeias came at the appointed time, and along with him also those of the friends who were in on the secret, while the rest were late because the king's going out was very different from the usual time.
§5.56.12διόπερ ἀποσπάσαντες αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς στρατοπεδείας εἴς τινα τόπον ἔρημον, κἄπειτα μικρὸν ἀπονεύσαντος τοῦ βασιλέως ὡς ἐπί τι τῶν ἀναγκαίων, ἐξεκέντησαν.
Therefore, having drawn him away from the camp to a certain deserted place, and then, the king having stepped aside a little as if to relieve himself, they stabbed him to death.
§5.56.13Ἑρμείας μὲν οὖν τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ μετήλλαξε τὸν βίον, οὐδεμίαν ὑποσχὼν τιμωρίαν ἀξίαν τῶν αὑτῷ πεπραγμένων·
Thus Hermeias departed this life, having paid no punishment worthy of his deeds.
§5.56.14ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀπολυθεὶς φόβου καὶ δυσχρηστίας πολλῆς ἐπανῆγε ποιούμενος τὴν πορείαν ὡς ἐπʼ οἴκου, πάντων τῶν κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἀποδεχομένων τάς τε πράξεις αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς ἐπιβολάς, καὶ μάλιστα κατὰ τὴν δίοδον ἐπισημαινομένων τὴν Ἑρμείου μετάστασιν.
And the king, delivered from fear and great embarrassment, turned back, making his journey homeward, while all the people throughout the country approved of his actions and designs, and especially during his passage expressed their joy at the removal of Hermeias.
§5.56.15ἐν ᾧ καιρῷ καὶ κατὰ τὴν Ἀπάμειαν αἱ μὲν γυναῖκες τὴν γυναῖκα τὴν Ἑρμείου κατέλευσαν, οἱ δὲ παῖδες τοὺς υἱεῖς.
At which time also in Apamea the women stoned the wife of Hermeias to death, and the children stoned his sons.

Notes

  1. 5.56.2ἀνυπονόητον εἶναι — The adjective ἀνυπονόητος ('unsuspecting, blind to') here governs the genitive τῆς Ἑρμείου τόλμης, meaning 'to be unsuspecting of' or 'blind to' something.
  2. 5.56.2τοῖς ὁμοίοις τἀδελφῷ παλαίῃ συμπτώμασιν — The subjunctive παλαίῃ is introduced by μέχρις οὗ without ἄν, a usage frequent in Polybius. The dative noun συμπτώμασιν is the object of παλαίω ('struggle with'). τἀδελφῷ (crasis for τῷ ἀδελφῷ) is a dative depending on ὁμοίοις, standing elliptically for 'with disasters similar to those of his brother'.
  3. 5.56.5τῷ δοκεῖν μὴ διεψεῦσθαι — The articular infinitive τῷ δοκεῖν in the dative without a preposition expresses cause ('because he seemed'). The perfect passive infinitive διεψεῦσθαι governs the genitive τῆς αἱρέσεως, meaning 'to be mistaken/deceived in' something.
  4. 5.56.12ὡς ἐπί τι τῶν ἀναγκαίων — The particle ὡς indicates subjective intention or pretext. The phrase τι τῶν ἀναγκαίων ('something of necessary things') is a euphemism for relieving oneself (easing nature).

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §5.56.1-5.56.15. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.56.1-5.56.15

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