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Polybius · The Histories §5.72.1-5.72.10

Despatch of Garsyeris and Securing of the Passes

Passage 436 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

The Pednelissians, besieged by the Selgians, request help from Achaeus, who dispatches Garsyeris with an army. Garsyeris uses a stratagem to deceive the Selgians, secures the strategic passes, and marches down to Perge to rally allies.

§5.72.1κατὰ δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν θερείαν Πεδνηλισσεῖς, πολιορκούμενοι καὶ κινδυνεύοντες ὑπὸ Σελγέων, διεπέμψαντο περὶ βοηθείας πρὸς Ἀχαιόν.
During the same summer, the Pednelissians, being besieged and hard pressed by the Selgians, sent envoys to Achaeus for help.
§5.72.2τοῦ δʼ ἀσμένως ὑπακούσαντος, οὗτοι μὲν εὐθαρσῶς ὑπέμενον τὴν πολιορκίαν, προσανέχοντες ταῖς ἐλπίσι τῆς βοηθείας,
As he gladly complied, they courageously held out against the siege, clinging to their hopes of assistance.
§5.72.3ὁ δʼ Ἀχαιός, προχειρισάμενος Γαρσύηριν μετὰ πεζῶν ἑξακισχιλίων, ἱππέων δὲ πεντακοσίων, ἐξαπέστειλε σπουδῇ παραβοηθήσοντα τοῖς Πεδνηλισσεῦσιν.
And Achaeus, having appointed Garsyeris with six thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry, dispatched him in haste to assist the Pednelissians.
§5.72.4οἱ δὲ Σελγεῖς, συνέντες τὴν παρουσίαν τῆς βοηθείας, προκατελάβοντο τὰ στενὰ τὰ περὶ τὴν καλουμένην Κλίμακα τῷ πλείονι μέρει τῆς ἑαυτῶν δυνάμεως, καὶ τὴν μὲν εἰσβολὴν τὴν ἐπὶ Σάπορδα κατεῖχον, τὰς δὲ διόδους καὶ προσβάσεις πάσας ἔφθειρον.
The Selgians, learning of the arrival of the relief force, pre-occupied the narrow passes around the so-called Climax with the greater part of their forces, and held the entrance toward Saporda, and destroyed all the passes and approaches.
§5.72.5ὁ δὲ Γαρσύηρις, ἐμβαλὼν εἰς τὴν Μιλυάδα καὶ καταστρατοπεδεύσας περὶ τὴν καλουμένην Κρητῶν πόλιν, ἐπεὶ συνῄσθετο προκατεχομένων τῶν τόπων ἀδύνατον οὖσαν τὴν εἰς τοὔμπροσθεν πορείαν, ἐπινοεῖ τινα δόλον τοιοῦτον.
Garsyeris, having entered Milyas and encamped near the so-called City of the Cretans, when he perceived that progress forward was impossible because the positions had been pre-occupied, devised some such stratagem as follows.
§5.72.6ἀναζεύξας ἦγε πάλιν εἰς τοὐπίσω τὴν πορείαν, ὡς ἀπεγνωκὼς τὴν βοήθειαν διὰ τὸ προκατέχεσθαι τοὺς τόπους.
Breaking camp, he led his march back again, as though he had given up the rescue because the places had been pre-occupied.
οἱ δὲ Σελγεῖς προχείρως πιστεύσαντες, §5.72.7ὡς ἀπεγνωκότος βοηθεῖν Γαρσυήριδος, οἱ μὲν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἀπεχώρησαν, οἱ δʼ εἰς τὴν πόλιν διὰ τὸ κατεπείγειν τὴν τοῦ σίτου κομιδήν.
The Selgians readily believing this, in the belief that Garsyeris had given up the rescue, some of them retired to their camp, and others to the city, because the gathering of their grain was urgent.
§5.72.8ὁ δὲ Γαρσύηρις, ἐξ ἐπιστροφῆς ἐνεργὸν ποιησάμενος τὴν πορείαν, ἧκε πρὸς τὰς ὑπερβολάς.
Garsyeris, turning back and making a rapid march, arrived at the passes.
καταλαβὼν δʼ ἐρήμους, ταύτας μὲν ἠσφαλίσατο φυλακαῖς, Φάϋλλον ἐπὶ πάντων ἐπιστήσας, §5.72.9αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ τῆς στρατιᾶς εἰς Πέργην κατάρας ἐντεῦθεν ἐποιεῖτο τὰς διαπρεσβείας πρός τε τοὺς ἄλλους τοὺς τὴν Πισιδικὴν κατοικοῦντας καὶ πρὸς τὴν Παμφυλίαν, §5.72.10ὑποδεικνύων μὲν τὸ τῶν Σελγέων βάρος, παρακαλῶν δὲ πάντας πρὸς τὴν Ἀχαιοῦ συμμαχίαν καὶ πρὸς τὴν βοήθειαν τοῖς
Finding them deserted, he secured them with garrisons, placing Phayllus in command over all, and himself with his army marched down to Perge, and from there sent embassies to the others who inhabited Pisidia and to Pamphylia, pointing out the power of the Selgians, and exhorting them all to alliance with Achaeus and to help for them.

Notes

  1. §5.72.2τοῦ δʼ ἀσμένως ὑπακούσαντος — Genitive absolute construction. The pronoun τοῦ refers to the previously mentioned Achaeus.
  2. §5.72.7ὡς ἀπεγνωκότος βοηθεῖν Γαρσυήριδος — Genitive absolute construction accompanied by the particle ὡς, expressing the subjective belief or impression of the Selgians ('thinking that Garsyeris had given up rendering aid').
  3. §5.72.10τοῖς — The dative article τοῖς at the end of this chunk contextually implies the recipient of the help, namely 'the Pednelissians' (τοῖς Πεδνηλισσεῦσιν).

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §5.72.1-5.72.10. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.72.1-5.72.10

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