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Polybius · The Histories §7.1.1-7.1.4

Treachery of Capua and Loyalty of Petelia

Passage 537 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Polybius contrasts the faithlessness of the Capuans, who fell into luxury and allied with Hannibal only to be destroyed by Rome, with the extreme endurance of the Petelini, who remained loyal to Rome despite a horrific siege.

§7.1.1Πολύβιος δʼ ἐν τῇ ἑβδόμῃ "Καπυησίους τοὺς ἐν Καμπανίᾳ διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν τῆς γῆς πλοῦτον περιβαλομένους ἐξοκεῖλαι εἰς τρυφὴν καὶ πολυτέλειαν, ὑπερβαλλομένους τὴν περὶ Κρότωνα καὶ Σύβαριν παραδεδομένην φήμην.
Polybius, in the seventh book, says: "The Capuans in Campania, having acquired wealth through the fertility of their land, drifted into luxury and extravagance, surpassing the reported reputation of Croton and Sybaris.
§7.1.2οὐ δυνάμενοι οὖν, φησί, φέρειν τὴν παροῦσαν εὐδαιμονίαν ἐκάλουν τὸν Ἀννίβαν.
Therefore, he says, being unable to bear their present prosperity, they invited Hannibal.
διόπερ ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων ἀνήκεστα δεινὰ ἔπαθον.
Consequently, they suffered incurable horrors at the hands of the Romans.
§7.1.3Πετηλῖνοι δὲ τηρήσαντες τὴν πρὸς Ῥωμαίους πίστιν εἰς τοσοῦτον καρτερίας ἦλθον πολιορκούμενοι ὑπʼ Ἀννίβα ὥστε μετὰ τὸ πάντα μὲν τὰ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν δέρματα καταφαγεῖν, ἁπάντων δὲ τῶν κατὰ τὴν πόλιν δένδρων τοὺς φλοιοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἁπαλοὺς πτόρθους ἀναλῶσαι, καὶ ἕνδεκα μῆνας ὑπομείναντες τὴν πολιορκίαν, οὐδενὸς βοηθοῦντος, συνευδοκούντων Ῥωμαίων παρέδοσαν ἑαυτούς. "[ατηεναευς χιι, 36 π. 528 α. ] §7.1.4ἡ δὲ Καπύη μεταθεμένη πρὸς τοὺς Καρχηδονίους τῷ βάρει συνεπεσπάσατο καὶ τὰς ἄλλας πόλεις. [συιδας ϝ Καπύη. ]
On the other hand, the Petelini, maintaining their fidelity to the Romans, reached such a degree of endurance when besieged by Hannibal that, after devouring all the leather in the city, and consuming the bark and tender shoots of all the trees in the city, and having endured the siege for eleven months, with no one helping them, they surrendered themselves with the consent of the Romans." [Athenaeus xii, 36 p. 528 a.] And Capua, by changing sides to the Carthaginians, dragged the other cities along with it by its own weight. [Suidas v Capua]

Notes

  1. 7.1.1ἐξοκεῖλαι — The main infinitive in the accusative with infinitive (A.C.I.) construction of indirect speech, with the accusative Καπυησίους as its subject. It literally means 'to run aground' or 'to drift into'.
  2. 7.1.3μετὰ τὸ — A combination of the preposition μετά with the articular infinitive, meaning 'after doing...'. Here, two infinitives (καταφαγεῖν and ἀναλῶσαι) contrasted by μὲν and δὲ are both governed by the single article τὸ.
  3. 7.1.4τῷ βάρει — The dative βάρει (from βάρος, 'weight') here means 'by its weight' (instrument or cause). It figuratively refers to the political and military 'gravity' or 'influence' of a major city like Capua.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §7.1.1-7.1.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.1.1-7.1.4

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