§8.24.1eodem anno Alexandream in Aegypto proditum conditam, Alexandrumque Epiri regem ab exule Lucano interfectum sortes Dodonaei Iouis eventu adfirmasse.
In the same year, it is recorded that Alexandria in Egypt was founded, and that Alexander, king of Epirus, was killed by a Lucanian exile, and that the oracles of Dodonaean Jupiter confirmed their prediction by the event.
§8.24.2accito ab Tarentinis in Italiam data dictio erat, caveret Acherusiam aquam Pandosiamque urbem; ibi fatis eius terminumn dari.
To him, when summoned into Italy by the Tarentines, a prophecy had been given that he should beware of the Acherusian water and the city of Pandosia; that there the limit was set to his fate.
§8.24.3eoque ocius transmisit in Italiam, ut quam maxime procul abesset urbe Pandosia in Epiro et Acheronte amni, quem ex Molosside fluentem in stagna inferna accipit Thesprotius sinus.
And for this reason he crossed over all the more hastily into Italy, so that he might be as far as possible from the city of Pandosia in Epirus and the river Acheron, which, flowing from Molossis, the Thesprotian gulf receives into the infernal marshes.
ceterum ut ferme fugiendo in media fata ruitur, §8.24.4cum saepe Bruttias Lucanasque legiones fudisset, Heracleam Tarentinorum coloniam ex Lucanis, Sipottum Apulorum Consentiamque Bruttiorum ac Terinam, alias inde Messapiorum ac Lucanorum cepisset urbes et trecentas familias inlustres in Epirum, quas obsidum numero haberet, §8.24.5misisset, haud procul Pandosia urbe, inminente Lucanis ac Bruttiis finibus, tris tumulos aliquantum inter se distantes insedit, ex quibus incursiones in omnem partem agri hostilis faceret; §8.24.6et ducentos ferme Lucanorum exules circa se pro fidis habebat, ut pleraque eius generis ingenia sunt, cum fortuna mutabilem gerentes fidem.
But, as is generally the case, by fleeing one rushes into the very midst of one's fate; although he had often routed the Bruttian and Lucanian legions, and had captured Heraclea, a colony of the Tarentines, from the Lucanians, Sipontum of the Apulians, Consentia of the Bruttians, and Terina, and then other cities of the Messapians and Lucanians, and had sent three hundred illustrious families to Epirus to hold as hostages, not far from the city of Pandosia, which overlooked the Lucanian and Bruttian borders, he occupied three hills somewhat distant from one another, from which he might make incursions into every part of the hostile territory; and he kept about two hundred Lucanian exiles around him as loyal followers, whose dispositions, as is generally the case with that class of men, maintained a loyalty that shifted with fortune.
§8.24.7Imbres continui campis omnibus inundatis cum interclusissent trifariam exercitum a mutuo inter se auxilio, duo praesidia, quae sine rege erant, inproviso hostium adventu opprimuntur; deletisque eis ad ipsius obsidionem omnes conversi.
When continuous rains, by flooding all the plains, had cut off the army in three divisions from mutual aid, the two outposts which were without the king were overwhelmed by the sudden arrival of the enemy; and after they were destroyed, all turned to the siege of the king himself.
§8.24.8inde ab Lucanis exulibus ad suos nuntii missi sunt, pactoque reditu promissum est regem aut vivum aut mortuum in potestatem daturos.
Then messengers were sent by the Lucanian exiles to their countrymen, and their return having been agreed upon, they promised to deliver the king, either alive or dead, into their power.
§8.24.9ceterum cum delectis ipse egregium facinus ausus per medios erumpit hostes et ducem Lucanorum comminus congressum obtruncat; §8.24.10contrahensque suos ex fuga palatos pervenit ad amnem, ruinis recentibus pontis, quem vis aquae abstulerat, indicantem iter.
But he himself, having dared a splendid deed with chosen men, burst through the midst of the enemies and cut down the leader of the Lucanians, whom he engaged in hand-to-hand combat; and gathering his men who had been scattered in flight, he reached a river which showed the route by the fresh ruins of a bridge which the force of the water had swept away.
quem cum incerto vado transiret agmen, §8.24.11fessus metu ac labore miles increpans nomen abominandum fluminis “iure Acheros vocaris” inquit. quod ubi ad aures accidit regis, adiecit extemplo animum fatis suis substititque dubius, an transiret.
When the army was crossing this by an uncertain ford, a soldier, exhausted by fear and toil, cursing the abominable name of the river, said: 'Justly are you called Acheros.' When this fell upon the ears of the king, he immediately turned his mind to his fate and stopped, doubtful whether he should cross.
§8.24.12tum Sotimus, minister ex regiis pueris, quid in tanto discrimine periculi cunctaretur, interrogans, indicat Lucanos insidiis quaerere locum.
Then Sotimus, an attendant from among the royal pages, asking why he hesitated in such a critical danger, pointed out that the Lucanians were seeking a place for an ambush.
§8.24.13quos ubi respexit rex procul grege facto venientes, stringit gladium et per medium amnem transmittit equum; iamque in vadum egressum eminus veruto Lucanus exul transfigit.
When the king looked back and saw them coming in a body at a distance, he drew his sword and urged his horse through the middle of the river; and as he was just emerging onto the shallow, a Lucanian exile transfixed him from afar with a javelin.
§8.24.14lapsum inde cum inhaerente telo corpus exanime detulit amnis in hostium praesidia.
His lifeless body, having fallen from his horse with the weapon still sticking in it, was carried down by the river into the outposts of the enemy.
ibi foeda laceratio corporis facta. namque praeciso medio partem Consentiam misere, pars ipsis retenta ad ludibrium.
There a foul mutilation of the body took place; for having cut it in two, they sent one part to Consentia, while the other part was kept by themselves for mockery.
§8.24.15quae cum iaculis saxisque procul incesseretur, mulier una ultra humanarum irarum fidem saevienti turbae inmixta, ut parumper sustinerent, precata, flens ait virum sibi liberosque captos apud hostes esse; sperare corpore regio utcumque mulcato se suos redempturam.
While this was being pelted from afar with javelins and stones, a certain woman, mixing with the crowd that was raging beyond the measure of human anger, prayed them to stop for a moment, and weeping, said that her husband and children were captives among the enemy, and that she hoped by means of the royal body, however mutilated, she might ransom her loved ones.
§8.24.16is finis lacerationi fuit, sepultumque Consentiae quod membrorum reliquum fuit cura mulieris unius, ossaque Metapontum ad hostes remissa, §8.24.17inde Epirum devecta ad Cleopatram uxorem sororemque Olympiadem, quarum mater magni Alexandri altera, soror altera fuit.
This was the end of the mutilation; and what remained of the limbs was buried at Consentia through the care of that one woman, and the bones were sent back to the enemy at Metapontum, whence they were carried to Epirus to his wife Cleopatra and his sister Olympias, of whom the one was the mother, the other the sister, of Alexander the Great.
haec de Alexandri Epirensis tristi eventu, §8.24.18quamquam Romano bello fortuna eum abstinuit, tamen, quia in Italia bella gessit, paucis dixisse satis sit.
Such are the facts concerning the sad end of Alexander of Epirus; and although fortune kept him from war with Rome, yet, because he waged wars in Italy, let it suffice to have spoken of him in a few words.