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Book 16 - Chapter 22a

1
<head lang="la">IV. Res Syriae</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2A%29antio%2Fxou">Ἀντιόχου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Agazai%2Fwn">Γαζαίων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="porqh%2Fsantos">πορθήσαντος</w> <w lemma="fhsi%5Cn">φησὶν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbios:">Πολύβιος·</w>
2
<w lemma="e%29moi%5C">ἐμοὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="di%2Fkaion">δίκαιον</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fpon">πρέπον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Agazai%2Fois">Γαζαίοις</w> <w lemma="a%29podou%3Dnai">ἀποδοῦναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="kaqh%2Fkousan">καθήκουσαν</w> <w lemma="marturi%2Fan">μαρτυρίαν</w>.
3
<w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="diafe%2Frontes">διαφέροντες</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrei%2Fa%7C">ἀνδρείᾳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Akoi%2Flhn">Κοίλην</w> <w lemma="%2Asuri%2Fan">Συρίαν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="polemika%5Cs">πολεμικὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="koinwni%2Fa%7C">κοινωνίᾳ</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="threi%3Dn">τηρεῖν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin">πίστιν</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="diafe%2Frousi">διαφέρουσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sullh%2Fbdhn">συλλήβδην</w> <w lemma="a%29nupo%2Fstaton">ἀνυπόστατον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxousi">ἔχουσι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="to%2Flman">τόλμαν</w>.
4
<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Apersw%3Dn">Περσῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffodon">ἔφοδον</w> <w lemma="e%29kplage%2Fntwn">ἐκπλαγέντων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="dunastei%2Fas">δυναστείας</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="e%29gxeirisa%2Fntwn">ἐγχειρισάντων</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdas">πατρίδας</w> <w lemma="%2Amh%2Fdois">Μήδοις</w>, <w lemma="mo%2Fnoi">μόνοι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="deino%5Cn">δεινὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Fmeinan">ὑπέμειναν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fan">πολιορκίαν</w> <w lemma="a%29nadeca%2Fmenoi">ἀναδεξάμενοι</w>.
5
<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aleca%2Fndrou">Ἀλεξάνδρου</w> <w lemma="parousi%2Fan">παρουσίαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="paradedwko%2Ftwn">παραδεδωκότων</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%2Fs">αὑτούς</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aturi%2Fwn">Τυρίων</w> <w lemma="e%29chndrapodisme%2Fnwn">ἐξηνδραποδισμένων</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fas">βίας</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29nelpi%2Fstou">ἀνελπίστου</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="swthri%2Fas">σωτηρίας</w> <w lemma="u%28parxou%2Fshs">ὑπαρχούσης</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29nantioume%2Fnois">ἐναντιουμένοις</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%5Cn">ὁρμὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fan">βίαν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aleca%2Fndrou">Ἀλεξάνδρου</w>, <w lemma="mo%2Fnoi">μόνοι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Asuri%2Fan">Συρίαν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Fsthsan">ὑπέστησαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w> <w lemma="e%29ch%2Flegcan">ἐξήλεγξαν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdas">ἐλπίδας</w>.
6
<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsion">παραπλήσιον</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fhsan">ἐποίησαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29nestw%3Dtas">ἐνεστῶτας</w> <w lemma="kairou%2Fs:">καιρούς·</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fleipon">ἀπέλειπον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29ndexome%2Fnwn">ἐνδεχομένων</w>, <w lemma="spouda%2Fzontes">σπουδάζοντες</w> <w lemma="diafula%2Fcai">διαφυλάξαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Don">Πτολεμαῖον</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin">πίστιν</w>.
7
<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pishmaino%2Fmeqa">ἐπισημαινόμεθα</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29gaqou%5Cs">ἀγαθοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28pomnh%2Fmasi">ὑπομνήμασι</w>, <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> <w lemma="xrh%5C">χρὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="koinh%3D%7C">κοινῇ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flewn">πόλεων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29gaqw%3D%7C">ἀγαθῷ</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsasqai">ποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="mnh%2Fmhn">μνήμην</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fsai">ὅσαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Dn">καλῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fsew%2Fs">παραδόσεώς</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="proqe%2Fsews">προθέσεως</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fttein">πράττειν</w> <w lemma="ei%29w%2Fqasin">εἰώθασιν</w>.
<head>IV. Affairs of Syria</head><head>After King Antiochus had taken and sacked the city of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaza&groupId=599&placeId=390">Gaza</a> Polybius writes as follows.</head>
It seems to me both just and proper here to testify, as they merit, to the character of the people of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaza&groupId=599&placeId=390">Gaza</a>. Although in war they display no more valour than the people of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Coele-Syria&groupId=484&placeId=908">Coele-Syria</a> in general, they are far superior as regards acting in unison and keeping their faith; and to put it shortly show a courage which is irresistible.
For instance in the Persian invasion, when all other towns were terrified by the vast power of the invaders and surrendered themselves and their homes to the Medes, they alone faced the danger as one man and submitted to a siege.
Again on the arrival of Alexander, when not only had other cities surrendered, but when <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tyre&groupId=1053&placeId=1855">Tyre</a> had been stormed and her population enslaved; when there seemed to be scarcely any hope of safety for those who opposed the impetuous force of Alexander\'s attack, they were the only people in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syria&groupId=995&placeId=502">Syria</a> who dared to withstand him and exhausted every resource in doing so.
At the present time they acted similarly; for they left no possible means of resistance untried in their effort to keep their faith to Ptolemy.
Therefore, just as it is our duty to make separate mention of brave men in writing history, so we should give due credit to such whole cities as are wont to act nobly by tradition and principle.

Walbank Commentary

Overview
16.20.0 - 16.22.0
<p rend="Plain Text">The character and conduct of Tlepolemus</p> <p rend="Plain Text">This extract is from the res Aegypti of 202/1; see p. 24.</p>
16.22.0 - 16.22.0
<p rend="Plain Text">The loyalty of the people of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaza&groupId=599&placeId=390">Gaza</a></p> <p rend="Plain Text">This fragment, from P, will be from the res Syriae for 202/1; see p. 24. The first sentence (from the excerptor) makes clear that it follows P.'s account of the siege of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaza&groupId=599&placeId=390">Gaza</a>, which will therefore fall in 201; see 18. 2 n.</p>
16.22.0 - 16.22.0
<p rend="Plain Text">Scipio's return to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> and his triumph</p> <p rend="Plain Text">From the res Italiae of 201/0. Livy (xxx. 45) puts his return at the end of A.U.C. 553 = 201, when he was proconsul.</p>
Specifics
16.22.1 - 16.22.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸν. . . Σωσίβιον</w>:</emph> the younger Sosibius; cf. xv. 32. 6–11. </p>
16.22.2 - 16.22.2
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀξίαν. . .τῆς ἐγκεχειρισμένης αὐτῷ πίστεως</w>:</emph> 'worthy of the charge entrusted to him'. <w lang="el-GR">πίστις</w> is equivalent to the Latin fides, and is often used of the commission of an ambassador (sometimes Roman) in his dealings with Hellenistic kings; see v. 41. 2, xxviii. 1. 9 n.; Schulte, 58; Holleaux, tudes, iii. 227 n. 3, 228 n. 1; Heinze, Hermes, 1929, 163 n. 1; Otto, Abh. Bay. Akad. 1934, 46 n. 1. Here, however, it is more specifically the charge of the young king, as the next sentence shows. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἡ σφραγὶς καὶ τὸ τοῦ βασιλέως σῶμα</w>:</emph> in xv. 32. 6 Sosibius is described as a <w lang="el-GR">σωματόφυλαξ</w>. Corradi, 298, suggests that he had now been made <milestone unit="page" n="526">[526]</milestone> <w lang="el-GR">τὸν ἐ πὶ τῆς θεραπείας? τεταγμένον</w>, or chamberlain, a post attested only for <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a> (iv. 87. 5 n.). </p>
16.22.3 - 16.22.3
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἥ κει παρὰ τοῦ Φιλίππου Πτολεμαῖος ὁ Σωσιβίου</w>:</emph> i.e. sometime in 202/1 (contra Schmitt, Antiochos, 234, who rejects P.'s chronology and dates this to spring 202); he had been sent in autumn 204 or spring 203 (xv. 25. 13 n.). The words <w lang="el-GR">κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον</w> are too vague to help in a closer dating of his return to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a>; but it was probably before Philip made any open move against <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a> in 201. </p>
16.22.5 - 16.22.5
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοῖς Περὶ τὴν αὐλὴν νεανίσκοις</w>:</emph> perhaps the equivalent of Alexander's <w lang="el-GR">βασιλικοὶ Παῖδες</w> (Corradi, 298 n. 1); elsewhere P. uses <w lang="el-GR">νεανισκοί</w> for 'soldiers'. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀνδράποδα καὶ βλᾶκας</w>:</emph> 'slaves and blockheads' (Paton); Shuckburgh omits this sentence. According to Teles <w lang="el-GR">(περὶ ἀπαθείας</w> p. 62 Hense <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> ), Bion of Borysthenes, who spent some time at the court of Antigonus Gonatas in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pella&groupId=1089&placeId=1913">Pella</a>, preached that if fortune struck one down, she should strike a man, not a blockhead<w lang="el-GR">ἀλλ᾽ οὖ ν γε ἄνδρα καὶ οὐ βλᾶκα</w>. Tarn (AG, 238 n. 58) concludes that '<w lang="el-GR">ἄνδρα βλᾶκα</w> was still a catch-phrase at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pella&groupId=1089&placeId=1913">Pella</a>' and that this proves that Teles' reference is to Bion, since 'a phrase which both has the place of honour in Teles and was also current at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pella&groupId=1089&placeId=1913">Pella</a> cannot well . . . be due to anyone else'. But the word <w lang="el-GR">βλάξ</w> in the sense 'blockhead' is fairly common (cf. Heraclitus, 117 Bywater; Xen. Oec. 8. 16; Arist. Eth. Eud. 1247 a 18); P. himself uses the noun <w lang="el-GR">βλακεία</w>, and we may not assume that he here has access to actual words quoted from Ptolemaeus. Thus Tarn's deductions from this passage exceed the evidence. </p>
16.22.8 - 16.22.8
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐκ τῆς τῶν αὐλικῶν παρατηρήσεως καὶ κακοπραγμοσύνης</w>:</emph> 'from the close observation and malignancy of the courtiers'. </p>
16.22.10 - 16.22.10
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">συνῆγε τὸ συνέδριον</w>:</emph> the royal council of the king's friends, found in most Hellenistic monarchies; cf. v. 41. 6 n., and for examples from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a>, Ioseph. Ant. Iud. xiii. 75, and below, xxviii. 19. 1–2. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐκείνους</w>:</emph> the courtiers (and especially Sosibius' sons). </p>
16.22.11 - 16.22.11
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">μετὰ τὴν δημηγορίαν</w>:</emph> omitted in our text; the MS. P has, after <w lang="el-GR">κατηγοριάν</w>, the words <w lang="el-GR">ζ ε δημηγορ</w>, i.e. <w lang="el-GR">ζήτει ἐν τῷ περὶ? δημηγοριῶν</w> (now lost). </p>
16.22.1 - 16.22.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τῶν Γαζαίων</w>:</emph> on the site of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaza&groupId=599&placeId=390">Gaza</a> cf. v. 68. 2 n. </p>
16.22.3 - 16.22.3
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τῷ τηρεῖν τὴν πίστιν</w>:</emph> P. rates this highly; cf. vi. 58, xv. 4. 9. </p>
16.22.4 - 16.22.4
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κατὰ . . . τὴν Πέρσων ἔφοδον</w>:</emph> according to Herodotus (iii. 19. 3) the Phoenicians surrendered to Cambyses, and this is confirmed by <milestone unit="page" n="527">[527]</milestone> Herod. iii. 34. 4 (Cambyses <w lang="el-GR">προσεκτῆσθαι τὴν θάλασσαν)</w>; the unique resistance of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaza&groupId=599&placeId=390">Gaza</a> is not mentioned elsewhere, but there is no reason to question it. P.'s source is unknown: von Scala, 262, thinks that in view of 18. 2 P. is following Zeno, but the account here is not particularly rhetorical, and the source must remain unknown. </p>
16.22.5 - 16.22.5
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κατὰ δὲ τὴν ᾽Αλεξάνδρου παρουσίαν</w>:</emph> in 332. After his victory at Issus (cf. xii. 17–22), Alexander marched south, received the surrender of Aradus and Marathus from Strato (Arr. ii. 13. 7–8) and then Byblus and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sidon&groupId=977&placeId=491">Sidon</a> (Arr. ii. 15. 6). The famous siege of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tyre&groupId=1053&placeId=1855">Tyre</a> (Arr. ii. 16–24) lasted for the first seven months of 332, and from there Alexander marched south on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaza&groupId=599&placeId=390">Gaza</a>. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Τυρίων ἐξηνδραποδισμένων</w>:</emph> cf. Arr. ii. 24. 5, who puts the number at 30,000, including foreigners present in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tyre&groupId=1053&placeId=1855">Tyre</a>. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">μόνοι . . . ὑπέστησαν</w>:</emph> on the resistance of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaza&groupId=599&placeId=390">Gaza</a> under the eunuch Batis see Diod. xvii. 48. 7; Ioseph. Ant. Iud. xi. 320–25; Strabo, xvi. 759; Plut. Alex. 25. 3–4; Mela, i. 64; Zon. iv. 10; and especially Arr. ii. 26–27; Curt. iv. 6. 7–30. The siege lasted two months, till October 322. On the legendary aspects of the story see Tarn, Alex. ii. 265–70. As at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tyre&groupId=1053&placeId=1855">Tyre</a> the women and children were sold into slavery; Arrian (ii. 27. 7) confirms P.'s account of the bravery and united action of the men. </p>
16.22.7 - 16.22.7
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">καθάπερ . . . κατ᾽ ἰδίαν ἐπισημαινόμεθα κτλ</w>.:</emph> cf. ii. 61. 6, <w lang="el-GR">τὸ τῆς ἱστορίας ἴδιον . . . τὸν ἔπαινον καὶ τὴν ἐπ᾽ ἀγαθῷ μνήμην τῶν ἀξιολόγων προαιρέσεων</w> . Timaeus is criticized for failing in this respect (xii. 15. 8–9: in respect of Agathocles). Censure also has its place: but both, censure and praise, must be supported by evidence (x. 21. 8) and must be applied regardless of the historian's predilections (i. 14. 5). See, further, Avenarius, 159–60. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐκ παραδόσεως . . . καὶ προθέσεως</w>:</emph> 'by tradition and principle'. </p>

Commentary