Polybius, Histories
Layout
Translation

Bibliography

(0)
No bibliography content available

Archaeology

Places

Book 33 - Chapter 16

1
<head lang="la">II. Bellum Rhodiorum Cum Cretensibus</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Akrhtaiei%3Ds">Κρηταιεῖς</w> <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsteilan">ἀπέστειλαν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiou%5Cs">Ἀχαιοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="bohqei%2Fas">βοηθείας</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29antifa%2Ftan">Ἀντιφάταν</w> <w lemma="%2Athlemna%2Fstou">Τηλεμνάστου</w> <w lemma="%2Agortu%2Fnion">Γορτύνιον</w>, <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fws">παραπλησίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ro%2Fdioi">Ῥόδιοι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aqeufa%2Fnhn">Θευφάνην</w>.
2
<w lemma="ou%29%2Fshs">οὔσης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="suno%2Fdou">συνόδου</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Akori%2Fnqw%7C">Κορίνθῳ</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dialegome%2Fnwn">διαλεγομένων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="presbeutw%3Dn">πρεσβευτῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Frwn">ἑκατέρων</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="bohqei%2Fas">βοηθείας</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Frrepon">ἔρρεπον</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmais">γνώμαις</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="polloi%5C">πολλοὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodi%2Fous">Ῥοδίους</w>,
3
<w lemma="e%29ntrepo%2Fmenoi">ἐντρεπόμενοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="a%29ci%2Fwma">ἀξίωμα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhn">ὅλην</w> <w lemma="ai%28%2Fresin">αἵρεσιν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w>.
4
<w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="a%28%5C">ἃ</w> <w lemma="ble%2Fpwn">βλέπων</w> <w lemma="%2A%29antifa%2Ftas">Ἀντιφάτας</w> <w lemma="e%29boulh%2Fqh">ἐβουλήθη</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29peiselqei%3Dn">ἐπεισελθεῖν</w>, <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="strathgou%3D">στρατηγοῦ</w> <w lemma="sugxwrh%2Fsantos">συγχωρήσαντος</w> <w lemma="e%29xrh%2Fsato">ἐχρήσατο</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgois">λόγοις</w> <w lemma="barute%2Frois">βαρυτέροις</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Akrh%3Dta">Κρῆτα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="spoudaiote%2Frois:">σπουδαιοτέροις·</w>
5
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="neani%2Fskos">νεανίσκος</w> <w lemma="ou%29damw%3Ds">οὐδαμῶς</w> <w lemma="%2Akrhtiko%2Fs">Κρητικός</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="pefeugw%5Cs">πεφευγὼς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Akrhtikh%5Cn">Κρητικὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nagwgi%2Fan">ἀναγωγίαν</w>.
6
<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbaine">συνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiou%5Cs">Ἀχαιοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29pide%2Fxesqai">ἐπιδέχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="parrhsi%2Fan">παρρησίαν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pate%2Fra">πατέρα</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnou">προειρημένου</w> <w lemma="%2Athle%2Fmnaston">Τηλέμναστον</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="pentakosi%2Fwn">πεντακοσίων</w> <w lemma="%2Akrhtw%3Dn">Κρητῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29lqo%2Fnta">ἐλθόντα</w> <w lemma="sumpepolemhke%2Fnai">συμπεπολεμηκέναι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Ana%2Fbin">Νάβιν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="eu%29genw%3Ds">εὐγενῶς</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w>.
7
<w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="diakou%2Fsantes">διακούσαντες</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Dtton">ἧττον</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%5Cn">ὁρμὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxon">εἶχον</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="polloi%5C">πολλοὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodi%2Fois">Ῥοδίοις</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn">βοηθεῖν</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="%2Akallikra%2Fths">Καλλικράτης</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Aleonth%2Fsios">Λεοντήσιος</w> <w lemma="a%29nasta%5Cs">ἀναστὰς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffh">ἔφη</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="polemei%3Dn">πολεμεῖν</w> <w lemma="ou%29deni%5C">οὐδενὶ</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmhs">γνώμης</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="boh%2Fqeian">βοήθειαν</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fmpein">πέμπειν</w> <w lemma="ou%29deni%5C">οὐδενὶ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29deno%2Fs">οὐδενός</w>.
8
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="kati%2Fsxuse">κατίσχυσε</w> <w lemma="me%2Fnein">μένειν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pokeime%2Fnwn">ὑποκειμένων</w>. —
<head>VIII. The War between <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a> and Crete</head>At this time the Cretans sent to the Achaeans as their envoy Antiphatas, the son of Telemnastus of Gortyna, and the Rhodians senate Theophanes, each begging for help.
The Achaean assembly was sitting at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a>, and when both envoys addressed them on the subject, the majority were more favourably inclined to the Rhodians
out of respect for the dignity of that city and the character in general of the Rhodian state and its citizens.
Antiphatas, noticing this, expressed a wish to address them a second time, and on receiving the permission of the strategus did so in terms more weighty and serious than is usual with a Cretan.
For, as a fact, this young man was not at all Cretan in character but had escaped the contagion of Cretan ill-breeding.
The Achaeans in consequence put up with his freedom of speech, and still more because his father Telemnastus had come with five hundred Cretans to help them in their war against Nabis, and had borne himself gallantly.
Nevertheless, after they had listened to him, the majority was still inclined to help the Rhodians, until Callicrates of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Leontium&groupId=677&placeId=1239">Leontium</a> rose and said that they should not go to war with anyone or send help to anyone without taking the advice of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>.
For this reason it was finally decided to take no steps.

Walbank Commentary

Overview
33.16.1 - 33.17.5
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold">16. 1–17. 5.</emph> Cretan and Rhodian appeals to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Achaea&groupId=272&placeId=533">Achaea</a> </p> <p rend="Plain Text">The events described in these two excerpts, from de legat. gent. (16. 1–8) and de sent. (17. 1–5), concern the Rhodio-Cretan war, and form part of res Graeciae of Ol. 156, 3 = 154/3; see p. 42.</p>
Specifics
33.16.1 - 33.16.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold">16. 1. <w lang="el-GR">κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον</w>:</emph> the time within the olympiad year is not indicated. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Ἀντιφάταν Τηλεμνάστου Γορτύνιον</w>:</emph> van Effenterre, 269 n. 1, suggests that he was sent because Gortyn was the leading city in the coalition against <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a>; if so, the lead seems soon to have passed to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cnossus&groupId=482&placeId=904">Cnossus</a> (cf. Syll. 654A (c. 151), <w lang="el-GR">Κνώσιοι κα[ὶ] τὸ κοινὸν [τῶν] Κρηταέων</w>; whereas in Syll. 653A (c. 165) the <w lang="el-GR">κοινόν</w> is mentioned without the Cnossians; cf. Willetts, 240; Guarducci, IC, iv. p. 25). On Antiphatas' father, Telemnastus, see § 6 n. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοὺς περὶ Θευφάνην</w>:</emph> unknown; but for the name, which is read by X and is preferable to <w lang="el-GR">Θεοφάνην</w>, see Ullrich, 78 (quoting Rhodian inscriptions); Syll. 619 ll. 9–10. </p>
33.16.2 - 33.16.2
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold">2. <w lang="el-GR">τῆς συνόδου . . . ἐν Κορίνθῳ</w>:</emph> on the Achaean synodoi see pp. 406– 14. </p>
33.16.4 - 33.16.4
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold">4. <w lang="el-GR">βαρυτέροις ἢ κατὰ Κρῆτα κτλ</w>.:</emph> on the Cretan reputation see vi. 47. 5 n., viii. 16. 4; Wunderer, i. 111. </p>
33.16.6 - 33.16.6
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold">6. <w lang="el-GR">Τηλέμναστον</w>:</emph> for his services alongside Philopoemen fighting <emph rend="bold" /> <milestone unit="page" n="558">[558]</milestone> against Nabis in 192 see Livy, xxxv. 29. 1. The <w lang="el-GR">Κρηταιεῖς</w> (perhaps the koinon) erected a statue to him in the Asclepieum at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Epidaurus&groupId=572&placeId=1070">Epidaurus</a>, describing him as <w lang="el-GR">συνμαχίας . . . ἔξοχον ἁγεμόνα</w>, and indicating that his father's name, like his son's was Antiphatas (IG. iv <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> . 1. 244 = Hiller von Gaertringen, Hist. gr. Epig. 109). See Launey, ii. 1153; Sthelin, RE, 'Telemnastos', col. 358; Errington, 37. The Telemnastus mentioned in xxix. 4. 8 need not be this man. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">μετὰ πεντακοσίων Κρητῶν . . . συμπεπολεμηκέναι</w>:</emph> cf. Livy, xxxv. 29. 1, 'Telemnastus Cretensis popularibus suis . . . praeerat.' </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸν πρὸς Νάβιν πόλεμον</w>:</emph> in 192 Nabis attacked Gytheum and Philopoemen took action against him by land and sea; Flamininus negotiated a truce and suspended hostilities. See Livy, xxxv. 25. 1–30. 13 (based on P. book xix, now lost; see p. 1); Plut. Philop. 14–15; Paus. viii. 50. 8; Aymard, PR, 306 ff.; De Sanctis, iv. 1. 134–5; Errington, 95–106. </p>
33.16.7 - 33.16.7
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold">7. <w lang="el-GR">οἱ πολλοί</w>:</emph> cf. § 2; the sense is probably 'the assembly', rather than 'the majority' (Paton). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Καλλικράτης</w>:</emph> cf. xxiv. 8. 1–10. 15 nn., xxix. 23. 1–25. 6, xxx. 13. 3–11, 29. 1–7, 32. 8–12. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">οὔτε βοήθειαν πέμπειν</w>:</emph> this need not necessarily involve war with the other side (Larsen, GFS, 486 n. 1)which may be why the synodos was prepared to consider the proposal, despite the law mentioned in xxix. 24. 5 (see note there, p. 399). </p>

Commentary