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Book 39 - Chapter 7

1
<head lang="la">II. Res Aegypti</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Asuri%2Fas">Συρίας</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="plhgei%5Cs">πληγεὶς</w> <w lemma="e%29teleu%2Fthse">ἐτελεύτησε</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flwn">μεγάλων</w> <w lemma="e%29pai%2Fnwn">ἐπαίνων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mnh%2Fmhs">μνήμης</w> <w lemma="w%29%5Cn">ὢν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fcios">ἄξιος</w>,
2
<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="tou%29nanti%2Fon">τοὐναντίον</w>.
3
<w lemma="pra%3D%7Cos">πρᾷος</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xrhsto%2Fs">χρηστός</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllos">ἄλλος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="progegono%2Ftwn">προγεγονότων</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fwn">βασιλέων</w>.
4
<w lemma="shmei%3Don">σημεῖον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgiston:">μέγιστον·</w> <w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fna">οὐδένα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%3D">ἑαυτοῦ</w> <w lemma="fi%2Flwn">φίλων</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29deni%5C">οὐδενὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29gklhma%2Ftwn">ἐγκλημάτων</w> <w lemma="e%29panei%2Fleto:">ἐπανείλετο·</w> <w lemma="dokw%3D">δοκῶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5C">μηδὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="%2A%29alecandre%2Fwn">Ἀλεξανδρέων</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fna">μηδένα</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnon">ἐκεῖνον</w> <w lemma="a%29poqanei%3Dn:">ἀποθανεῖν·</w>
5
<w lemma="e%29%2Fpeita">ἔπειτα</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcas">δόξας</w> <w lemma="e%29kpesei%3Dn">ἐκπεσεῖν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="ta%29delfou%3D">τἀδελφοῦ</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29alecandrei%2Fa%7C">Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ</w> <w lemma="labw%5Cn">λαβὼν</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="o%28mologou%2Fmenon">ὁμολογούμενον</w> <w lemma="a%29mnhsika%2Fkhton">ἀμνησικάκητον</w> <w lemma="e%29poih%2Fsato">ἐποιήσατο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%28marti%2Fan:">ἁμαρτίαν·</w>
6
<w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pibouleu%2Fsantos">ἐπιβουλεύσαντος</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="%2Aku%2Fprw%7C">Κύπρῳ</w>, <w lemma="ku%2Frios">κύριος</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenos">γενόμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Alaph%2Fqw%7C">Λαπήθῳ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmatos">σώματος</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="yuxh%3Ds">ψυχῆς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w>, <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsxe">ἀπέσχε</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kola%2Fzein">κολάζειν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29xqro%5Cn">ἐχθρὸν</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dwrea%5Cs">δωρεὰς</w> <w lemma="prose%2Fqhke">προσέθηκε</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="u%28parxou%2Fsas">ὑπαρχούσας</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="sunqh%2Fkas">συνθήκας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="qugate%2Fra">θυγατέρα</w> <w lemma="dw%2Fsein">δώσειν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Fsxeto">ὑπέσχετο</w>.
7
<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fntoi">μέντοι</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pituxi%2Fas">ἐπιτυχίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="katorqw%2Fseis">κατορθώσεις</w> <w lemma="e%29celu%2Feto">ἐξελύετο</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="yuxh%3D%7C">ψυχῇ</w>, <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="a%29swti%2Fa">ἀσωτία</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cqumi%2Fa">ῥᾳθυμία</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29guptiakh%5C">Αἰγυπτιακὴ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbainen:">συνέβαινεν·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Ftas">τοιαύτας</w> <w lemma="diaqe%2Fseis">διαθέσεις</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="peripetei%2Fas">περιπετείας</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Fpipten">ἐνέπιπτεν</w>.
<head>II. Affairs of Egypt</head>Ptolemy, King of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syria&groupId=995&placeId=502">Syria</a>, died of his wounds in the war. In the opinion of some he deserved high praise and a place in history,
but others think contrariwise.
It was true that he was gentle and good, more so than any previous king.
The strongest proof of this is, that in the first place he did not put to death any of his own friends on any of the charges brought against them; and I do not believe that any other Alexandrian suffered death owing to him.
Again, although his dethronement was thought to be due to his brother, firstly, when in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alexandria&groupId=1063&placeId=1868">Alexandria</a> he had, as was admitted, a chance of being revenged on him he treated his fault as one to be condoned,
and next when his brother again conspired to deprive him of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyprus&groupId=119&placeId=356">Cyprus</a>, and he was master at Lapethus of his person and his life, he was so far from punishing him as an enemy that he loaded him with gifts in addition to what he already possessed under treaty, and promised him his daughter in marriage.
However, in seasons of good fortune and success his mind grew relaxed and weakened, and he suffered from a sort of Egyptian waste of energy and indolence. And it was when he was in this condition that reverses used to befall him.

Walbank Commentary

Overview
39.7.1 - 39.7.7
<p rend="Plain Text">Death and character of Ptolemy VI Philometor (145)</p> <p rend="Plain Text">This excerpt from de uirt. et uit. belongs to res Aegypti of Ol. 158, 3 = 146/5, and provides an appropriate conclusion for the Histories in that area (cf. ii. 41. 1 n. for the use of deaths to mark the end or beginning of an epoch in Hellenistic historians).</p>
Specifics
39.7.1 - 39.7.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Πτολεμαῖος ὁ τῆς Συρίας βασιλεύς</w>:</emph> Ptolemy VI Philometor; see xxvii. 13. 2 n. and passim. After recovering <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyprus&groupId=119&placeId=356">Cyprus</a> from Ptolemy VIII (xxxiii. 11. 7 n.), Ptolemy VI directed his attention to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syria&groupId=995&placeId=502">Syria</a>. He contributed troops to the army with which Alexander Balas defeated and killed Demetrius I in 150 (xxxiii. 18. 7 n.), and married his daughter Cleopatra Thea to the victor in a ceremony at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Ptolemais&groupId=918&placeId=271">Ptolemais</a> (Ioseph. Ant. Iud. xiii. 58 ff., 80–82; 1 Macc. x. 51–58; Iustin. xxxv. 1. 6; App. Syr. 67; Porphyry, FGH, 260 F 32 § 14). In 147 Demetrius II landed in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Phoenicia&groupId=894&placeId=464">Phoenicia</a> to recover his father's throne (cf. xxxiii. 18. 5 n.) and Ptolemy VI broke with Balas, who had refused him satisfaction after an attempt on his life at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Ptolemais&groupId=918&placeId=271">Ptolemais</a> (Diod. xxxii. 9 c; Ioseph. Ant. Iud. xiii. 106 f.). Recalling Cleopatra Thea he married her to Demetrius and transferred his support to him (Diod. xxxii. 9 c; Livy, ep. 52; Ioseph. Ant. Iud. xiii. 109 ff., 116; Iustin. xxxv. 2. 3; 1 Macc. xi. 9–12; SEG, vi. 809, xiii. 585, an inscription set up by Demetrius II in honour of Ptolemy VI). In 145 the people of Antioch forced Balas' representatives, Hierax and Diodotus, to hand the city over to Ptolemy VI; according to 1 Macc. xi. 13 and Ioseph. Ant. Iud. xiii. 112 f., he assumed the 'crowns of Asia and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a>' but subsequently <milestone unit="page" n="737">[737]</milestone> persuaded the people to accept Demetrius. Against the allegation of 1 Macc. xi. 1 that Ptolemy VI aimed at incorporating <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syria&groupId=995&placeId=502">Syria</a> in his kingdom is the statement in Diod. xxxii. 9 c, that he made a treaty with Demetrius in which he claimed only <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Coele-Syria&groupId=484&placeId=908">Coele-Syria</a>. The words quoted here are the excerptor's and could be an error (BouchLeclercq, Sleucides, i. 343 n. 3; Hampl, Gnomon, 1936, 43); but it is an unlikely mistake, and more probably reflects some phrase in the original (though 1 Macc. and Iosephus speak of the crown of 'Asia'). See Otto, 6. Ptolemer, 124–30, especially 126 n. 1; Volkmann, RE, 'Ptolemaios (24)', cols. 1715–17. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πληγεὶς ἐτελεύτησε τὸν βίον</w>:</emph> Alexander, having raised an army and advanced on Antioch, joined battle on the river Oenoparas (Strabo, xvi. 2. 8, C. 751) not far from the city, the modern Nahr Afrin (cf. Honigmann, RE, <w lang="el-GR">Ὁἰνοπάρας</w>, col. 2253). He was defeated, but Ptolemy was thrown from his horse, lay speechless for four days, and died after an attempt at trepanning (Livy, ep. 52; Ioseph. Ant. Iud. xiii. 116 ff.; 1 Macc. xi. 18). The date is not recorded. The latest dating by Ptolemy VI alone is 15 July 145 (21 Payni of year 36: P. dem. Strassb. 21) but an inscription from the Fayum (Strack, Arch. Pap. 1906, 127 f.) dated 'year 36 which is also year 1, Epeiph 28' has been taken as evidence that Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator had been raised to co-regency with his father by that date, which is 21 August 145; for a coin from Paphos in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyprus&groupId=119&placeId=356">Cyprus</a> with the same dating see Otto, 6. Ptolemer, 128 n. 4. This would suggest that Ptolemy VI was still alive, or his death not yet known, at this later date (Skeat, 34–35). Almost at once after his death Ptolemy VIII seized the throne. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κατὰ μέν τινας</w>:</emph> P.'s favourable account of Ptolemy VI may derive in part from his friend Menyllus of Alabanda (xxxi. 10. 4, 12. 8, 20. 1 ff.; see Vol. I, p. 34 n. 9; von Scala, 270). But his alignment in the conflict between the Ptolemies also corresponds to Cato's; for he, in a speech against L. Minucius Thermus, called Ptolemy VI rex optimus et beneficissimus (Malcovati, ORF <emph rend="superscript">3</emph> , i. M. Porcius Cato fg. 180), and perhaps that of Scipio Aemilianus, who formed a bad opinion of his rival Ptolemy VIII (Athen. xii. 549 C, 550 A; Plut. Mor. 201 A; cf. Diod. xxxiii. 28 b). See Otto, 6. Ptolemer, 94 n. 3, 111, 116 n. 1; Scullard, Pol <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> . 230 n. 4. Those who took the opposite view will be the supporters of Ptolemy VIII (cf. xxxiii. 11. 5–6). </p>
39.7.3 - 39.7.3
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πρᾷος . . . καὶ χρηστός</w>:</emph> cf. the flattering phrases of the decree set up on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Delos&groupId=533&placeId=1004">Delos</a> by Ptolemy VI's Cretan auxiliaries, <w lang="el-GR">ὅσιος καὶ εὐσεβὴς καὶ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἡ?μερώτατος</w> (Insc. de Dlos, 1518 ll. 6–7; cf. Holleaux, tudes, iii. 78–80); see Otto, 6. Ptolemer, 94 n. 3. </p>
39.7.5 - 39.7.5
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐκπεσεῖν . . . ὑπὸ τἀδελφοῦ</w>:</emph> shortly after October 164; see xxxi. 2. 14 n. </p>
39.7.6 - 39.7.6
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐπιβουλεύσαντος τῇ Κύπρῳ</w>:</emph> in 162; cf. xxxi. 10. 3–10, 19. 1–4. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κύριος γενόμενος ἐν Λαπήθῳ κτλ</w>.:</emph> in 154, when Ptolemy VI invaded <milestone unit="page" n="738">[738]</milestone> <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyprus&groupId=119&placeId=356">Cyprus</a>. Diod. xxxi. 33 describes the events under 158/7, but the fragment is probably misplaced. See on these events xxxiii. 11. 1–7 n., and the Cretan auxiliaries' decrees which belong to them (§ 3 n.). Lapethus lay on the north coast of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyprus&groupId=119&placeId=356">Cyprus</a> at Karavas, now a deserted site a little east of the monastery of Panagia Acheropoietou; see Oberhummer, RE, 'Lapethos', cols. 763–6; and for recent excavations see Arch. Rep. 1955, 33–34. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχε τοῦ κολάζειν</w>:</emph> cf. xxxiii. 11. 7 n. for the likelihood that Ptolemy VI was largely influenced by his fears of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κατὰ συνθήκας</w>:</emph> see xxxi. 2. 14 n. for the agreement, made after the restoration of Ptolemy VI, to divide the kingdom. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὴν θυγατέρα δώσειν ὑπέσχετο</w>:</emph> evidently his eldest daughter, Cleopatra Thea, one of four children born to Ptolemy VI by Cleopatra II, his sister and wife. Cleopatra Thea was born c. 165; for since she was only promised to Ptolemy VIII in 154, it is clear that she was not yet of marriageable age (cf. Otto, 6. Ptolemer, 9; Volkmann, RE, 'Ptolemaios (24)', col. 1717; Sthelin, RE, 'Kleopatra (24)', col. 785; Bouch-Leclercq, Lagides, ii. 48 n. 2). She was subsequently married to Alexander Balas and Demetrius II (§ 1 n.). Later Ptolemy VIII married Ptolemy VI's second daughter, Cleopatra III, as well as his own (and Ptolemy VI's) sister, Cleopatra II; see Sthelin, RE, 'Kleopatra (16)', cols. 744–5. </p>
39.7.7 - 39.7.7
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀσωτία καὶ ῥᾳθυμία . . . Αἰγυπτιακή</w>:</emph> cf. xxxii. 11. 10 n.; there P. speaks of Ionian <w lang="el-GR">ἀσωτία</w>. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">εἰς περιπετείας ἐνέπιπτεν</w>:</emph> 'disaster overtook him'; the imperfect tense is probably inceptive. Paton, 'when he was in this condition . . . reverses used to befall him' is absurd. P. is not generalizing, but particularizing. </p>

Commentary