and when there appeared no prospect of reforming this state of things, or of obtaining protection against the violence, insolence and debauchery of the court, which on the contrary grew daily more outrageous, their old hatred blazed up once more in the hearts of the common people, and all began again to recall the misfortunes which the kingdom already owed to these very men.
τῷ δὲ μηδὲν ἔχειν πρόσωπον ἀξιόχρεων τὸ προστησόμενον, καὶ διʼ οὗ τὴν ὀργὴν εἰς τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα καὶ τὴν Ἀγαθόκλειαν ἀπερείσονται, τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἦγον, ἔτι μίαν ἐλπίδα καραδοκοῦντες τὴν κατὰ τὸν Τληπόλεμον καὶ ταύτῃ προσανέχοντες.
But the absence of any one fit to take the lead, and by whose means they could vent their wrath upon Agathocles and Agathocleia, kept them quiet.
ὁ δὲ Τληπόλεμος, ἕως μὲν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔζη, τὰ καθʼ αὑτὸν ἔπραττεν· ἅμα δὲ τῷ μεταλλάξαι ʼκεῖνον ταχέως ἐξομαλίσας τὰ πλήθη στρατηγὸς πάλιν ἐγενήθη τῶν κατὰ Πηλούσιον τόπων.
Their one remaining hope rested upon Tlepolemus, and on this they fixed their confidence. As long as the late king was alive Tlepolemus remained in retirement; but upon his death he quickly propitiated the common soldiers, and became once more governor of Pelusium.
καὶ τὰς μὲν ἀρχὰς ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ἀναφορὰν τῶν πραττομένων ἐπὶ τὸ τοῦ βασιλέως συμφέρον, πεπεισμένος ὑπάρξειν τι συνέδριον ὃ τήν τε τοῦ παιδὸς ἐπιτροπείαν ἕξει καὶ τὴν τῶν ὅλων προστασίαν.
At first he directed all his actions with a view to the interest of the king, believing that there would be some council of regency to take charge of the boy and administer the government. But when he saw that all those who were fit for this charge were got out of the way, and that Agathocles was boldly monopolising the supreme power, he quickly changed his purpose;
ὡς δʼ ἑώρα τοὺς μὲν ἀξίους ἐπιτροπῆς ἄνδρας ἐκποδὼν γεγονότας, τῆς δὲ τῶν ὅλων ἀρχῆς κατατολμῶντα τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα, ταχέως ἐφʼ ἑτέρας ἐγένετο γνώμης, ὑφορώμενος τὸν προεστῶτα κίνδυνον διὰ τὴν ὑποκειμένην αὐτοῖς ἔχθραν, καὶ τάς τε δυνάμεις περὶ αὑτὸν ἥθροιζε καὶ περὶ πόρον ἐγίνετο χρημάτων, ἵνα μηδενὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν εὐχείρωτος ᾖ.
because he suspected the danger that threatened him from the hatred which they mutually entertained. He therefore began to draw his troops together, and bestir himself to collect money, that he might not be an easy prey to any one of his enemies. At the same time he was not without hope that the guardianship of the young king, and the chief power in the state might devolve upon him;
ἅμα δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ παιδὸς ἐπιτροπείαν καὶ τὴν τῶν ὅλων προστασίαν εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἥξειν οὐκ ἀπήλπιζε, νομίζων καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν μὲν κρίσιν αὐτὸς ἀξιοχρεώτερος ὑπάρχειν Ἀγαθοκλέους πρὸς πᾶν, ἔτι μᾶλλον δὲ πυνθανόμενος καὶ τὰς ὑφʼ ἑαυτὸν ταττομένας δυνάμεις καὶ τὰς κατὰ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ἐπʼ ἐκείνῳ τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχειν τοῦ καταλύειν τὴν Ἀγαθοκλέους ὕβριν.
both because, in his own private opinion, he was much more fit for it in every respect than Agathocles, and because he was informed that his own troops and those in Alexandria were looking to him to put an end to the minister’s outrageous conduct.
οὔσης δὲ περὶ αὐτὸν οἵας εἴρηκα διαλήψεως, ταχέως τὰ τῆς διαφορᾶς αὔξησιν ἔλαβε συνεργούντων ἀμφοτέρων πρὸς τὴν τοιαύτην ὑπόθεσιν.
When such ideas were entertained by Tlepolemus, it did not take long to make the quarrel grow, especially as the partisans of both helped to inflame it. Being eager to secure the adhesion of the generals of divisions and the captains of companies, he frequently invited them to banquets; and at these assemblies, instigated partly by the flattery of his guests and partly by his own impulse (for he was a young man and the conversation was over the wine), he used to throw out sarcastic remarks against the family of Agathocles.
ὁ μὲν γὰρ Τληπόλεμος, ἐξιδιάζεσθαι σπεύδων τοὺς ἡγεμόνας καὶ ταξιάρχους καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ τούτων ταττομένους, συνῆγε πότους ἐπιμελῶς, καὶ παρὰ τὰς συνουσίας τὰ μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν πρὸς χάριν λεγόντων αἰκαλλόμενος, τὰ δʼ ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας ὁρμῆς, ἅτε νέος ὢν καὶ παρὰ τὸν οἶνον γινομένης τῆς ὁμιλίας, ἐρρίπτει λόγους κατὰ τῆς συγγενείας τῆς τῶν περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα, τὰς μὲν ἀρχὰς αἰνιγματώδεις, εἶτʼ ἀμφιβόλους, τὸ δὲ τελευταῖον ἐκφανεῖς καὶ τὴν πικροτάτην ἔχοντας λοιδορίαν.
At first they were covert and enigmatic, then merely ambiguous, and finally undisguised, and containing the bitterest reflections.
ἐπεχεῖτο γὰρ τοῦ θρανογράφου καὶ τῆς σαμβυκιστρίας καὶ τῆς κουρίδος, ἔτι δὲ τοῦ παιδαρίου τοῦ πάντα πεποιηκότος καὶ πεπονθότος παρὰ τοὺς πότους, ὅτʼ ἐῳνοχόει τῷ βασιλεῖ παῖς ὤν.
He proposed the health of the scribbler of pasquinades, the sackbut-girl and waiting-woman; and spoke of his shameful boyhood, when as cupbearer of the king he had submitted to the foulest treatment.
ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις ἀεὶ τῶν συμπαρόντων γελώντων καὶ συμβαλλομένων τι πρὸς τὸν χλευασμόν, ταχέως εἰς τοὺς περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα τὸ πρᾶγμα παρεγενήθη.
His guests were always ready to laugh at his words and add their quota to the sum of vituperation.
γενομένης δʼ ἔχθρας ὁμολογουμένης εὐθέως ὁ Ἀγαθοκλῆς διαβολὴν εἰσῆγε κατὰ τοῦ Τληπολέμου, φάσκων αὐτὸν ἀλλοτριάζειν τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ καλεῖν Ἀντίοχον ἐπὶ τὰ πράγματα.
It was not long before this reached the ears of Agathocles: and the breach between the two thus becoming an open one, Agathocles immediately began bringing charges against Tlepolemus, declaring that he was a traitor to the king, and was inviting Antiochus to come and seize the government.
καὶ πολλὰς εἰς τοῦτο τὸ μέρος εὐπόρει πιθανότητας, τὰς μὲν ἐκ τῶν συμβαινόντων παρεκδεχόμενος καὶ διαστρέφων, τὰς δʼ ἐκ καταβολῆς πλάττων καὶ διασκευάζων.
And he brought many plausible proofs of this forward, some of which he got by distorting facts that actually occurred, while others were pure invention. His object in so doing was to excite the wrath of the common people against Tlepolemus.
ταῦτα δʼ ἐποίει βουλόμενος τὰ πλήθη παροξύνειν κατὰ τοῦ Τληπολέμου· συνέβαινε δὲ τοὐναντίον. πάλαι γὰρ ἐπὶ τῷ προειρημένῳ τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχοντες οἱ πολλοὶ καὶ λίαν ἡδέως ἑώρων ἐκκαιομένην τὴν διαφοράν.
But the result was the reverse; for the populace had long fixed their hopes on Tlepolemus, and were only too delighted to see the quarrel growing hot between them. The actual popular outbreak which did occur began from the following circumstances. Nicon, a relation of Agathocles, was in the lifetime of the late king commander of the navy....
ἐγένετο δʼ ἡ καταρχὴ τοῦ περὶ τὰ πλήθη κινήματος διά τινας τοιαύτας αἰτίας. Νίκων ὁ συγγενὴς τῶν περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα ζῶντος ἔτι τοῦ βασιλέως καθεσταμένος ἦν ἐπὶ τοῦ ναυτικοῦ· τότε δὲ τῶν ὅτι Δείνωνα τὸν Δείνωνος ἐπανείλετο Ἀγαθοκλῆς, καὶ τοῦτο ἔπραξε τῶν ἀδίκων ἔργων, ὡς ἡ παροιμία φησί, δικαιότατον·
26a. Another murder committed by Agathocles was that of Deinon, son of Deinon. But this, as the proverb has it, was the fairest of his foul deeds. For the letter ordering the murder of Arsinoe had fallen into this man’s hands, and he might have given information about the plot and saved the Queen; but at the time he chose rather to help Philammon, and so became the cause of all the misfortunes which followed; while, after the murder was committed, he was always recalling the circumstances, commiserating the unhappy woman, and expressing repentance at having let such an opportunity slip: and this he repeated in the hearing of many, so that Agathocles heard of it, and he met with his just punishment in losing his life.... The first step of Agathocles was to summon a meeting of the Macedonian guards. He entered the assembly accompanied by the young king and his own sister Agathocleia. At first he feigned not to be able to say what he wished for tears; but after again and again wiping his eyes with his chlamys he at length mastered his emotion, and, taking the young king in his arms, spoke as follows: “Take this boy, whom his father on his death-bed placed in this lady’s arms” (pointing to his sister) “and confided to your loyalty, men of Macedonia! That lady’s affection has but little influence in securing the child’s safety: it is on you that that safety now depends; his fortunes are in your hands. It has long been evident to those who had eyes to see, that Tlepolemus was aiming at something higher than his natural rank; but now he has named the day and hour on which he intends to assume the crown. Do not let your belief of this depend upon my words; refer to those who know the real truth and have but just come from the very scene of his treason.” With these words he brought forward Critolaus, who deposed that he had seen with his own eyes the altars being decked, and the victims being got ready by the common soldiers for the ceremony of a coronation. When the Macedonian guards had heard all this, far from being moved by his appeal, they showed their contempt by hooting and loud murmurs, and drove him away under such a fire of derision that he got out of the assembly without being conscious how he did it. And similar scenes occurred among other corps of the army at their meetings. Meanwhile great crowds kept pouring into Alexandria from the up-country stations, calling upon kinsmen or friends to help the movement, and not to submit to the unbridled tyranny of such unworthy men. But what inflamed the populace against the government more than anything else was the knowledge that, as Tlepolemus had the absolute command of all the imports into Alexandria, delay would be a cause of suffering to themselves.
26a. καθʼ ὃν μὲν γὰρ καιρόν, τῶν γραμμάτων αὐτῷ προσπεσόντων ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀναιρέσεως τῆς Ἀρσινόης, ἐξουσίαν ἔσχε μηνῦσαι τὴν πρᾶξιν καὶ σῶσαι τὰ κατὰ τὴν βασιλείαν, τότε δὴ συνεργήσας τοῖς περὶ τὸν Φιλάμμωνα, πάντων ἐγένετο τῶν ἐπιγενομένων κακῶν αἴτιος, μετὰ δὲ τὸ συντελεσθῆναι τὸν φόνον ἀνανεούμενος καὶ πρὸς πολλοὺς οἰκτιζόμενος καὶ μεταμελόμενος ἐπὶ τῷ τοιοῦτον καιρὸν παραλιπεῖν δῆλος ἐγένετο τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα· διὸ καὶ παραυτίκα τυχὼν τῆς ἁρμοζούσης τιμωρίας μετήλλαξε τὸν βίον. — πρώτους δὲ συναθροίσας τοὺς Μακεδόνας, εἰς τούτους εἰσῆλθε μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῆς Ἀγαθοκλείας. καὶ τὰς μὲν ἀρχὰς ὑπεκρίνετο τὸν οὐ δυνάμενον εἰπεῖν ἃ βούλεται διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἐπιφερομένων δακρύων· ἐπεὶ δὲ πλεονάκις ἀπομάττων τῇ χλαμύδι κατεκράτησε τῆς ἐπιφορᾶς, βαστάσας τὸ παιδίον "3Λάβετε"3 ἔφη "3τοῦτον, ὃν ὁ πατὴρ ἀποθνήσκων εἰς μὲν τὰς ἀγκάλας ἔδωκε ταύτῃ"3 δείξας τὴν ἀδελφὴν "3παρακατέθετο δʼ εἰς τὴν ὑμετέραν, ὦ ἄνδρες Μακεδόνες, πίστιν. ἡ μὲν οὖν [καὶ] ταύτης εὔνοια βραχεῖάν τινα ῥοπὴν ἔχει πρὸς τὴν τούτου σωτηρίαν, ἐν ὑμῖν δὲ κεῖται καὶ ταῖς ὑμετέραις χερσὶ τὰ τούτου νυνὶ πράγματα. Τληπόλεμος γὰρ πάλαι μὲν ἦν δῆλος τοῖς ὀρθῶς σκοπουμένοις μειζόνων ἐφιέμενος ἢ καθʼ ἑαυτὸν πραγμάτων, νῦν δὲ καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ὥρικεν, ἐν ᾗ μέλλει τὸ διάδημʼ ἀναλαμβάνειν. "3 καὶ περὶ τούτων οὐχ αὑτῷ πιστεύειν ἐκέλευεν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς εἰδόσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ παροῦσι νῦν ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων. καὶ τοῦτʼ εἰπὼν εἰσῆγε τὸν Κριτόλαον, ὃς ἔφη καὶ τοὺς βωμοὺς αὐτὸς ἑωρακέναι κατασκευαζομένους καὶ τὰ θύματα παρὰ τοῖς πλήθεσιν ἑτοιμαζόμενα πρὸς τὴν τοῦ διαδήματος ἀνάδειξιν. ὧν οἱ Μακεδόνες ἀκούοντες οὐχ οἷον ἠλέουν αὐτόν, ἀλλʼ ἁπλῶς οὐδὲν προσεῖχον τῶν λεγομένων, μυχθίζοντες δὲ καὶ διαψιθυρίζοντες ἐξελήρησαν οὕτως ὥστε μηδʼ αὐτὸν εἰδέναι [μήτε] πῶς τὸ παράπαν ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀπελύθη. παραπλήσια δὲ τούτοις ἐγίνετο καὶ περὶ τὰ λοιπὰ συστήματα κατὰ τοὺς ἐκκλησιασμούς. ἐν δὲ τῷ μεταξὺ πολὺς ἦν ὁ καταπλέων ἐκ τῶν ἄνω στρατοπέδων, καὶ παρεκάλουν οἱ μὲν συγγενεῖς, οἱ δὲ φίλους, βοηθεῖν τοῖς ὑποκειμένοις, καὶ μὴ περιιδεῖν σφᾶς ἀνέδην ὑφʼ οὕτως ἀναξίων ὑβριζομένους. μάλιστα δὲ παρώξυνε τοὺς πολλοὺς πρὸς τὴν κατὰ τῶν προεστώτων τιμωρίαν τὸ γινώσκειν ὅτι τὸ μέλλειν καθʼ αὑτῶν ἐστι διὰ τὸ πάντων τῶν παρακομιζομένων ἐπιτηδείων εἰς τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν κρατεῖν τοὺς περὶ τὸν Τληπόλεμον.
27. Moreover, an action of Agathocles himself served to heighten the anger of the multitude and of Tlepolemus. For he took Danae, the latter’s mother-in-law, from the temple of Demeter, dragged her through the middle of the city unveiled, and cast her into prison. His object in doing this was to manifest his hostility to Tlepolemus; but its effect was to loosen the tongues of the people. In their anger they no longer confined themselves to secret murmurs: but some of them in the night covered the walls in every part of the city with pasquinades; while others in the day time collected in groups and openly expressed their loathing for the government. Seeing what was taking place, and beginning to fear the worst, Agathocles at one time meditated making his escape by secret flight; but as he had nothing ready for such a measure, thanks to his own imprudence, he had to give up that idea. At another time he set himself to drawing out lists of men likely to assist him in a bold coup d'état, by which he should put to death or arrest his enemies, and then possess himself of absolute power. While still meditating these plans he received information that Moeragenes, one of the body-guard, was betraying all the secrets of the palace to Tlepolemus, and was co-operating with him on account of his relationship with Adaeus, at that time the commander of Bubastus. Agathocles immediately ordered his secretary Nicostratus to arrest Moeragenes, and extract the truth from him by every possible kind of torture. Being promptly arrested by Nicostratus, and taken to a retired part of the place, he was at first examined directly as to the facts alleged; but, refusing to confess anything, he was stripped. And now some of the torturers were preparing their instruments, and others with scourges in their hands were just taking off their outer garments, when just at that very moment a servant ran in, and, whispering something in the ear of Nicostratus, hurried out again. Nicostratus followed close behind him, without a word, frequently slapping his thigh with his hand.
27. ἐγένετο δέ τι καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα συνέργημα πρὸς τὸ τὴν ὀργὴν ἐπιτεῖναι τήν τε τῶν πολλῶν καὶ τὴν τοῦ Τληπολέμου· τὴν γὰρ Δανάην, ἥτις ἦν πενθερὰ τοῦ προειρημένου, λαβόντες ἐκ τοῦ τῆς Δήμητρος ἱεροῦ καὶ διὰ μέσου τῆς πόλεως ἑλκύσαντες ἀκατακάλυπτον εἰς φυλακὴν ἀπέθεντο, βουλόμενοι φανερὰν ποιεῖν τὴν πρὸς τὸν Τληπόλεμον διαφοράν. ἐφʼ οἷς τὸ πλῆθος ἀγανακτοῦν οὐκέτι κατʼ ἰδίαν οὐδὲ διʼ ἀπορρήτων ἐποιεῖτο τοὺς λόγους, ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν τὰς νύκτας εἰς πάντα τόπον ἐπέγραφον, οἱ δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας συστρεφόμενοι κατὰ μέρη φανερῶς ἐξέφερον ἤδη τὸ μῖσος εἰς τοὺς προεστῶτας. οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα βλέποντες τὰ συμβαίνοντα, καὶ μοχθηρὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχοντες περὶ αὑτῶν, τοτὲ μὲν ἐγίνοντο περὶ δρασμόν, οὐδενὸς δʼ αὐτοῖς ἡτοιμασμένου πρὸς τοῦτο τὸ μέρος διὰ τὴν σφετέραν ἀβουλίαν ἀφίσταντο τῆς ἐπιβολῆς· τοτὲ δὲ συνωμότας κατέγραφον καὶ κοινωνοὺς τῆς τόλμης, ὡς αὐτίκα μάλα τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοὺς μὲν κατασφάξοντες, τοὺς δὲ συλληψόμενοι, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τυραννικὴν ἐξουσίαν περιποιησόμενοι. ταῦτα δʼ αὐτῶν διανοουμένων προσέπεσε διαβολὴ κατά τινος Μοιραγένους, ἑνὸς τῶν σωματοφυλάκων, διότι μηνύοι πάντα τῷ Τληπολέμῳ καὶ συνεργοίη διὰ τὴν πρὸς Ἀδαῖον οἰκειότητα τὸν ἐπὶ τῆς Βουβαστοῦ τότε καθεσταμένον. ὁ δʼ Ἀγαθοκλῆς εὐθέως συνέταξε Νικοστράτῳ τῷ πρὸς τοῖς γράμμασι τεταγμένῳ συλλαβόντι τὸν Μοιραγένη φιλοτίμως ἐξετάσαι, πᾶσαν προτιθέντα βάσανον. οὗτος μὲν οὖν παραχρῆμα συλληφθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Νικοστράτου καὶ παραχθεὶς εἴς τινα μέρη τῆς αὐλῆς ἀποκεχωρηκότα, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐξ ὀρθῆς ἀνεκρίνετο περὶ τῶν προσπεπτωκότων, πρὸς οὐδὲν δὲ τῶν λεγομένων ἀνθομολογούμενος ἐξεδύθη· καὶ τινὲς μὲν τὰ πρὸς τὰς βασάνους ὄργανα διεσκεύαζον, οἱ δὲ τὰς μάστιγας ἔχοντες μετὰ χεῖρας ἀπεδύοντο τὰς χλαμύδας. κατὰ δὲ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον προστρέχει τις τῶν ὑπηρετῶν πρὸς τὸν Νικόστρατον, καὶ ψιθυρίσας πρὸς τὴν ἀκοὴν ἅττα δήποτʼ οὖν ἀπηλλάττετο μετὰ σπουδῆς. ὁ δὲ Νικόστρατος ἐκ ποδὸς ἐπηκολούθει τούτῳ, λέγων μὲν οὐδέν, τύπτων δὲ συνεχῶς τὸν μηρόν.
28. The predicament of Moeragenes was now indescribably strange. There stood the executioners by his side on the point of raising their scourges, while others close to him were getting ready their instruments of torture: but when Nicostratus withdrew they all stood silently staring at each other’s faces, expecting him every moment to return; but as time went on they one by one slipped away, until Moeragenes was left alone. Having made his way through the palace, after this unhoped-for escape, he rushed in his half-clothed state into a tent of the Macedonian guards which was situated close to the palace. They chanced to be at breakfast, and therefore a good many were collected together; and to them he narrated the story of his wonderful escape. At first they would not believe it, but ultimately were convinced by his appearing without his clothes. Taking advantage of this extraordinary occurrence, Moeragenes besought the Macedonian guards with tears not only to help him to secure his own safety, but the king’s also, and above all their own. “For certain destruction stared them in the face,” he said, “unless they seized the moment when the hatred of the populace was at its height, and every one was ready to wreak vengeance on Agathocles. That moment was now, and all that was wanted was some one to begin.”
28. περὶ δὲ τὸν Μοιραγένην ἄφατον ἦν καὶ παράλογον τὸ συμβαῖνον. οἱ μὲν γὰρ μόνον οὐ διατεταμένοι τὰς μάστιγας παρέστασαν, οἱ δὲ πρὸ ποδῶν αὐτοῦ τὰ πρὸς ἀνάγκας ὄργανα διεσκεύαζον· τοῦ δὲ Νικοστράτου παραχωρήσαντος ἕστασαν ἀχανεῖς πάντες, ἐμβλέποντες ἀλλήλοις, προσδοκῶντες ἀεί ποτε τὸν προειρημένον ἀνακάμψειν. χρόνου δὲ γινομένου κατὰ βραχὺ διέρρεον οἱ παρεστῶτες, τέλος δʼ ὁ Μοιραγένης ἀπελείφθη. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα διελθὼν τὴν αὐλὴν ἀνελπίστως παρέπεσε γυμνὸς εἴς τινα σκηνὴν τῶν Μακεδόνων, σύνεγγυς κειμένην τῆς αὐλῆς. καταλαβὼν δὲ κατὰ τύχην ἀριστῶντας καὶ συνηθροισμένους, ἔλεγε τὰ περὶ αὑτὸν συμβεβηκότα καὶ τὸ παράλογον τῆς σωτηρίας. οἱ δὲ τὰ μὲν ἠπίστουν, τὰ δὲ πάλιν ὁρῶντες αὐτὸν γυμνὸν ἠναγκάζοντο πιστεύειν. ἐκ δὲ ταύτης τῆς περιπετείας ὅ τε Μοιραγένης μετὰ δακρύων ἐδεῖτο τῶν Μακεδόνων μὴ μόνον τῆς αὑτοῦ συνεπιλαβέσθαι σωτηρίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ μάλιστα τῆς σφῶν αὐτῶν· πρόδηλον γὰρ εἶναι πᾶσι τὸν ὄλεθρον, ἐὰν μὴ συνάψωνται τοῦ καιροῦ, καθʼ ὃν ἀκμάζει τὸ τῶν πολλῶν μῖσος καὶ πᾶς ἕτοιμός ἐστι πρὸς τὴν κατʼ Ἀγαθοκλέους τιμωρίαν. ἀκμάζειν δὲ νῦν μά λιστʼ ἔφη καὶ προσδεῖσθαι τῶν καταρξομένων.
29. The passions of the Macedonians were roused by these words, and they finally agreed to do as Moeragenes advised. They at once went round to the tents, first those of their own corps, and then those of the other soldiers; which were all close together, facing the same quarter of the city. The wish was one which had for a long time been formed in the minds of the soldiery, wanting nothing but some one to call it forth, and with courage to begin. No sooner, therefore, had a commencement been made than it blazed out like a fire: and before four hours had elapsed every class, whether military or civil, had agreed to make the attempt. At this crisis, too, chance contributed a great deal to the final catastrophe. For a letter addressed by Tlepolemus to the army as well as some of his spies, had fallen into the hands of Agathocles. The letter announced that he would be at Alexandria shortly, and the spies informed Agathocles that he was already there. This news so distracted Agathocles that he gave up taking any measures at all or even thinking about the dangers which surrounded him, but departed at his usual hour to his wine, and kept up the carouse to the end in his usual licentious fashion. But his mother Oenanthe went in great distress to the temple of Demeter and Persephone, which was open on account of a certain annual sacrifice; and there first of all she besought the aid of those goddesses with bendings of the knee and strange incantations, and then sat down close to the altar and remained motionless. Most of the women present, delighted to witness her dejection and distress, kept silence: but the ladies of the family of Polycrates, and certain others of the nobility, being as yet unaware of what was going on around them, approached Oenanthe and tried to comfort her. But she cried out in a loud voice: “Do not come near me, you monsters! I know you well! Your hearts are always against us; and you pray the goddess for all imaginable evil upon us. Still I trust and believe that, God willing, you shall one day taste the flesh of your own children.” With these words she ordered her female attendants to drive them away, and strike them with their staves if they refused to go. The ladies availed themselves of this excuse for quitting the temple in a body, raising their hands and praying that she might herself have experience of those very miseries with which she had threatened her neighbours.
29. οἱ δὲ Μακεδόνες ἀκούσαντες τούτων παροξύνονται, καὶ πέρας ἐπείσθησαν τῷ Μοιραγένει, καὶ πρώτας μὲν εὐθέως ἐπῄεσαν τὰς τῶν Μακεδόνων σκηνάς, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τὰς τῶν ἄλλων στρατιωτῶν· εἰσὶ δʼ αὗται συνεχεῖς, πρὸς ἓν μέρος ἀπονενευκυῖαι τῆς πόλεως. οὔσης δὲ τῆς μὲν ὁρμῆς πάλαι προχείρου τῆς τῶν πολλῶν, προσδεομένης δὲ τοῦ προκαλεσομένου μόνον καὶ τολμήσοντος, ἅμα τῷ λαβεῖν ἀρχὴν τὸ πρᾶγμα ταχέως οἷον εἰ πῦρ ἐξέλαμψεν. οὐ γὰρ ἐγενήθησαν ὧραι τέτταρες καὶ πάντα τὰ γένη συμπεφωνήκει καὶ τὰ στρατιωτικὰ καὶ τὰ πολιτικὰ πρὸς τὴν ἐπίθεσιν. συνήργησε γὰρ μεγάλα καὶ ταὐτόματον ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τούτῳ πρὸς τὴν συντέλειαν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ἀγαθοκλῆς, ἀνενεχθείσης πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπιστολῆς καὶ κατασκόπων ἐπαναχθέντων, καὶ τῆς μὲν ἐπιστολῆς γεγραμμένης πρὸς τὰς δυνάμεις παρὰ τοῦ Τληπολέμου καὶ δηλούσης ὅτι παρέσται ταχέως, τῶν δὲ κατασκόπων διασαφούντων ὅτι πάρεστιν, οὕτως ἐξέστη τῶν φρενῶν ὥστʼ ἀφέμενος τοῦ πράττειν τι καὶ διανοεῖσθαι περὶ τῶν προσπεπτωκότων ἀπῆλθε κατὰ τὸν εἰθισμένον καιρὸν εἰς τὸν πότον, κἀκεῖ κατὰ τὴν εἰθισμένην ἀγωγὴν ἐπετέλει τὴν συνουσίαν. ἡ δʼ Οἰνάνθη περικακοῦσα παρῆν εἰς τὸ Θεσμοφορεῖον, ἀνεῳγμένου τοῦ νεὼ διά τινα θυσίαν ἐπέτειον. καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐλιπάρει γονυπετοῦσα καὶ μαγγανεύουσα πρὸς τὰς θεάς, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα καθίσασα πρὸς τὸν βωμὸν εἶχε τὴν ἡσυχίαν. αἱ μὲν οὖν πολλαὶ τῶν γυναικῶν, ἡδέως ὁρῶσαι τὴν δυσθυμίαν καὶ περικάκησιν αὐτῆς, ἀπεσιώπων· αἱ δὲ τοῦ Πολυκράτους συγγενεῖς καί τινες ἕτεραι τῶν ἐνδόξων, ἀδήλου τῆς περιστάσεως αὐταῖς ἀκμὴν ὑπαρχούσης, προσελθοῦσαι παρεμυθοῦντο τὴν Οἰνάνθην. ἡ δʼ ἀναβοήσασα μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ "μή μοι πρόσιτέ" φησι "θηρία· καλῶς γὰρ ὑμᾶς γινώσκω, διότι καὶ φρονεῖθʼ ἡμῖν ἐναντία καὶ ταῖς θεαῖς εὔχεσθε τὰ δυσχερέστατα καθʼ ἡμῶν. οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ἔτι πέποιθα τῶν θεῶν βουλομένων γεύσειν ὑμᾶς τῶν ἰδίων τέκνων". καὶ ταῦτʼ εἰποῦσα ταῖς ῥαβδούχοις ἀνείργειν προσέταξε καὶ παίειν τὰς μὴ πειθαρχούσας. αἱ δʼ ἐπιλαβόμεναι τῆς προφάσεως ταύτης ἀπηλλάττοντο πᾶσαι, τοῖς θεοῖς ἀνίσχουσαι τὰς χεῖρας καὶ καταρώμεναι λαβεῖν αὐτὴν ἐκείνην πεῖραν τούτων, ἃ κατὰ τῶν πέλας ἐπανετείνετο πράξειν.
30. The men having by this time decided upon a revolution, now that in every house the anger of the women was added to the general resentment, the popular hatred blazed out with redoubled violence. As soon as night fell the whole city was filled with tumult, torches, and hurrying feet. Some were assembling with shouts in the stadium; some were calling upon others to join them; some were running backwards and forwards seeking to conceal themselves in houses and places least likely to be suspected. And now the open spaces round the palace, the stadium, and the street were filled with a motley crowd, as well as the area in front of the Dionysian Theatre. Being informed of this, Agathocles roused himself from a drunken lethargy,—for he had just dismissed his drinking party,—and, accompanied by all his family, with the exception of Philo, went to the king. After a few words of lamentation over his misfortunes addressed to the child, he took him by the hand, and proceeded to the covered walk which runs between the Maeander garden and the Palaestra, and leads to the entrance of the theatre. Having securely fastened the two first doors through which he passed, he entered the third with two or three bodyguards, his own family, and the king. The doors, however, which were secured by double bars, were only of lattice work and could therefore be seen through. By this time the mob had collected from every part of the city in such numbers, that, not only was every foot of ground occupied, but the doorsteps and roofs also were crammed with human beings; and such a mingled storm of shouts and cries arose, as might be expected from a crowd in which women and children were mixed with men: for in Alexandria, as in Carthage, the children perform as conspicuous a part in such commotions as the men.
30. ἤδη δὲ κεκριμένου τοῦ καινοτομεῖν τοῖς ἀνδράσιν, ἐπιγενομένης καθʼ ἑκάστην οἰκίαν καὶ τῆς ἐκ τῶν γυναικῶν ὀργῆς διπλάσιον ἐξεκαύθη τὸ μῖσος. ἅμα δὲ τῷ μεταλαβεῖν τὸ τῆς νυκτὸς πᾶσα πλήρης ἦν ἡ πόλις θορύβου καὶ φώτων καὶ διαδρομῆς· οἱ μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὸ στάδιον ἡθροίζοντο μετὰ κραυγῆς, οἱ δὲ παρεκάλουν ἀλλήλους, οἱ δὲ κατεδύοντο διαδιδράσκοντες εἰς ἀνυπονοήτους οἰκίας καὶ τόπους· ἤδη δὲ τῶν περὶ τὴν αὐλὴν εὐρυχωριῶν καὶ τοῦ σταδίου καὶ τῆς πλατείας πλήρους ὑπαρχούσης ὄχλου παντοδαποῦ καὶ τῆς περὶ τὸ Διονυσιακὸν θέατρον προστασίας, πυθόμενος τὸ συμβαῖνον Ἀγαθοκλῆς ἐξηγέρθη μεθύων, ἄρτι καταλελυκὼς τὸν πότον, καὶ παραλαβὼν τοὺς συγγενεῖς πάντας πλὴν Φίλωνος ἧκε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα. καὶ βραχέα πρὸς τοῦτον οἰκτισάμενος καὶ λαβόμενος αὐτοῦ τῆς χειρός, ἀνέβαινεν εἰς τὴν σύριγγα τὴν μεταξὺ τοῦ Μαιάνδρου καὶ τῆς παλαίστρας κειμένην καὶ φέρουσαν ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ θεάτρου πάροδον. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα, δύο θύρας ἀσφαλισάμενος τὰς πρώτας, εἰς τὴν τρίτην ἀνεχώρησε μετὰ δυεῖν ἢ τριῶν σωματοφυλάκων καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῆς αὑτοῦ συγγενείας. συνέβαινε δὲ τὰς θύρας εἶναι δικτυωτὰς διαφανεῖς, ἀποκλειομένας δὲ διττοῖς μοχλοῖς. κατὰ δὲ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἡθροισμένου τοῦ πλήθους ἐξ ἁπάσης τῆς πόλεως, ὥστε μὴ μόνον τοὺς ἐπιπέδους τόπους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ βάθρα καὶ τὰ τέγη καταγέμειν ἀνθρώπων, ἐγίνετο βοὴ καὶ κραυγὴ σύμμικτος, ὡς ἂν γυναικῶν ὁμοῦ καὶ παίδων ἀνδράσιν ἀναμεμιγμένων· οὐ γὰρ ἐλάττω ποιεῖ τὰ παιδάρια τῶν ἀνδρῶν περὶ τὰς τοιαύτας ταραχὰς ἔν τε τῇ Καρχηδονίων πόλει καὶ κατὰ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν.
31. Day now began to break and the uproar was still a confused babel of voices; but one cry made itself heard conspicuously above the rest, it was a call for THE KING. The first thing actually done was by the Macedonian guard: they left their quarters and seized the vestibule which served as the audience hall of the palace; then, after a brief pause, having ascertained whereabouts in the palace the king was, they went round to the covered walk, burst open the first doors, and, when they came to the next, demanded with loud shouts that the young king should be surrendered to them. Agathocles, recognising his danger, begged his bodyguards to go in his name to the Macedonians, to inform them that “he resigned the guardianship of the king, and all offices, honours, or emoluments which he possessed, and only asked that his life should be granted him with a bare maintenance; that by sinking to his original situation in life he would be rendered incapable, even if he wished it, of being henceforth oppressive to any one.” All the bodyguards refused except Aristomenes, who afterwards obtained the chief power in the state. This man was an Acarnanian, and, though far advanced in life when he obtained supreme power, he is thought to have made a most excellent and blameless guardian of the king and kingdom. And as he was distinguished in that capacity, so had he been remarkable before for his adulation of Agathocles in the time of his prosperity. He was the first, when entertaining Agathocles at his house, to distinguish him among his guests by the present of a gold diadem, an honour reserved by custom to the kings alone; he was the first too who ventured to wear his likeness on his ring; and when a daughter was born to him he named her Agathocleia. But to return to my story. Aristomenes undertook the mission, received his message, and made his way through a certain wicket-gate to the Macedonians. He stated his business in few words: the first impulse of the Macedonians was to stab him to death on the spot; but some of them held up their hands to protect him, and successfully begged his life. He accordingly returned with orders to bring the king or to come no more himself. Having dismissed Aristomenes with these words, the Macedonians proceeded to burst open the second door also. When convinced by their proceedings, no less than by the answers they had returned, of the fierce purpose of the Macedonians, the first idea of Agathocles was to thrust his hand through the latticed door,—while Agathocleia did the same with her breasts which she said had suckled the king,—and by every kind of entreaty to beg that the Macedonians would grant him bare life.
31. ἤδη δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας ὑποφαινούσης ἦν μὲν ἄκριτος ἡ κραυγή, μάλιστα δʼ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐξέλαμψε τὸ καλεῖν τὸν βασιλέα. τὸ μὲν οὖν πρῶτον οἱ Μακεδόνες ἐξαναστάντες κατελάβοντο τὸν χρηματιστικὸν πυλῶνα τῶν βασιλείων· μετὰ δέ τινα χρόνον ἐπιγνόντες ποῦ τῆς αὐλῆς ἦν ὁ βασιλεύς, περιελθόντες τὰς μὲν πρώτας τῆς [πρώτης] σύριγγος ἐξέβαλον θύρας, ἐγγίσαντες δὲ τῆς δευτέρας ᾐτοῦντο τὸν παῖδα μετὰ κραυγῆς. οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα, βλέποντες ἤδη τὰ καθʼ αὑτούς, ἐδέοντο τῶν σωματοφυλάκων πρεσβεῦσαι περὶ αὑτῶν πρὸς τοὺς Μακεδόνας, δηλοῦντας ὅτι τῆς ἐπιτροπείας ἐκχωροῦσι καὶ τῆς ἄλλης ἐξουσίας καὶ τῶν τιμῶν, ἔτι δὲ τῶν χορηγίων ὧν ἔχουσι πάντων, αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ πνευμάτιον δέονται συγχωρηθῆναι σφίσι μετὰ τῆς ἀναγκαίας τροφῆς, ἵνα χωρήσαντες εἰς τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς διάθεσιν μηδὲ βουληθέντες ἔτι δύνωνται λυπεῖν μηδένα. τῶν μὲν οὖν ἄλλων σωματοφυλάκων οὐδεὶς ὑπήκουσεν, Ἀριστομένης δὲ μόνος ὑπέστη τὴν χρείαν ταύτην ὁ μετά τινα χρόνον ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων γενόμενος. ὁ δʼ ἀνὴρ οὗτος τὸ μὲν γένος ἦν Ἀκαρνάν, καθʼ ὅσον δὲ προβαίνων κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν, γενόμενος κύριος τῶν ὅλων πραγμάτων, κάλλιστα καὶ σεμνότατα δοκεῖ προστῆναι τοῦ τε βασιλέως καὶ τῆς βασιλείας, κατὰ τοσοῦτον κεκολακευκέναι τὴν Ἀγαθοκλέους εὐκαιρίαν. πρῶτος μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἑαυτὸν ἐπὶ δεῖπνον καλέσας τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα χρυσοῦν στέφανον ἀνέδωκε μόνῳ τῶν παρόντων, ὃ τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν αὐτοῖς ἔθος ἐστὶ μόνοις συγχωρεῖσθαι, πρῶτος δὲ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ προειρημένου φέρειν ἐτόλμησεν ἐν τῷ δακτυλίῳ· γενομένης δὲ θυγατρὸς αὐτῷ ταύτην Ἀγαθόκλειαν προσηγόρευσεν. ἀλλʼ ἴσως ὑπὲρ μὲν τούτων ἐξαρκεῖ καὶ τὰ νῦν εἰρημένα· λαβὼν δὲ τὰς προειρημένας ἐντολὰς καὶ διά τινος ῥινοπύλης ἐξελθών, ἧκε πρὸς τοὺς Μακεδόνας. βραχέα δʼ αὐτοῦ διαλεχθέντος καὶ δηλώσαντος τὴν προαίρεσιν, ἐπεβάλοντο μὲν οἱ Μακεδόνες παραχρῆμα συγκεντῆσαι, ταχὺ δέ τινων ὑπερεχόντων αὐτοῦ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ παραιτησαμένων τοὺς πολλούς, ἐπανῆλθε λαβὼν ἐντολὴν ἢ τὸν βασιλέα πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἄγονθʼ ἥκειν ἢ μηδʼ αὐτὸν ἐξιέναι. τὸν μὲν οὖν Ἀριστομένην ταῦτʼ εἰπόντες οἱ Μακεδόνες ἀπέπεμψαν, αὐτοὶ δὲ ταῖς δευτέραις θύραις ἐγγίσαντες ἐξέωσαν καὶ ταύτας. οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα θεωροῦντες τὴν τῶν Μακεδόνων βίαν διά τε τῶν ἐνεργουμένων καὶ διὰ τῆς ἀποκρίσεως, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐπεβάλοντο διὰ τῆς θύρας προτείναντες τὰς χεῖρας, ἡ δʼ Ἀγαθόκλεια καὶ τοὺς μασθούς, οἷς ἔφη θρέψαι τὸν βασιλέα, δεῖσθαι τῶν Μακεδόνων, πᾶσαν προϊέμενοι φωνὴν πρὸς τὸ περιποιήσασθαι τὸ ζῆν αὐτὸ μόνον·
32. But finding that his long and piteous appeals produced no effect, at last he sent out the young king with the bodyguards. As soon as they had got the king, the Macedonians placed him on a horse and conducted him to the stadium. His appearance being greeted with loud shouts and clapping of hands, they stopped the horse, and dismounting the child, ushered him to the royal stall and seated him there. But the feelings of the crowd were divided: they were delighted that the young king had been brought, but they were dissatisfied that the guilty persons had not been arrested and met with the punishment they deserved. Accordingly, they continued with loud cries to demand that the authors of all the mischief should be brought out and made an example. The day was wearing away, and yet the crowd had found no one on whom to wreak their vengeance, when Sosibius, who, though a son of the elder Sosibius, was at that time a member of the bodyguard, and as such had a special eye to the safety of the king and the State,—seeing that the furious desire of the multitude was implacable, and that the child was frightened at the unaccustomed faces that surrounded him and the uproar of the crowd, asked the king whether he would “surrender to the populace those who had injured him or his mother.” The boy having nodded assent, Sosibius bade some of the bodyguard announce the king’s decision, while he raised the young child from his seat and took him to his own house which was close by to receive proper attention and refreshment. When the message from the king was declared, the whole place broke out into a storm of cheering and clapping of hands. But meanwhile Agathocles and Agathocleia had separated and gone each to their own lodgings. Without loss of time soldiers, some voluntarily and others under pressure from the crowd, started in search of them.
32. ἐπεὶ δὲ πολλὰ κατολοφυρόμενοι τὴν αὑτῶν τύχην οὐδὲν ἤνυον, τέλος ἐξέπεμψαν τὸν παῖδα μετὰ τῶν σωματοφυλάκων. οἱ δὲ Μακεδόνες, παραλαβόντες τὸν βασιλέα καὶ ταχέως ἐφʼ ἵππον ἀναβιβάσαντες, ἦγον εἰς τὸ στάδιον. ἅμα δὲ τῷ φανῆναι μεγάλης κραυγῆς καὶ κρότου γενηθέντος, ἐπιστήσαντες τὸν ἵππον καθεῖλον τὸν παῖδα, καὶ προαγαγόντες ἐκάθισαν εἰς τὴν βασιλικὴν θέαν. περὶ δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους ἐγένετό τις ἅμα χαρὰ καὶ λύπη· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἦσαν περιχαρεῖς ἐπὶ τῷ κεκομίσθαι τὸν παῖδα, τὰ δὲ πάλιν δυσηρέστουν τῷ μὴ συνειλῆφθαι τοὺς αἰτίους μηδὲ τυγχάνειν τῆς ἁρμοζούσης τιμωρίας. διὸ καὶ συνεχῶς ἐβόων, ἄγειν κελεύοντες καὶ παραδειγματίζειν τοὺς πάντων τῶν κακῶν αἰτίους. ἤδη δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας προβαινούσης, καὶ τοῦ πλήθους ἐπʼ οὐδένα δυναμένου πέρας ἀπερείσασθαι τὴν ὁρμήν, Σωσίβιος, ὃς ἦν μὲν υἱὸς Σωσιβίου, τότε δὲ σωματοφύλαξ ὑπάρχων μάλιστα τὸν νοῦν προσεῖχε τῷ τε βασιλεῖ καὶ τοῖς πράγμασι, θεωρῶν τήν τε τοῦ πλήθους ὁρμὴν ἀμετάθετον οὖσαν καὶ τὸ παιδίον δυσχρηστούμενον διά τε τὴν τῶν παρεστώτων ἀσυνήθειαν καὶ διὰ τὴν περὶ τὸν ὄχλον ταραχήν, ἐπύθετο τοῦ βασιλέως εἰ παραδώσει τοῖς πολλοῖς τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν ἢ τὴν μητέρα τι πεπλημμεληκότας. τοῦ δὲ κατανεύσαντος, τῶν μὲν σωματοφυλάκων τισὶν εἶπε δηλῶσαι τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως γνώμην, τὸ δὲ παιδίον ἀναστήσας ἀπῆγε πρὸς τὴν θεραπείαν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν οἰκίαν, σύνεγγυς οὖσαν. τῶν δὲ διασαφούντων τὰ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, κατερρήγνυτο πᾶς ὁ τόπος ὑπὸ τοῦ κρότου καὶ τῆς κραυγῆς. οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα καὶ τὴν Ἀγαθόκλειαν ἐν τούτῳ τῷ καιρῷ διεχωρίσθησαν ἀλλήλων εἰς τὰς ἰδίας καταλύσεις. ταχὺ δὲ τῶν στρατιωτῶν τινες, οἱ μὲν ἐθελοντήν, οἱ δʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους ἐξωθούμενοι, παρώρμησαν ἐπὶ τὸ ζητεῖν τοὺς προειρημένους.
33. The beginning of actual bloodshed, however, was this. One of the servants and flatterers of Agathocles, whose name was Philo, came out to the stadium still flustered with wine. Seeing the fury of the multitude, he said to some bystanders that they would have cause to repent it again, as they had only the other day, if Agathocles were to come there. Of those who heard him some began to abuse him, while others pushed him about; and on his attempting to defend himself, some tore his cloak off his back, while others thrust their spears into him and wounded him mortally. He was dragged into the middle of the crowd breathing his last gasp; and, having thus tasted blood, the multitude began to look impatiently for the coming of the other victims. They had not to wait long. First appeared Agathocles dragged along bound hand and foot. No sooner had he entered than some soldiers rushed at him and struck him dead. And in doing so they were his friends rather than enemies, for they saved him from the horrible death which he deserved. Nicon was brought next, and after him Agathocleia stripped naked, with her two sisters; and following them the whole family. Last of all some men came bringing Oenanthe, whom they had torn from the temple of Demeter and Persephone, riding stripped naked upon a horse. They were all given up to the populace, who bit, and stabbed them, and knocked out their eyes, and, as soon as any one of them fell, tore him limb from limb, until they had utterly annihilated them all: for the savagery of the Egyptians when their passions are roused is indeed terrible. At the same time some young girls who had been brought up with Arsinoe, having learnt that Philammon, the chief agent in the murder of that Queen, had arrived three days before from Cyrene, rushed to his house; forced their way in; killed Philammon with stones and sticks; strangled his infant son; and, not content with this, dragged his wife naked into the street and put her to death. Such was the end of Agathocles and Agathocleia and their kinsfolk.
33. τοῦ δὲ ποιεῖν αἷμα καὶ φόνους ἐγένετό τις ἐκ ταὐτομάτου καταρχὴ τοιαύτη. τῶν γὰρ Ἀγαθοκλέους ὑπηρετῶν καὶ κολάκων τις ὄνομα Φίλων ἐξῆλθε κραιπαλῶν εἰς τὸ στάδιον. οὗτος θεωρῶν τὴν ὁρμὴν τῶν ὄχλων εἶπε πρὸς τοὺς παρεστῶτας ὅτι πάλιν αὐτοῖς, καθάπερ καὶ πρῴην, ἐὰν Ἀγαθοκλῆς ἐξέλθῃ, μεταμελήσει. τῶν δʼ ἀκουσάντων οἱ μὲν ἀπελοιδόρουν αὐτόν, οἱ δὲ προώθουν. ἐπιβαλομένου δʼ ἀμύνεσθαι ταχέως οἱ μὲν τὴν χλαμύδα περιέρρηξαν, οἱ δὲ τὰς λόγχας προσερείσαντες ἐξεκέντησαν. ἅμα δὲ τῷ τοῦτον εἰς τὸ μέσον ἑλκυσθῆναι μεθʼ ὕβρεως ἔτι σπαίροντα, καὶ γεύσασθαι τὰ πλήθη φόνου, πάντες ἐκαραδόκουν τὴν τῶν ἄλλων παρουσίαν. μετʼ οὐ πολὺ δὲ παρῆν ἀγόμενος πρῶτος Ἀγαθοκλῆς δέσμιος· ὃν εὐθέως εἰσιόντα προσδραμόντες τινὲς ἄφνω συνεκέντησαν, ἔργον ποιοῦντες οὐκ ἐχθρῶν, ἀλλʼ εὐνοούντων· αἴτιοι γὰρ ἐγένοντο τοῦ μὴ τυχεῖν αὐτὸν τῆς ἁρμοζούσης καταστροφῆς· μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον ἤχθη Νίκων, εἶτʼ Ἀγαθόκλεια γυμνὴ σὺν ταῖς ἀδελφαῖς, ἑξῆς δὲ τούτοις πάντες οἱ συγγενεῖς. ἐπὶ δὲ πᾶσιν ἐκ τοῦ Θεσμοφορείου τὴν Οἰνάνθην ἀποσπάσαντες ἧκον εἰς τὸ στάδιον, ἄγοντες γυμνὴν ἐφʼ ἵππου. παραδοθέντων δὲ πάντων ὁμοῦ τοῖς ὄχλοις, οἱ μὲν ἔδακνον, οἱ δʼ ἐκέντουν, οἱ δὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐξέκοπτον· ἀεὶ δὲ τοῦ πεσόντος τὰ μέλη διέσπων, ἕως ὅτου κατελώβησαν πάντας αὐτούς· δεινὴ γάρ τις ἡ περὶ τοὺς θυμοὺς ὠμότης γίνεται τῶν κατὰ τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἀνθρώπων. κατὰ δὲ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον σύντροφοι τῆς Ἀρσινόης γεγενημέναι τινὲς παιδίσκαι, πυθόμεναι παραγεγονέναι τὸν Φιλάμμωνα τριταῖον ἀπὸ Κυρήνης τὸν ἐπιστάντα τῷ φόνῳ τῆς βασιλίσσης, ὥρμησαν ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ βιασάμεναι τὸν μὲν Φιλάμμωνα τύπτουσαι τοῖς λίθοις καὶ τοῖς ξύλοις ἀπέκτειναν, τὸν δʼ υἱὸν ἀπέπνιξαν, ἀντίπαιδα τὴν ἡλικίαν ὄντα, σὺν δὲ τούτοις τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ Φιλάμμωνος γυμνὴν εἰς τὴν πλατεῖαν ἐξέλκουσαι διέφθειραν. καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα καὶ τὴν Ἀγαθόκλειαν καὶ τοὺς τούτων συγγενεῖς τοιοῦτον ἔσχε τὸ τέλος.
34. I am quite aware of the miraculous occurrences and embellishments which the chroniclers of this event have added to their narrative with a view of producing a striking effect upon their hearers, making more of their comments on the story than of the story itself and the main incidents. Some ascribe it entirely to Fortune, and take the opportunity of expatiating on her fickleness and the difficulty of being on one’s guard against her. Others dwell upon the unexpectedness of the event, and try to assign its causes and probabilities. It was not my purpose, however, to treat this episode in this way, because Agathocles was not a man of conspicuous courage or ability as a soldier; nor particularly successful or worth imitating as a statesman; nor, lastly, eminent for his acuteness as a courtier or cunning as an intriguer, by which latter accomplishments Sosibius and many others have managed to keep one king after another under their influence to the last day of their lives. The very opposite of all this may be said of this man. For though he obtained high promotion owing to Philopator’s feebleness as a king; and though after his death he had the most favourable opportunity of consolidating his power, he yet soon fell into contempt, and lost his position and his life at once, thanks to his own want of courage and vigour.
34. ἐγὼ δʼ οὐκ ἀγνοῶ μὲν τὰς τερατείας καὶ διασκευάς, αἷς κέχρηνται πρὸς ἔκπληξιν τῶν ἀκουόντων ἔνιοι τῶν γεγραφότων τὰς πράξεις ταύτας, πλείω τὸν ἐπιμετροῦντα λόγον διατιθέμενοι τοῦ συνέχοντος τὰ πράγματα καὶ κυρίου, τινὲς μὲν ἐπὶ τὴν τύχην ἀναφέροντες τὰ γεγονότα καὶ τιθέντες ὑπὸ τὴν ὄψιν τὸ ταύτης ἀβέβαιον καὶ δυσφύλακτον, οἱ δὲ τὸ παράδοξον τῶν συμβεβηκότων ὑπὸ λόγον ἄγοντες, πειρώμενοι τοῖς γεγονόσιν αἰτίας καὶ πιθανότητας ὑποτάττειν. οὐ μὴν ἔγωγε προεθέμην τούτῳ χρήσασθαι τῷ χειρισμῷ περὶ τῶν προειρημένων διὰ τὸ μήτε πολεμικὴν τόλμαν καὶ δύναμιν ἐπίσημον γεγονέναι περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα μήτε χει ρισμὸν πραγμάτων ἐπιτυχῆ καὶ ζηλωτὸν μήτε τὸ τελευταῖον τὴν αὐλικὴν ἀγχίνοιαν καὶ κακοπραγμοσύνην διαφέρουσαν, ἐν ᾗ Σωσίβιος καὶ πλείους ἕτεροι κατεβίωσαν, βασιλεῖς ἐκ βασιλέων μεταχειριζόμενοι, τὰ δʼ ἐναντία τούτοις συμβεβηκέναι περὶ τὸν προειρημένον ἄνδρα. προαγωγῆς μὲν γὰρ ἔτυχε παραδόξου διὰ τὴν τοῦ Φιλοπάτορος ἀδυναμίαν τοῦ βασιλεύειν· τυχὼν δὲ ταύτης καὶ παραλαβὼν εὐφυέστατον καιρὸν μετὰ τὸν ἐκείνου θάνατον πρὸς τὸ συντηρῆσαι τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἅμα τὰ πράγματα καὶ τὸ ζῆν ἀπέβαλε διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀνανδρίαν καὶ ῥᾳθυμίαν, ἐν πάνυ βραχεῖ χρόνῳ καταγνωσθείς.
35. To such a story then no such dissertation is required, as was in place, for instance, in the case of the Sicilian monarchs, Agathocles and Dionysius, and certain others who have administered governments with reputation. For the former of these, starting from a plebeian and humble position—having been, as Timaeus sneeringly remarks, a potter—came from the wheel, clay, and smoke, quite a young man to Syracuse. And, to begin with, both these men in their respective generations became tyrants of Syracuse, a city that had obtained at that time the greatest reputation and the greatest wealth of any in the world; and afterwards were regarded as suzerains of all Sicily, and lords of certain districts in Italy. While, for his part, Agathocles not only made an attempt upon Africa, but eventually died in possession of the greatness he had acquired. It is on this account that the story is told of Publius Scipio, the first conqueror of the Carthaginians, that being asked whom he considered to have been the most skilful administrators and most distinguished for boldness combined with prudence, he replied, “the Sicilians Agathocles and Dionysius.” Now, in the case of such men as these, it is certainly right to try to arrest the attention of our readers, and, I suppose, to speak of Fortune and the mutability of human affairs, and in fact to point a moral: but in the case of such men as we have been speaking of, it is quite out of place to do so.
35. διόπερ οὐ χρὴ τοῖς τοιούτοις προσάπτειν τὸν ἐπιμετροῦντα λόγον, καθάπερ εἶπα, τῷ δʼ Ἀγαθοκλεῖ καὶ Διονυσίῳ τοῖς Σικελιώταις καί τισιν ἑτέροις τῶν ἐν πράγμασιν ἐπʼ ὀνόματος γεγονότων. ἐκείνων γὰρ ὁ μὲν ἕτερος ἐκ δημοτικῆς καὶ ταπεινῆς ὑποθέσεως ὁρμηθείς, ὁ δʼ Ἀγαθοκλῆς, ὡς ὁ Τίμαιος ἐπισκώπτων φησί, κεραμεὺς ὑπάρχων καὶ καταλιπὼν τὸν τροχὸν καὶ τὸν πηλὸν καὶ τὸν καπνόν, ἧκε νέος ὢν εἰς τὰς Συρακούσας. καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐγενήθησαν ἀμφότεροι κατὰ τοὺς ἰδίους καιροὺς τύραννοι Συρακουσῶν, πόλεως τῆς μέγιστον ἀξίωμα τότε καὶ μέγιστον πλοῦτον περιποιησαμένης, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα βασιλεῖς ἁπάσης Σικελίας νομισθέντες καί τινων καὶ τῆς Ἰταλίας μερῶν κυριεύσαντες. Ἀγαθοκλῆς δʼ οὐ μόνον καὶ τῶν τῆς Λιβύης ἀπεπείρασεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τέλος ἐναπέθανε ταῖς ὑπεροχαῖς ταύταις. διὸ καὶ Πόπλιον Σκιπίωνά φασι τὸν πρῶτον καταπολεμήσαντα Καρχηδονίους ἐρωτηθέντα τίνας ὑπολαμβάνει πραγματικωτάτους ἄνδρας γεγονέναι καὶ σὺν νῷ τολμηροτάτους, εἰπεῖν τοὺς περὶ Ἀγαθοκλέα καὶ Διονύσιον τοὺς Σικελιώτας. καὶ περὶ μὲν τῶν τοιούτων ἀνδρῶν εἰς ἐπίστασιν ἄγειν τοὺς ἀναγινώσκοντας, καί που καὶ τῆς τύχης ποιήσασθαι μνήμην, ἔτι δὲ τῶν ἀνθρωπείων πραγμάτων, καὶ καθόλου προστιθέναι τὸν ἐπεκδιδάσκοντα λόγον, ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν προειρημένων ἀνδρῶν οὐδαμῶς ἁρμόζει.
36. For these reasons I have rejected all idea of making too much of the story of Agathocles. But another and the strongest reason was that all such wonderful and striking catastrophes are only worth listening to once; not only are subsequent exhibitions of them unprofitable to ear and eye, but elaborate harping upon soon becomes simply troublesome. For those who are engaged on representing anything either to eye or ear can have only two objects to aim at,—pleasure and profit; and in history, more than in anything else, excessive prolixity on events of tragic interest fails of both these objects. For, in the first place, who would wish to emulate extraordinary catastrophes? And next, no one likes to be continually seeing and hearing things that are unnatural and beyond the ordinary conceptions of mankind. We are, indeed, eager to see and hear such things once and for the first time, because we want to know that a thing is possible which was supposed to be impossible: but when once convinced on that point no one is pleased at lingering on the Unnatural; but in fact would rather not come across it at all oftener than need be. In fact, the dwelling upon misfortunes which exceed the ordinary limits is more suitable to tragedy than to history. But perhaps we ought to make allowances for men who have studied neither nature nor universal history. They think, I presume, that the most important and astonishing events in all history are those which they happen to have come across themselves or to have heard from others, and they therefore give their attention exclusively to those. They accordingly do not perceive that they are making a mistake in expatiating on events which are neither novel,—for they have been narrated by others before,— nor capable of giving instruction or pleasure. So much on this point....
36. διὰ δὴ ταύτας τὰς αἰτίας τὸν μετʼ αὐξήσεως λόγον ἀπεδοκιμάσαμεν ὑπὲρ Ἀγαθοκλέους, οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ καὶ διὰ τὸ πάσας τὰς ἐκπληκτικὰς περιπετείας μίαν ἔχειν φαντασίαν τὴν πρώτην ἀξίαν ἐπιστάσεως, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν οὐ μόνον ἀνωφελῆ γίνεσθαι τὴν ἀκρόασιν καὶ θέαν αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετά τινος ὀχλήσεως ἐπιτελεῖσθαι τὴν ἐνέργειαν τῶν τοιούτων. δυεῖν γὰρ ὑπαρχόντων τελῶν, ὠφελείας καὶ τέρψεως, πρὸς ἃ δεῖ τὴν ἀναφορὰν ποιεῖσθαι τοὺς διὰ τῆς ἀκοῆς ἢ διὰ τῆς ὁράσεως βουλομένους τι πολυπραγμονεῖν, καὶ μάλιστα τῷ τῆς ἱστορίας γένει τούτου καθήκοντος, ἀμφοτέρων τούτων ὁ πλεονασμὸς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκπληκτικῶν συμπτωμάτων ἐκτὸς πίπτει. ζηλοῦν μὲν γὰρ τίς ἂν βουληθείη τὰς παραλόγους περιπετείας; οὐδὲ μὴν θεώμενος οὐδʼ ἀκούων ἥδεται συνεχῶς οὐδεὶς τῶν παρὰ φύσιν γενομένων πραγμάτων καὶ παρὰ τὴν κοινὴν ἔννοιαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ἀλλʼ εἰσάπαξ μὲν καὶ πρῶτον σπουδάζομεν ἃ μὲν ἰδεῖν, ἃ δʼ ἀκοῦσαι, χάριν τοῦ γνῶναι τὸ μὴ δοκοῦν δυνατὸν εἶναι διότι δυνατόν ἐστιν· ὅταν δὲ πιστεύωμεν, οὐδεὶς τοῖς παρὰ φύσιν ἐγχρονίζων εὐδοκεῖ· τῷ δʼ αὐτῷ πλεονάκις ἐγκυρεῖν οὐδʼ ὅλως ἂν βουληθείη. διόπερ ἢ ζηλωτὸν εἶναι δεῖ τὸ λεγόμενον ἢ τερπνόν· ὁ δὲ τῆς ἐκτὸς τούτων συμφορᾶς πλεονασμὸς οἰκειότερόν ἐστι τραγῳδίας ἤπερ ἱστορίας. ἀλλʼ ἴσως ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστι συγγνώμην ἔχειν τοῖς μὴ συνεφιστάνουσι μήτʼ ἐπὶ τὰ τῆς φύσεως μήτʼ ἐπὶ τὰ καθόλου κατὰ τῆς οἰκουμένης πράγματα· δοκεῖ γὰρ αὐτοῖς ταῦτʼ εἶναι μέγιστα καὶ θαυμαστότατα τῶν προγεγονότων οἷς ἂν αὐτοὶ παρατυχόντες ἐγκυρήσωσιν ἢ πυθόμενοι παρά τινων πρὸς αὐτὰ ταῦτα προσέχωσι τὸν νοῦν. διὸ καὶ λανθάνουσι πλείω τοῦ καθήκοντος διατιθέμενοι λόγον ὑπὲρ τῶν μήτε καινῶν ὄντων διὰ τὸ καὶ ἑτέροις πρότερον εἰρῆσθαι μήτʼ ὠφελεῖν μήτε τέρπειν δυναμένων. περὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἡμῖν εἰρήσθω.
37. King Antiochus, at the beginning of his reign, was thought to be a man of great enterprise and courage, and great vigour in the execution of his purposes; but as he grew older his character evidently deteriorated in itself, and disappointed the expectation of the world....
37. ὅτι Ἀντίοχος ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐδόκει κατὰ μὲν τὰς ἀρχὰς γεγονέναι μεγαλεπίβολος καὶ τολμηρὸς καὶ τοῦ προτεθέντος ἐξεργαστικός, προβαίνων δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν ἐφάνη πολὺ καταδεέστερος αὑτοῦ καὶ τῆς τῶν ἐκτὸς προσδοκίας.