271. Plans for Further Conquest
Ipsō animō īnfīnīta complexus statuit, omnī ad orientem [?]itīmā regiōne perdomitā, ex Syriā petere Āfricam Carthāginī īnfēnsus, inde Numidiae sōlitūdinibus peragrātīs cursum Gādēs dīrigere, ibi enim columnās Herculis esse fāmā vulgāverat, Hispāniās deinde, quās Ibēriam Graecī ā flūmine Ibērō vocābant, adīre et praetervehī Alpēs Ītaliaeque ōram, unde in Ēpīrum brevis cursus est. Itaque Mesopotamiae praetōribus imperāvit māteria in Lībanō monte caesa dēvectaque ad urbem Syriae Thapsacum, septingentārum carīnās nāvium pōnere. Cypriōrum necnōn rēgibus imperātum ut aes stuppamque et vēla praebērent.
animo infinita complexus—‘forming gigantic projects.’
Numidiae--the country in the neighbourhood of Carthage.
Gades--Cadiz, in Spain.
Columnas Herculis--‘the pillars of Hercules.’ It was supposed that Spain had been joined to Africa till Hercules tore them asunder. Mount Abyla on the African side, and Mount Calpe (Gibraltar) on the Spanish side, were called the pillars of Hercules.
Hispanias--‘the Spains,’ as we say ‘the Emperor of all the Russias.’
Ibero--the river Ebro.
Epirus--a mountainous district to the N. W. of Greece.
Mesopotamiae--the plain between the Tigris and the Euphrates.
Libano--Mount Lebanon, to the S. of Syria.
Cypriorum—the people of Cyprus, a large island in the Levant Sea.
Numidiae--the country in the neighbourhood of Carthage.
Gades--Cadiz, in Spain.
Columnas Herculis--‘the pillars of Hercules.’ It was supposed that Spain had been joined to Africa till Hercules tore them asunder. Mount Abyla on the African side, and Mount Calpe (Gibraltar) on the Spanish side, were called the pillars of Hercules.
Hispanias--‘the Spains,’ as we say ‘the Emperor of all the Russias.’
Ibero--the river Ebro.
Epirus--a mountainous district to the N. W. of Greece.
Mesopotamiae--the plain between the Tigris and the Euphrates.
Libano--Mount Lebanon, to the S. of Syria.
Cypriorum—the people of Cyprus, a large island in the Levant Sea.
272. Disorder Among Governors Checked
Hoc ferē tempore Alexander pūnīta satrapārum quōrundam īnsolentiā, quam, dum in extrēmō orbe Indōrum armīs retinētur, per summa scelera atque flāgitia in prōvinciālēs exercuerant, et cēterōs coercēre cōnstituit: quī in paribus dēlictīs īdem admissōrum scelerum praemium exspectantēs in mercēnāriōrum mīlitum fidem cōnfugiēbant, ut illōrum manibus, sī ad supplicium poscerentur, salūtem suam tūtārentur: aut pecūnia, quanta poterat, coācta, fugam inībant. Eā rē cognitā, līterae ad omnēs Asiae praetōrēs missae sunt, quibus īnspectīs ē vestīgiō omnēs peregrīnōs mīlitēs, quī stīpendia sub ipsīs facerent, dīmittere iubēbantur.
per—‘with.'
in paribus delictis--‘equally guilty.‘
fidem--‘the protection.‘
e vestigio--‘at once.’
qui--facerent—‘who were serving under them.'
in paribus delictis--‘equally guilty.‘
fidem--‘the protection.‘
e vestigio--‘at once.’
qui--facerent—‘who were serving under them.'
273. Alexander Clears the Army of Debt
Neque ita multō post rēx, seniōribus mīlitum in patriam remissīs, tredecim mīlia peditum et duo milia equitum, quae in Asiā retinēret, ēligī iussit, modicō exercitū continērī posse Asiam ratus, quia plūribus locīs praesidia disposuisset: nūperque conditās urbēs, quās colōnīs replēsset, rērum novandārum cupidīs obstāre crēdēbat. Prius tamen quam sēcerneret quōs erat retentūrus, ēdīxit, ut omnēs mīlitēs aes aliēnum profitērentur. Quod cum grave esse comperisset, quanquam ipsōrum luxū contractum erat, dissolvere tamen statuit. Illī tentārī sēsē ratī, quō facilius ab integrīs sūmptuōsōs discerneret, prōlātandō aliquantum temporis extrāxērunt. Et rēx satis gnārus professiōnī āeris pudōrem nōn contumāciam obstāre, mēnsās tōtīs castrīs pōnī iussit et decem mīlia talentum prōferrī. Tum dēmum cum fide factā professiōne, nōn amplius ex tantā pecūniā centum et trīgintā talenta superfuēre. Adeō ille exercitus, tot dīvitissimārum gentium victor, plūs victōriae quam praedae ex Asiā dēportāvit.
quae retineret—subj. after relative with final force.
rerum novandarum cupidis--‘those who desired a revolution.‘
prius--quam--often separated, as here, by the grammatical figure known as tmesis (a cutting).
aes alienum profiterentur--‘acknowledge the amount of their debts.’
talentum--genitive.
cum fide--‘truthfully.‘
amplius—understand quam after amplius.
rerum novandarum cupidis--‘those who desired a revolution.‘
prius--quam--often separated, as here, by the grammatical figure known as tmesis (a cutting).
aes alienum profiterentur--‘acknowledge the amount of their debts.’
talentum--genitive.
cum fide--‘truthfully.‘
amplius—understand quam after amplius.
274. Discontent at Being Left Behind
Cēterum ut cognitum est, aliōs remittī domum, aliōs retinērī, perpetuam eum rēgnī sēdem in Asiā habitūrum ratī, vēcordēs et disciplīnae mīlitāris immemorēs sēditiōsīs vōcibus castra complent rēgemque ferōcius quam aliās adortī omnēs simul missiōnem postulāre coepērunt, dēfōrmia ōra cicātrīcibus cānitiemque capitum ostentantēs. Nec aut praefectōrum castīgātiōne aut verēcundiā rēgis dēterritī tumultuōsō clāmōre et mīlitārī violentiā volentem loquī inhibēbant, palam professī, nusquam inde, nisi in patriam, vestīgium esse mōtūrōs.
palam professi—‘openly declaring.‘
275. Alexander Demands an Explanation
Silentiō tandem factō, magis quia mōtum esse rēgem crēdēbant, quam quia ipsī movērī poterant, quidnam āctūrus esset exspectābant, Rēx contrā quaesīvit quid illa repēns cōnsternātiō et tam procāx atque effūsa licentia dēnūntiāret. Palam certē eōs rūpisse imperium, et sē precāriō rēgem esse, cui nōn alloquendī nōn nōscendī monendīque aut intuendī eōs iūs relīquissent. Equidem, cum aliōs dīmittere in patriam, aliōs sēcum paulō post dēportāre statuisset, tam illōs acclāmantēs vidēre sē, quī abitūrī essent, quam eōs, quibuscum praemissōs subsequī in animō habēret. Quid hoc, inquit, reī est? disparī in causā īdem omnium clāmor est. Velim scīre, utrum, quī discēdunt, an, quī retinentur, dē mē querantur. Sublātō clāmōre ex tōtā conciōne respōnsum est, omnēs querī.
precario—‘by uncertain tenure.‘ Understand iure.
praemissos--‘those who had been sent in advance.’
quid hoc--Notice the change to oratio recta, for the sake of emphasis.
velim—conjunctive, not subjunctive; i.e. it is a principal verb, not dependent on another.
praemissos--‘those who had been sent in advance.’
quid hoc--Notice the change to oratio recta, for the sake of emphasis.
velim—conjunctive, not subjunctive; i.e. it is a principal verb, not dependent on another.
276. Alexander's Reproaches and Anger
Tum rēx: Fierī nōn posse ut putāret querendī simul omnibus eam caussam esse quam ostenderent. Subēsse nīmīrum altius malum quod omnēs ā sē āverterent. Ecquandō rēgem ab ūniversō exercitū dēstitūtum esse? Asiaene pertaesum esse, quae eōs glōria rērum gestārum dīīs parēs fēcerit? Scīlicet in Eurōpam properāre eōs, dēsertō rēge, cum plūribus dēfutūrum viāticum fuisset, nī aes aliēnum Asiātica praeda ipse solvisset. Proinde aufugerent; līberārent oculōs suōs ingrātissimī cīvēs. Mox autem scītūrōs esse et quantum sine rēge valeat exercitus, et quid opis in sē ūnō sit. Dēsiluit deinde frendēns dē tribūnālī et in medium armātōrum agmen sē immīsit, notātōs quoque, quī ferōcissimē oblocūtī erant, singulōs manū corripuit, nec ausōs repugnāre tredecim asservandōs cūstōdibus trādidit.
altius--‘deeper.’
fecerit--Notice all changes of sequence. Fecerit is perfect, to denote that a general truth is conveyed. The other tenses are in the usual historic sequence.
scilicet--‘so;’ ironical.
quid opis—‘what power.’
fecerit--Notice all changes of sequence. Fecerit is perfect, to denote that a general truth is conveyed. The other tenses are in the usual historic sequence.
scilicet--‘so;’ ironical.
quid opis—‘what power.’
277. Repentance of the Troops
Quis crēderet saevam paulō ante conciōnem obtorpuisse metū et, cum ad supplicium vidēret trahī nihil ausōs graviōra quam cēterōs, tam effūsam anteā licentiam atque sēditiōsam mīlitum violentiam ita compressam, ut nōn modo nēmō ex omnibus irruentī rēgī restiterit, vērum etiam cūnctī pavōre exanimātī, quid dē ipsīs quoque rēx statuendum cēnsēret, suspēnsā mente exspectārent? Itaque cum posterō diē prohibitī aditū rēgis essent, Asiāticīs modo mīlitibus admissīs, lūgubrem tōtīs castrīs ēdidēre clāmōrem, dēnūntiantēs prōtinus esse moritūrōs, sī rēx persevērāret īrāscī.
crederet—deliberative conjunctive.
nihil--ceteros—‘who had ventured on no greater liberties.’
nihil--ceteros—‘who had ventured on no greater liberties.’
278. The King Changes His Guards and Punishes the Ringleaders
Nihilōminus rēx precēs aspernāvit dēprecantium nē Macedonibus barbarōs antepōneret. Itaque Persīs corporis suī cūstōdiam crēdidit, Persās satellitēs, Persās appāritōrēs fēcit. Per quōs cum auctōrēs sēditiōnis vīnctī ad supplicia traherentur, ūnum ex iīs auctōritāte et aetāte gravem ad rēgem ita locūtum ferunt: Quousque, inquit, animō tuō etiam per supplicia, et quidem externī moris, obsequeris? Mīlitēs tuī, cīvēs tuī, neque certam ob caussam, captīvīs suīs dūcentibus, trahuntur ad poenam. Sī mortem meruisse iūdicās, saltem ministrōs suppliciī mūtā. Rēx autem reōs mergī in amnem, sīcut vīnctī erant, iussit. Nē hoc quidem supplicium sēditiōnem mīlitum mōvit, quī sē quodlibet supplicium ferre velle profitēbantur.
Persis, Persas, Persas—Notice the repetition, and lay stress on it in your translation.
gravem—‘respected.’
gravem—‘respected.’
279. Reconciliation
Tandem prae dolōre vix mentis compotēs ūniversī concurrunt ad rēgiam armīsque ante forēs prōiectīs, tunicātī astantēs, nūdā et obnoxia poenīs corpora praebēbant. Rēgis īrācundiam sibi morte trīstiōrem esse effūsīs lacrimīs aiēbant. Cumque diēs noctēsque ante praetōrium manērent, bīduum tamen adversus humillimās suōrum precēs īrācundia rēgis dūrāvit. Tertiō tandem diē victus cōnstantia supplicum prōcessit, incūsātāque lēniter exercitus immodestiā, nōn sine multīs utrimque lacrimīs, in grātiam sē cum iīs redīre professus est. Tum magnīs epulīs in honōrem Deōrum adhibitīs, mātūrāta est missiō, et īnfirmissimus quisque exauctōrātī. Amīcōrum quoque seniōrum quibusdam commeātum dēdit. Abeuntibus nōn modo praeteritī temporis stīpendia cum fide persolvit, vērum etiam talentum in singulōs mīlitēs viāticī nōmine adiēcit.
mentis compotes—‘able to command themselves.’
nuda--not naked, as shown by tunicati, but ‘unprotected.‘
obnoxia--‘exposed.‘
maturata est missio--‘the discharge of the troops was hurried on.’
commeatum--‘furlough.’
cum fide--‘scrupulously.’
nomine—‘under the head of,’ ‘as.’
nuda--not naked, as shown by tunicati, but ‘unprotected.‘
obnoxia--‘exposed.‘
maturata est missio--‘the discharge of the troops was hurried on.’
commeatum--‘furlough.’
cum fide--‘scrupulously.’
nomine—‘under the head of,’ ‘as.’
280. Death of Hephaestion
Relictīs Sūsīs, perventum deinde est in Mēdiae campōs, ubi per diēs trīgintā substitit rēx. Septimīs deinde castrīs Ecbatana, Mēdiae caput, attigit. Ibi sollennia dīīs sacrificia fēcit lūdōsque ēdidit ut fessōrum mīlitum recreārētur animus. Dum puerōs in studiō certantēs spectābat nūntiātum est dēficere Hēphaestiōnem, quī morbō ex crāpulā contractō septimum iam diem dēcumbēbat. Exterritus amīcī perīculō statim cōnsurgit, et ad tentōrium aegrōtantīs contendit; neque tamen eō prius pervēnit quam illum mors occupāverat. Magnō dolōre commōtus per ūniversum imperium lūgērī eum iussit, et nē memoriā eius in exercitū exolēsceret, equitibus, quibus ille praefuerat, nūllum praefēcit ducem, sed Hēphaestiōnis ālam appellārī voluit, et, quae ille signa īnstituisset, ea nōn immūtārī. Fūnebrēs etiam lūdōs, quālēs nunquam anteā ēditī sunt, magnō artificum numerō coāctō, celebrandōs cūrāvit. Cōnstat necnōn cadāver Babylōnem ā Perdiccā dēlātum esse.
ea—Notice the insertion of ea to tale the place of signa, which has got into the adjectival clause.
artificum—‘actors.’
artificum—‘actors.’