Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.6.5

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Passage 1.6.5: Antigonus's campaign against Ptolemy over Syria and Phoenicia.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Ἀντίγονος δὲ τέως μὲν ἦν ἐν παρασκευῇ πολέμου καὶ τὸν κίνδυνον οὐ παντάπασιν ἐθάρρει· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐς Λιβύην ἐπύθετο στρατεύειν Πτολεμαῖον ἀφεστηκότων Κυρηναίων, αὐτίκα Σύρους καὶ Φοίνικας εἷλεν ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς, παραδοὺς δὲ Δημητρίῳ τῷ παιδί, ἡλικίαν μὲν νέῳ φρονεῖν δὲ ἤδη δοκοῦντι, καταβαίνει ἐπὶ τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον. πρὶν δὲ ἢ διαβῆναι πάλιν ἦγεν ὀπίσω τὴν στρατιάν, Δημήτριον ἀκούων ὑπὸ Πτολεμαίου μάχῃ κεκρατῆσθαι· Δημήτριος δὲ οὔτε παντάπασιν ἐξειστήκει Πτολεμαίῳ τῆς χώρας καί τινας τῶν Αἰγυπτίων λοχήσας διέφθειρεν οὐ πολλούς. τότε δὲ ἥκοντα Ἀντίγονον οὐχ ὑπομείνας Πτολεμαῖος ἀνεχώρησεν ἐς Αἴγυπτον.

English Translation

For a time Antigonus was engaged in war preparations and was not entirely confident about the outcome. But when he learned that Ptolemy had marched into Libya because the Cyrenaeans had revolted, he immediately seized Syria and Phoenicia by a swift attack. Having entrusted these lands to his son Demetrius, who, although still young in age, already seemed capable in judgment, he moved down toward the Hellespont. However, before crossing, he turned his army back upon hearing that Demetrius had been defeated by Ptolemy in battle. Yet Demetrius had not quite yielded all of the territory to Ptolemy, for he had ambushed and killed some few Egyptians. But as soon as Antigonus arrived, Ptolemy refused to face him, and withdrew back into Egypt.

Proper Nouns

Egyptians (Αἰγύπτιοι) person
Demetrius (Δημήτριος) person
Cyrenaeans (Κυρηναῖοι) person
Ptolemy (Πτολεμαῖος) person
Syrians (Σῦροι) person
Phoenicians (Φοῖνικες) person
Antigonus (Ἀντίγονος) person
Egypt (Αἴγυπτος) place Q79 Pleiades
Libya (Λιβύη) place Q2370577
Hellespont (Ἑλλήσποντος) place Q1250462
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