Textus Originalis
XLVIII ARGUMENTUM
Cap. 81. Pelopidae singulares virtutes resque gestae enumerantur. — Clearchus tyrannidem Heracleae occupavit. Timotheus Atheniensium imperator Toronen et Potidaeam cepit. Ol. 104, 2 : 363 a. Chr. 82. Dissidiis inter Pisaeos et Eleos ortis Arcades in duas partes discedunt: alteris praesunt Tegeatae, pro quibus pugnant Boeoti duce Epaminonda; alteris Mantinenses, quorum socii sunt Athenienses et Lacedaemonii. In Arcadiam Lacedaemonii, in urbem Spartam Epaminondas incursionem facit. 83. Sparta fortiter defenditur contra Epaminondae acerrimos impetus. 84. Epaminondas dum subito impetu Mantineam opprimere parat, occurrit Atheniensibus; statim adveniunt etiam Lacedaemonii et Mantinenses. Utriusque partis copiae recensentur. 85. Pugna ad Mantineam commissa. Instructae acies describuntur. Proelium equestre initium facit. Boeotorum ac Thessalorum equites vincunt. 86. Proelium pedestre ad Mantineam diu stat anceps. Tandem ad dirimendam pugnam Epaminondas ipse invehitur. Quo facto Lacedaemoniorum acies inclinatur. 87. Epaminondas graviter vulneratur. Thebani vincunt. Epaminondae morientis verba. 88. Encomium Epaminondae. 89. Pax convenit inter Graecos et societas. Ab hac societate Lacedaemonii se seiungunt propter Messenios. Xenophon et Anaximenes et Philistus hoc anno historias concludunt. Ol. 104, 3 : 362 a. Chr. 90. Bellum gravissimum in Artaxerxem movent Graeci qui Asiam incolunt, satrapae rebelles, Tachos rex Aegyptiorum. 91. Orontes ab eis, qui a rege Persarum defecerant, dux creatus hos regi prodit. Item Mithrobarzanes Datamem, qui a rege defecerat, prodit, sed ipse suis insidiis captus occiditur.
Traduzione
English — scholarly
ARETHE Knowledge Engineering DivisionXLVIII ARGUMENT
Ch. 81. The singular virtues and achievements of Pelopidas are enumerated. — Clearchus seized the tyranny at Heraclea. Timotheus, the Athenian commander, captured Torone and Potidaea. Ol. 104, 2 : 363 BC 82. With dissensions having arisen between the Pisatans and Eleans, the Arcadians split into two factions: the Tegeans lead one side, for which the Boeotians under the command of Epaminondas fight; the Mantineans lead the other, whose allies are the Athenians and Lacedaemonians. The Lacedaemonians make an incursion into Arcadia, Epaminondas into the city of Sparta. 83. Sparta is bravely defended against the fiercest attacks of Epaminondas. 84. While Epaminondas prepares to overwhelm Mantinea with a sudden attack, he encounters the Athenians; immediately the Lacedaemonians and Mantineans also arrive. The forces of each side are reviewed. 85. The battle fought at Mantinea. The drawn-up battle lines are described. A cavalry engagement begins the action. The cavalry of the Boeotians and Thessalians are victorious. 86. The infantry battle at Mantinea long hangs in the balance. Finally, to decide the battle, Epaminondas himself charges. Upon this, the Lacedaemonian line gives way. 87. Epaminondas is severely wounded. The Thebans are victorious. The words of the dying Epaminondas. 88. Encomium of Epaminondas. 89. Peace and a common league are agreed upon among the Greeks. The Lacedaemonians hold themselves aloof from this league on account of the Messenians. Xenophon, Anaximenes, and Philistus conclude their histories in this year. Ol. 104, 3 : 362 BC 90. A most serious war is stirred up against Artaxerxes by the Greeks who inhabit Asia, by rebellious satraps, and by Tachos, king of the Egyptians. 91. Orontes, chosen as commander by those who had revolted from the king of the Persians, betrays them to the king. Likewise, Mithrobarzanes betrays Datames, who had revolted from the king, but he himself, caught in his own snares, is killed.
Commentario Arethe
Pugna ad Mantineam... Epaminondas graviter vulneratur... morientis verba
The Battle of Mantinea (362 BC), covered in XV 82–87, is the climax of Book XV and one of the most poignant episodes in Diodorus. Epaminondas, having revolutionized Greek warfare with his oblique order at Leuctra, fell mortally wounded at the moment of victory at Mantinea. His dying words — traditionally that he had no heirs except Leuctra and Mantinea (his two victories) — became emblematic of selfless devotion to the state. Xenophon famously concludes his Hellenica with the observation that after Mantinea, 'there was even more confusion and disorder in Greece than before.' With Epaminondas' death, the Greek city-state system lost its last great champion of freedom before the rise of Macedon under Philip II.