- Source
- Polybius. Vols. 1-4. Büttner-Wobst, Theodor, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1893.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.27.1-1.27.13
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-12
The Carthaginian fleet set sail after encouraging their troops and deployed to counter the Roman formation. Hamilcar executed a stratagem of retreating his center to isolate the Roman vanguards, leading to a fierce naval battle.
οἱ δὲ τῶν Καρχηδονίων στρατηγοὶ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν παρακαλέσαντες τὰ πλήθη διὰ βραχέων καὶ συνυποδείξαντες αὐτοῖς ὅτι νικήσαντες μὲν τῇ ναυμαχίᾳ περὶ Σικελίας ποιήσονται τὸν πόλεμον, ἡττηθέντες δὲ περὶ τῆς σφετέρας πατρίδος κινδυνεύσουσιν καὶ τῶν ἀναγκαίων,1 οὕτως αὐτοῖς παρήγγειλαν ἐμβαίνειν εἰς τὰς ναῦς.
The Carthaginian generals, at the same time, having encouraged their men in a few words, and pointed out to them that if they were victorious in the naval battle, they would carry on the war for Sicily, but if defeated, they would have to fight for their own country and for all they held dear, in this manner ordered them to go on board.
προθύμως δὲ πάντων ποιούντων τὸ παραγγελλόμενον διὰ τὸ προορᾶσθαι τὸ μέλλον ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων, εὐθαρσῶς ἀνήγοντο καὶ καταπληκτικῶς.
As they all did what was commanded with alacrity because they foresaw the future from what had been said, they put out to sea with high spirits and in an imposing manner.
θεωροῦντες δὲ τὴν τῶν πολεμίων τάξιν οἱ στρατηγοὶ καὶ πρὸς ταύτην ἁρμοζόμενοι τὰ μὲν τρία μέρη τῆς αὑτῶν δυνάμεως ἐπὶ μίαν ἔταττον ναῦν,2 πρὸς τὸ πέλαγος ἀνατείναντες τὸ δεξιὸν κέρας, ὡς κυκλώσοντες τοὺς ὑπεναντίους, πάσας ἱστάντες ἀντιπρώρρους τὰς ναῦς τοῖς πολεμίοις. τὸ δὲ τέταρτον εὐώνυμον τῆς ὅλης τάξεως ἐποίουν, ἐν ἐπικαμπίῳ νεῦον3 πρὸς τὴν γῆν.
The generals, observing the enemy’s order and adapting themselves to it, drew up three parts of their force in a single line, extending their right wing towards the open sea as if to encircle the enemy, keeping all their ships with their prows facing the foe. The fourth part they made the left wing of the whole formation, slanting in an angle towards the land.
ἡγοῦντο δὲ τῶν Καρχηδονίων τοῦ μὲν δεξιοῦ κέρως, ἔχων ἐπίπλους καὶ πεντήρεις τὰς μάλιστα ταχυναυτούσας πρὸς τὴν ὑπερκέρασιν, Ἄννων ὁ περὶ τὸν Ἀκράγαντα λειφθεὶς τῇ παρατάξει·
The right wing of the Carthaginians was commanded by Hanno, the survivor of the battle at Agrigentum, who had under him for the purpose of outflanking the enemy the light vessels and the fastest-sailing quinqueremes.
τῶν δʼ εὐωνύμων εἶχε τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν Ἀμίλκας ὁ περὶ τὴν Τυνδαρίδα ναυμαχήσας· ὃς τότε κατὰ μέσην τὴν τάξιν ποιούμενος τὸν κίνδυνον ἐχρήσατό τινι στρατηγήματι κατὰ τὸν ἀγῶνα τοιῴδε.
The command of the left wing was held by Hamilcar, who had fought the naval battle at Tyndaris; who, since he was at that time to face the danger in the center of the formation, employed a certain stratagem in the battle of the following kind.
τῶν γὰρ Ῥωμαίων συνθεασαμένων ἐπὶ λεπτὸν ἐκτεταμένους τοὺς Καρχηδονίους καὶ ποιησαμένων τὴν ὁρμὴν ἐπὶ μέσους, τὴν μὲν ἀρχὴν ὁ κίνδυνος ἔλαβε τοιαύτην.
For when the Romans saw the Carthaginians drawn out in a thin line and made their charge on the center, the battle at its beginning took such a form.
ταχὺ δὲ τῶν περὶ τὰ μέσα Καρχηδονίων ἐκ παραγγέλματος κλινάντων πρὸς φυγὴν χάριν τοῦ διασπάσαι τὴν τῶν Ῥωμαίων τάξιν, οὗτοι μὲν ὑπεχώρουν μετὰ σπουδῆς, οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι κατόπιν ἠκολούθουν ἐκθύμως.
Soon, the Carthaginians in the center, upon a signal, turned in flight in order to break the formation of the Romans; while these retreated in haste, the Romans followed them eagerly.
ὁ μὲν οὖν πρῶτος καὶ δεύτερος στόλος ἐπέκειτο τοῖς φεύγουσιν, τὸ δὲ τρίτον καὶ τὸ τέταρτον στρατόπεδον ἀπεσπᾶτο, τῶν μὲν ῥυμουλκούντων τὰς ἱππηγοὺς ναῦς, τῶν δὲ τριαρίων συμμενόντων καὶ συνεφεδρευόντων τούτοις.
Thus, the First and Second Fleets pressed hard upon the fugitives, while the Third and Fourth Legions were left behind, the one towing the horse-transports, and the Triarii remaining with them and acting as a reserve.
ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸν πρῶτον καὶ δεύτερον στόλον ἱκανὸν τῶν ἄλλων ἐδόκουν ἀπεσπακέναι τόπον οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι, συνθήματος ἀρθέντος ἐκ τῆς Ἀμίλκου νεὼς μετεβάλοντο πάντες ἅμα καὶ συνέβαλον τοῖς ἐπικειμένοις.
When the Carthaginians thought that they had drawn the First and Second Fleets to a sufficient distance from the rest, a signal was hoisted from Hamilcar’s ship, and they all turned at once and engaged their pursuers.
ἀγῶνος δὲ συστάντος καρτεροῦ, τῷ μὲν ταχυναυτεῖν ἐκπεριπλέοντες καὶ ῥᾳδίως μὲν προσιόντες ὀξέως δʼ ἀποχωροῦντες πολὺ περιῆσαν οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι, τῷ δὲ βιαιομαχεῖν4 κατὰ τὰς συμπλοκὰς καὶ συνδεῖν τοῖς κόραξιν τοὺς ἅπαξ ἐγγίσαντας, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τῷ συναγωνιζομένων ἀμφοτέρων τῶν στρατηγῶν ἐν ὄψει τῶν ἡγουμένων ποιεῖσθαι τὸν κίνδυνον, οὐχ ἧττον ἐπικυδεστέρας εἶχον οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι τῶν Καρχηδονίων τὰς ἐλπίδας.
A stubborn fight having begun, the Carthaginians were far superior in maneuvering, sailing round the enemy and easily approaching and rapidly retreating; but from fighting by sheer force in close conflict, and binding fast with their “crows” those who had once come near, and at the same time from the danger being faced in the sight of their leaders while both generals fought by their side, the Romans had hopes of victory no less brilliant than those of the Carthaginians.
ἡ μὲν οὖν κατὰ τούτους μάχη τοιαύ
battle in this part, then, was of this nature
+ extra markers: the (translation introduced markers absent in the source; merged into this section)
- 1.27.1τῶν ἀναγκαίων
A genitive used with the intransitive verb κινδυνεύσουσιν (they will run a risk / be in danger), indicating the object at stake (what they risk losing). It refers to 'indispensable resources' or 'vital necessities' (including families and basic rights).
- 1.27.3ἐπὶ μίαν ἔταττον ναῦν
An idiomatic military expression meaning 'they drew up in a single line' (with a depth of only one ship). The same phrase ἐπὶ μίαν ναῦν was used in the previous sections 1.26.13 and 1.26.15.
- 1.27.4ἐν ἐπικαμπίῳ νεῦον
The neuter singular present participle νεῦον agrees with τὸ δὲ τέταρτον (μέρος) in the preceding clause, describing how the fourth part of the fleet was stationed slanting towards the land. ἐν ἐπικαμπίῳ is an adverbial phrase meaning 'at an angle' or 'in a curve'.
- 1.27.12τῷ δὲ βιαιομαχεῖν
An articular infinitive in the dative case expressing means or cause, paired with τῷ μὲν ταχυναυτεῖν in section 1.27.11. It forms a contrast where the Carthaginians prevailed through their 'fast sailing' (ταχυναυτεῖν), whereas the Romans maintained their hopes of victory through 'sheer force in close combat' (βιαιομαχεῖν) and other factors.