- 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-grc2:1.77.1-1.77.7
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-12
Mathos advises Autaritus and Spendius to avoid the plains and harass Hamilcar from the foothills, while requesting reinforcements from the Nomads and Libyans. Having secured these reinforcements, Spendius and his allies suddenly surround Hamilcar's army, which is encamped in a mountain-ringed plain.
ὁ δὲ Μάθως αὐτὸς μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς τῶν Ἱππακριτῶν πολιορκίας ἐπέμενεν, τοῖς δὲ περὶ τὸν Αὐτάριτον τὸν τῶν Γαλατῶν ἡγεμόνα καὶ Σπένδιον ἔχεσθαι τῶν ὑπεναντίων1 συνεβούλευε, τὰ μὲν πεδία φεύγοντας2 διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν παρὰ τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις ἱππέων καὶ θηρίων, ταῖς δʼ ὑπωρείαις ἀντιπαράγοντας καὶ συνεπιτιθεμένους κατὰ τὰς ὑποπιπτούσας ἀεὶ δυσχερείας.
Mathos himself remained at the siege of Hippacritae, but advised Autaritus, the leader of the Gauls, and Spendius to keep close to the enemy, avoiding the plains because of the multitude of cavalry and beasts on the enemy’s side, but marching parallel to them along the foothills and attacking them together whenever difficulties presented themselves.
ἅμα δὲ ταῖς ἐπινοίαις ταύταις καὶ πρὸς τοὺς Νομάδας καὶ τοὺς Λίβυας ἐξέπεμπε, δεόμενος βοηθεῖν σφίσι καὶ μὴ καταπροΐεσθαι τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐλευθερίας καιρούς.
At the same time as these plans, he also sent messengers to the Nomads and Libyans, begging them to come to their aid and not to throw away this opportunity for freedom.
ὁ δὲ Σπένδιος προσλαβὼν ἐκ τοῦ Τύνητος ἀφʼ ἑκάστου τῶν γενῶν τοὺς πάντας εἰς ἑξακισχιλίους3 προῆγε, ταῖς ὑπωρείαις ἀντιπαράγων τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις, ἔχων ἅμα τοῖς προειρημένοις καὶ τοὺς μετʼ Αὐταρίτου Γαλάτας, ὄντας εἰς δισχιλίους.
Spendius, taking with him from Tunis about six thousand men in all from each of the nations, advanced, marching parallel to the Carthaginians along the foothills, having with him, in addition to those mentioned above, also the Gauls under Autaritus, who were about two thousand.
τὸ γὰρ λοιπὸν μέρος αὐτῶν τοῦ κατʼ ἀρχὰς συστήματος ηὐτομολήκει πρὸς τοὺς Ῥωμαίους ἐν ταῖς περὶ τὸν Ἔρυκα στρατοπεδείαις.
For the rest of their original force had deserted to the Romans while they were encamped near Eryx.
τοῦ δʼ Ἀμίλκου παρεμβεβληκότος ἔν τινι πεδίῳ πανταχόθεν ὄρεσι περιεχομένῳ, συνέβη τὰς παρὰ τῶν Νομάδων καὶ Λιβύων βοηθείας εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον συνάψαι τοῖς περὶ τὸν Σπένδιον.
While Hamilcar was encamped in a certain plain surrounded on all sides by mountains, it happened that the reinforcements from the Nomads and Libyans joined Spendius and his men at this very time.
γενομένης δὲ τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις τῆς μὲν τῶν Λιβύων ἐπιστρατοπεδείας αἰφνιδίου καὶ κατὰ πρόσωπον, τῆς δὲ τῶν Νομάδων ἀπʼ οὐρᾶς, τῆς δὲ περὶ τὸν Σπένδιον ἐκ πλαγίου, μεγάλην αὐτοῖς ἀπορίαν4
Since the Libyans had suddenly encamped in front of the Carthaginians, the Nomads in their rear, and Spendius’s forces on their flank, [this caused] them great difficulty...
- 1.77.1ἔχεσθαι τῶν ὑπεναντίων
The verb ἔχομαι takes the genitive and means "to keep close to" or "to cling to." Here, it refers to maintaining military contact and keeping a close watch on the enemy.
- 1.77.2φεύγοντας
The present participles φεύγοντας, ἀντιπαράγοντας, and συνεπιτιθεμένους are in the accusative plural, agreeing with the implied object of συνεβούλευε (namely, the followers of Autaritus and Spendius), describing the specific manner in which they were advised to act.
- 1.77.4τοὺς πάντας εἰς ἑξακισχιλίους
The phrase τοὺς πάντας with a numeral functions adverbially to mean "in all" or "altogether." The preposition εἰς here expresses "up to" or "about."
- 1.77.7μεγάλην αὐτοῖς ἀπορίαν
The text breaks off here. Syntactically, the main verb and subject following the genitive absolute (γενομένης ... ἐπιστρατοπεδείας) are missing, leaving only the accusative object "great difficulty [caused/brought to them]."