- 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-grc2:1.78.1-1.78.15
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-12
The influential Nomad Naravas visits Hamilcar's camp to offer an alliance, and Hamilcar, deeply pleased, promises him his daughter in marriage. With Naravas's reinforcement, the Carthaginians win a major victory against the rebels, after which Hamilcar incorporates willing prisoners into his army and releases the rest on condition of no further hostility.
συνέβη περιστῆναι καὶ δυσέκφευκτον.1 κατὰ δὲ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον Ναραύας, ὃς ἦν μὲν Νομὰς τῶν ἐνδοξοτάτων εἷς, ἦν δὲ καὶ πλήρης ὁρμῆς πολεμικῆς, οὗτος ἀεὶ μὲν οἰκείως διέκειτο πρὸς τοὺς Καρχηδονίους πατρικὴν ἔχων σύστασιν, τότε δὲ μᾶλλον παρωρμήθη διὰ τὴν Ἀμίλκου τοῦ στρατηγοῦ καταξίωσιν.
It happened that the situation surrounded them and became difficult to escape. At this very time Naravas, who was one of the most distinguished of the Nomads and full of martial spirit, had always been friendly to the Carthaginians because of an ancestral connection, and was then even more encouraged because of the high reputation of the general Hamilcar.
διὸ καὶ νομίσας ἔχειν εὐφυῆ καιρὸν πρὸς ἔντευξιν αὐτῷ καὶ σύστασιν, ἧκεν εἰς τὴν στρατοπεδείαν ἔχων περὶ αὑτὸν Νομάδας εἰς ἑκατόν.
Therefore, thinking he had a favorable opportunity for an interview and introduction with him, he came to the camp having with him about a hundred Nomads.
καὶ συνεγγίσας τῷ χάρακι τολμηρῶς ἔμενε, κατασείων τῇ χειρί.
Approaching the rampart, he boldly stood there, waving his hand.
τοῦ δʼ Ἀμίλκου θαυμάσαντος τὴν ἐπιβολὴν καὶ προπέμψαντός τινα τῶν ἱππέων, εἰς λόγους ἔφη βούλεσθαι συνελθεῖν τῷ στρατηγῷ.
Hamilcar being surprised at his daring and sending forward one of his cavalry, Naravas said that he wished to come to speech with the general.
διαποροῦντος δʼ ἀκμὴν καὶ διαπιστοῦντος2 τοῦ τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἡγεμόνος, παραδοὺς ὁ Ναραύας τὸν ἵππον καὶ τὰς λόγχας τοῖς μεθʼ αὑτοῦ παρῆν ἄνοπλος εὐθαρσῶς εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν.
While the Carthaginian leader was still hesitating and distrusting, Naravas, handing over his horse and spears to his companions, entered the camp unarmed and with great confidence.
οἱ δὲ τὰ μὲν ἐθαύμαζον, τὰ δὲ κατεπλήττοντο τὴν τόλμαν· ὅμως δὲ προσεδέξαντο καὶ συνῆλθον εἰς τὰς χεῖρας.3
The Carthaginians, though partly wondering and partly astonished at his boldness, nevertheless received him and shook hands with him.
ὁ δὲ παραγενόμενος εἰς λόγους ἔφη πᾶσι μὲν Καρχηδονίοις εὐνοεῖν, μάλιστα δʼ ἐπιθυμεῖν Βάρκᾳ γενέσθαι φίλος· διὸ καὶ νῦν παρεῖναι συσταθησόμενος αὐτῷ καὶ κοινωνήσων ἀδόλως παντὸς ἔργου καὶ πάσης ἐπιβολῆς.
Having come to speech, he said that he was well-disposed to all Carthaginians, but most of all desired to become a friend to Barca; therefore, he was now present to be introduced to him and to share without deceit in every deed and every undertaking.
Ἀμίλκας δὲ ταῦτʼ ἀκούσας οὕτως ἥσθη μεγάλως ἐπί τε τῷ κατὰ τὴν παρουσίαν θάρσει καὶ τῇ κατὰ τὴν ἔντευξιν ἁπλότητι τοῦ νεανίσκου, ὡς οὐ μόνον εὐδόκησε κοινωνὸν αὐτὸν προσλαβέσθαι τῶν πράξεων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα δώσειν ἐπηγγείλατο μεθʼ ὅρκου, διαφυλάξαντος αὐτοῦ τὴν πρὸς Καρχηδονίους πίστιν.4
Hamilcar, hearing this, was so greatly pleased both with the youth’s courage in presenting himself and with his frankness during the interview, that he not only consented to take him as a partner in his actions, but also promised on oath to give him his daughter, provided that he maintained his loyalty to the Carthaginians.
γενομένων δὲ τῶν ὁμολογιῶν, ὁ μὲν Ναραύας ἧκε τοὺς ὑφʼ αὑτὸν τεταγμένους ἔχων Νομάδας, ὄντας εἰς δισχιλίους, ὁ δʼ Ἀμίλκας προσγενομένης αὐτῷ τῆς χειρὸς ταύτης παρετάξατο τοῖς πολεμίοις. οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Σπένδιον συνάψαντες ἐπὶ ταὐτὸ τοῖς Λίβυσι καὶ καταβάντες εἰς τὸ πεδίον συνέβαλλον τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις.
The agreement having been made, Naravas came back bringing the Nomads under his command, who were about two thousand. Hamilcar, having this force added to him, drew up his army against the enemy. Spendius and his men, having joined the Libyans and descended into the plain, clashed with the Carthaginians.
γενομένης δὲ μάχης ἰσχυρᾶς ἐνίκων οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἀμίλκαν, καλῶς μὲν τῶν θηρίων ἀγωνισαμένων, ἐπιφανεστάτην δὲ τοῦ Ναραύα παρασχομένου χρείαν.
A fierce battle having taken place, Hamilcar’s forces were victorious, the beasts fighting brilliantly, and Naravas rendering most distinguished service.
ὁ μὲν οὖν Αὐτάριτος καὶ Σπένδιος διέφυγον, τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν ἔπεσον μὲν εἰς μυρίους, ἑάλωσαν δʼ εἰς τετρακισχιλίους.
Autaritus and Spendius indeed escaped, but of the rest, up to ten thousand fell and up to four thousand were captured.
ἐπιτελεσθέντος δὲ τοῦ κατορθώματος, Ἀμίλκας τοῖς μὲν βουλομένοις τῶν αἰχμαλώτων μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ συστρατεύειν ἐξουσίαν ἔδωκε καὶ καθώπλιζε τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν πολεμίων σκύλοις, τοὺς δὲ μὴ βουλομένους ἁθροίσας παρεκάλει φάσκων, ἕως μὲν τοῦ νῦν συγγνώμην αὐτοῖς ἔχειν5 τῶν ἡμαρτημένων· διὸ καὶ συγχωρεῖν τρέπεσθαι κατὰ τὰς ἰδίας ὁρμὰς οὗ ποτʼ ἂν ἕκαστος αὐτῶν προαιρῆται.
The success being completed, Hamilcar gave permission to those of the prisoners who wished to serve with him, and armed them with the spoils taken from the enemy. Gathering those who did not wish to do so, he addressed them, saying that up to the present he forgave them their offenses; therefore, he permitted them to depart according to their own inclinations, wherever each of them might choose.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα διηπειλήσατο μηθένα φέρειν ὅπλον πολέμιον κατʼ αὐτῶν, ὡς, ἐὰν ἁλῷ τις, ἀπαραιτήτου τευξόμενον τιμωρίας.
After this, he strictly threatened that no one should bear hostile arms against them, since, if anyone were caught, he would receive inexorable punishment.
- 1.78.1συνέβη περιστῆναι καὶ δυσέκφευκτον.
Connected with the preceding clause about 'causing great difficulty to the Carthaginians', this sentence uses the impersonal verb συνέβη. The subject of the infinitive clause, such as 'the situation' (τὰ πράγματα) or 'the difficulty' (τὴν ἀπορίαν), is omitted, meaning 'it happened that [the situation] surrounded [them] and [became] difficult to escape'.
- 1.78.5διαποροῦντος δʼ ἀκμὴν καὶ διαπιστοῦντος
Genitive absolute with present participles. The accusative ἀκμήν is used adverbially in a temporal sense, meaning 'still' or 'even then'.
- 1.78.6συνῆλθον εἰς τὰς χεῖρας.
Although this idiom usually means 'to come to blows' or 'engage in hand-to-hand combat', here, in the context of Hamilcar's reception and interview, it means 'shook hands' or 'joined hands in friendship'. This interpretation is confirmed by the preceding verb προσεδέξαντο ('they received him').
- 1.78.8διαφυλάξαντος αὐτοῦ τὴν πρὸς Καρχηδονίους πίστιν.
Genitive absolute with an aorist participle representing a condition ('provided that he maintained his loyalty...') for the future promise (δώσειν ἐπηγγείλατο) in the main clause.
- 1.78.14ἕως μὲν τοῦ νῦν συγγνώμην αὐτοῖς ἔχειν
Indirect speech introduced by the verb of saying φάσκων. The phrase ἕως τοῦ νῦν means 'up to the present'. The infinitive ἔχειν represents the indicative (ἔχω) of direct speech, with Hamilcar as the implied subject, and αὐτοῖς as the dative object of forgiveness. The genitive τῶν ἡμαρτημένων is an objective genitive dependent on συγγνώμην.