- 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-grc2:10.18.1-10.18.15
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-06
Scipio determines the treatment of Carthaginian captives and hostages, urging their families to ally with Rome. Through the entreaty of a captive noblewoman, he promises to protect their dignity and safety, winning their hearts.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα Μάγωνα καὶ τοὺς ἅμα τούτῳ Καρχηδονίους ἐχώριζε. δύο μὲν γὰρ ἦσαν κατειλημμένοι τῶν ἐκ τῆς γερουσίας, πέντε δὲ καὶ δέκα τῶν ἐκ τῆς συγκλήτου.
After this, he set apart Mago and the Carthaginians who were with him; for among those captured, two were of the Council of Ancients, and fifteen of the Senate.
καὶ τούτους μὲν συνέστησε Γαΐῳ Λαιλίῳ, συντάξας τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν ἐπιμέλειαν ποιεῖσθαι τῶν ἀνδρῶν·
He entrusted these to Gaius Laelius, ordering him to pay them the appropriate attention.
ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις τοὺς ὁμήρους προσεκαλέσατο, πλείους ὄντας τῶν τριακοσίων. καὶ τοὺς μὲν παῖδας καθʼ ἕνα προσαγαγόμενος καὶ καταψήσας θαρρεῖν ἐκέλευε, διότι μετʼ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας ἐπόψονται τοὺς αὑτῶν γονεῖς·
In addition to these, he summoned the hostages, who were more than three hundred in number. Calling the children to him one by one and caressing them, he bade them be of good cheer, because in a few days they would see their own parents.
τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ὁμοῦ παρεκάλεσε πάντας θαρρεῖν καὶ γράφειν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰς ἰδίας πόλεις πρὸς αὑτῶν ἀναγκαίους πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι σῴζονται καὶ καλῶς αὐτοῖς ἐστι, δεύτερον δὲ διότι θέλουσι Ῥωμαῖοι πάντας αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀποκαταστῆσαι μετʼ ἀσφαλείας, ἑλομένων τῶν ἀναγκαίων σφίσι τὴν πρὸς Ῥωμαίους συμμαχίαν.1
The rest he exhorted all together to be of good cheer, and to write to their own relatives in their respective cities, first that they were safe and well-treated, and secondly that the Romans wished to restore them all to their homes in safety, provided their relatives chose alliance with the Romans for their sake.
ταῦτα δʼ εἰπών, καὶ παρεσκευακὼς πρότερον ἐκ τῶν λαφύρων τὰ λυσιτελέστερα πρὸς τὴν ἐπίνοιαν, τότε κατὰ γένη καὶ καθʼ ἡλικίαν ἑκάστοις ἐδωρεῖτο τὰ πρέποντα, ταῖς μὲν παισὶ κόνους καὶ ψέλλια, τοῖς δὲ νεανίσκοις ῥαμφὰς καὶ μαχαίρας. ἐκ δὲ τῶν αἰχμαλωτίδων τῆς Μανδονίου γυναικός, ὃς ἦν ἀδελφὸς Ἀνδοβάλου τοῦ τῶν Ἰλεργητῶν βασιλέως, προσπεσούσης αὐτῷ καὶ δεομένης μετὰ δακρύων ἐπιστροφὴν ποιήσασθαι τῆς αὑτῶν εὐσχημοσύνης ἀμείνω Καρχηδονίων,2 συμπαθὴς γενόμενος ἤρετο τί λείπει τῶν ἐπιτηδείων αὐταῖς·
Having said this, and having previously prepared from the spoils what was most suitable for his purpose, he then distributed appropriate gifts to each according to their families and ages—to the girls hair-ornaments and bracelets, and to the young men daggers and swords. And from the captive women, when the wife of Mandonius— who was the brother of Andobales, king of the Ilergetes—fell at his feet and entreated him with tears to show a better care for their dignity than the Carthaginians had, he, being moved with compassion, asked what they lacked of necessary things.
καὶ γὰρ ἦν ἡ γυνὴ πρεσβυτέρα καί τινα προστασίαν ἀξιωματικὴν ἐπιφαίνουσα.
For indeed the woman was elderly and displayed a certain dignified commanding presence.
τῆς δὲ κατασιωπώσης ἐκάλει τοὺς πρὸς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τῶν γυναικῶν ἀποτεταγμένους.
Upon her remaining silent, he called those who had been appointed to the care of the women.
ὧν παραγενομένων καὶ διασαφούντων ὅτι πάντα τὰ δέοντα δαψιλῶς αὐταῖς παρασκευάζοιεν, πάλιν ὁμοίως ἁψαμένης αὐτοῦ τῶν γονάτων τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν εἰπούσης λόγον, μᾶλλον ἔτι διαπορήσας ὁ Πόπλιος, καί τινα λαβὼν ἔννοιαν ὡς ὀλιγωρούντων καὶ ψευδῶς πρὸς τὸ παρὸν ἀποφαινομένων τῶν πρὸς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ἀποτεταγμένων,3 θαρρεῖν ἐκέλευε τὰς γυναῖκας· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἑτέρους ἐπιστήσειν τοὺς φροντιοῦντας ἵνα μηδὲν αὐτὰς ἐλλείπῃ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων. ἡ δʼ ἐπισχοῦσα μικρόν "
When they arrived and explained that they had provided all necessaries abundantly for them, and when the woman again likewise clasped his knees and spoke the same words, Publius, being still more perplexed and conceiving a suspicion that those appointed to their care were neglecting them and making a false statement for the present, bade the women be of good cheer, saying that he himself would appoint others to take charge so that they should lack nothing of their necessaries. But she, after pausing for a moment, said:
3Οὐκ ὀρθῶσ"3 ἔφη "3στρατηγέ, τοὺς ἡμετέρους ἐκδέχῃ λόγους, εἰ νομίζεις ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ τῆς γαστρὸς δεῖσθαί σου νῦν"
”General, you do not take our words rightly, if you think we are now entreating you for the sake of our stomachs.”
3. καὶ τότε λαβὼν ὁ Πόπλιος ἐν νῷ τὸ βούλημα τῆς γυναικός, καὶ θεωρῶν ὑπὸ τὴν ὄψιν τὴν ἀκμὴν τῶν Ἀνδοβάλου θυγατέρων καὶ πλειόνων ἄλλων δυναστῶν, ἠναγκάσθη δακρῦσαι, τῆς γυναικὸς ἐν ὀλίγῳ τὴν τῆς περιστάσεως ἔμφασιν4 ὑποδεικνυούσης.
And then Publius, taking into his mind the purpose of the woman, and seeing before his eyes the bloom of youth of the daughters of Andobales and of many other chieftains, was forced to weep, as the woman in a few words pointed out the significance of their situation.
διὸ δὴ καὶ τότε φανερὸς γενόμενος ὅτι συνῆκε τὸ ῥηθέν, καὶ λαβόμενος τῆς δεξιᾶς, θαρρεῖν αὐτήν τε ταύτην ἐκέλευε καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ὁμοίως·
Therefore, showing then openly that he understood what had been said, and taking her by the right hand, he bade both her and the other women likewise be of good cheer;
ποιήσεσθαι γὰρ πρόνοιαν ὡς ἰδίων ἀδελφῶν καὶ τέκνων, συστήσεσθαι δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὴν τούτων ἐπιμέλειαν ἀκολούθως τοῖς προειρημένοις πιστοὺς ἄνδρας.
for he would take care of them as of his own sisters and children, and would appoint trustworthy men to their charge in accordance with his promises.
- 10.18.5ἑλομένων τῶν ἀναγκαίων σφίσι τὴν πρὸς Ῥωμαίους συμμαχίαν
A genitive absolute construction. The subject is 'τῶν ἀναγκαίων' (their relatives), and 'σφίσι' is a reflexive pronoun referring to the hostages. It has a conditional force: 'provided that their relatives choose alliance with the Romans for their sake.'
- 10.18.7ἐπιστροφὴν ποιήσασθαι τῆς αὑτῶν εὐσχημοσύνης ἀμείνω Καρχηδονίων
The infinitive 'ποιήσασθαι' depends on the participle 'δεομένης' (entreating). 'Καρχηδονίων' is a genitive of comparison, meaning 'better than [the care shown by] the Carthaginians.'
- 10.18.10ὡς ὀλιγωρούντων καὶ ψευδῶς πρὸς τὸ παρὸν ἀποφαινομένων τῶν πρὸς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ἀποτεταγμένων
A genitive absolute construction introduced by the particle 'ὡς', which expresses Scipio's subjective belief or suspicion. The participles are 'ὀλιγωρούντων' and 'ἀποφαινομένων', and their logical subject is 'τῶν πρὸς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ἀποτεταγμένων'.
- 10.18.13τὴν τῆς περιστάσεως ἔμφασιν
'περίστασις' refers to their 'situation or crisis,' and 'ἔμφασις' means the 'significance, implication, or hinting.' It denotes the implicit pointing out of the danger to the chastity of the noble young women as captives, avoiding direct language.