- 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-grc2:10.25.1-10.25.6
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-06
Comparing the current war situation to the tactical disposition of battle lines, the speaker warns that the Romans remain in a safe reserve position like a phalanx while the Greeks risk their lives, threatening ultimate Roman hegemony.
εἶναι γὰρ1 τὸ νῦν γινόμενον ὁμοιότατον τῇ περὶ τὰς παρατάξεις οἰκονομίᾳ καὶ χειρισμῷ.
For what is now happening is extremely similar to the arrangement and management of battle lines.
καὶ γὰρ ἐπʼ ἐκείνων2 προκινδυνεύει μὲν ὡς ἐπίπαν καὶ προαπόλλυται τὰ κοῦφα καὶ τὰ πρακτικώτατα τῆς δυνάμεως, τὴν δʼ ἐπιγραφὴν τῶν ἐκβαινόντων ἡ φάλαγξ καὶ τὰ βαρέα λαμβάνει τῶν ὅπλων.
For in those cases, as a general rule, the light-armed troops and the most active parts of the force run the first risks and perish first, whereas the phalanx and the heavy-armed infantry receive the credit for the results.
νῦν δὲ παραπλησίως προκινδυνεύουσι μὲν Αἰτωλοὶ καὶ Πελοποννησίων οἱ τούτοις συμμαχοῦντες, ἐφεδρεύουσι δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι, φάλαγγος ἔχοντες διάθεσιν.
But now, in a similar manner, the Aetolians and those of the Peloponnesians who are allied with them are running the first risks, while the Romans are in reserve, holding the disposition of a phalanx.
κἂν μὲν οὗτοι πταίσαντες καταφθαρῶσιν, ἀναστρέψαντες ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀβλαβεῖς ἀπολυθήσονται Ῥωμαῖοι·
And if these should trip and be destroyed, the Romans will withdraw from the situation unharmed.
νικησάντων δὲ τούτων, ὃ μὴ δόξειε τοῖς θεοῖς,3 ἅμα τούτοις καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους Ἕλληνας ὑφʼ αὑτοὺς ἐκεῖνοι ποιήσονται. —
But if they should conquer—which may the gods forbid!—the Romans, together with them, will bring the other Greeks under their own subjection. —
πᾶσαν γὰρ δημοκρατικὴν συμμαχίαν καὶ φιλίας πολλῆς δεῖσθαι4 διὰ τὰς ἐν τοῖς πλήθεσι γινομένας ἀλογίας. —
For every democratic alliance needs a great deal of friendship because of the irrationalities that occur among the multitudes. —
- 10.25.1εἶναι γὰρ
An infinitive in indirect discourse (oratio obliqua), indicating the continuation of the reported speech from the context.
- 10.25.2ἐπʼ ἐκείνων
Genitive plural of the demonstrative pronoun pointing back to "battle lines (αἱ παρατάξεις)" from the previous section. Together with the preposition ἐπί, it means "in those cases [of battle lines]."
- 10.25.5ὃ μὴ δόξειε τοῖς θεοῖς
A parenthetical expression of wish using the aorist optative (with the relative pronoun ὃ in the neuter singular), meaning "which may it not seem good to the gods," expressing a strong wish to avert an unfavorable outcome.
- 10.25.6δεῖσθαι
Present infinitive of the verb δέομαι (to need). Like εἶναι in 10.25.1, it depends on the indirect discourse construction. It takes the accusative subject πᾶσαν δημοκρατικὴν συμμαχίαν and the genitive complement φιλίας πολλῆς.