- 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-grc2:10.31.1-10.31.15
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-05
Antiochus III successfully navigates the difficult mountain path and defeats the barbarians at the passes of Mount Labus via a night-time flanking maneuver. He then enters Tambrax in Hyrcania and besieges the heavily fortified city of Sirynx, successfully forcing its surrender after a fierce underground and surface assault.
οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἀντίοχον ἀσφαλῶς διέβησαν τὰς δυσχωρίας τῷ προειρημένῳ τρόπῳ, βραδέως δὲ καὶ δυσχερῶς· μόλις γὰρ ὀγδοαῖοι1 πρὸς τὰς κατὰ τὸν Λάβον ὑπεροχὰς ἀφίκοντο.
Antiochus and his army safely crossed the difficult terrain in the aforementioned manner, but slowly and with difficulty; for they only just arrived at the passes of Mount Labus on the eighth day.
τῶν δὲ βαρβάρων συνηθροισμένων ἐκεῖ, καὶ πεπεισμένων κωλύειν τῆς ὑπερβολῆς τοὺς πολεμίους, ἀγὼν συνέστη νεανικός. ἐξεώσθησαν δʼ οἱ βάρβαροι διὰ τοιαύτας αἰτίας.
Since the barbarians had assembled there and were convinced that they could prevent the enemy from crossing the pass, a vigorous struggle ensued. But the barbarians were dislodged for the following reasons.
συστραφέντες γὰρ ἐμάχοντο πρὸς τοὺς φαλαγγίτας κατὰ πρόσωπον ἐκθύμως· τῆς δὲ νυκτὸς ἔτι τῶν εὐζώνων ἐκπεριελθόντων ἐκ πολλοῦ, καὶ καταλαβομένων τοὺς ὑπερδεξίους καὶ κατὰ νώτου τόπους, ἅμα τῷ συνιδεῖν2 οἱ βάρβαροι τὸ γεγονὸς εὐθέως πτοηθέντες ὥρμησαν πρὸς φυγήν.
For while they were fighting courageously face to face in close order against the phalangites, the light-armed troops had already made a wide detour during the night and occupied the commanding positions and those in their rear; and as soon as the barbarians perceived what had happened, they were instantly panic-stricken and turned to flight.
ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τὴν μὲν ἐπὶ πλεῖον ὁρμὴν τῶν διωκόντων παρακατέσχε μετὰ πολλῆς σπουδῆς, ἀνακαλεσάμενος ταῖς σάλπιγξι, διὰ τὸ βούλεσθαι καταβαίνειν ἅθρους καὶ συντεταγμένους εἰς τὴν Ὑρκανίαν.
But the king, because he wished to descend into Hyrcania in a body and in good order, recalled his men with the trumpets and restrained the further rush of the pursuers with great diligence.
συστησάμενος δὲ τὴν πορείαν ὡς ἐβούλετο καὶ παραγενόμενος ἐπὶ Τάμβρακα, πόλιν ἀτείχιστον, ἔχουσαν δὲ βασίλεια καὶ μέγεθος, αὐτοῦ κατεσκήνωσε.
Having reorganized his march as he wished and arrived at Tambrax, an unfortified city but possessing a palace and of great size, he encamped there.
τῶν δὲ πλείστων πεποιημένων τὴν ἀποχώρησιν ἔκ τε τῆς μάχης καὶ τῆς περικειμένης χώρας εἰς τὴν προσαγορευομένην Σίρυγκα πόλιν — συνέβαινε κεῖσθαι ʼκείνην οὐ μακρὰν τῆς Τάμβρακος, εἶναι δὲ τῆς Ὑρκανίας ὡς ἂν εἰ3 βασίλειον διά τε τὴν ὀχυρότητα καὶ τὴν ἄλλην εὐκαιρίαν —
Since the majority had made their retreat from the battle and the surrounding country to the city called Sirynx—which happened to lie not far from Tambrax, and was, as it were, the capital of Hyrcania because of its strength and other advantages—
ἔκρινε ταύτην ἐξελεῖν μετὰ βίας. ἀναλαβὼν οὖν τὴν δύναμιν προῆγε, καὶ περιστρατοπεδεύσας ἤρχετο τῆς πολιορκίας.
he decided to take this city by force. Accordingly, taking his army, he advanced, and having encamped around it, began the siege.
ἦν δὲ τὸ πλεῖστον μέρος τῆς ἐπιβολῆς ἐν ταῖς χωστρίσι χελώναις. τάφροι γὰρ ἦσαν τριτταί, πλάτος μὲν οὐκ ἔλαττον ἔχουσαι τριάκοντα πηχῶν, βάθος δὲ πεντεκαίδεκα· ἐπὶ δὲ τοῖς χείλεσιν ἑκάστης ἐπέκειτο χαρακώματα διπλᾶ καὶ τελευταῖον προτείχισμα δυνατόν.
The greater part of the assault was carried on by means of filling testudos. For there were three ditches, having a width of not less than thirty cubits and a depth of fifteen; and upon the edges of each stood double palisades, and finally a strong rampart.
συμπλοκαὶ μὲν οὖν ἐγίνοντο συνεχεῖς ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων, ἐν αἷς οὐκ ἤνυον ἑκάτεροι φέροντες4 τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ τοὺς τραυματίας διὰ τὸ μὴ μόνον ὑπὲρ γῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ γῆς διὰ τῶν ὀρυγμάτων ἐκ χειρὸς γίνεσθαι τοὺς κινδύνους.
Accordingly, continuous encounters took place at the works, in which neither side could succeed in carrying away their dead and wounded, because the danger was encountered hand to hand not only above ground but also underground through the mines.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ τῷ πλήθει καὶ τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐνεργείᾳ ταχέως συνέβη καὶ τὰς τάφρους χωσθῆναι καὶ τὸ τεῖχος πεσεῖν διὰ τῶν ὀρυγμάτων.
However, owing to the large number of hands and the energy of the king, it soon came about that the ditches were filled up and the wall fell by means of the mines.
οὗ συμβάντος διατραπέντες οἱ βάρβαροι τοῖς ὅλοις, καὶ τοὺς μὲν Ἕλληνας κατασφάξαντες τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει, τὰ δʼ ἐπιφανέστατα τῶν σκευῶν διαρπάσαντες, νυκτὸς ἀπεχώρησαν.
When this happened, the barbarians, being completely dismayed, and having slaughtered the Greeks who were in the city and plundered the most valuable of the vessels, retreated by night.
ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς συνθεασάμενος Ὑπερβάσαν ἀπέστειλε μετὰ τῶν μισθοφόρων· οὗ συμμίξαντος οἱ βάρβαροι ῥίψαντες τὰς ἀποσκευὰς αὖθις εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἔφυγον.
But the king, having observed this, dispatched Hyperbasas with the mercenaries; and when he came up with them, the barbarians threw away their baggage and fled back into the city.
τῶν δὲ πελταστῶν ἐνεργῶς βιαζομένων διὰ τοῦ πτώματος, ἀπελπίσαντες σφᾶς αὐτοὺς παρέδοσαν. Ἀχριανή, πόλις Ὑρκανίας.
As the peltasts vigorously forced their way through the breach, they gave up hope and surrendered themselves. Achriane, a city of Hyrcania.
Πολύβιος δεκάτῳ. Καλλιόπη, πόλις Παρθυαίων.
Polybius, Book 10. Calliope, a city of the Parthians.
Πολύβιος δεκάτῳ.
Polybius, Book 10.
- 10.31.1ὀγδοαῖοι
Predicative use of the temporal adjective ὀγδοαῖοι ("on the eighth day"), agreeing in gender, number, and case with the subject of the clause, but functioning adverbially.
- 10.31.3ἅμα τῷ συνιδεῖν
The preposition ἅμα expressing simultaneity combined with the articular dative infinitive τῷ συνιδεῖν ("as soon as they perceived"). The subject of the infinitive is understood to be identical with the main subject, οἱ βάρβαροι.
- 10.31.6ὡς ἂν εἰ
A conventional conjunctive phrase combining the comparative ὡς, the potential particle ἄν, and the conditional εἰ. It expresses a hypothetical comparison ("as if", "as it were"), used here to describe Sirynx figuratively as the capital of Hyrcania.
- 10.31.9οὐκ ἤνυον ἑκάτεροι φέροντες
The verb ἀνύω ("to achieve, accomplish, finish") governing the supplementary participle φέροντες. Combined with the negative οὐκ, it means "neither side could succeed in carrying away" or "had no leisure to carry away" their dead and wounded due to the relentless and urgent nature of the combat.