Death of Claudius in Ambush and Critique of Rash Commanders — Polybius, The Histories Book 10 (10.32.1–10.32.12), Greek & English

§10.32.1

βουλόμενοι δʼ οἱ ὕπατοι κατοπτεῦσαι σαφῶς τὰ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ὑπεναντίων στρατοπεδείαν κεκλιμένα μέρη τοῦ λόφου, τοῖς μὲν ἐν τῷ χάρακι μένειν κατὰ χώραν ἐπήγγειλαν, αὐτοὶ δὲ τῶν ἱππέων ἀναλαβόντες ἴλας δύο καὶ γροσφομάχους μετὰ τῶν ῥαβδοφόρων εἰς τριάκοντα προῆγον, κατασκεψόμενοι τοὺς τόπους.

The consuls, wishing to reconnoitre clearly those parts of the hill that sloped towards the enemy’s camp, ordered those in the stockade to remain in their places, while they themselves, taking two squadrons of cavalry and some velites, together with their lictors, about thirty in all, advanced to inspect the locality.

§10.32.3

τῶν δὲ Νομάδων εἰθισμένοι τινὲς τοῖς ἀκροβολιζομένοις καὶ καθόλου προπορευομένοις ἐκ τοῦ τῶν ὑπεναντίων χάρακος ἐνέδρας ποιεῖν, ὑπεστάλκεισαν κατά τινα συντυχίαν ὑπὸ τὸν λόφον.

Now some of the Numidians, who were accustomed to lay ambushes for those who skirmished or in general advanced from the enemy’s camp, had by some chance crouched under the hill.

§10.32.4

οἷς τοῦ σκοποῦ σημήναντος ὅτι παραγίνονταί τινες κατʼ ἄκρον τὸν βουνὸν ὑπερδέξιοι ʼκείνων, ἐξαναστάντες καὶ παρὰ πλάγια ποιησάμενοι τὴν πορείαν ἀποτέμνονται τοὺς στρατηγοὺς καὶ διακλείουσιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἰδίας παρεμβολῆς.

When their lookout signaled to them that some persons had appeared on the crest of the hill above them, they rose up, and marching obliquely, cut off the generals and shut them out from their own camp.

§10.32.5

καὶ τὸν μὲν Κλαύδιον εὐθέως ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ συμπλοκῇ καί τινας ἑτέρους ἅμα τούτῳ κατέβαλον, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς κατατραυματίσαντες διὰ τῶν κρημνῶν ἠνάγκασαν ἄλλον ἄλλῃ φεύγειν.

And they slew Claudius at once in the first encounter, along with some others, and having wounded the rest, forced them to flee in different directions down the cliffs.

§10.32.6

οἱ δʼ ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ θεωροῦντες τὸ γινόμενον οὐδαμῶς ἠδυνήθησαν ἐπικουρῆσαι τοῖς κινδυνεύουσιν· ἔτι γὰρ ἀναβοώντων καὶ πρὸς τὸ συμβαῖνον ἐκπεπληγμένων, καὶ τῶν μὲν χαλινούντων τοὺς ἵππους, τῶν δὲ καθοπλιζομένων, πέρας εἶχε τὸ πρᾶγμα. καὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Κλαυδίου τραυματίαν, μόλις καὶ παραδόξως τὸν κίνδυνον διαπεφευγότα¹ Μάρκος μὲν οὖν ἀκακώτερον ἢ στρατηγικώτερον αὑτῷ χρησάμενος τοῖς δεδηλωμένοις περιέπεσε συμπτώμασιν·

Those in the camp, though they saw what was happening, were in no way able to come to the rescue of those in danger; for while they were still shouting and stunned by the event, and some were bridling their horses while others were arming themselves, the business was already finished. Even the son of Claudius, wounded, only just and contrary to expectation escaped the danger. Thus Marcus, by conducting himself with more simplicity than generalship, fell into the aforementioned disasters.

§10.32.8

ἐγὼ δὲ παρʼ ὅλην τὴν πραγματείαν πολλάκις ἀναγκάζομαι περὶ τῶν τοιούτων ὑπομιμνήσκειν τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας, θεωρῶν, εἰ καὶ περί τι τῶν τῆς στρατηγίας μερῶν ἄλλο, καὶ περὶ τοῦτο διαμαρτάνοντας τοὺς ἡγεμόνας, καίτοι προδήλου τῆς ἀγνοίας ὑπαρχούσης.

For my part, throughout my whole work I am often compelled to remind my readers of such matters, seeing that, if commanders make mistakes in any other branch of generalship, they do so especially in this, although the ignorance involved is so obvious.

§10.32.9

τί γὰρ ὄφελος ἡγεμόνος ἢ στρατηγοῦ μὴ διειληφότος διότι τῶν κατὰ μέρος κινδύνων, οἷς μὴ συμπάσχει τὰ ὅλα, πλεῖστον ἀπέχειν δεῖ τὸν ἡγούμενον;

For what is the use of a leader or general who has not understood that the commander must keep as far as possible from those partial risks in which the whole interest is not involved?

§10.32.10

τί δʼ ἀγνοοῦντος ὅτι, κἄν ποτʼ ἀναγκάζωσιν οἱ καιροὶ πράττειν τι τῶν κατὰ μέρος, πολλοὺς δεῖ πρότερον ἀποθανεῖν τῶν συνόντων πρὶν ἢ τὸ δεινὸν ἐγγίσαι τοῖς προεστῶσι τῶν ὅλων;

Or what is the use of one who is ignorant that, even if circumstances sometimes compel them to undertake some partial action, many of those with them must die before the danger can approach those who are at the head of the whole?

§10.32.11

δεῖ γὰρ ἐν Καρὶ τὴν πεῖραν,² ὡς ἡ παροιμία φησίν, οὐκ ἐν τῷ στρατηγῷ γίνεσθαι.

For, as the proverb says, the experiment should be made on a Carian, not on the general.

§10.32.12

τὸ μὲν γὰρ λέγειν ὡς "3οὐκ ἂν ᾠόμην"3 "3τίς γὰρ ἂν ἤλπισε τοῦτο γενέσθαι"3; μέγιστον εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ σημεῖον ἀπειρίας στρατηγικῆς καὶ βραδυτῆτος.

For to say, “I should not have thought,” or “Who would have expected this to happen?” seems to me to be the greatest sign of a general’s inexperience and dullness.

Syntax notes2 items

10.32.6καὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Κλαυδίου τραυματίαν, μόλις καὶ παραδόξως τὸν κίνδυνον διαπεφευγότα
This clause represents an anacoluthon, lacking a main finite verb. Semantically, it depends on the preceding 'πέρας εἶχε τὸ πρᾶγμα' (the business was finished), implying that the entire episode was over by the time the son of Claudius barely escaped with his wounds.
10.32.11ἐν Καρὶ τὴν πεῖραν
Refers to the ancient Greek proverb 'to make an experiment on a Carian' (ἐν Καρὶ τὴν πεῖραν γίγνεσθαι). Since Carians were regarded as cheap and disposable mercenaries, the proverb means that dangerous trials should be conducted on worthless subjects rather than on essential leaders.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-10-09)

2026-10-09 Collated with the printed edition — source 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:10.32.1-10.32.12