- 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-grc2:10.36.1-10.36.7
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-05
The author explains the failure of the Carthaginians, who became arrogant and oppressive toward their subjects after their temporary victory, leading to widespread defection. He delivers a lesson that retaining power requires the same benevolent policy by which it was acquired.
ὃ δὴ καὶ περὶ πολλοὺς ἤδη γέγονε. μεγάλου γὰρ ὄντος, ὡς πλεονάκις ἡμῖν εἴρηται, τοῦ κατορθοῦν1 ἐν πράγμασι καὶ περιγίνεσθαι τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐν ταῖς ἐπιβολαῖς, πολλῷ μείζονος ἐμπειρίας προσδεῖται2 καὶ φυλακῆς τὸ καλῶς χρήσασθαι τοῖς κατορθώμασι·
This indeed is what has already happened to many. For although it is a great thing, as I have often said, to succeed in one’s undertakings and to overcome one’s enemies in their designs, yet to make a good use of such successes requires far greater experience and vigilance.
διὸ καὶ πολλαπλασίους ἂν εὕροι τις τοὺς ἐπὶ προτερημάτων γεγονότας τῶν καλῶς τοῖς προτερήμασι κεχρημένων.3 ὃ καὶ τότε περὶ τοὺς Καρχηδονίους συνέβη γενέσθαι.
Therefore, one may find many times more people who have gained an advantage than those who have made good use of their advantages. This is precisely what then happened to the Carthaginians.
μετὰ γὰρ τὸ νικῆσαι μὲν τὰς Ῥωμαίων δυνάμεις, ἀποκτεῖναι δὲ τοὺς στρατηγοὺς ἀμφοτέρους, Πόπλιον καὶ Γνάϊον, ὑπολαβόντες ἀδήριτον αὐτοῖς ὑπάρχειν τὴν Ἰβηρίαν, ὑπερηφάνως ἐχρῶντο τοῖς κατὰ τὴν χώραν.
For after defeating the Roman forces and killing both generals, Publius and Gnaeus, supposing that Iberia was indisputably theirs, they treated the people of the country with insolence.
τοιγαροῦν ἀντὶ συμμάχων καὶ φίλων πολεμίους ἔσχον τοὺς ὑποταττομένους.
Consequently, instead of allies and friends, they had those who were subject to them as enemies.
καὶ τοῦτʼ εἰκότως ἔπαθον· ἄλλως μὲν γὰρ ἐπειδήπερ ὑπέλαβον δεῖν κτᾶσθαι τὰς ἀρχάς, ἄλλως δὲ4 τηρεῖν, οὐκ ἔμαθον διότι κάλλιστα φυλάττουσι τὰς ὑπεροχὰς οἱ κάλλιστα διαμείναντες ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν προαιρέσεων, αἷς ἐξ ἀρχῆς κατεκτήσαντο τὰς δυναστείας, καίτοι γε προφανοῦς ὄντος καὶ ἐπὶ πολλῶν ἤδη τεθεωρημένου διότι5 κτῶνται μὲν ἄνθρωποι τὰς εὐκαιρίας εὖ ποιοῦντες καὶ προτεινόμενοι τὴν ἀγαθὴν ἐλπίδα τοῖς πέλας, ἐπειδὰν δὲ τῶν ἐπιθυμουμένων τυχόντες κακῶς ποιῶσι καὶ δεσποτικῶς ἄρχωσι τῶν ὑποτεταγμένων, εἰκότως ἅμα ταῖς τῶν προεστώτων μεταβολαῖς συμμεταπίπτουσι καὶ τῶν ὑποταττομένων αἱ προαιρέσεις. ὃ καὶ τότε συνέβη τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις.
And they suffered this with good reason; for because they assumed that empires should be acquired in one way and maintained in another, they did not learn that those preserve their supremacy best who remain most constant to the same principles by which they first acquired their power. Although indeed it is obvious and has already been observed in many instances that men gain favorable opportunities by doing good and by holding out good hopes to their neighbors, but when, having obtained their desires, they do evil and rule over their subjects like despots, the inclinations of the subjects naturally change along with the change in their rulers. This is what then happened to the Carthaginians.
- 10.36.1μεγάλου γὰρ ὄντος ... τοῦ κατορθοῦν
A genitive absolute construction with the present participle ὄντος. The articular infinitive phrase τοῦ κατορθοῦν ... καὶ περιγίνεσθαι serves as the grammatical subject, and the neuter adjective μεγάλου acts as its predicate, expressing concession (or cause) in relation to the main clause.
- 10.36.1πολλῷ μείζονος ἐμπειρίας προσδεῖται
The grammatical subject of the verb προσδεῖται (requires, stands in need of) is the subsequent articular infinitive phrase τὸ καλῶς χρήσασθαι τοῖς κατορθώμασι. By nature, this verb governs its required object in the genitive case (πολλῷ μείζονος ἐμπειρίας καὶ φυλακῆς).
- 10.36.2τῶν καλῶς τοῖς προτερήμασι κεχρημένων
Genitive of comparison. It indicates the standard of comparison for the adjective πολλαπλασίους (many times more), which carries a comparative sense, meaning "many times more than those who made good use of their advantages."
- 10.36.5ἄλλως μὲν ... ἄλλως δὲ
A contrast meaning "in one way... in another way..." This expresses in parallel the mistaken perception of the Carthaginians that the two actions of acquisition and maintenance should be performed in different manners. Both infinitives κτᾶσθαι and τηρεῖν depend on δεῖν.
- 10.36.6προφανοῦς ὄντος ... διότι
An impersonal genitive absolute construction using the neuter singular genitive of the adjective προφανής (obvious). The noun clause introduced by the conjunction διότι (= ὅτι, "that...") serves as the logical subject (the substance) of what is "obvious."