- 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-grc2:10.41.1-10.41.8
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-05
The Aetolians, bolstered by their alliance with the Romans and King Attalus, pose a major threat to Greece, prompting various states to entreat Philip V of Macedon for aid. Faced with crisis on all sides, Philip is tested as a leader as he manages the embassies and prepares for the looming war.
οἱ μὲν Αἰτωλοί, προσφάτως ἐπηρμένοι ταῖς ἐλπίσιν ἐπὶ τῇ Ῥωμαίων καὶ τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως Ἀττάλου παρουσίᾳ, πάντας ἐξέπληττον καὶ πᾶσιν ἐπέκειντο κατὰ γῆν, οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἄτταλον καὶ Πόπλιον1 κατὰ θάλατταν.
The Aetolians, recently elated in their hopes by the presence of the Romans and of King Attalus, were striking terror into everyone and pressing hard upon everyone by land, while those under Attalus and Publius did so by sea.
διόπερ ἧκον Ἀχαιοὶ μὲν παρακαλοῦντες τὸν Φίλιππον βοηθεῖν· οὐ γὰρ μόνον τοὺς Αἰτωλοὺς ἠγωνίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν Μαχανίδαν διὰ τὸ προκαθῆσθαι μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως ἐπὶ τοῖς τῶν Ἀργείων ὅροις.
Therefore the Achaeans came, entreating Philip to help them; for they were anxious not only about the Aetolians, but also about Machanidas, because he was encamped with his force on the borders of the Argives.
Βοιωτοὶ δὲ δεδιότες τὸν στόλον τῶν ὑπεναντίων, ἡγεμόνα καὶ βοήθειαν ᾔτουν. φιλοπονώτατά γε μὴν οἱ τὴν Εὔβοιαν κατοικοῦντες ἠξίουν ἔχειν τινὰ πρόνοιαν τῶν πολεμίων. παραπλήσια δʼ Ἀκαρνᾶνες παρεκάλουν.
The Boeotians, fearing the enemy’s fleet, asked for a leader and assistance. Most earnestly indeed did the inhabitants of Euboea demand that some precaution should be taken against the enemy. The Acarnanians made similar entreaties.
ἦν δὲ καὶ παρʼ Ἠπειρωτῶν πρεσβεία. προσήγγελτο δὲ καὶ Σκερδιλαΐδαν καὶ Πλευρᾶτον ἐξάγειν τὰς δυνάμεις· ἔτι δὲ τοὺς προσοροῦντας τῇ Μακεδονίᾳ Θρᾷκας, καὶ μάλιστα τοὺς Μαιδούς, ἐπιβολὰς ἔχειν2 ὡς ἐμβαλοῦντας ἐπὶ Μακεδονίαν, ἐὰν βραχύ τι μόνον ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς οἰκείας ἀποσπασθῇ.
There was also an embassy from the Epirotes. It was also reported that Scerdilaidas and Pleuratus were leading out their forces; and further, that the Thracians bordering on Macedonia, especially the Maedi, had designs of invading Macedonia if the king should be drawn away even for a little while from his own territory.
προκατελάμβανον δὲ καὶ τὰ περὶ Θερμοπύλας στενὰ τάφροις καὶ χάρακι καὶ φυλακαῖς βαρείαις Αἰτωλοί, πεπεισμένοι συγκλείειν τὸν Φίλιππον καὶ καθόλου κωλύειν παραβοηθεῖν τοῖς ἐντὸς Πυλῶν συμμάχοις.
The Aetolians were also preoccupying the pass of Thermopylae with trenches, palisades, and strong guards, convinced that they would shut Philip out and completely prevent him from coming to the aid of his allies within the Pass.
δοκεῖ δέ μοι τὰς τοιαύτας περιστάσεις εὐλόγως ἄν τις ἐπισημήνασθαι καὶ συνεφιστάνειν τοὺς ἀναγινώσκοντας, ἐν αἷς πεῖρα καὶ βάσανος ἀληθινὴ γίνεται κατὰ τάς τε ψυχικὰς ὁρμὰς καὶ τὰς σωματικὰς δυνάμεις τῶν ἡγεμόνων.
It seems to me that one might reasonably point out and direct the attention of readers to such crises, in which a true trial and test of the mental impulses and bodily powers of leaders takes place.
καθάπερ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς κυνηγεσίαις τὰ ζῷα τότε διάδηλα γίνεται κατὰ τὴν ἀλκὴν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν, ὅταν τὸ δεινὸν αὐτὰ περιστῇ πανταχόθεν, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον συμβαίνει καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἡγουμένων. ὃ δὴ τότε μάλιστα συνιδεῖν ἦν γινόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ Φιλίππου·3
For just as in hunting wild beasts show their courage and power most clearly when danger surrounds them on every side, in the same way it happens also with leaders. This indeed was then especially to be seen happening in the case of Philip;
τὰς μὲν γὰρ πρεσβείας ἀπέλυσε πάσας, ἑκάστοις τὰ δυνατὰ ποιήσειν ἐπαγγειλάμενος, τῷ δὲ πολέμῳ πανταχόθεν ἐπεῖχε, καραδοκῶν πῇ καὶ πρὸς τίνα πρῶτον δεήσει
for he dismissed all the embassies, having promised to do what was possible for each of them, and kept his attention fixed on the war on all sides, waiting to see where and against whom it would first be necessary...
- 10.41.1οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἄτταλον καὶ Πόπλιον
The phrase οἱ δὲ περὶ... refers to the forces or party under the command of Attalus and Publius (referring here to the Roman commander Publius Sulpicius Galba). Before κατὰ θάλατταν, the verb from the preceding clause, ἐπέκειντο (or ἐξέπληττον καὶ ἐπέκειντο), is understood.
- 10.41.4προσήγγελτο δὲ καὶ Σκερδιλαΐδαν καὶ Πλευρᾶτον ἐξάγειν τὰς δυνάμεις· ἔτι δὲ τοὺς προσοροῦντας ... ἐπιβολὰς ἔχειν
The impersonal pluperfect passive verb προσήγγελτο ("it had been reported") takes two accusative-with-infinitive clauses as its subject: Σκερδιλαΐδαν καὶ Πλευρᾶτον ἐξάγειν... and τοὺς προσοροῦντας... ἐπιβολὰς ἔχειν.
- 10.41.7ὃ δὴ τότε μάλιστα συνιδεῖν ἦν γινόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ Φιλίππου
The relative pronoun ὃ refers to the preceding situation (the testing of a leader's ability in a crisis) and functions as the subject of the participle γινόμενον. ἦν with the infinitive συνιδεῖν expresses possibility ("it was possible to see"), creating the structure: "which indeed was then especially to be seen happening/being done by Philip."
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