- 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-grc2:10.44.1-10.44.13
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-05
Polybius details the water-clock signaling system invented by Aeneas Tacticus, describing the use of identical vessels and inscribed rods to transmit messages.
Αἰνείας δὲ βουληθεὶς διορθώσασθαι τὴν τοιαύτην ἀπορίαν, ὁ τὰ περὶ τῶν Στρατηγικῶν ὑπομνήματα συντεταγμένος, βραχὺ μέν τι προεβίβασε, τοῦ γε μὴν δέοντος ἀκμὴν πάμπολυ τὸ κατὰ τὴν ἐπίνοιαν ἀπελείφθη.1
Aeneas, who composed the treatise on Tactics, wishing to remedy this difficulty, advanced the matter slightly, but his invention still fell very far short of what was required.
γνοίη δʼ ἄν τις ἐκ τούτων. φησὶ γὰρ δεῖν τοὺς μέλλοντας ἀλλήλοις διὰ τῶν πυρσῶν δηλοῦν τὸ κατεπεῖγον ἀγγεῖα κατασκευάσαι κεραμεᾶ, κατά τε τὸ πλάτος καὶ κατὰ τὸ βάθος ἰσομεγέθη πρὸς ἀκρίβειαν· εἶναι δὲ μάλιστα τὸ μὲν βάθος τριῶν πηχῶν, τὸ δὲ πλάτος πήχεος.
One may see this from the following. For he says that those who are to signal urgent matters to each other by means of fire-signals must prepare clay vessels, precisely equal in width and depth; the depth should preferably be three cubits, and the width one cubit.
εἶτα παρασκευάσαι φελλοὺς βραχὺ κατὰ πλάτος ἐνδεεῖς τῶν στομάτων,2 ἐν δὲ τούτοις μέσοις ἐμπεπηγέναι βακτηρίας διῃρημένας εἰς ἴσα μέρη τριδάκτυλα, καθʼ ἕκαστον δὲ μέρος εἶναι περιγραφὴν εὔσημον.
Then they must prepare corks slightly narrower in width than the mouths of the vessels, and in the middle of these, rods must be fixed, which are divided into equal parts of three finger-breadths each, with a clearly marked line on each part.
ἐν ἑκάστῳ δὲ μέρει γεγράφθαι τὰ προφανέστατα καὶ καθολικώτατα τῶν ἐν τοῖς πολεμικοῖς συμβαινόντων, οἷον εὐθέως ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ, διότι " πάρεισιν ἱππεῖς εἰς τὴν χώραν," ἐν δὲ τῷ δευτέρῳ διότι "πεζοὶ βαρεῖς," ἐν δὲ τῷ τρίτῳ "ψιλοί," τούτων δʼ ἑξῆς " πεζοὶ μεθʼ ἱππέων," εἶτα "πλοῖα," μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα "σῖτος," καὶ κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς οὕτω, μέχρις ἂν ἐν πάσαις γραφῇ ταῖς χώραις τὰ μάλιστʼ ἂν ἐκ τῶν εὐλόγων προνοίας τυγχάνοντα καὶ συμβαίνοντα3 κατὰ τοὺς ἐνεστῶτας καιροὺς ἐκ τῶν πολεμικῶν.
On each part must be written the most obvious and common occurrences of war: for instance, on the first, “ Cavalry are entering the country,” on the second, “Heavy infantry,” on the third, “Light-armed troops,” next to these, “ Infantry with cavalry,” then “Ships,” after these “Corn,” and so on in succession, until there are written in all the spaces those events which are most reasonably anticipated and likely to happen in the current circumstances of the war.
τούτων δὲ γενομένων ἀμφότερα κελεύει τρῆσαι τὰ ἀγγεῖα πρὸς ἀκρίβειαν, ὥστε τοὺς αὐλίσκους ἴσους εἶναι καὶ κατʼ ἴσον ἀπορρεῖν· εἶτα πληρώσαντας ὕδατος ἐπιθεῖναι τοὺς φελλοὺς ἔχοντας τὰς βακτηρίας, κἄπειτα τοὺς αὐλίσκους ἀφεῖναι ῥεῖν ἅμα.
When this is done, he orders both vessels to be pierced precisely, so that the discharge-tubes are equal and the water flows out at an equal rate; then, having filled them with water, to put on the corks holding the rods, and then to let the tubes run at the same time.
τούτου δὲ συμβαίνοντος δῆλον ὡς ἀνάγκη πάντων ἴσων καὶ ὁμοίων ὄντων, καθʼ ὅσον ἂν ἀπορρέῃ τὸ ὑγρόν, κατὰ τοσοῦτον τοὺς φελλοὺς καταβαίνειν καὶ τὰς βακτηρίας κρύπτεσθαι κατὰ τῶν ἀγγείων.
When this takes place, it is clear that since everything is equal and identical, in proportion as the liquid flows out, the corks must sink to that extent and the rods disappear into the vessels.
ὅταν δὲ τὰ προειρημένα γένηται κατὰ τὸν χειρισμὸν ἰσοταχῆ καὶ σύμφωνα, τότε κομίσαντας ἐπὶ τοὺς τόπους, ἐν οἷς ἑκάτεροι μέλλουσι συντηρεῖν τὰς πυρσείας, ἑκάτερον θεῖναι τῶν ἀγγείων.
When the aforementioned operations have been made equal in speed and consistent, then, having transported them to the places where each party is to watch for the signals, they are to set up each of the vessels.
εἶτʼ ἐπὰν ἐμπέσῃ τι τῶν ἐν τῇ βακτηρίᾳ γεγραμμένων, πυρσὸν ἆραι κελεύει, καὶ μένειν, ἕως ἂν ἀνταίρωσιν οἱ συντεταγμένοι· γενομένων δὲ φανερῶν ἀμφοτέρων ἅμα τῶν πυρσῶν καθελεῖν. εἶτʼ εὐθέως ἀφεῖναι τοὺς αὐλίσκους ῥεῖν.
Then, as soon as any of the occurrences written on the rod happens, he orders to raise a torch, and to keep it raised until the receiving party raises one in response; and when both torches are visible at the same time, to lower them. Then immediately to let the tubes run.
ὅταν δὲ καταβαίνοντος τοῦ φελλοῦ καὶ τῆς βακτηρίας ἔλθῃ τῶν γεγραμμένων ὃ βούλει δηλοῦν κατὰ τὸ χεῖλος τοῦ τεύχους, ἆραι κελεύει τὸν πυρσόν·
And when, as the cork and the rod sink, that of the written messages which you wish to signal comes level with the rim of the vessel, he orders to raise the torch;
τοὺς δʼ ἑτέρους ἐπιλαβεῖν εὐθέως τὸν αὐλίσκον, καὶ σκοπεῖν τί κατὰ τὸ χεῖλός ἐστι τῶν ἐν τῇ βακτηρίᾳ γεγραμμένων·
and the other party must immediately stop up the tube, and look at what of the messages written on the rod is at the rim;
ἔσται δὲ τοῦτο τὸ δηλούμενον πάντων ἰσοταχῶς παρʼ ἀμφοτέροις κινουμένων.4
and this will be the message signaled, since everything moves at an equal speed on both sides.
- 10.44.1τοῦ γε μὴν δέοντος ἀκμὴν πάμπολυ τὸ κατὰ τὴν ἐπίνοιαν ἀπελείφθη
τοῦ δέοντος is a genitive of comparison dependent on the verb ἀπελείφθη ("fell short"). ἀκμὴν is used adverbially in the sense of "still" or "even now", which, combined with πάμπολυ ("by a very great deal"), emphasizes how far the invention (τὸ κατὰ τὴν ἐπίνοιαν) fell short of the required standard.
- 10.44.3βραχὺ κατὰ πλάτος ἐνδεεῖς τῶν στομάτων
The adjective ἐνδεεῖς ("lacking" or "inferior") governs the genitive of comparison τῶν στομάτων ("mouths"). κατὰ πλάτος is an accusative of specification ("in width"), indicating that the corks are slightly (βραχὺ) smaller than the diameter of the mouths of the vessels.
- 10.44.6τὰ μάλιστʼ ἂν ἐκ τῶν εὐλόγων προνοίας τυγχάνοντα καὶ συμβαίνοντα
This noun phrase depends on the temporal clause introduced by μέχρις ἂν + subjunctive (γραφῇ). The particle ἂν is combined with the participles τυγχάνοντα and συμβαίνοντα to express potentiality ("things that would most likely be anticipated and happen").
- 10.44.13πάντων ἰσοταχῶς παρʼ ἀμφοτέροις κινουμένων
A genitive absolute construction expressing cause or condition. It translates as "since everything moves at an equal speed on both sides," explaining the synchronized action based on the water-clock principle.