Rout of the Achaean Left and Machanidas's Rash Pursuit — Polybius, The Histories Book 11 (11.14.1–11.14.7), Greek & English

§11.14.1

διὸ δὴ καὶ τότε συνέβαινε τὸ παρὰ τῷ Μαχανίδᾳ ξενικὸν οὕτως ἐκθύμως ἀγωνίζεσθαι καὶ βιαίως ὥστε μηδὲ τοὺς ἐφεδρεύοντας τοῖς ξένοις Ἰλλυριοὺς καὶ θωρακίτας δύνασθαι τὴν ἔφοδον αὐτῶν ὑπομεῖναι, πάντας δʼ ἐκπιεσθέντας φεύγειν προτροπάδην ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς Μαντινείας, ἀπεχούσης τῆς πόλεως ἑπτὰ σταδίους.

For this very reason, on that occasion also, it happened that the mercenary force of Machanidas fought so eagerly and fiercely that not even the Illyrians and cuirassiers who supported the mercenaries could withstand their onset, but all, being hard pressed, fled headlong towards Mantinea, the city being seven stades away.

§11.14.2

ἐν ᾧ δὴ καιρῷ τὸ παρʼ ἐνίοις ἀπορούμενον τότε παρὰ πᾶσιν ὁμολογούμενον ἐγένετο καὶ συμφανές, ὅτι πλεῖστα τῶν κατὰ πόλεμον συντελουμένων παρὰ τὴν τῶν ἡγουμένων ἐμπειρίαν καὶ πάλιν ἀπειρίαν ἐπιτελεῖται.

At this very juncture, what had been doubted by some became acknowledged and manifest to all: namely, that most of the events accomplished in war are brought to completion owing to the experience, and on the other hand the inexperience, of the leaders.

§11.14.3

μέγα μὲν γὰρ ἴσως καὶ τὸ προτερήματος ἀρχὴν λαβόντα προσθεῖναι τἀκόλουθον, πολὺ δὲ μεῖζον τὸ σφαλέντα ταῖς πρώταις ἐπιβολαῖς μεῖναι παρʼ αὑτὸν¹ καὶ συνιδεῖν τὴν τῶν εὐτυχούντων ἀκρισίαν καὶ συνεπιθέσθαι τοῖς τούτων ἁμαρτήμασιν.

For while it is perhaps a great thing, having taken the start of an advantage, to secure what follows, it is a much greater thing, when foiled in the first attempts, to remain master of oneself, to discern the lack of judgment in those who are successful, and to exploit their errors.

§11.14.4

ἰδεῖν γοῦν ἔστι πολλάκις τοὺς μὲν ἤδη δοκοῦντας πεπροτερηκέναι μετʼ ὀλίγον τοῖς ὅλοις ἐσφαλμένους,² τοὺς δʼ ἐν ἀρχαῖς δόξαντας ἐπταικέναι πάλιν ἐκ μεταβολῆς παρὰ τὴν αὑτῶν ἀγχίνοιαν τὰ ὅλα παραδόξως κατωρθωκότας.

Indeed, one may often see those who seemed already to have prevailed, ruined shortly afterwards in their main design, while those who in the beginning appeared to have slipped, on the contrary, by their own presence of mind, paradoxically correcting everything.

§11.14.5

ὃ δὴ καὶ τότε προφανῶς ἐδόκει περὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας ἀμφοτέρους γεγονέναι.

Which indeed on that occasion was clearly seen to have happened in the case of both commanders.

§11.14.6

τοῦ γὰρ ξενικοῦ παντὸς ἐγκεκλικότος τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς καὶ παραλελυμένου τοῦ λαιοῦ κέρως, ὁ μὲν Μαχανίδας ἀφέμενος τοῦ μένειν ἐπὶ τῶν ὑποκειμένων,³ καὶ τοὺς μὲν κατὰ κέρας ὑπεραίρειν τοῖς δὲ κατὰ πρόσωπον ἀπαντᾶν καὶ πειρᾶσθαι τῶν ὅλων, τούτων μὲν οὐδὲν ἔπραξεν, ἀκρατῶς δὲ καὶ μειρακιωδῶς συνεκχυθεὶς τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μισθοφόροις ἐπέκειτο τοῖς φεύγουσιν, ὥσπερ οὐκ αὐτὸν τὸν φόβον ἱκανὸν ὄντα⁴ τοὺς ἅπαξ ἐγκλίναντας ἄχρι τῶν πυλῶν συνδιώκειν.

For when all the mercenary force of the Achaeans had given way and their left wing was broken, Machanidas, instead of remaining at his post, and either outflanking the enemy or meeting them face to face and trying to decide the whole issue, did none of these things, but, in an ungovernable and boyish fashion, rushing along with his own mercenaries, pressed upon the fugitives, as if fear itself were not sufficient to pursue those who had once given way as far as the gates.

Syntax notes4 items

11.14.3μεῖναι παρʼ αὑτὸν
The phrase παρʼ αὑτόν, consisting of the preposition παρά and the accusative reflexive pronoun, idiomatically means 'to remain beside oneself,' i.e., to keep one's self-control or presence of mind. While the dative παρ' ἑαυτῷ is more common, the accusative is used here.
11.14.4τοὺς μὲν ἤδη δοκοῦντας... ἐσφαλμένους
An accusative and participle construction serving as the object of the impersonal expression ἰδεῖν ἔστι ('it is possible to see'). The accusative subjects (τοὺς μὲν... and τοὺς δʼ...) and their respective participles (ἐσφαλμένους and κατωρθωκότας) function together to mean 'to see that some have failed... and others have succeeded...'.
11.14.6ἀφέμενος τοῦ μένειν ἐπὶ τῶν ὑποκειμένων
The middle voice aorist participle ἀφέμενος (from ἀφίημι, meaning 'desisting from, giving up') governs the genitive. Here, it coordinates 1) τοῦ μένειν... and 2) the following infinitive clauses (τοὺς μὲν ... ὑπεραίρειν ... with the article τοῦ omitted), indicating the tactical options Machanidas abandoned. These form the referent for τούτων μὲν οὐδὲν ἔπραξεν in 11.14.7.
11.14.7ὥσπερ οὐκ αὐτὸν τὸν φόβον ἱκανὸν ὄντα
An accusative absolute construction introduced by the conjunction ὥσπερ ('as if'). The accusative subject αὐτὸν τὸν φόβον is joined with the accusative participle ὄντα (with its complement ἱκανόν), representing Machanidas's subjective rationale or a sarcastic metaphor by the author.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:11.14.1-11.14.7