- 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-grc2:11.21.1-11.21.7
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-06
Mago attempts to launch a surprise attack on the Roman army while they are encamping, but is repulsed by the cavalry Publius had placed in ambush. This success boosts Roman morale, and after several days of skirmishes, both sides resolve to enter a decisive battle.
Μάγων δὲ νομίσας εὐφυῆ καιρὸν ἐπιθέσθαι καταστρατοπεδεύουσι τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις,1 ἀναλαβὼν τὸ πλεῖστον μέρος τῶν ἰδίων ἱππέων καὶ Μασαννάσαν μετὰ τῶν Νομάδων, ἤλαυνε πρὸς τὴν παρεμβολήν, πεπεισμένος ἀφυλακτοῦντα λήψεσθαι τὸν Πόπλιον. ὁ δὲ πάλαι προορώμενος τὸ μέλλον, ὑπό τινα βουνὸν ὑπεστάλκει τοὺς ἱππεῖς, ἴσους τοῖς τῶν Καρχηδονίων·
Now Mago, thinking it a favorable opportunity to attack the Romans as they were encamping, took the greater part of his own cavalry along with Masannasa and his Numidians, and rode toward the camp, convinced that he would catch Publius off his guard. But the latter, having long foreseen what would happen, had posted behind a certain hill a body of cavalry equal in number to that of the Carthaginians.
ὧν ἀνυπονοήτως ἐμπεσόντων2 πολλοὶ μὲν ἐν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς ἀναστρέφοντες διὰ τὸ παράδοξον τῆς ἐπιφανείας τῆς ἄφνω τῶν ἱππέων ἀπέπεσον, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ συμβάλλοντες τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐμάχοντο γενναίως.
When these fell upon them unexpectedly, many of the enemy at the very beginning, turning back because of the sudden and unexpected appearance of the cavalry, fell off their horses, while the rest, closing with the enemy, fought bravely.
τῇ δὲ παρὰ τῶν καταβαινόντων ἐν τοῖς Ῥωμαϊκοῖς ἱππεῦσιν εὐχειρίᾳ δυσχρηστούμενοι3 καὶ πολλοὺς ἀπολλύντες οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι, βραχὺ προσαντισχόντες ἐνέκλιναν.
But the Carthaginians, being hard pressed by the skill of the Roman cavalry who kept riding down from the high ground and losing many men, after resisting for a short time gave way.
καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐν τάξει τὴν ἀναχώρησιν ἐποιοῦντο, τῶν δὲ Ῥωμαίων ἐγκειμένων αὐτοῖς λύσαντες τὰς ἴλας κατέφυγον ὑπὸ τὴν αὑτῶν παρεμβολήν.
And at first indeed they conducted their retreat in good order, but as the Romans pressed hard upon them, they broke their squadrons and fled to the shelter of their own camp.
οἱ μὲν οὖν Ῥωμαῖοι τούτου γενομένου θαρραλεώτερον διέκειντο πρὸς τὸν κίνδυνον, οἱ δὲ Καρχηδόνιοι τοὐναντίον.
After this event, the Romans indeed felt more confident about the coming conflict, while the Carthaginians felt the reverse.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ ταῖς ἑξῆς ἐπί τινας ἡμέρας τάς τε δυνάμεις ἐκτάξαντες ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ πεδίῳ καὶ διὰ τῶν ἱππέων καὶ διὰ τῶν εὐζώνων ἀκροβολισμοὺς ποιησάμενοι καὶ καταπειράσαντες ἀλλήλων, ὥρμησαν ἐπὶ τὸ κρίνειν τὰ ὅλα.
Nevertheless, on the following days, having drawn up their forces in the intervening plain, they engaged in skirmishes by means of their cavalry and light-armed troops, and having tried each other’s strength, they resolved to decide the whole issue.
- 11.21.1καταστρατοπεδεύουσι τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις
The present participle καταστρατοπεδεύουσι is in the dative, serving as the object of the infinitive ἐπιθέσθαι (to attack, aorist of ἐπιτίθεμαι). The present tense indicates a simultaneous action: 'while they were in the middle of encamping.'
- 11.21.3ὧν ἀνυπονοήτως ἐμπεσόντων
A genitive absolute construction where the relative pronoun ὧν acts as the subject, referring back to τοὺς ἱππεῖς (the Roman cavalry) in the preceding sentence. The relative pronoun forms a genitive absolute to connect the sentences smoothly.
- 11.21.4τῇ δὲ παρὰ τῶν καταβαινόντων ἐν τοῖς Ῥωμαϊκοῖς ἱππεῦσιν εὐχειρίᾳ δυσχρηστούμενοι
The dative noun εὐχειρίᾳ (by the skill), which depends on the participle δυσχρηστούμενοι (being hard pressed), is modified by the prepositional phrase παρὰ τῶν καταβαινόντων... ἱππεῦσιν (from those riding down among the Roman cavalry). The phrase ἐν τοῖς Ῥωμαϊκοῖς ἱππεῦσιν depends on τῶν καταβαινόντων.