- 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-grc2:11.24.1-11.24.11
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-06
The Carthaginians' wings are broken by the tactical movement, leaving the elite Libyan center inactive, while a sudden storm cuts short the Romans' decisive pursuit of the fleeing enemy.
ἐκ δὲ τῆς τούτων συμπλοκῆς τὰ μὲν θηρία διὰ τῶν γροσφομάχων καὶ τῶν ἱππέων ἀκοντιζόμενα καὶ διαταραττόμενα πανταχόθεν ἔπασχε μὲν κακῶς, ἔβλαπτε δʼ οὐδὲν ἧττον τοὺς φίλους ἢ τοὺς πολεμίους· φερόμενα γὰρ εἰκῇ τοὺς ὑποπεσόντας ἐξ ἀμφοῖν αἰεὶ διέφθειρε.
As a result of their engagement, the elephants, pelted with javelins by the velites and cavalry and thrown into confusion on all sides, suffered severely, and did no less damage to their friends than to their enemies; for rushing about at random, they continually destroyed those of both sides who fell in their way.
τῆς δὲ πεζικῆς δυνάμεως τὰ μὲν κέρατα τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἐθραύετο, τὸ δὲ μέσον τὸ κατὰ τοὺς Λίβυας, ὅπερ ἦν χρησιμώτατον, εἰς τέλος ἄπρακτον ἦν·
Meanwhile, of the infantry force, the wings of the Carthaginians were being broken, while the center, consisting of the Libyans, which was the most efficient part, remained entirely inactive.
οὔτε γὰρ παραβοηθεῖν ἠδύναντο τοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν κεράτων, λιπόντες τὸν ἴδιον τόπον διὰ τὴν τῶν Ἰβήρων ἔφοδον, οὔτε μένοντες ἐπὶ τῶν ὑποκειμένων ἐνεργεῖν τι τῶν δεόντων οἷοί τʼ ἦσαν διὰ τὸ μὴ συνιέναι τοὺς κατὰ πρόσωπον πολεμίους αὐτοῖς εἰς τὰς χεῖρας.1
For they could neither go to the assistance of those on the wings, leaving their own position because of the advance of the Iberians, nor, remaining where they were, could they perform any of their duties, because the enemy in front of them did not come to close quarters with them.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ χρόνον μέν τινα διηγωνίζοντο τὰ κέρατα γενναίως διὰ τὸ περὶ τῶν ὅλων ἑκατέροις συνεστάναι τὸν κίνδυνον.
Nevertheless, for some time the wings fought on bravely, because for both sides the danger was concerned with the whole issue.
ἤδη δὲ τοῦ καύματος ἐφεστῶτος κατὰ τὴν ἀκμήν, οἱ μὲν Καρχηδόνιοι παρελύοντο διὰ τὸ μὴ πεποιῆσθαι τὴν ἔξοδον κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν προαίρεσιν, κεκωλῦσθαι δὲ τῆς ἁρμοζούσης παρασκευῆς,2 οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ τῇ δυνάμει καὶ ταῖς εὐψυχίαις καθυπερεῖχον, καὶ μάλιστα τῷ τοῖς χρησιμωτάτοις πρὸς τοὺς ἀχρειοτάτους τῶν πολεμίων συμβεβληκέναι3 διὰ τὴν τοῦ στρατηγοῦ πρόνοιαν.
And now, as the heat was already at its height, the Carthaginians were failing in strength, because they had not made their sally of their own free choice, and had been prevented from making the proper preparations; while the Romans were far superior both in strength and spirit, and especially because, through the foresight of their general, they had engaged their most efficient troops against the most useless of the enemy.
τὰς μὲν οὖν ἀρχὰς οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἀσδρούβαν κατὰ πόδα πιεζούμενοι τὴν ἀναχώρησιν ἐποιοῦντο, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα κλίναντες ἁθρόοι πρὸς τὴν παρώρειαν ἀπεχώρουν· ἐγκειμένων δὲ τῶν Ῥωμαίων βιαιότερον ἔφευγον εἰς τὸν χάρακα προτροπάδην.
At first, therefore, Hasdrubal and his men, being hard pressed step by step, made their retreat; but after this, turning away, they retreated in a body toward the foothills; and as the Romans pressed on them more violently, they fled headlong into their camp.
εἰ μὲν οὖν μὴ θεὸς αὐτοῖς τις συνεπελάβετο τῆς σωτηρίας, παραχρῆμʼ ἂν ἐξέπεσον ἐκ τῆς παρεμβολῆς.
If, then, some god had not helped them to safety, they would have been driven out of their camp on the spot.
ἐπιγενομένης δὲ κατὰ τὸν ἀέρα συστροφῆς ἐξαισίου, καὶ καταρραγέντος ὄμβρου λάβρου καὶ συνεχοῦς, μόλις εἰς τὴν αὑτῶν στρατοπεδείαν ἀνεκομίσθησαν οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι. —
But an extraordinary storm having gathered in the air, and a violent and continuous rain having burst forth, the Romans with difficulty withdrew to their own camp. —
Ἰλούργεια, πόλις Ἰβηρίας, Πολύβιος ἑνδεκάτῃ. τὸ δὲ τετηκὸς καὶ συνερρυηκὸς ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον ἀναζητοῦντες ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρὸς πλεῖστοι Ῥωμαίων διεφθάρησαν. —
Ilurgeia, a city of Iberia, Polybius in the eleventh book. Seeking the silver and gold melted and run together by the fire, a great many of the Romans perished. —
- 11.24.3διὰ τὸ μὴ συνιέναι τοὺς κατὰ πρόσωπον πολεμίους αὐτοῖς εἰς τὰς χεῖρας
An articular infinitive clause governed by the preposition διά. The subject accusative of the infinitive συνιέναι (from σύνειμι, 'to come together, engage') is τοὺς κατὰ πρόσωπον πολεμίους (the enemy in front, i.e., the Iberians), while the dative αὐτοῖς (the Libyans) indicates those they engage. The phrase εἰς τὰς χεῖρας συνιέναι is an idiomatic expression meaning 'to come to close quarters, engage in hand-to-hand combat.'
- 11.24.5κεκωλῦσθαι δὲ τῆς ἁρμοζούσης παρασκευῆς
The second infinitive clause governed by διὰ τό at the beginning of §11.24.5. The subject accusative of the perfect passive infinitive κεκωλῦσθαι (from κωλύω, 'to hinder, prevent') is the Carthaginians, omitted as understood from the context. The genitive τῆς ἁρμοζούσης παρασκευῆς is a genitive of separation/deprivation dependent on the verb κωλύω.
- 11.24.6τῷ τοῖς χρησιμωτάτοις πρὸς τοὺς ἀχρειοτάτους τῶν πολεμίων συμβεβληκέναι
An articular infinitive phrase in the dative case (τῷ ... συμβεβληκέναι) expressing cause. The perfect active infinitive συμβεβληκέναι (from συμβάλλω, here used intransitively to mean 'to have engaged') has the Romans as its implied subject. The dative τοῖς χρησιμωτάτοις refers to their own 'most efficient troops' (the wings of the Roman force), which were set to fight against (πρὸς) 'the most useless' of the enemy.