Publius Pardons the Mutineers and Condemns the Leaders — Polybius, The Histories Book 11 (11.29.1–11.29.13), Greek & English

§11.29.1

οὐδένα.¹ καὶ μὴν οὐδὲ τοῖς ὑποκειμένοις ἀσχάλλοντες· πότε γὰρ εὔροια πραγμάτων μείζων; πότε δὲ πλείω προτερήματα γέγονε τῇ Ῥώμῃ; πότε δὲ τοῖς στρατευομένοις μείζους ἐλπίδες ἢ νῦν;

”None. And indeed, neither are you dissatisfied with your present circumstances; for when was there a greater smooth flow of affairs? When did more successes come to Rome? And when did those on service have greater hopes than now?

§11.29.2

ἀλλʼ ἴσως ἐρεῖ τις τῶν ἀπηλπικότων ὅτι πλείω τὰ λυσιτελῆ τὰ παρὰ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς προυφαίνετο καὶ μείζους ἐλπίδες καὶ βεβαιότεραι· παρὰ τίσι δὴ τούτοις;

But perhaps some of those who have lost hope will say that more benefits were visible on the side of the enemies, and greater and more secure hopes. With which of these indeed?

§11.29.3

ἢ παρʼ Ἀνδοβάλῃ καὶ Μανδονίῳ; καὶ τίς ὑμῶν οὐκ οἶδε διότι πρότερον μὲν οὗτοι παρασπονδήσαντες Καρχηδονίους πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀπέστησαν, νῦν δὲ πάλιν ἀθετήσαντες τοὺς ὅρκους καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἐχθροὺς ἡμῖν σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀναδεδείχασι;

Or with Andobales and Mandonius? And who among you does not know that these men, having previously broken their treaty with the Carthaginians, revolted to us, and now again, having set aside their oaths and pledge, have shown themselves to be our enemies?

§11.29.4

καλόν γε τούτοις πιστεύσαντας πολεμίους γενέσθαι τῆς ἑαυτῶν πατρίδος.

A fine thing indeed, trusting in these men, to become enemies of your own country!

§11.29.5

οὐ μὴν οὐδʼ ἐν αὑτοῖς εἴχετε τὰς ἐλπίδας ὡς κρατήσοντες τῆς Ἰβηρίας· οὐδὲ γὰρ μετʼ Ἀνδοβάλου ταχθέντες ἱκανοὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἦτε διακινδυνεύειν, μή τι² καὶ καθʼ ἑαυτοὺς ταττόμενοι.

Yet you did not even have hopes in yourselves that you would master Iberia; for not even when drawn up with Andobales were you sufficient to face danger against us, let alone if drawn up by yourselves.

§11.29.6

τί οὖν ἦν ᾧ προσείχετε; πυθέσθαι γὰρ ἂν βουλοίμην ὑμῶν. εἰ μὴ νὴ Δία ταῖς ἐμπειρίαις τῶν νῦν προχειρισθέντων ἡγεμόνων καὶ ταῖς ἀρεταῖς πιστεύοντες ἢ καὶ ταῖς ῥάβδοις καὶ τοῖς πελέκεσι τοῖς προηγουμένοις αὐτῶν· ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐδὲ λέγειν πλείω καλόν.

What then was it to which you were looking? For I should like to learn from you. Unless, by Zeus, you trusted in the experience and virtues of the leaders now appointed, or even in the rods and axes going before them—concerning whom it is not even fitting to say more.

§11.29.7

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔστι τούτων, ὦ ἄνδρες, οὐδέν· οὐδʼ ἂν ἔχοιθʼ ὑμεῖς δίκαιον οὐδὲ τοὐλάχιστον εἰπεῖν οὔτε πρὸς ἡμᾶς οὔτε πρὸς τὴν πατρίδα.

But there is nothing of these things, gentlemen; nor would you have even the slightest justification to speak either to us or to your country.

§11.29.8

διόπερ ἐγὼ περὶ ὑμῶν πρός τε τὴν Ῥώμην καὶ πρὸς αὑτὸν ἀπολογήσομαι, τὰ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ὁμολογούμενα δίκαια προθέμενος.

Therefore, I will plead on your behalf both to Rome and to myself, putting forward the principles of justice agreed upon among all men.

§11.29.9

ταῦτα δʼ ἐστὶ διότι πᾶς ὄχλος εὐπαραλόγιστος ὑπάρχει καὶ πρὸς πᾶν εὐάγωγος. ὅθεν αἰεὶ τὸ παραπλήσιον πάθος συμβαίνει περί τε τοὺς ὄχλους καὶ τὴν θάλατταν.

And these are that every multitude is easily deceived and easily led in any direction; whence always a very similar state of affairs happens regarding both multitudes and the sea.

§11.29.10

καθάπερ γὰρ κἀκείνης ἡ μὲν ἰδία φύσις ἐστὶν ἀβλαβὴς τοῖς χρωμένοις³ καὶ στάσιμος, ὅταν δʼ εἰς αὐτὴν ἐμπέσῃ τὰ πνεύματα βίᾳ, τοιαύτη φαίνεται τοῖς χρωμένοις οἷοί τινες ἂν ὦσιν οἱ κυκλοῦντες αὐτὴν ἄνεμοι, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἀεὶ καὶ φαίνεται καὶ γίνεται πρὸς τοὺς χρωμένους οἵους ἂν ἔχῃ προστάτας καὶ συμβούλους.

For just as the sea’s own proper nature is harmless to those who use it and stable, but whenever winds fall upon it with violence, it appears to those who use it to be of such a character as are the winds that stir it; in the same way, the multitude also always both appears and becomes towards those who deal with it of such a character as the leaders and advisors it may have.

§11.29.12

διὸ κἀγὼ νῦν καὶ πάντες οἱ προεστῶτες τοῦ στρατοπέδου πρὸς μὲν ὑμᾶς διαλυόμεθα καὶ πίστιν δίδομεν ἐφʼ ᾧ μὴ μνησικακήσειν.⁴

Therefore, both I now and all the officers of the camp make peace with you and give our pledge on the condition of not bearing a grudge.

§11.29.13

πρὸς δὲ τοὺς αἰτίους ἀκαταλλάκτως διακείμεθα, κολάζειν αὐτοὺς ἀξίως καὶ τῶν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα καὶ τῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἡμαρτημένων."

But towards those who are guilty we remain irreconcilable, intending to punish them worthily for their offenses both against their country and against us.”

Syntax notes4 items

11.29.1οὐδένα
Accusative masculine singular, standing in response to the preceding sentence οὐδὲν οὔτʼ ἐρεῖν οὔτʼ ἐπινοήσειν ὑμῶν ('you will neither say nor even devise any [excuse/reason]'), with the noun λόγον or αἰτίαν understood.
11.29.5μή τι
μή τι (similar to μή τι γε) is an idiomatic expression meaning 'let alone' or 'not to mention.' Modifying the participle καθʼ ἑαυτοὺς ταττόμενοι ('being drawn up by yourselves'), it emphasizes the impossibility: since they were insufficient even with Andobales, they would be far less so on their own.
11.29.10τοῖς χρωμένοις
Dative plural of the present participle of χράομαι ('to use, deal with'). In the context of the sea (ἐκείνης), it refers to 'those who use it (seafarers),' creating a parallel with τοὺς χρωμένους in section 11, which refers to those who deal with the multitude.
11.29.12ἐφʼ ᾧ μὴ μνησικακήσειν
The preposition ἐπί with the relative pronoun in the dative ᾧ, followed by the future infinitive μνησικακήσειν, forms an idiomatic conditional clause meaning 'on the condition that...' with the negative μή, signifying 'on the condition of not bearing a grudge.'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:11.29.1-11.29.13