- 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-grc2:12.20.1-12.20.8
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-07
Polybius criticizes Callisthenes' account of Alexander marching in a long line of battle in the Cilician plain, pointing out the geographical obstacles and tactical absurdities regarding formation changes and cavalry placement.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτά φησι μετωπηδὸν ἄγειν τὴν δύναμιν, ἀπέχοντα1 τῶν πολεμίων περὶ τετταράκοντα σταδίους.
After this, he says that he led his force in line of battle, when he was about forty stades away from the enemy.
τούτου δὲ μεῖζον ἀλόγημα δυσχερὲς ἐπινοῆσαι· ποῦ γὰρ ἂν εὕροι τις τοιούτους τόπους, ἄλλως τε καὶ κατὰ Κιλικίαν, ὥστʼ ἐπὶ σταδίους εἴκοσι μὲν τὸ πλάτος τετταράκοντα δὲ τὸ μῆκος μετωπηδὸν ἄγειν2 φάλαγγα σαρισοφόρον;
It is difficult to conceive a greater absurdity than this; for where could one find such ground, especially in Cilicia, as to lead a sarissa-bearing phalanx in line of battle over a space of twenty stades in width and forty in length?
τοσαῦτα γάρ ἐστιν ἐμπόδια πρὸς τὴν τοιαύτην τάξιν καὶ χρείαν, ἅ τις οὐδʼ ἂν ἐξαριθμήσαιτο ῥᾳδίως. ἓν δὲ τῶν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ Καλλισθένους λεγομένων ἱκανὸν ὑπάρχει πρὸς πίστιν·
For there are so many obstacles to such a formation and its employment, that one could not easily even enumerate them. But one of the statements made by Callisthenes himself is sufficient to prove the point:
τοὺς γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρῶν χειμάρρους καταφερομένους τοσαῦτά φησι ποιεῖν ἐκρήγματα κατὰ τὸ πεδίον ὥστε καὶ τῶν Περσῶν κατὰ τὴν φυγὴν διαφθαρῆναι λέγουσι τοὺς πλείστους ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις κοιλώμασι.
for he says that the torrents rushing down from the mountains make so many clefts in the plain that, as they say, even most of the Persians during their flight perished in such hollows.
νὴ Δίʼ, ἀλλʼ3 ἕτοιμος ἐβούλετʼ εἶναι πρὸς τὴν τῶν πολεμίων ἐπιφάνειαν.
”But, by Zeus, he wished to be ready for the appearance of the enemy.”
τί δʼ ἀνετοιμότερον φάλαγγος ἐν μετώπῳ διαλελυμένης καὶ διεσταμένης; πόσῳ γὰρ ἐκ πορευτικῆς ἀγωγῆς ἁρμοζούσης παρατάξαι ῥᾷον ἢ διαλελυμένην ἐν μετώπῳ καὶ διεσπασμένην δύναμιν ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτὴν εὐθεῖαν ἀγαγεῖν4 καὶ συστῆσαι πρὸς μάχην ἐν τόποις ὑλώδεσι καὶ περικεκλασμένοις;
Yet what is less ready than a phalanx broken and separated in its front? For how much easier is it to form a battle line from a suitable marching order, than to bring a force that is broken and scattered in its front into the same straight line, and to reform it for battle in wooded and broken ground?
διόπερ οὐδὲ παρὰ μικρὸν ἦν κρεῖττον ἄγειν διφαλαγγίαν ἢ τετραφαλαγγίαν ἁρμόζουσαν, ᾗ καὶ τόπον πορείας εὑρεῖν οὐκ ἀδύνατον, καὶ τὸ παρατάξαι ταχέως ῥᾴδιόν γε, δυνάμενον διὰ τῶν προδρόμων ἐκ πολλοῦ γινώσκειν τὴν τῶν πολεμίων παρουσίαν.
Therefore, it would have been not a little better to advance in a suitable double or quadruple phalanx, by which it was not impossible to find space for marching, and easy to deploy quickly into line of battle, since he was able to learn of the enemy’s approach long beforehand through his scouts.
ὁ δὲ χωρὶς τῶν ἄλλων οὐδὲ τοὺς ἱππεῖς προέθετο, μετωπηδὸν ἄγων τὴν δύναμιν ἐν τόποις ἐπιπέδοις, ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἴσου ποιεῖ τοῖς πεζοῖς.
But he, quite apart from other errors, did not even place his cavalry in front, though he was leading his force in line of battle over level ground, but kept them on a level with the infantry.
- 12.20.1ἀπέχοντα
Accusative participle agreeing with Alexander, the implied subject of the infinitive ἄγειν in the accusative-and-infinitive construction.
- 12.20.2ὥστʼ ... ἄγειν
A consecutive clause with ὥστε introducing the infinitive ἄγειν, corresponding to τοιούτους in the main clause, expressing the result or capability ("such ground... as to lead...").
- 12.20.5νὴ Δίʼ, ἀλλʼ
An idiomatic formula ("But, by Zeus, ...") used to introduce a hypothetical objection or defense. It anticipates the opponent's argument, which is then immediately refuted in the following section.
- 12.20.6πόσῳ γὰρ ... παρατάξαι ῥᾷον ἢ ... ἀγαγεῖν
A comparative construction with the neuter comparative adjective ῥᾷον (easier). πόσῳ is a dative of measure of difference. It contrasts the ease of forming a battle line from marching order (παраτάξαι) with the difficulty of reforming a scattered force into a single line (ἀγαγεῖν ... καὶ συστῆσαι).