- 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-grc2:12.6.1-12.6.6
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-07
Narrates the legend of the treaty made by the Locrians with the native Sicels, and how they used a cunning trick involving earth in their shoes and garlic on their shoulders to void the oath and expel them.
συνθῆκαι δὲ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς κατὰ τὴν Ἑλλάδα Λοκροὺς οὔτʼ ἦσαν οὔτʼ ἐλέγοντο παρʼ αὐτοῖς1 γεγονέναι, πρὸς μέντοι Σικελοὺς πάντες εἶχον ἐν παραδόσει.
But as for treaties with the Locrians in Greece, they neither existed nor were said to have been made among them; however, everyone had a tradition concerning those with the Sicels.
περὶ ὧν ἔλεγον διότι, καθʼ ὃν καιρὸν ἐκ τῆς πρώτης παρουσίας καταλάβοιεν2 Σικελοὺς κατέχοντας ταύτην τὴν χώραν, ἐν ᾗ νῦν κατοικοῦσι, καταπλαγέντων αὐτοὺς ἐκείνων3 καὶ προσδεξαμένων διὰ τὸν φόβον, ὁμολογίας ποιήσαιντο τοιαύτας, ἦ μὴν εὐνοήσειν αὐτοῖς καὶ κοινῇ τὴν χώραν ἕξειν, ἕως ἂν ἐπιβαίνωσι4 τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ καὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς ἐπὶ τοῖς ὤμοις φορῶσι.
Concerning these, they said that, at the time when on their first arrival they found the Sicels occupying this country where they now dwell, the latter, being terrified of them and receiving them out of fear, they made the following agreement, swearing that they would indeed remain friendly to them and hold the land in common, as long as they should tread upon this earth and carry their heads upon their shoulders.
τοιούτων δὲ τῶν ὅρκων γινομένων φασὶ τοὺς Λοκροὺς εἰς μὲν τὰ πέλματα τῶν ὑποδημάτων ἐμβαλόντας γῆν, ἐπὶ δὲ τοὺς ὤμους σκόρδων κεφαλὰς5 ἀφανεῖς ὑποθεμένους οὕτως ποιήσασθαι τοὺς ὅρκους, κἄπειτα τὴν μὲν γῆν ἐκβαλόντας ἐκ τῶν ὑποδημάτων, τὰς δὲ κεφαλὰς τῶν σκόρδων ἀπορρίψαντας μετʼ οὐ πολὺ καιροῦ παραπεσόντος6 ἐκβαλεῖν τοὺς Σικελοὺς ἐκ τῆς χώρας.
They say that, when such oaths were being taken, the Locrians put earth into the soles of their shoes, and placed concealed heads of garlic on their shoulders, and made the oaths in this manner; and then, having thrown the earth out of their shoes and cast away the heads of garlic, they, before long when an opportunity presented itself, expelled the Sicels from the country.
ταῦτα μὲν οὖν λέγεται παρὰ Λοκροῖς. —
This, then, is the story told among the Locrians.
- 12.6.1παρʼ αὐτοῖς
This pronoun refers to the Italian (Epizephyrian) Locrians, in contrast with "the Locrians in Greece."
- 12.6.2καταλάβοιεν
An oblique optative used in a subordinate clause within indirect discourse, depending on the past main verb ἔλεγον, replacing an indicative past tense.
- 12.6.2καταπλαγέντων αὐτοὺς ἐκείνων
A genitive absolute construction with ἐκείνων (the Sicels) as the subject. αὐτούς (the Locrians) functions as the direct object of the passive/middle participle καταπλαγέντων (to be terrified of).
- 12.6.3ἕως ἂν ἐπιβαίνωσι
The subjunctive verbs (ἐπιβαίνωσι and φορῶσι) introduced by ἕως ἂν express a temporal limit combined with a condition ("as long as..."). This formulation of the oath is crucial for the Locrians' subsequent wordplay and cunning scheme.
- 12.6.4σκόρδων κεφαλὰς
Meaning "heads of garlic," this phrase forms a pun on the word κεφαλή (human head) in the oath of §12.6.3 (carrying their heads upon their shoulders), a linguistic trick used by the Locrians to technically fulfill and then break the oath.
- 12.6.5καιροῦ παραπεσόντος
A genitive absolute construction consisting of καιρός (opportunity) and the participle of παραπίπτω (here, "to present itself" or "to occur"), expressing the temporal circumstance "when an opportunity presented itself."