- 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-grc2:14.2.1-14.2.14
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
Scipio, while pretending to conduct peace negotiations, prepares for a night attack and lulls Syphax and the Carthaginians into security; he then officially breaks off the negotiations to avoid charges of perfidy before launching his assault.
ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὰ μὲν τῆς ἐαρινῆς ὥρας ὑπέφαινεν ἤδη, τῷ δὲ Σκιπίωνι1 πάντα διηρεύνητο πρὸς τὴν προειρημένην ἐπιβολὴν τὰ κατὰ τοὺς ὑπεναντίους, τὰς μὲν νῆας καθεῖλκε καὶ μηχανὰς κατεσκεύαζε ταύταις ὡς πολιορκήσων ἐκ θαλάττης τὴν Ἰτύκην, τοῖς δὲ πεζοῖς,2 οὖσιν ὡς δισχιλίοις, κατελάβετο πάλιν τὸν ὑπὲρ τὴν πόλιν κείμενον λόφον, καὶ τοῦτον ὠχυροῦτο καὶ διετάφρευε πολυτελῶς, τοῖς μὲν ὑπεναντίοις ποιῶν φαντασίαν ὡς τοῦτο πράττων τῆς πολιορκίας ἕνεκα, τῇ δʼ ἀληθείᾳ βουλόμενος ἐφεδρεύειν τοῖς κατὰ τὸν τῆς πράξεως καιρόν, ἵνα μὴ τῶν στρατοπέδων ἐκ τῆς παρεμβολῆς χωρισθέντων οἱ τὴν Ἰτύκην παραφυλάττοντες στρατιῶται τολμήσαιεν ἐξελθόντες ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἐγχειρεῖν τῷ χάρακι διὰ τὸ σύνεγγυς εἶναι, καὶ πολιορκεῖν τοὺς φυλάττοντας.
When the signs of the spring season were already beginning to appear, and Scipio had investigated everything concerning the enemy for the aforementioned enterprise, he, on the one hand, launched his ships and constructed siege engines on them as if he were going to besiege Utica from the sea, and on the other hand, with the infantry, who were about two thousand, he again occupied the hill lying above the city, and fortified it and thoroughly entrenched it, making a show to the enemy as if he were doing this for the sake of the siege, but in truth wishing to lie in reserve for the time of the action, so that when the main forces departed from the camp, the soldiers guarding Utica might not, because of the proximity, venture to come out of the city and attack the palisade, and besiege those guarding it.
ταῦτα δὲ παρασκευαζόμενος ἅμα διεπέμπετο πρὸς τὸν Σόφακα, πυνθανόμενος, ἐὰν συγχωρῇ τοῖς παρακαλουμένοις, εἰ καὶ3 τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις ἔσται ταῦτα κατὰ νοῦν καὶ μὴ πάλιν ἐκεῖνοι φήσουσι βουλεύσεσθαι περὶ τῶν συγχωρουμένων.
While making these preparations, he at the same time sent messengers to Syphax, inquiring whether, if he agreed to what was requested, this would also be to the mind of the Carthaginians, and they would not say again that they would deliberate about what had been agreed upon.
ἅμα δὲ τούτοις προσενετείλατο τοῖς πρεσβευταῖς μὴ πρότερον ὡς αὑτὸν ἀπιέναι πρὶν ἢ λαβεῖν ἀπόκρισιν ὑπὲρ τούτων.
At the same time, he gave additional instructions to the envoys not to return to him before they received an answer regarding these matters.
ὧν ἀφικομένων διακούσας ὁ Νομὰς ἐπείσθη διότι πρὸς τὸ συντελεῖν ἐστι τὰς διαλύσεις ὁ Σκιπίων, ἔκ τε τοῦ φάναι τοὺς πρέσβεις μὴ πρότερον ἀπαλλαγήσεσθαι πρὶν ἢ λαβεῖν παρʼ αὐτοῦ τὰς ἀποκρίσεις, ἔκ τε τοῦ διευλαβεῖσθαι τὴν τῶν Καρχηδονίων συγκατάθεσιν.
When they arrived and he had heard them out, the Numidian was convinced that Scipio was inclined to conclude the treaty, both because the envoys said they would not depart before receiving the answers from him, and because he was highly cautious about the consent of the Carthaginians.
διὸ καὶ πρὸς μὲν τὸν Ἀσδρούβαν ἐξ αὐτῆς ἔπεμπε, διασαφῶν τὰ γινόμενα καὶ παρακαλῶν δέχεσθαι τὴν εἰρήνην, αὐτὸς δὲ ῥᾳθύμως διῆγε, καὶ τοὺς ἐπισυναγομένους Νομάδας ἐκτὸς εἴα τῆς παρεμβολῆς αὐτοῦ κατασκηνοῦν.
Therefore, he immediately sent to Hasdrubal, explaining what was happening and urging him to accept the peace, while he himself spent his time carelessly and allowed the assembling Numidians to pitch their tents outside his camp.
ὁ δὲ Πόπλιος κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἐπίφασιν ἐποίει τὸ παραπλήσιον, κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα περὶ τὰς παρασκευὰς ἦν.
Publius, as far as appearance went, did the same, but in truth he was occupied above all with his preparations.
ἐπειδὴ δὲ παρὰ μὲν τῶν Καρχηδονίων τῷ Σόφακι διεσαφήθη συντελεῖν τὰ κατὰ τὰς συνθήκας, ὁ δὲ Νομὰς περιχαρὴς ὢν εἶπε τοῖς πρεσβευταῖς ὑπὲρ τούτων, εὐθέως οἱ πρέσβεις ἀπῄεσαν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν παρεμβολήν, μηνύσοντες τῷ Ποπλίῳ τὰ πραχθέντα παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως.
When the Carthaginians made it clear to Syphax that they would conclude the treaty according to the conditions, and the Numidian, being overjoyed, spoke to the envoys about this, the envoys immediately departed for their own camp in order to report to Publius what had been done by the king.
ὧν ἀκούσας ὁ τῶν Ῥωμαίων στρατηγὸς αὖθις ἐκ ποδὸς ἔπεμπε πρέσβεις, δηλώσοντας τῷ Σόφακι διότι συμβαίνει τὸν μὲν Πόπλιον εὐδοκεῖν καὶ σπουδάζειν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης, τοὺς δʼ ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ διαφέρεσθαι καὶ φάναι διαμένειν ἐπὶ τῶν ὑποκειμένων·
Hearing this, the Roman general immediately sent envoys again to declare to Syphax that Publius himself approved of and was eager for the peace, but those in the council disagreed and said they must abide by the original terms;
οἳ καὶ παραγενόμενοι διεσάφησαν ταῦτα τῷ Νομάδι.
who, on arrival, made these things clear to the Numidian.
τὴν δʼ ἀποστολὴν ταύτην ὁ Σκιπίων ἐποιήσατο χάριν τοῦ μὴ δόξαι παρασπονδεῖν, ἐὰν ἔτι μενούσης τῆς ὑπὲρ τῶν διαλύσεων ἐπικηρυκείας πρὸς ἀλλήλους πράξῃ τι τῶν πολεμικῶν ἔργων.
Scipio made this dispatch for the purpose of not appearing to break faith, if, while the negotiations for the treaty were still going on between them, he should perform any act of war.
γενομένης δὲ τῆς ἀπορρήσεως ταύτης ἅπαν τὸ γινόμενον ἀνεπίληπτον ἕξειν ὑπέλαβε τὴν προαίρεσιν.4
He believed that since this declaration of refusal had been made, everything that was about to happen would leave his purpose free from blame.
- 14.2.1τῷ δὲ Σκιπίωνι
Dative of agent, used with the pluperfect passive verb διηρεύνητο to mean 'by Scipio'.
- 14.2.2τοῖς δὲ πεζοῖς
Dative of instrument or accompaniment, modifying the verb κατελάβετο in §14.2.3, meaning 'with the infantry'.
- 14.2.5ἐὰν συγχωρῇ ... εἰ καὶ ...
A double clause dependent on the participle πυνθανόμενος. The ἐὰν clause introduces a conditional sentence ('if he should agree'), while the εἰ clause introduces an indirect question ('whether...').
- 14.2.14ἀνεπίληπτον ἕξειν τὴν προαίρεσιν
Accusative with infinitive construction dependent on the main verb ὑπέλαβε. τὴν προαίρεσιν is the subject of the infinitive ἕξειν, meaning 'that his purpose (or policy) would be blameless'.