Hannibal's Retreat and Analysis of the Battle of Zama — Polybius, The Histories Book 15 (15.15.1–15.15.8), Greek & English

§15.15.1

ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ πᾶσι γενομένη μάχη καὶ τὰ ὅλα κρίνασα Ῥωμαίοις διὰ τῶν προειρημένων ἡγεμόνων τοιοῦτον ἔσχε τὸ τέλος·

Thus the battle, which was the last of all and decided the whole issue for the Romans, came to such an end under the aforementioned generals.

§15.15.2

μετὰ δὲ τὴν μάχην Πόπλιος μὲν ἐπακολουθήσας καὶ διαρπάσας τὸν χάρακα τῶν Καρχηδονίων αὖτις ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν παρεμβολήν.

After the battle, Publius, having pursued and plundered the camp of the Carthaginians, returned again to his own camp.

§15.15.3

Ἀννίβας δὲ μετʼ ὀλίγων ἱππέων κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς ποιούμενος τὴν ἀναχώρησιν εἰς Ἀδρύμητα διεσώθη, πάντα τὰ δυνατὰ ποιήσας κατὰ τὸν κίνδυνον, ὅσα τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἔδει στρατηγὸν¹ καὶ πολλῶν ἤδη πραγμάτων πεῖραν εἰληφότα.

Hannibal, continuing his retreat without interruption with a few horsemen, escaped safely to Hadrumetum, having done everything possible during the danger that behoved a good general who had already acquired experience in many affairs.

§15.15.4

πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ εἰς λόγους συνελθὼν ἐπειράθη διʼ αὑτοῦ λύσιν ποιήσασθαι τῶν ἐνεστώτων·

For in the first place, by coming to a conference, he tried to effect a settlement of the dispute by himself.

§15.15.5

τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶ τοῦ προειδότος² τὰ κατορθώματα, ἀλλʼ ἀπιστοῦντος τῇ τύχῃ καὶ προορωμένου τὰ περὶ τὰς μάχας ἐκβαίνοντα παράλογα.

This is the characteristic of one who, while aware of his past successes, nevertheless distrusts fortune and foresees the unexpected turns that occur in battles.

§15.15.6

μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα συγκαταστὰς εἰς τὸν κίνδυνον οὕτως ἐχρήσατο τοῖς πράγμασιν ὥστε μὴ δυνατὸν εἶναι βέλτιον πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἀγῶνα συστήσασθαι, παραπλησίῳ καθοπλισμῷ χρώμενον, οὗ τότε συνεστήσατʼ Ἀννίβας.³

After this, when he entered into the conflict, he managed affairs so well that it was impossible for anyone using similar armor to organize a better battle against the Romans than that which Hannibal then organized.

§15.15.7

οὔσης γὰρ δυσδιασπάστου τῆς Ῥωμαίων τάξεως καὶ δυνάμεως, τὸν ἄνδρα συνέβη καὶ καθόλου καὶ κατὰ μέρη μάχεσθαι πρὸς πάσας τὰς ἐπιφανείας διὰ τῆς μιᾶς ἐκτάξεως, ἀεὶ τῶν ἔγγιστα τῷ δεινῷ σημαιῶν συνεπιστρεφουσῶν πρὸς τὸ δεόμενον.

For since the Roman order and force were difficult to break, it happened that each man, both as a whole and in detail, could fight against every attack from any quarter through their single formation, since the companies closest to the danger always wheeled around together towards the point required.

§15.15.8

ἔτι δὲ τοῦ καθοπλισμοῦ σκέπην καὶ θράσος παρασκευάζοντος καὶ διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ θυρεοῦ καὶ τὴν τῆς μαχαίρας ὑπομονὴν τῶν πληγῶν, δύσμαχοι γίνονται καὶ δυσκαταγώνιστοι

Moreover, as their armor provided protection and confidence, owing both to the size of the shield and the sword’s capacity to withstand blows, they became difficult to fight against and hard to conquer.

Syntax notes3 items

15.15.3ὅσα τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἔδει στρατηγὸν
An accusative with infinitive construction where the infinitive (probably ποιεῖν) is omitted after the impersonal verb ἔδει. τὸν ἀγαθὸν στρατηγὸν... serves as the subject of the omitted infinitive. The relative pronoun ὅσα (accusative neuter plural, object of the omitted verb) refers back to the antecedent πάντα τὰ δυνατὰ.
15.15.5τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶ τοῦ προειδότος
The copula ἐστί followed by genitives of characteristic or possession (τοῦ προειδότος, ἀπιστοῦντος, προορωμένου) expressing 'it is characteristic of one who...' or 'it belongs to one who...'.
15.15.6οὗ τότε συνεστήσατʼ Ἀννίβας
The relative pronoun οὗ is in the genitive case either due to the genitive of comparison after the comparative βέλτιον or through attraction to an implied genitive antecedent representing the battle ('than the battle which...'). It stands for '[than the battle] which Hannibal then organized.'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:15.15.1-15.15.8