- 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-grc2:15.8.1-15.8.14
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
Publius responds to Hannibal by asserting that the Carthaginians were always responsible for the wars and denounces their betrayal of the previously agreed treaty. He then presents Hannibal with a stark choice: unconditional surrender or battle.
Ἀννίβας μὲν οὖν ταῦτʼ εἶπεν. ὁ δὲ Πόπλιος ὑπολαβὼν οὔτε τοῦ περὶ Σικελίας ἔφη1 πολέμου Ῥωμαίους οὔτε τοῦ περὶ τῆς Ἰβηρίας αἰτίους γεγονέναι, Καρχηδονίους δὲ προφανῶς·
Thus Hannibal spoke. But Publius, in reply, said that the Romans were responsible neither for the war concerning Sicily nor for that concerning Iberia, but the Carthaginians were manifestly so;
ὑπὲρ ὧν κάλλιστα γινώσκειν αὐτὸν τὸν Ἀννίβαν. μάρτυρας δὲ καὶ τοὺς θεοὺς γεγονέναι τούτων, περιθέντας τὸ κράτος οὐ τοῖς ἄρχουσι χειρῶν ἀδίκων, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀμυνομένοις.
of which facts, he said, Hannibal himself was best aware. And he said that the gods also had been witnesses to this, having bestowed the victory not on those who began unjust violence, but on those who defended themselves.
βλέπειν δὲ καὶ τὰ τῆς τύχης οὐδενὸς ἧττον καὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων στοχάζεσθαι κατὰ δύναμιν. "
He added that he himself also looked at the power of Fortune no less than anyone else, and estimated human affairs as far as possible.
ἀλλʼ εἰ μὲν πρὸ τοῦ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους διαβαίνειν2 εἰς Λιβύην αὐτὸς ἐξ Ἰταλίας ἐκχωρήσας προύτεινας τὰς διαλύσεις ταύτας, οὐκ ἂν οἴομαί σε διαψευσθῆναι3 τῆς ἐλπίδος.
”But,” he continued, “if, before the Romans crossed over into Libya, you had yourself retired from Italy and proposed these terms of peace, I do not think you would have been disappointed in your hope.
ἐπεὶ δὲ σὺ μὲν ἄκων ἐκ τῆς Ἰταλίας ἀπηλλάγης, ἡμεῖς δὲ διαβάντες εἰς τὴν Λιβύην τῶν ὑπαίθρων ἐκρατήσαμεν, δῆλον ὡς μεγάλην εἴληφε τὰ πράγματα παραλλαγήν.
But now, since you have been removed from Italy against your will, and we, having crossed into Libya, have become masters of the open country, it is clear that circumstances have undergone a great change.
τὸ δὲ δὴ μέγιστον ἤλθομεν ἐπὶ τί πέρας;
And indeed, what is the most important point, to what conclusion did we come?
ἡττηθέντων καὶ δεηθέντων τῶν παρὰ σοῦ πολιτῶν ἐθέμεθα συνθήκας ἐγγράπτους, ἐν αἷς ἦν πρὸς τοῖς ὑπὸ σοῦ νῦν προτεινομένοις τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἀποδοῦναι χωρὶς λύτρων Καρχηδονίους, τῶν πλοίων παραχωρῆσαι τῶν καταφράκτων, πεντακισχίλια τάλαντα προσενεγκεῖν, ὅμηρα δοῦναι περὶ τούτων.
When your fellow-citizens were defeated and begged for peace, we made a written treaty, in which, in addition to the terms now proposed by you, it was agreed that the Carthaginians should restore the prisoners without ransom, give up their decked ships, pay five thousand talents, and give hostages for these conditions.
ταῦτʼ ἦν ἃ συνεθέμεθα πρὸς ἀλλήλους· ὑπὲρ τούτων ἐπρεσβεύσαμεν ἀμφότεροι πρός τε τὴν σύγκλητον τὴν ἡμετέραν καὶ πρὸς τὸν δῆμον, ἡμεῖς μὲν ὁμολογοῦντες εὐδοκεῖν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις, Καρχηδόνιοι δὲ δεόμενοι τούτων τυχεῖν. ἐπείσθη τὸ συνέδριον τούτοις, ὁ δὲ δῆμος συγκατῄνεσε. τυχόντες ὧν ἠξίουν ἠθέτησαν ταῦτα Καρχηδόνιοι, παρασπονδήσαντες ἡμᾶς.
These were the terms we agreed upon with one another; on these we both sent embassies, to our Senate and to the people, we agreeing to be satisfied with what was written, and the Carthaginians begging to obtain these terms. The Senate was persuaded by these, and the people consented. Having obtained what they requested, the Carthaginians made these terms void, violating their treaty with us.
τί λείπεται ποιεῖν;
What is left for us to do?
σὺ τὴν ἐμὴν χώραν μεταλαβὼν εἶπον.4 ἀφελεῖν τὰ βαρύτατα τῶν ὑποκειμένων ἐπιταγμάτων; ἵνα δὴ λαβόντες ἆθλα τῆς παρανομίας διδαχθῶσι τοὺς εὖ ποιοῦντας εἰς τὸ λοιπὸν παρασπονδεῖν· ἀλλʼ ἵνα τυχόντες ὧν ἀξιοῦσι χάριν ὀφείλωσιν ἡμῖν;
Place yourself in my position and say. Are we to subtract the heaviest of the conditions imposed? In order that, having received rewards for their lawlessness, they may be taught to violate treaties with their benefactors in the future? Or so that, having obtained what they request, they may owe us gratitude?
ἀλλὰ νυνὶ μεθʼ ἱκετηρίας τυχόντες ὧν παρεκάλουν, ὅτι βραχείας ἐλπίδος ἐπελάβοντο τῆς κατὰ σέ, παρὰ πόδας ὡς ἐχθροῖς ἡμῖν κέχρηνται καὶ πολεμίοις.
But now, although they obtained what they entreated for with supplications, as soon as they laid hold of a slight hope in you, they immediately treated us as enemies and adversaries.
ἐν οἷς βαρυτέρου μέν τινος προσεπιταχθέντος δυνατὸν ἀνενεγκεῖν τῷ δήμῳ περὶ διαλύσεως, ὑφαίρεσιν δὲ ποιουμένοις5 τῶν ὑποκειμένων οὐδʼ ἀναφορὰν ἔχει τὸ διαβούλιον.
In these circumstances, if some heavier condition were added, it would be possible to refer the matter to the people concerning peace; but when we make a reduction of the conditions imposed, the council does not even allow a reference.
τί πέρας οὖν πάλιν τῶν ἡμετέρων λόγων; ἢ τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν ὑμᾶς διδόναι περὶ σφῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἢ μαχομένους νικᾶν".
What then is the conclusion of our words once again? Either that you submit yourselves and your country to our discretion, or conquer us in battle.”
- 15.8.1ἔφη
The verb ἔφη ("he said") governs a long sequence of accusative and infinitive constructions, not only in §15.8.1 (Ῥωμαίους ... αἰτίους γεγονέναι), but extending to γινώσκειν and γεγονέναι in §15.8.2, and βλέπειν and στοχάζεσθαι in §15.8.3. This maintains the indirect speech format for Publius's response.
- 15.8.4πρὸ τοῦ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους διαβαίνειν
The preposition πρό with the genitive neuter article τοῦ and the infinitive διαβαίνειν expresses temporal priority ("before crossing over"). The accusative τοὺς Ῥωμαίους acts as the subject of the infinitive.
- 15.8.4οὐκ ἂν οἴομαί σε διαψευσθῆναι
Although the particle ἄν is placed immediately after the negative οὐκ and before the verb of thinking οἴομαι, it syntactically modifies the infinitive διαψευσθῆναι (expressing an unreal past apodosis: "you would not have been disappointed").
- 15.8.11εἶπον
Although homonymous with the first-person singular indicative aorist, εἶπον here functions as a second-person singular aorist imperative (a form common in Hellenistic Greek), translating to "speak!" or "say!" ("place yourself in my position and say").
- 15.8.13ὑφαίρεσιν δὲ ποιουμένοις
The dative present participle ποιουμένοις (literally "for those making") functions conditionally ("if we make a reduction") and stands in contrast to the genitive absolute in the preceding clause (βαρυτέρου μέν τινος προσεπιταχθέντος).
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1