Philip's Inaction and the Nature of Things — Polybius, The Histories Book 16 (16.10.1–16.10.4), Greek & English

§16.10.1

ὅτι μετὰ τὸ συντελεσθῆναι τὴν περὶ τὴν Λάδην ναυμαχίαν καὶ τοὺς μὲν Ῥοδίους ἐκποδὼν γενέσθαι, τὸν δʼ Ἄτταλον μηδέπω συμμεμιχέναι,¹ δῆλον ὡς ἐξῆν γε τελεῖν τῷ Φιλίππῳ τὸν εἰς τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν πλοῦν. ἐξ οὗ δὴ καὶ μάλιστʼ ἄν τις καταμάθοι τὸ μανιώδη γενόμενον Φίλιππον τοῦτο πρᾶξαι. — τί οὖν ἦν τὸ τῆς ὁρμῆς ἐπιλαβόμενον;

It is clear that after the conclusion of the naval battle of Lade, when the Rhodians had withdrawn and Attalus had not yet joined forces, it was open to Philip to make his voyage to Alexandria. It is from this indeed that one might best understand that Philip, having lost his senses, did this. What was it, then, that checked his impulse?

§16.10.2

οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἀλλʼ ἡ φύσις τῶν πραγμάτων.

Nothing other than the very nature of things.

§16.10.3

ἐκ πολλοῦ μὲν γὰρ ἐνίοτε πολλοὶ τῶν ἀδυνάτων ἐφίενται διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τῶν προφαινομένων ἐλπίδων, κρατούσης τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν ἑκάστου λογισμῶν·²

For sometimes, from a distance, many desire the impossible owing to the greatness of the hopes that present themselves, their desire ruling over the reason of each.

§16.10.4

ὅταν δʼ ἐγγίσωσι τοῖς ἔργοις, οὐδενὶ λόγῳ πάλιν ἀφίστανται τῶν προθέσεων, ἐπισκοτούμενοι καὶ παραλογιζόμενοι τοῖς λογισμοῖς³ διὰ τὴν ἀμηχανίαν καὶ τὴν δυσχρηστίαν τῶν ἀπαντωμένων. —

But when they draw near to the actual deeds, they abandon their purposes again without any rational cause, being blinded and deceived in their calculations because of the difficulty and embarrassment of what confronts them.

Syntax notes3 items

16.10.1μετὰ τὸ συντελεσθῆναι τὴν περὶ τὴν Λάδην ναυμαχίαν καὶ τοὺς μὲν Ῥοδίους ἐκποδὼν γενέσθαι, τὸν δʼ Ἄτταλον μηδέπω συμμεμιχέναι
An articular infinitive construction (tò συντελεσθῆναι) governed by the preposition μετὰ. The two subsequent accusative-with-infinitive clauses (τοὺς μὲν Ῥοδίους ἐκποδὼν γενέσθαι and τὸν δʼ Ἄτταλον μηδέπω συμμεμιχέναι) are also governed in parallel by μετὰ τό, with their respective subjects expressed in the accusative case, forming a series of temporal conditions.
16.10.3κρατούσης τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν ἑκάστου λογισμῶν
A genitive absolute construction consisting of the participle κρατούσης and the noun τῆς ἐπιθυμίας as its logical subject, conveying a causal sense. Since the verb κρατέω (to rule, prevail over) governs the genitive case, its object "the calculations/reason of each" is expressed in the genitive (τῶν ἑκάστου λογισμῶν).
16.10.4ἐπισκοτούμενοι καὶ παραλογιζόμενοι τοῖς λογισμοῖς
The dative τοῖς λογισμοῖς depends on the passive/middle participles ἐπισκοτούμενοι (being blinded/obscured) and παραλογιζόμενοι (being deceived/making miscalculations). This dative expresses the instrument/cause or the sphere of respect, meaning 'being blinded and deceived in their own calculations or by their own reasoning.'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:16.10.1-16.10.4