- 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-grc2:18.25.1-18.25.7
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
While the Macedonian right wing initially gained the upper hand, Titus led his own right wing with war elephants in front to charge the remaining disorganized Macedonian troops, successfully routing them.
γενομένης δὲ τῆς ἐξ ἀμφοῖν συμπτώσεως μετὰ βίας καὶ κραυγῆς ὑπερβαλλούσης, ὡς ἂν ἀμφοτέρων ὁμοῦ συναλαλαζόντων,1 ἅμα δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐκτὸς τῆς μάχης ἐπιβοώντων τοῖς ἀγωνιζομένοις, ἦν τὸ γινόμενον ἐκπληκτικὸν καὶ παραστατικὸν ἀγωνίας.
When the clash of both sides occurred with great violence and an overwhelming shout, as if both were raising the battle-cry together, while at the same time those outside the combat were shouting encouragement to the fighters, the scene was terrifying and evocative of intense anxiety.
τὸ μὲν οὖν δεξιὸν τοῦ Φιλίππου λαμπρῶς ἀπήλλαττε2 κατὰ τὸν κίνδυνον, ἅτε καὶ τὴν ἔφοδον ἐξ ὑπερδεξίου ποιούμενον καὶ τῷ βάρει τῆς συντάξεως ὑπερέχον καὶ τῇ διαφορᾷ τοῦ καθοπλισμοῦ πρὸς τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν χρείαν πολὺ παραλλάττον·
Philip’s right wing, indeed, was getting on brilliantly in the battle, as it was making its charge from higher ground, excelled in the weight of its formation, and was far superior due to the difference in its equipment which was highly suited to the present need.
τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ μέρη τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτῷ τὰ μὲν ἐχόμενα τῶν κινδυνευόντων ἐν ἀποστάσει τῶν πολεμίων ἦν, τὰ δʼ ἐπὶ τῶν εὐωνύμων ἄρτι διηνυκότα τὰς ὑπερβολὰς ἐπεφαίνετο τοῖς ἄκροις.
But as for the rest of his forces, those next to the combatants were at a distance from the enemy, while those on the left wing had only just crossed the ridges and were appearing on the heights.
ὁ δὲ Τίτος, θεωρῶν οὐ δυναμένους τοὺς παρʼ αὑτοῦ στέγειν τὴν τῆς φάλαγγος ἔφοδον, ἀλλʼ ἐκπιεζουμένους τοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν εὐωνύμων, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἀπολωλότας ἤδη, τοὺς δʼ ἐπὶ πόδα ποιουμένους τὴν ἀναχώρησιν, ἐν δὲ τοῖς δεξιοῖς μέρεσι καταλειπομένας τῆς σωτηρίας τὰς ἐλπίδας, ταχέως ἀφορμήσας πρὸς τούτους, καὶ συνθεασάμενος [τῆς] τῶν πολεμίων τὰ μὲν συνεχῆ τοῖς διαγωνιζομένοις, τὰ δʼ ἐκ τῶν ἄκρων ἀκμὴν3 ἐπικαταβαίνοντα, τὰ δʼ ἔτι τοῖς ἄκροις ἐφεστῶτα, προθέμενος τὰ θηρία προσῆγε τὰς σημαίας τοῖς πολεμίοις.
Titus, seeing that his own men on the left wing could not withstand the charge of the phalanx but were being hard pressed, some having already perished and others retreating step by step, and that the hopes of safety remained only in the right wing, quickly hastened to them; and observing that of the enemy, some were in contact with those already fighting, others were just descending from the ridges, and others were still standing on the heights, he placed the beasts in front and led the maniples against the enemy.
οἱ δὲ Μακεδόνες, οὔτε τὸν παραγγελοῦντʼ ἔχοντες οὔτε συστῆναι δυνάμενοι καὶ λαβεῖν τὸ τῆς φάλαγγος ἴδιον σχῆμα διά τε τὰς τῶν τόπων δυσχερείας καὶ διὰ τὸ τοῖς ἀγωνιζομένοις ἑπόμενοι πορείας ἔχειν διάθεσιν καὶ μὴ παρατάξεως, οὐδὲ προσεδέξαντο τοὺς Ῥωμαίους εἰς τὰς χεῖρας4 ἔτι, διʼ αὐτῶν δὲ τῶν θηρίων πτοηθέντες καὶ διασπασθέντες ἐνέκλιναν.
But the Macedonians, having no one to give them orders and being unable to form and assume the peculiar array of the phalanx, both because of the difficulties of the ground and because they were in marching order and not in battle array as they followed those engaged in the fight, did not even await the Romans to come to close quarters, but being terrified and thrown into confusion by the beasts themselves, they gave way and turned to flight.
- 18.25.1ὡς ἂν ἀμφοτέρων ὁμοῦ συναλαλαζόντων
The construction of ὡς ἄν followed by the genitive absolute (participle) represents a hypothetical or assumed condition ('as if both were raising the battle-cry together').
- 18.25.2λαμπρῶς ἀπήλλαττε
The verb ἀπαλλάττω is used intransitively (or with the omission of ἑαυτόν) in the sense of 'to come off, fare, or get out of a situation'. Here it means 'faring brilliantly' or 'gaining a great advantage'.
- 18.25.5ἀκμὴν
The accusative form of the noun ἀκμή is used adverbially to mean 'just, at this very moment'. This usage is highly characteristic of Hellenistic Greek (Koine).
- 18.25.7εἰς τὰς χεῖρας
Part of the idiomatic expression with verbs of coming or receiving (such as εἰς χεῖρας ἰέναι or δέχεσθαι), meaning 'to close quarters' or 'to hand-to-hand combat'.