- 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-grc2:2.17.1-2.17.12
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-12
Polybius explains how the Celts historically seized the northern Italian plains formerly ruled by the Tyrrhenians, lists the various tribes (Insubres, Veneti, Boii, etc.) that settled there, and describes their simple, pastoral, and warrior-centric lifestyle.
πλὴν ταῦτά γε τὰ πεδία τὸ παλαιὸν ἐνέμοντο Τυρρηνοί, καθʼ οὓς χρόνους1 καὶ τὰ Φλέγραιά ποτε καλούμενα τὰ περὶ Καπύην καὶ Νώλην· ἃ δὴ καὶ διὰ τὸ πολλοῖς ἐμποδὼν εἶναι καὶ γνωρίζεσθαι μεγάλην ἐπʼ ἀρετῇ δόξαν εἴληφεν.
At any rate, these plains were in old times inhabited by the Tyrrhenians, at the same period when they also occupied the plains around Capua and Nola, which were once called the Phlegraean plains; these latter, indeed, because they lie in the way of many and are well known, have acquired a great reputation for their fertility.
διὸ καὶ τοὺς ἱστοροῦντας τὰς Τυρρηνῶν δυναστείας οὐ χρὴ ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἀναφορὰν ἐπὶ τὴν νῦν κατεχομένην ὑπʼ αὐτῶν χώραν, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τὰ προειρημένα πεδία καὶ τὰς ἐκ τούτων τῶν τόπων ἀφορμάς.
Therefore, those who write the history of the Tyrrhenian dynasties should not make reference to the country now occupied by them, but to the aforementioned plains and the resources derived from these regions.
οἷς ἐπιμιγνύμενοι κατὰ τὴν παράθεσιν Κελτοὶ καὶ περὶ τὸ κάλλος τῆς χώρας ὀφθαλμιάσαντες, ἐκ μικρᾶς προφάσεως μεγάλῃ στρατιᾷ παραδόξως ἐπελθόντες ἐξέβαλον ἐκ τῆς περὶ τὸν Πάδον χώρας Τυρρηνοὺς καὶ κατέσχον αὐτοὶ τὰ πεδία.
The Celts, who associated with them by reason of proximity, having cast longing eyes upon the beauty of the country, on a small pretext invaded them unexpectedly with a large army, expelled the Tyrrhenians from the territory about the Po, and themselves occupied the plains.
τὰ μὲν οὖν πρῶτα καὶ περὶ τὰς ἀνατολὰς2 τοῦ Πάδου κείμενα Λάοι καὶ Λεβέκιοι, μετὰ δὲ τούτους Ἴνσοβρες κατῴκησαν, ὃ μέγιστον ἔθνος ἦν αὐτῶν· ἑξῆς δὲ τούτοις παρὰ τὸν ποταμὸν Γονομάνοι.
First, then, and near the source of the Po, the Laoi and Lebecioi settled, and after them the Insubres, who were the greatest nation of them; next to these, along the river, the Gonomanoi.
τὰ δὲ πρὸς τὸν Ἀδρίαν ἤδη προσήκοντα γένος ἄλλο πάνυ παλαιὸν διακατέσχεν· προσαγορεύονται δʼ Οὐένετοι, τοῖς μὲν ἔθεσι καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ βραχεῖ διαφέροντες Κελτῶν, γλώττῃ δʼ ἀλλοίᾳ χρώμενοι.
But the district which already bordered on the Adriatic was occupied by another very ancient nation; they are called Veneti, differing little from the Celts in their customs and dress, but using a different language.
περὶ ὧν οἱ τραγῳδιογράφοι πολύν τινα πεποίηνται λόγον καὶ πολλὴν διατέθεινται τερατείαν.
About them the tragic writers have made much talk and set forth many marvels.
τὰ δὲ πέραν τοῦ Πάδου τὰ περὶ τὸν Ἀπεννῖνον πρῶτοι μὲν Ἄναρες, μετὰ δὲ τούτους Βοῖοι κατῴκησαν· ἑξῆς δὲ τούτων ὡς πρὸς τὸν Ἀδρίαν Λίγγονες, τὰ δὲ τελευταῖα πρὸς θαλάττῃ Σήνωνες.
On the other side of the Po, about the Apennines, first the Anares and after them the Boii settled; next to them, towards the Adriatic, the Lingones, and last, on the coast, the Senones.
τὰ μὲν οὖν ἐπιφανέστατα τῶν κατασχόντων τοὺς προειρημένους τόπους ἐθνῶν ταῦθʼ ὑπῆρχεν.
These, then, were the most famous of the nations that occupied the aforementioned places.
ᾤκουν δὲ κατὰ κώμας ἀτειχίστους, τῆς λοιπῆς κατασκευῆς ἄμοιροι καθεστῶτες.
They lived in unwalled villages, having no share in any other civilized comforts.
διὰ γὰρ τὸ στιβαδοκοιτεῖν καὶ κρεαφαγεῖν, ἔτι δὲ μηδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν τὰ πολεμικὰ καὶ τὰ κατὰ γεωργίαν· ἀσκεῖν3 ἁπλοῦς εἶχον τοὺς βίους, οὔτʼ ἐπιστήμης ἄλλης οὔτε τέχνης παρʼ αὐτοῖς τὸ παράπαν γινωσκομένης.
For, owing to their sleeping on straw and eating meat, and also because they practiced nothing else than warfare and agriculture, they lived simple lives, neither any other science nor art being known among them at all.
ὕπαρξίς γε μὴν ἑκάστοις ἦν θρέμματα καὶ χρυσὸς διὰ τὸ μόνα ταῦτα κατὰ τὰς περιστάσεις ῥᾳδίως δύνασθαι πανταχῇ περιαγαγεῖν καὶ μεθιστάναι κατὰ τὰς αὑτῶν προαιρέσεις.
Their property, moreover, consisted of cattle and gold, because these were the only things which in times of emergency they could easily drive or carry anywhere and transfer according to their own choice.
περὶ δὲ τὰς ἑταιρείας μεγίστην σπουδὴν ἐποιοῦντο διὰ τὸ καὶ φοβερώτατον καὶ δυνατώτατον εἶναι παρʼ αὐτοῖς τοῦτον ὃς ἂν πλείστους ἔχειν δοκῇ τοὺς θεραπεύοντας καὶ συμπεριφερομένους αὐτῷ.
But they paid the greatest attention to companionships, because he was considered the most formidable and powerful among them who was thought to have the greatest number of those who paid court to him and accompanied him.
- 2.17.1καθʼ οὓς χρόνους
This clause containing the relative pronoun οὕς means 'at the same period when...', restricting the time of the verb ἐνέμοντο (were inhabited) in the main clause. Within this relative clause, a verb such as ἐνέμοντο (or simply ἦν) with τὰ Φλέγραιά ... as its subject must be understood as omitted.
- 2.17.4ἀνατολάς
Although usually meaning 'the east', here it refers to the 'sources' or 'upper reaches' (western origin) of the Po, which flows from west to east. This interpretation is confirmed by the context, which lists the settlements of the Celtic tribes in order from west (the Alps/upstream) to east (downstream).
- 2.17.10διὰ γὰρ τὸ στιβαδοκοιτεῖν ... ἀσκεῖν
Three substantivized infinitives are coordinated under the preposition διὰ: τὸ στιβαδοκοιτεῖν (sleeping on straw), [τὸ] κρεαφαγεῖν (eating meat), and ἔτι δὲ μηδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν ... ἀσκεῖν (practicing nothing else than...). Together they form an adverbial phrase explaining the cause of their simple lives.