- 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-grc2:27.20.1-27.20.3
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-11
The author discusses the decisive importance of seizing opportunities in all human actions, especially in military affairs, and the rarity of successfully completing noble undertakings.
ἴσως μὲν οὖν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἀνθρωπείοις τῷ καιρῷ1 δεῖ μετρεῖν ἕκαστα τῶν ἐνεργουμένων· μεγίστην γὰρ οὗτος ἔχει δύναμιν· μάλιστα δʼ ἐν τοῖς πολεμικοῖς·
Perhaps, then, in all human affairs, one must measure each of the actions being performed by the opportunity; for this has the greatest power, and especially in military affairs.
ὀξύταται γὰρ περὶ τούτων2 εἰς ἑκάτερα τὰ μέρη γίνονται ῥοπαί· τὸ δʼ ἀστοχεῖν τούτων μέγιστόν ἐστι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων. —
For in these matters, the swiftest turns of the scale occur toward either side; and to miss these is the greatest of errors. —
ὅτι δοκοῦσι πολλοὶ μὲν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμεῖν τῶν καλῶν, ὀλίγοι δὲ τολμᾶν ἐγχειρεῖν αὐτοῖς, σπάνιοι δὲ τῶν ἐγχειρησάντων3 ἐπὶ τέλος ἀγαγεῖν τὰ πρὸς τὸ καθῆκον ἐν ἑκάστοις ποιούμενα.
That many men seem to desire noble things, but few dare to undertake them, and rare among those who have undertaken them are those who bring to completion the things done in accordance with duty in each case.
- 27.20.1τῷ καιρῷ
Dative singular of 'opportunity' or 'fitting time,' functioning as the dative of means or standard of measurement with the infinitive μετρεῖν.
- 27.20.2τούτων
Genitive plural object of the verb ἀστοχεῖν (to miss, fail to hit), which governs the genitive. Contextually, it refers back to the 'opportunities' (καιροί) implied by the singular καιρός in §27.20.1.
- 27.20.3τῶν ἐγχειρησάντων
Partitive genitive depending on the adjective σπάνιοι ('rare among those who have undertaken').