← Polybius

The Histories

§29.1.1-29.1.3

Criticism of Roman Armchair Generals in the Macedonian War

The commander strongly criticizes the Roman citizens who sit in Rome and gossip about the war in Macedonia, warning that such untimely criticisms only harm the state and the generals.

View ▾
View
Translation
Typeface
AI ↗
← PrevNext →
§29.1.1

ἔφη γὰρ αὐτοὺς1 μίαν ἔχειν διατριβὴν καὶ παρὰ τὰς συνουσίας καὶ παρὰ τὰς ἐν τοῖς περιπάτοις ὁμιλίας διοικεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐν Ῥώμῃ καθημένους τὸν ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ πόλεμον, ποτὲ μὲν ἐπιτιμῶντας τοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν στρατηγῶν πραττομένοις, ποτὲ δὲ τὰ παραλειπόμενα διεξιόντας·

​For he said that they had one and only occupation, both in their social gatherings and in their conversations during walks: to direct, while sitting in Rome, the war in Macedonia, sometimes criticizing what was being done by the generals, and sometimes detailing what had been left undone.

§29.1.2

ἐξ ὧν ὄνησιν μὲν οὐδέποτε γίνεσθαι τοῖς κοινοῖς πράγμασι,2 βλάβην δὲ πολλάκις καὶ ἐπὶ πολλῶν γεγονέναι· καὶ ποτὲ δὲ τοὺς ἄρχοντας μεγάλα βλάπτεσθαι διὰ τὰς ἀκαίρους εὑρησιλογίας·

​From which, he said, no benefit ever accrued to public affairs, but damage often and in many cases resulted; and at times the commanders were greatly harmed because of these untimely fault-findings.

§29.1.3

πάσης γὰρ διαβολῆς ἐχούσης3 ὀξύ τι καὶ κινητικόν, ὅταν προκαταληφθῇ τὸ πλῆθος ἐκ τῆς συνεχοῦς λαλιᾶς, εὐκαταφρονήτους γίνεσθαι4 τοῖς ἐχθροῖς. —

​For since all slander has something sharp and stirring about it, when the multitude is prepossessed by continual talk, they become easy to be despised by the enemy.

Syntax notes4 items
  1. 29.1.1αὐτοὺς ... διοικεῖν αὐτοὺς

    The first αὐτούς is the subject accusative of the infinitive ἔχειν, and the second αὐτούς is that of διοικεῖν. The repetition of the same pronoun after the intervening phrases (καὶ παρὰ... ὁμιλίας) serves to re-establish the subject or add emphasis.

  2. 29.1.2τοῖς κοινοῖς πράγμασι

    Dative of interest or reference, syntactically dependent on either the noun ὄνησιν or the verb γίνεσθαι, meaning "for/to public affairs" or "for the state."

  3. 29.1.3πάσης γὰρ διαβολῆς ἐχούσης

    Genitive absolute construction with the present participle ἐχούσης, expressing a causal relation ("for since all slander has...").

  4. 29.1.3εὐκαταφρονήτους γίνεσθαι

    γίνεσθαι is an infinitive in indirect discourse continuing from ἔφη (§29.1.1). Since the predicate adjective εὐκαταφρονήτους is in the accusative plural, the implied subject of the infinitive is either the commanders (τοὺς ἄρχοντας from §29.1.2) or the citizens in general (αὐτούς).

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-10-09)
  • 2026-10-09 Collated with the printed edition — source 1
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:29.1.1-29.1.3