- 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-grc2:29.20.1-29.20.4
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-11
L. Aemilius Paullus switches to Latin and, in the presence of the captive Perseus, exhorts the Roman officers not to be arrogant in success but to keep the reversal of fortune in mind, adding that wise men learn from the misfortunes of others.
ὁ δὲ μεταλαβὼν τὴν Ῥωμαϊκὴν διάλεκτον παρεκάλει τοὺς ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ βλέποντας1 εἰς τὰ παρόντα, δεικνὺς ὑπὸ τὴν ὄψιν τὸν Περσέα, μήτε μεγαλαυχεῖν ἐπὶ τοῖς κατορθώμασι παρὰ τὸ δέον μήτε βουλεύεσθαι μηδὲν ὑπερήφανον μηδʼ ἀνήκεστον περὶ μηδενός, μήτε καθόλου πιστεύειν μηδέποτε ταῖς παρούσαις εὐτυχίαις·
Switching to the Latin language, he exhorted those in the council who were looking at the present situation, pointing to Perseus before their eyes, neither to boast excessively over their successes, nor to decide anything arrogant or irreversible concerning anyone, nor in general ever to trust in their present good fortune.
ἀλλʼ ὅτε μάλιστά τις κατορθοίη κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον βίον καὶ κατὰ τὰς κοινὰς πράξεις, τότε μάλιστα παρεκάλει τῆς ἐναντίας τύχης ἔννοιαν λαμβάνειν.
Rather, especially when one was most successful both in private life and in public affairs, at that very time he exhorted them to keep in mind the opposite fortune.
καὶ γὰρ οὕτω μόλις ἂν ἐν ταῖς εὐκαιρίαις ἄνθρωπον μέτριον ὄντα φανῆναι.2
For only in this way, he said, could a man scarcely appear to be moderate in times of prosperity.
τοῦτο γὰρ διαφέρειν ἔφη τοὺς ἀνοήτους τῶν νοῦν ἐχόντων,3 διότι συμβαίνει τοὺς μὲν ἐν ταῖς ἰδίαις ἀτυχίαις παιδεύεσθαι, τοὺς δʼ ἐν ταῖς τῶν πέλας. —
For he said that in this respect foolish men differ from those who have understanding: namely, that the former happen to be disciplined by their own misfortunes, but the latter by those of their neighbors.
- 29.20.1βλέποντας
Present participle, accusative plural masculine, modifying the preceding accusative noun phrase τοὺς ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ (those in the council), indicating that the Roman officers were looking at the immediate reality of the captive Perseus.
- 29.20.3ἂν ... φανῆναι
An infinitive with ἂν representing the potential optative ἂν φανείη in indirect discourse. The accusative ἄνθρωπον is the subject of the infinitive, and the participle μέτριον ὄντα functions as a predicate complement to φανῆναι.
- 29.20.4διαφέρειν τοὺς ἀνοήτους τῶν νοῦν ἐχόντων
The verb διαφέρειν (to differ from) takes the genitive of comparison (τῶν νοῦν ἐχόντων). The whole clause is an accusative and infinitive construction (A.C.I.) depending on ἔφη, with τοὺς ἀνοήτους acting as the subject accusative of the infinitive.
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1