Aemilius Exhorts the Army and Emphasizes Their Superiority — Polybius, The Histories Book 3 (3.109.1–3.109.13), Greek & English

§3.109.1

πρῶτον γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἀμφότεροι πάρεσμεν, οὐ μόνον αὐτοὶ κοινωνήσοντες ὑμῖν τῶν κινδύνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ πρότερον ἔτους ἄρχοντας ἑτοίμους παρεσκευάκαμεν πρὸς τὸ μένειν καὶ μετέχειν τῶν αὐτῶν ἀγώνων.

For in the first place, both of us are present, not only to share the dangers with you ourselves, but we have also prepared the magistrates of the previous year to remain and take part in the same struggles.

§3.109.2

ὑμεῖς γε μὴν οὐ μόνον ἑωράκατε τοὺς καθοπλισμούς, τὰς τάξεις, τὰ πλήθη τῶν πολεμίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ διαμαχόμενοι μόνον οὐ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν δεύτερον ἐνιαυτὸν ἤδη διατελεῖτε.

Furthermore, you have not only seen the armor, the formations, and the numbers of the enemy, but you have also been continuously fighting them almost every day for what is now the second year.

§3.109.3

πάντων οὖν τῶν κατὰ μέρος ἐναντίως ἐχόντων ταῖς προγεγενημέναις μάχαις, εἰκὸς καὶ τὸ τέλος ἐναντίον ἐκβήσεσθαι τοῦ νῦν ἀγῶνος.

Since, therefore, all the particular circumstances are the opposite of the previous battles, it is natural that the end of the present struggle will also turn out to be the opposite.

§3.109.4

καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον, μᾶλλον δʼ ὡς εἰπεῖν ἀδύνατον, ἐν μὲν τοῖς κατὰ μέρος ἀκροβολισμοῖς ἴσους πρὸς ἴσους¹ συμπίπτοντας τὸ πλεῖον ἐπικρατεῖν, ὁμοῦ δὲ πάντας παραταξαμένους πλείους ὄντας ἢ διπλασίους τῶν ὑπεναντίων ἐλαττωθῆναι.

For indeed it is absurd, or rather, so to speak, impossible, that while in the particular skirmishes you clash on equal terms and for the most part prevail, yet when all are drawn up together, being more than double the number of the opponents, you should be defeated.

§3.109.5

διόπερ, ὦ ἄνδρες, πάντων ὑμῖν παρεσκευασμένων πρὸς τὸ νικᾶν, ἑνὸς προσδεῖται τὰ πράγματα, τῆς ὑμετέρας βουλήσεως καὶ προθυμίας, ὑπὲρ ἧς οὐδὲ παρακαλεῖσθαι πλείω πρέπειν ὑμῖν ὑπολαμβάνω.

Therefore, men, since everything is prepared for you to win, the situation requires but one thing, your own will and eagerness, concerning which I do not think it even proper that you should be further exhorted.

§3.109.6

τοῖς μέν γε μισθοῦ παρά τισι στρατευομένοις ἢ τοῖς κατὰ συμμαχίαν ὑπὲρ τῶν πέλας μέλλουσι κινδυνεύειν, οἷς κατʼ αὐτὸν τὸν ἀγῶνα καιρός ἐστι δεινότατος, τὰ δʼ ἐκ τῶν ἀποβαινόντων βραχεῖαν ἔχει διαφοράν, ἀναγκαῖος ὁ τῆς παρακλήσεως γίνεται τρόπος·

For those who serve for pay under some masters, or those who, in accordance with an alliance, are about to face danger on behalf of their neighbors—for whom the moment of the struggle itself is most terrible, but the consequences of the outcome make little difference—the method of exhortation becomes necessary.

§3.109.7

οἷς δέ, καθάπερ ὑμῖν νῦν, οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἑτέρων ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ σφῶν αὐτῶν καὶ πατρίδος καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων ὁ κίνδυνος συνέστηκεν, καὶ πολλαπλασίαν τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα συμβαίνοντα τὴν διαφορὰν ἔχει τῶν ἐνεστώτων ἀεὶ κινδύνων, ὑπομνήσεως μόνον, παρακλήσεως δʼ οὐ προσδεῖ.

But for those who, like you now, face danger not on behalf of others but for themselves, their country, wives, and children, and for whom the subsequent consequences have a difference many times greater than the dangers ever present before them, only a reminder is needed, but not exhortation.

§3.109.8

τίς γὰρ οὐκ ἂν βούλοιτο μάλιστα μὲν νικᾶν ἀγωνιζόμενος, εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῦτʼ εἴη δυνατόν, τεθνάναι πρόσθεν μαχόμενος ἢ ζῶν ἐπιδεῖν τὴν τῶν προειρημένων ὕβριν καὶ καταφθοράν;

For who would not wish above all to win when fighting, or if this should not be possible, to die fighting beforehand rather than to live to see the outrage and destruction of those mentioned above?

§3.109.9

διόπερ, ὦ ἄνδρες, χωρὶς τῶν ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ λεγομένων, αὐτοὶ λαμβάνοντες πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ λείπεσθαι καὶ τοῦ νικᾶν διαφορὰν καὶ τὰ συνεξακολουθοῦντα τούτοις, οὕτως ἑαυτοὺς παραστήσεσθε πρὸς τὴν μάχην ὡς τῆς πατρίδος οὐ κινδυνευούσης νῦν αὐτοῖς τοῖς στρατοπέδοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ὅλοις.

Therefore, men, apart from what is said by me, taking before your eyes the difference between defeat and victory, and the consequences that follow these, you must so present yourselves for the battle as though your country were now risking not just these legions, but its entire existence.

§3.109.10

τί γὰρ ἔτι προσθεῖσα τοῖς ὑποκειμένοις, ἐὰν ἄλλως πως τὰ παρόντα κριθῇ, περιγενήσεται τῶν ἐχθρῶν, οὐκ ἔχει.²

For she has nothing else to add to her existing resources by which she might prevail over the enemy, if the present issue should be decided otherwise.

§3.109.11

πᾶσαν γὰρ τὴν αὑτῆς προθυμίαν καὶ δύναμιν εἰς ὑμᾶς ἀπήρεισται, καὶ πάσας τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχει τῆς σωτηρίας ἐν ὑμῖν. ὧν ὑμεῖς αὐτὴν μὴ διαψεύσητε νῦν,³ ἀλλʼ ἀπόδοτε μὲν τῇ πατρίδι τὰς ἁρμοζούσας χάριτας, φανερὸν δὲ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ποιήσατε διότι καὶ τὰ πρότερον ἐλαττώματα γέγονεν οὐ διὰ τὸ Ῥωμαίους χείρους ἄνδρας εἶναι Καρχηδονίων, ἀλλὰ διʼ ἀπειρίαν τῶν τότε μαχομένων καὶ διὰ τὰς ἐκ τῶν καιρῶν περιστάσεις.

For she has rested all her eagerness and power upon you, and holds all her hopes of safety in you. Do not disappoint her now in these hopes, but render to your country the fitting gratitude, and make it clear to all men that the former defeats occurred not because the Romans are worse men than the Carthaginians, but because of the inexperience of those who fought then and because of the circumstances of the times.

§3.109.13

’ τότε μὲν οὖν ταῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτα παρακαλέσας ὁ Λεύκιος διαφῆκε τοὺς πολλούς.

Having then exhorted them with these and suchlike words, Lucius dismissed the multitude.

Syntax notes3 items

3.109.4ἴσους πρὸς ἴσους
An accusative expression meaning 'equal against equal,' here used adverbially to denote clashing 'on equal terms' or 'in equal numbers.' It describes the condition of the Roman soldiers, who are the implied subject of the accusative participle συμπίπτοντας.
3.109.10τί γὰρ ἔτι προσθεῖσα τοῖς ὑποκειμένοις ... οὐκ ἔχει
The subject of οὐκ ἔχει is 'the country' (πατρίς) from the preceding context. The construction of ἔχω followed by an indirect question (here τί... περιγενήσεται) means 'has no means to...' or 'does not know how to...'. The participle προσθεῖσα agrees with the subject (feminine singular) and carries a concessive or conditional force: 'even if she were to add something further to the existing resources.'
3.109.11ὧν ὑμεῖς αὐτὴν μὴ διαψεύσητε νῦν
The relative pronoun ὧν refers back to the antecedent 'hopes' (ἐλπίδων) and functions as a genitive of separation (or the secondary genitive object of διαψεύδω). The verb διαψεύδω ('to deceive someone of something' or 'disappoint') takes a double construction with an accusative of the person (αὐτήν, referring to the country) and a genitive of the thing (ὧν).

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — note 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.109.1-3.109.13