- 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-grc2:3.111.1-3.111.11
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
With the clash against the Roman forces imminent, Hannibal assembles his troops to deliver a speech, encouraging them by emphasizing the geographical advantage for their superior cavalry and promising mastery over Italy upon victory, before establishing his camp on the same side of the river as the larger Roman camp.
Ἀννίβας δὲ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν θεωρῶν ὅτι καλεῖ τὰ πράγματα μάχεσθαι καὶ συμβάλλειν τοῖς πολεμίοις, εὐλαβούμενος δὲ μὴ διατέτραπται1 τὸ πλῆθος ἐκ τοῦ προγεγονότος ἐλαττώματος, κρίνας προσδεῖσθαι παρακλήσεως τὸν καιρὸν συνῆγε τοὺς πολλούς.
Hannibal, at the same time, seeing that circumstances called for fighting and engaging with the enemy, but being cautious lest the multitude had been discouraged by the previous setback, and judging that the occasion stood in need of an exhortation, assembled his troops.
ἁθροισθέντων δέ, περιβλέψαι κελεύσας πάντας εἰς τοὺς πέριξ τόπους, ἤρετο τί μεῖζον εὔξασθαι τοῖς θεοῖς κατὰ τοὺς παρόντας ἐδύναντο καιρούς, δοθείσης αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίας, τοῦ παρὰ πολὺ τῶν πολεμίων ἱπποκρατοῦντας ἐν τοιούτοις τόποις διακριθῆναι2 περὶ τῶν ὅλων.
And when they had assembled, having ordered them all to look around at the surrounding country, he asked what greater thing they could pray to the gods for under the present circumstances, if the power were given to them, than, being vastly superior to the enemy in cavalry, to decide the whole issue in such places.
πάντων δὲ τὸ ῥηθὲν ἐπισημηναμένων διὰ τὴν ἐνάργειαν ‘τούτου τοιγαροῦν’ ἔφη ‘πρῶτον μὲν τοῖς θεοῖς ἔχετε χάριν· ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ ἡμῖν συγκατασκευάζοντες τὴν νίκην εἰς τοιούτους τόπους ἤχασι τοὺς ἐχθρούς·
And when all approved of what had been said because of its self-evidence, he said, “For this, therefore, first of all give thanks to the gods; for they, helping to prepare our victory, have brought the enemies into such places;
δεύτερον δʼ ἡμῖν, ὅτι καὶ μάχεσθαι τοὺς πολεμίους συνηναγκάσαμεν· οὐ γὰρ ἔτι δύνανται τοῦτο διαφυγεῖν· καὶ μάχεσθαι προφανῶς ἐν τοῖς ἡμετέροις προτερήμασι.
secondly to us, because we have also forced the enemy to fight; for they can no longer escape this, and must fight in conditions where our advantages are obvious.
τὸ δὲ παρακαλεῖν ὑμᾶς νῦν διὰ πλειόνων εὐθαρσεῖς καὶ προθύμους εἶναι πρὸς τὸν κίνδυνον οὐδαμῶς μοι δοκεῖ καθήκειν.
And to exhort you now at greater length to be of good courage and eager for the danger does not seem to me to be at all appropriate.
ὅτε μὲν γὰρ ἀπείρως διέκεισθε τῆς πρὸς Ῥωμαίους μάχης, ἔδει τοῦτο ποιεῖν, καὶ μεθʼ ὑποδειγμάτων ἐγὼ πρὸς ὑμᾶς πολλοὺς διεθέμην λόγους·
For when you were inexperienced in fighting against the Romans, it was necessary to do this, and I addressed many speeches to you with examples;
ὅτε δὲ κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς τρισὶ μάχαις τηλικαύταις ἐξ ὁμολογουμένου νενικήκατε Ῥωμαίους, ποῖος ἂν ἔτι λόγος ὑμῖν ἰσχυρότερον παραστήσαι θάρσος αὐτῶν τῶν ἔργων;
but now that you have consecutively, in three such great battles, by common consent defeated the Romans, what speech could instill in you a stronger courage than these very deeds?
διὰ μὲν οὖν τῶν πρὸ τοῦ κινδύνων κεκρατήκατε τῆς χώρας καὶ τῶν ἐκ ταύτης ἀγαθῶν κατὰ τὰς ἡμετέρας ἐπαγγελίας, ἀψευστούντων ἡμῶν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰρημένοις· ὁ δὲ νῦν ἀγὼν ἐνέστηκεν περὶ τῶν πόλεων καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐταῖς ἀγαθῶν.
Indeed, through our former struggles you have made yourselves masters of the countryside and its riches, according to our promises, we having been truthful in all that was said to you; but the present struggle has begun for the cities and the riches within them.
οὗ κρατήσαντες κύριοι μὲν ἔσεσθε παραχρῆμα πάσης Ἰταλίας, ἀπαλλαγέντες δὲ τῶν νῦν πόνων, γενόμενοι συμπάσης ἐγκρατεῖς τῆς Ῥωμαίων εὐδαιμονίας, ἡγεμόνες ἅμα καὶ δεσπόται πάντων γενήσεσθε διὰ ταύτης τῆς μάχης.
Having conquered in this, you will immediately become masters of all Italy, and having been delivered from your present hardships, having become masters of the entire wealth of the Romans, you will become at once leaders and masters of all things through this battle.
διόπερ οὐκέτι λόγων ἀλλʼ ἔργων ἐστὶν ἡ χρεία· θεῶν γὰρ βουλομένων ὅσον οὔπω3 βεβαιώσειν ὑμῖν πέπεισμαι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας.
Therefore, there is no longer need of words but of deeds; for, the gods willing, I am persuaded that they will very soon confirm my promises to you.”
’ ταῦτα δὲ καὶ τούτοις παραπλήσια διαλεχθείς, προθύμως αὐτὸν ἐπισημαινομένου τοῦ πλήθους, ἐπαινέσας καὶ δεξάμενος αὐτῶν τὴν ὁρμὴν ἀφῆκε καὶ παραχρῆμα κατεστρατοπέδευσε, ποιούμενος τὸν χάρακα παρὰ τὴν αὐτὴν πλευρὰν τοῦ ποταμοῦ τῇ μείζονι στρατοπεδείᾳ τῶν ὑπεναντίων.
Having spoken these and similar words, the multitude eagerly applauding him, having praised and welcomed their enthusiasm, he dismissed them, and immediately pitched camp, making his entrenchment on the same side of the river as the larger camp of the enemy.
- 3.111.1μὴ διατέτραπται
A fear clause introduced by μή after a verb of fearing/cautioning (εὐλαβούμενος). The use of the perfect indicative (διατέτραπται) instead of the subjunctive indicates apprehension concerning a past or present completed fact (lest they had already been discouraged).
- 3.111.2τοῦ... διακριθῆναι
An articular infinitive in the genitive case, functioning as a genitive of comparison after the comparative adjective μεῖζον ("greater than ... to decide").
- 3.111.10ὅσον οὔπω
An idiomatic adverbial phrase meaning "all but" or "very soon", emphasizing that the fulfillment of the promises is highly imminent.