- 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-grc2:3.36.1-3.36.7
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-11
The author points out that simply listing unknown geographical names makes the narrative incomprehensible to readers, and proposes a method of spatial understanding based on the four cardinal directions to assist in geographical comprehension.
ἵνα δὲ μὴ τῶν τόπων ἀγνοουμένων παντάπασιν ἀσαφῆ γίνεσθαι συμβαίνῃ τὴν διήγησιν, ῥητέον ἂν εἴη1 πόθεν ὁρμήσας Ἀννίβας καὶ τίνας καὶ πόσους διελθὼν τόπους εἰς ποῖα μέρη κατῆρε τῆς Ἰταλίας.
In order that the narrative may not become altogether obscure through the places being unknown, it should be stated from where Hannibal started, and what and how many places he traversed, to arrive at what parts of Italy.
ῥητέον δʼ οὐκ αὐτὰς τὰς ὀνομασίας τῶν τόπων καὶ ποταμῶν καὶ πόλεων, ὅπερ ἔνιοι ποιοῦσι τῶν συγγραφέων, ὑπολαμβάνοντες ἐν παντὶ πρὸς γνῶσιν καὶ σαφήνειαν αὐτοτελὲς εἶναι τοῦτο τὸ μέρος.
But we must not state merely the names themselves of the places, rivers, and cities, as some writers do, supposing that in every case this part is of itself sufficient for knowledge and clearness.
οἶμαι δʼ, ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν γνωριζομένων τόπων οὐ μικρὰ μεγάλα δὲ συμβάλλεσθαι πεποίηκε πρὸς ἀνάμνησιν ἡ τῶν ὀνομάτων παράθεσις· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἀγνοουμένων εἰς τέλος ὁμοίαν ἔχει τὴν δύναμιν ἡ τῶν ὀνομάτων ἐξήγησις ταῖς ἀδιανοήτοις καὶ κρουσματικαῖς λέξεσι.2
For I think that, in the case of known places, the presentation of names contributes not a little, but greatly, to remembrance; but in the case of unknown ones, the explanation of names has a power altogether similar to unintelligible and meaningless sounds.
τῆς γὰρ διανοίας ἐπʼ οὐδὲν ἀπερειδομένης3 οὐδὲ δυναμένης ἐφαρμόττειν τὸ λεγόμενον ἐπʼ οὐδὲν γνώριμον, ἀνυπότακτος καὶ κωφὴ γίνεθʼ ἡ διήγησις.
For when the mind relies on nothing, and is unable to apply what is said to anything known, the narrative becomes disconnected and dumb.
διόπερ ὑποδεικτέος ἂν εἴη τρόπος, διʼ οὗ δυνατὸν ἔσται περὶ τῶν ἀγνοουμένων λέγοντας κατὰ ποσὸν εἰς ἀληθινὰς καὶ γνωρίμους ἐννοίας ἄγειν τοὺς ἀκούοντας. πρώτη μὲν οὖν καὶ μεγίστη γνῶσις, ἔτι δὲ κοινὴ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐστὶν ἡ τοῦ περιέχοντος ἡμᾶς διαίρεσις καὶ τάξις, καθʼ ἣν πάντες, ὧν καὶ μικρὸν ὄφελος,4 ἀνατολάς, δύσεις, μεσημβρίαν, ἄρκτον γνωρίζομεν·
Therefore, a method must be pointed out, by which it will be possible, when speaking of unknown things, to lead the hearers to some extent to true and familiar concepts. Now, the first and greatest knowledge, and moreover common to all men, is the division and order of that which surrounds us, according to which all men, of whom there is even a little use, know East, West, South, and North;
δευτέρα δέ, καθʼ ἣν ἑκάστῃ διαφορᾷ τῶν προειρημένων τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τόπους ὑποτάττοντες καὶ φέροντες ἀεὶ τῇ διανοίᾳ τὸ λεγόμενον ἐπί τι τῶν προειρημένων εἰς γνωρίμους καὶ συνήθεις ἐπινοίας ἐμπίπτομεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀγνώστων καὶ
and the second is that, by subordinating the places on earth to each of the aforementioned divisions, and always referring in thought what is said to one of the aforementioned directions, we fall into known and familiar conceptions concerning unknown places; and...
- 3.36.1ῥητέον ἂν εἴη
The verbal adjective ῥητέον (from λέγω) is used impersonally with εἴη and the potential particle ἄν, meaning 'it should be stated/said'. It introduces the indirect question clauses starting with πόθεν ὁρμήσας....
- 3.36.3ταῖς ἀδιανοήτοις καὶ κρουσματικαῖς λέξεσι
Dative governed by the adjective ὁμοίαν ('similar to'). The word κρουσματικός relates to the striking of instruments (krousma), indicating meaningless, purely acoustic sounds or musical noises.
- 3.36.4τῆς γὰρ διανοίας ἐπʼ οὐδὲν ἀπερειδομένης
A genitive absolute construction expressing cause. τῆς διανοίας acts as the logical subject, with ἀπερειδομένης (and δυναμένης) as its participle.
- 3.36.6ὧν καὶ μικρὸν ὄφελος
The relative pronoun ὧν refers to people (πάντες). This is an idiomatic expression using the indeclinable noun ὄφελος ('help, use'), meaning literally 'all those of whom there is even a little use', i.e., 'anyone with even a modicum of intelligence'.