- 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-grc2:3.43.1-3.43.12
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-11
Hannibal begins the main crossing of the river while utilizing boats upstream to break the current, as the detachment that had previously crossed launches a surprise attack on the barbarians' camp from behind. Caught in a pincer movement, the barbarians fall into confusion and flee.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ἐπιγενομένης τῆς πέμπτης νυκτὸς οἱ μὲν προδιαβάντες ἐκ τοῦ πέραν ὑπὸ τὴν ἑωθινὴν προῆγον παρʼ αὐτὸν τὸν ποταμὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀντίπερα βαρβάρους, ὁ δʼ Ἀννίβας ἑτοίμους ἔχων τοὺς στρατιώτας ἐπεῖχε τῇ διαβάσει, τοὺς μὲν λέμβους πεπληρωκὼς τῶν πελτοφόρων ἱππέων, τὰ δὲ μονόξυλα τῶν εὐκινητοτάτων πεζῶν.
However, when the fifth night came on, those who had previously crossed over advanced at dawn from the other side along the river itself against the barbarians on the opposite bank. Hannibal, having his soldiers ready, was intent on the crossing, having filled the boats with the light-armed cavalry, and the canoes with the most active infantry.
εἶχον δὲ τὴν μὲν ἐξ ὑπερδεξίου1 καὶ παρὰ τὸ ῥεῦμα τάξιν οἱ λέμβοι, τὴν δʼ ὑπὸ τούτους τὰ λεπτὰ τῶν πορθμείων, ἵνα τὸ πολὺ τῆς τοῦ ῥεύματος βίας ἀποδεχομένων τῶν λέμβων ἀσφαλεστέρα γίνοιτο τοῖς μονοξύλοις ἡ παρακομιδὴ διὰ τοῦ πόρου.
The boats held their position upstream and against the current, and the light ferry-boats below them, so that, with the boats intercepting the main force of the current, the passage of the canoes through the channel might be safer.
κατὰ δὲ τὰς πρύμνας τῶν λέμβων ἐφέλκειν διενοοῦντο τοὺς ἵππους νέοντας, τρεῖς ἅμα καὶ τέτταρας τοῖς ἀγωγεῦσιν ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐξ ἑκατέρου τοῦ μέρους τῆς πρύμνης οἰακίζοντος,2 ὥστε πλῆθος ἱκανὸν ἵππων συνδιακομίζεσθαι κατὰ τὴν πρώτην εὐθέως διάβασιν.
Behind the sterns of the boats they intended to tow the swimming horses, three or four at a time by their reins, with one man steering them from each side of the stern, so that a sufficient number of horses might be transported together in the very first crossing.
οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι θεωροῦντες τὴν ἐπιβολὴν τῶν ὑπεναντίων ἀτάκτως ἐκ τοῦ χάρακος ἐξεχέοντο καὶ σποράδην, πεπεισμένοι κωλύειν εὐχερῶς τὴν ἀπόβασιν τῶν Καρχηδονίων.
The barbarians, seeing the attempt of their adversaries, poured out of their camp in disorder and dispersedly, convinced that they would easily prevent the landing of the Carthaginians.
Ἀννίβας δʼ ἅμα τῷ συνιδεῖν ἐν τῷ πέραν ἐγγίζοντας ἤδη τοὺς παρʼ αὑτοῦ στρατιώτας, σημηνάντων ἐκείνων τὴν παρουσίαν τῷ καπνῷ κατὰ τὸ συντεταγμένον, ἐμβαίνειν ἅπασιν ἅμα παρήγγελλε καὶ βιάζεσθαι πρὸς τὸ ῥεῦμα τοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν πορθμείων τεταγμένοις.
Hannibal, as soon as he saw his own soldiers already approaching on the opposite bank, they having signaled their presence with smoke according to the agreement, ordered everyone to embark at once and those stationed on the ferry-boats to force their way against the current.
ταχὺ δὲ τούτου γενομένου, καὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς πλοίοις ἁμιλλωμένων μὲν πρὸς ἀλλήλους μετὰ κραυγῆς, διαγωνιζομένων δὲ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ποταμοῦ βίαν, τῶν δὲ στρατοπέδων ἀμφοτέρων ἐξ ἑκατέρου τοῦ μέρους παρὰ τὰ χείλη τοῦ ποταμοῦ παρεστώτων, καὶ τῶν μὲν ἰδίων συναγωνιώντων καὶ παρακολουθούντων μετὰ κραυγῆς, τῶν δὲ κατὰ πρόσωπον βαρβάρων παιανιζόντων καὶ προκαλουμένων τὸν κίνδυνον, ἦν τὸ γινόμενον ἐκπληκτικὸν καὶ παραστατικὸν ἀγωνίας.3
This being quickly done, while those in the boats emulated one another with shouting and struggled against the force of the river, while both armies stood on either side along the banks of the river, and their own comrades joined in the excitement and followed them with shouts, and the barbarians in front sang war-songs and provoked the combat, the scene was striking and filled with intense suspense.
ἐν ᾧ καιρῷ τῶν βαρβάρων ἀπολελοιπότων τὰς σκηνὰς ἐπιπεσόντες ἄφνω καὶ παραδόξως οἱ πέραν Καρχηδόνιοι, τινὲς μὲν αὐτῶν ἐνεπίμπρασαν τὴν στρατοπεδείαν, οἱ δὲ πλείους ὥρμησαν ἐπὶ τοὺς τὴν διάβασιν τηροῦντας.
At this moment, since the barbarians had left their tents, the Carthaginians who had crossed over fell upon them suddenly and unexpectedly; some of them set fire to the camp, while the majority rushed upon those who were guarding the crossing.
οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι, παραλόγου τοῦ πράγματος φανέντος αὐτοῖς, οἱ μὲν ἐπὶ τὰς σκηνὰς ἐφέροντο βοηθήσοντες, οἱ δʼ ἠμύνοντο καὶ διεμάχοντο πρὸς τοὺς ἐπιτιθεμένους.
The barbarians, as this event appeared completely unexpected to them, some rushed toward the tents to bring help, while others defended themselves and fought against the attackers.
Ἀννίβας δέ, κατὰ τὴν πρόθεσιν αὐτῷ συντρεχόντων τῶν πραγμάτων, εὐθέως τοὺς πρώτους ἀποβαίνοντας συνίστα καὶ παρεκάλει καὶ συνεπλέκετο τοῖς βαρβάροις.
Hannibal, since events were turning out according to his purpose, immediately organized those who first landed, exhorted them, and engaged with the barbarians.
οἱ δὲ Κελτοὶ καὶ διὰ τὴν ἀταξίαν καὶ διὰ τὸ παράδοξον τοῦ συμβαίνοντος ταχέως τραπέντες ὥρμησαν πρὸς φυγήν.
And the Celts, both because of their disorder and because of the unexpected nature of what was happening, were quickly routed and rushed into flight.
- 3.43.3ἐξ ὑπερδεξίου
Meaning 'from above' or 'upstream' spatially. Here it refers to the position upstream from the crossing point. It explains the tactical arrangement where the larger boats (λέμβοι) took the position upstream to break the current, protecting the lighter canoes (μονόξυλα) placed below them (ὑπὸ τούτους).
- 3.43.4ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐξ ἑκατέρου τοῦ μέρους τῆς πρύμνης οἰακίζοντος
A genitive absolute construction where ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς is the subject of the participle οἰακίζοντος. It translates to 'with one man steering [the horses] from each side of the stern.'
- 3.43.8ἦν τὸ γινόμενον ἐκπληκτικὸν καὶ παραστατικὸν ἀγωνίας
After a series of long genitive absolute clauses describing the surrounding scene (τῶν δὲ στρατοπέδων... παρεστώτων etc.), the sentence finally resolves into this main clause. παραστατικόν (capable of producing/evoking) takes the objective genitive ἀγωνίας (anxiety/suspense), meaning 'evocative of intense suspense.'