- 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-grc2:3.80.1-3.80.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-11
Hannibal successfully crosses the marshes to Etruria and camps near Flaminius. Analyzing the consul's demagogic character and political weakness, Hannibal devises a plan to draw him out into a disadvantageous battle.
διαπεράσας δὲ παραδόξως τοὺς ἑλώδεις τόπους καὶ καταλαβὼν ἐν Τυρρηνίᾳ τὸν Φλαμίνιον στρατοπεδεύοντα πρὸ τῆς τῶν Ἀρρητίνων πόλεως, τότε μὲν αὐτοῦ1 πρὸς τοῖς ἕλεσι κατεστρατοπέδευσε, βουλόμενος τήν τε δύναμιν ἀναλαβεῖν καὶ πολυπραγμονῆσαι τὰ περὶ τοὺς ὑπεναντίους καὶ τοὺς προκειμένους τῶν τόπων.
Having unexpectedly crossed the marshy places and finding Flaminius encamped in Etruria before the city of Arretium, for the moment he pitched camp right there, near the marshes, wishing both to refresh his army and to investigate thoroughly the circumstances of the enemy and the terrain lying before him.
πυνθανόμενος δὲ τὴν μὲν χώραν τὴν πρόσθεν πολλῆς γέμειν ὠφελείας, τὸν δὲ Φλαμίνιον ὀχλοκόπον μὲν καὶ δημαγωγὸν εἶναι τέλειον, πρὸς ἀληθινῶν δὲ καὶ πολεμικῶν πραγμάτων χειρισμὸν οὐκ εὐφυῆ, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καταπεπιστευκέναι τοῖς σφετέροις πράγμασιν, συνελογίζετο διότι παραλλάξαντος αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐκείνων στρατοπεδείαν καὶ καθέντος2 εἰς τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν τόπους τὰ μὲν ἀγωνιῶν τὸν ἐπιτωθασμὸν τῶν ὄχλων οὐ δυνήσεται περιορᾶν δῃουμένην τὴν χώραν, τὰ δὲ3 κατηλγηκὼς παρέσται προχείρως εἰς πάντα τόπον ἑπόμενος, σπουδάζων διʼ αὑτοῦ ποιήσασθαι τὸ προτέρημα καὶ μὴ προσδέξασθαι τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ τὴν ἴσην ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος.4
Learning that the country in front was full of much booty, and that Flaminius was a complete mob-courter and demagogue, but not naturally gifted for the management of real and military operations, and in addition to this, that he had absolute confidence in his own affairs, he calculated that if he passed by their camp and descended into the districts ahead, Flaminius, on the one hand fearing the ridicule of the crowds, would not be able to look on while the country was being plundered, and on the other hand, being deeply vexed, would readily appear, following him to any place, eager to gain the advantage by himself and not to await the arrival of the one who held equal authority.
ἐξ ὧν πολλοὺς αὐτὸν ὑπελάμβανε παραδώσειν καιροὺς πρὸς ἐπίθεσιν. πάντα δʼ
From which things he assumed that Flaminius would afford him many opportunities for attack. And all things...
- 3.80.1αὐτοῦ
Here αὐτοῦ is not the genitive of the personal pronoun, but an adverb of place meaning "right there" or "on the spot", specifying the location in coordination with πρὸς τοῖς ἕλεσι.
- 3.80.4παραλλάξαντος αὐτοῦ ... καὶ καθέντος
A genitive absolute construction with αὐτοῦ referring to Hannibal, who is also the subject of the main verb (συνελογίζετο). Although using a genitive absolute when the referent is the subject of the main clause is irregular, it is employed here to strongly emphasize the conditional scenario ("if he should pass...").
- 3.80.4τὰ μὲν ... τὰ δὲ
The neuter accusative articles are used adverbially in correlation, introducing the respective participles (ἀγωνιῶν... and κατηλγηκώς...) to describe Flaminius's contrasting yet reinforcing psychological motivations ("on the one hand..., on the other hand...").
- 3.80.4τοῦ τὴν ἴσην ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος
"The one who held equal authority" refers to Gnaeus Servilius Geminus, the other consul who possessed equal command (imperium) under the Roman principle of collegiality.