- 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-grc2:3.99.1-3.99.9
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
Abilyx made a secret agreement with the Roman generals and successfully handed over the Iberian hostages to them after obtaining them from Bostor. This led to the restoration of the hostages to their respective cities, encouraging many Iberians to align with Rome, while Bostor fell into great danger.
λεγομένοις.1 καὶ τότε μὲν ἐπανῆλθε, ταξάμενος ἡμέραν, ᾗ παρέσται2 μετὰ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων πρὸς τὴν ἀνακομιδὴν τῶν παίδων.
...to what he said. And on that occasion, indeed, he returned, having fixed a day on which he would appear with suitable companions for the recovery of the children.
παραγενηθεὶς δὲ νυκτὸς ἐπὶ τὸ τῶν Ῥωμαίων στρατόπεδον καὶ συμμίξας τισὶ τῶν συστρατευομένων ἐκείνοις Ἰβήρων διὰ τούτων εἰσῆλθε πρὸς τοὺς στρατηγούς.
Having arrived by night at the camp of the Romans and met with some of the Iberians serving with them, he gained access to the generals through these men.
ἐκλογιζόμενος δὲ διὰ πλειόνων3 τὴν ἐσομένην ὁρμὴν καὶ μετάπτωσιν πρὸς αὐτοὺς τῶν Ἰβήρων, ἐὰν ἐγκρατεῖς γένωνται τῶν ὁμήρων, ἐπηγγείλατο παραδώσειν αὐτοῖς τοὺς παῖδας.
Explaining at length the enthusiasm and change of allegiance towards them that would arise among the Iberians if they got possession of the hostages, he promised to hand the children over to them.
τῶν δὲ περὶ τὸν Πόπλιον ὑπερβολῇ προθύμως δεξαμένων τὴν ἐλπίδα καὶ μεγάλας ὑπισχνουμένων δωρεάς, τότε μὲν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν ἀπηλλάγη, συνθέμενος ἡμέραν καὶ καιρὸν καὶ τόπον, ἐν ᾧ δεήσει τοὺς ἐκδεξομένους4 αὐτὸν ὑπομένειν.
Since Publius and his associates accepted this hope with exceeding eagerness and promised great rewards, he then departed for his own quarters, having agreed upon a day, time, and place in which those who were to receive him would have to wait.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα παραλαβὼν τοὺς ἐπιτηδείους τῶν φίλων ἧκε πρὸς τὸν Βώστορα καί, παραδοθέντων αὐτῷ τῶν παίδων ἐκ τῆς Ζακάνθης, νυκτὸς ποιησάμενος τὴν ἔξοδον, ὡς θέλων λαθεῖν, παραπορευθεὶς τὸν χάρακα τῶν πολεμίων ἧκε πρὸς τὸν τεταγμένον καιρὸν καὶ τόπον καὶ πάντας ἐνεχείρισε τοὺς ὁμήρους τοῖς ἡγεμόσι τῶν Ῥωμαίων.
After this, taking suitable ones among his friends, he came to Bostor; and when the children from Saguntum were delivered to him, making his departure by night as if wishing to escape notice, he passed along the enemy’s rampart, arrived at the appointed time and place, and handed over all the hostages to the leaders of the Romans.
οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Πόπλιον ἐτίμησάν τε διαφερόντως τὸν Ἀβίλυγα καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀποκατάστασιν τῶν ὁμήρων εἰς τὰς πατρίδας ἐχρήσαντο τούτῳ, συμπέμψαντες τοὺς ἐπιτηδείους.
Publius and his associates honored Abilyx outstandingly and employed him for the restoration of the hostages to their native countries, sending suitable companions along with him.
ὃς ἐπιπορευόμενος τὰς πόλεις καὶ διὰ τῆς τῶν παίδων ἀποκαταστάσεως τιθεὶς ὑπὸ τὴν ὄψιν τὴν τῶν Ῥωμαίων πρᾳότητα καὶ μεγαλοψυχίαν παρὰ5 τὴν Καρχηδονίων ἀπιστίαν καὶ βαρύτητα καὶ προσπαρατιθεὶς τὴν αὑτοῦ μετάθεσιν πολλοὺς Ἰβήρων παρώρμησε πρὸς τὴν τῶν Ῥωμαίων φιλίαν.
Traveling through the cities and bringing before their eyes, through the restoration of the children, the mildness and generosity of the Romans in contrast with the faithlessness and severity of the Carthaginians, and adding moreover his own change of side, he incited many of the Iberians to seek the friendship of the Romans.
Βώστωρ δὲ παιδικώτερον ἢ κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν δόξας ἐγκεχειρικέναι τοὺς ὁμήρους τοῖς πολεμίοις οὐκ εἰς τοὺς τυχόντας ἐπεπτώκει κινδύνους.
Bostor, on the other hand, being thought to have handed over the hostages to the enemy in a manner more childish than befitted his age, fell into no ordinary dangers.
καὶ τότε μέν, ἤδη τῆς ὥρας κατεπειγούσης, διέλυον εἰς παραχειμασίαν ἀμφότεροι τὰς δυνάμεις, ἱκανοῦ τινος ἐκ τῆς τύχης γεγονότος συνεργήματος τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις τοῦ περὶ τοὺς παῖδας6 πρὸς τὰς ἐπικειμένας ἐπιβολάς. καὶ τὰ μὲν κατὰ τὴν Ἰβηρίαν ἐν τούτοις ἦν.
And on that occasion, indeed, as the season was already pressing, both sides dismissed their forces into winter quarters, a sufficient assistance having been provided by fortune to the Romans in the matter of the children for their impending enterprises. And such was the state of affairs in Iberia.
- 3.99.1λεγομένοις
This is the dative complement governed by the verb συγκαταθέσθαι (to assent to, agree with) at the end of the previous chapter, serving as a transitional element directly continuing the syntax.
- 3.99.1ᾗ παρέσται
A clause introduced by the relative adverb ᾗ (on which day), where the future tense παρέσται expresses relative future in a past context (the day 'on which he would appear').
- 3.99.3ἐκλογιζόμενος δὲ διὰ πλειόνων
The present participle ἐκλογιζόμενος (reckoning, explaining) combined with the prepositional phrase διὰ πλειόνων (through many words) means that he explained 'at length' or 'in detail' the political impact of the hostages' return to the Romans.
- 3.99.4τοὺς ἐκδεξομένους
The substantive use of the future participle of ἐκδέχομαι (to receive, wait for), acting as the subject accusative of the infinitive ὑπομένειν (to wait, remain). It refers to the Romans sent to receive Abilyx.
- 3.99.7παρά
Governing the accusative (τὴν ... ἀπιστίαν), this preposition expresses comparison or contrast ('in contrast with', 'compared to'), setting the mildness of the Romans against the faithlessness of the Carthaginians.
- 3.99.9τοῦ περὶ τοὺς παῖδας
An articular prepositional phrase in the genitive, which functions in apposition to or as a specific explanation of the preceding noun συνεργήματος (assistance, help).
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — note 1