← Polybius

The Histories

§35.5.1-35.5.2

Scipio's Single Combat and Danger of Falling from His Horse

Scipio experiences conflict over whether to engage in single combat with a barbarian, and later, though his horse is struck, he manages to land upright on his feet when thrown.

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§35.5.1

Πολύβιος· ἐνέπεσε δέ τις ὁρμὴ τῷ Σκιπίωνι καὶ διαπόρησις, εἰ δεῖ1 συμβαλεῖν καὶ μονομαχῆσαι πρὸς τὸν βάρβαρον. —

​Polybius: And there fell upon Scipio a certain impulse and hesitation as to whether he ought to engage and fight in single combat against the barbarian. —

§35.5.2

Πολύβιος καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ· ὁ δʼ ἵππος ὁ τοῦ Σκιπίωνος ἐδυσχρήστησε μὲν ὑπὸ τῆς πληγῆς, οὐ μὴν ὁλοσχερῶς ἐσφάλμησε. διόπερ ὀρθὸς2 ἀπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ὁ Σκιπίων· Πολύβιος.

​Polybius also elsewhere: But Scipio’s horse, though distressed by the blow, did not completely fall. Therefore Scipio fell to the ground upright. Polybius.

Syntax notes2 items
  1. 35.5.1εἰ δεῖ

    The conjunction εἰ here does not introduce a conditional clause, but rather an indirect question explaining the specific content of the nouns ὁρμὴ καὶ διαπόρησις ("impulse and hesitation"), meaning "whether he ought to...".

  2. 35.5.2ὀρθὸς

    The nominative adjective is used predicatively with the verb ἀπέπεσεν ("fell off") to describe the state of the subject Scipio during the action, indicating that he remained upright (i.e., landed on his feet).

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:35.5.1-35.5.2