- 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-grc2:36.12.1-36.12.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-12
The author explains his rationale for alternating between his proper name and pronoun expressions when referring to himself in his historical narrative, and mentions the accidental benefit of having no predecessors with the same name.
οὐ χρὴ δὲ θαυμάζειν ἐὰν ποτὲ μὲν τῷ κυρίῳ σημαίνωμεν αὑτοὺς ὀνόματι, ποτὲ δὲ ταῖς κοιναῖς ἐμφάσεσιν, οἷον οὕτως "ἐμοῦ δὲ ταῦτʼ εἰπόντος"
Nor should one wonder if we sometimes indicate ourselves by our proper name and sometimes by general expressions, such as “and when I had said this,”
καὶ πάλιν "ἡμῶν δὲ συγκαταθεμένων." ἐπὶ πολὺ γὰρ ἐμπεπλεγμένων ἡμῶν1 εἰς τὰς μετὰ ταῦτα μελλούσας ἱστορεῖσθαι πράξεις, ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστι μεταλαμβάνειν τὰς περὶ αὑτῶν σημασίας, ἵνα μήτε τοὔνομα συνεχῶς προφερόμενοι προσκόπτωμεν ταυτολογοῦντες μήτε πάλιν "ἐμοῦ" καὶ "διʼ ἐμέ" παρʼ ἕκαστον λέγοντες λάθωμεν εἰς φορτικὴν διάθεσιν ἐμπίπτοντες,2 ἀλλὰ συγχρώμενοι πᾶσι τούτοις καὶ μεταλαμβάνοντες ἀεὶ τὸ τῷ καιρῷ πρέπον ἐφʼ ὅσον οἷόν τε διαφεύγωμεν τὸ λίαν ἐπαχθὲς τῆς περὶ αὑτῶν λαλιᾶς, ἐπειδὴ φύσει μὲν ἀπρόσδεκτός ἐστιν ὁ τοιοῦτος λόγος, ἀναγκαῖος δʼ ὑπάρχει πολλάκις, ὅταν μὴ δυνατὸν ἄλλως ᾖ δηλῶσαι τὸ προκείμενον.
and again, “and when we had agreed.” For since we are deeply involved in the actions that are to be narrated hereafter, it is necessary to vary the designations concerning ourselves, so that we may neither cause offense by repeating ourselves through constantly pronouncing our proper name, nor, on the other hand, by saying “I” and “through me” at every turn, slip unconsciously into an offensive manner, but rather, by employing all these methods together and always substituting what is appropriate to the occasion, avoid as far as possible the extreme offensiveness of talking about ourselves. For while such talk is by nature unacceptable, it is often necessary when it is not otherwise possible to make the matter at hand clear.
γέγονε δέ τι πρὸς τοῦτο τὸ μέρος ἡμῖν οἷον ἐκ ταὐτομάτου συνέργημα τὸ μηδένα μέχρι γε τῶν καθʼ ἡμᾶς καιρῶν ταὐτὸν ἡμῖν ὄνομα κεκληρονομηκέναι κυρίως, ὅσον γε καὶ ἡμᾶς εἰδέναι.3 —
Moreover, in this regard we have had a kind of accidental assistance, namely, that as far as we know, no one up to our own times has inherited the same proper name as ourselves. —
- 36.12.2ἐμπεπλεγμένων ἡμῶν
Forms a genitive absolute, expressing the cause ("since we are deeply involved") for the subsequent main clause (ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστι). The perfect tense of the participle indicates the continuing state of the author's deep involvement in the actions to be narrated.
- 36.12.2λάθωμεν εἰς φορτικὴν διάθεσιν ἐμπίπτοντες
The construction of λανθάνω with a participle (ἐμπίπτοντες), meaning "to fall into something unconsciously" or "without realizing it." It is in the subjunctive mood because it is governed by the ἵνα clause expressing purpose or prevention.
- 36.12.5ὅσον γε καὶ ἡμᾶς εἰδέναι
An idiomatic usage of the absolute or restrictive infinitive (infinitivus limitativus), meaning "as far as we know" or "to the extent of our knowledge."
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — source 1