- 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-grc2:5.86.1-5.86.11
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
The Battle of Raphia ended in victory for Ptolemy, prompting Antiochus to retreat to Gaza. The cities of Coele-Syria, driven by their traditional pro-Ptolemaic sentiment, competed to submit and show their loyalty to the victorious Ptolemy.
Πτολεμαῖος δὲ διὰ μὲν τῆς φάλαγγος τὰ ὅλα διακρίνας,1 διὰ δὲ τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ δεξιοῦ κέρατος ἱππέων καὶ μισθοφόρων πολλοὺς ἀποκτείνας κατὰ τὸ δίωγμα τῶν ὑπεναντίων, τότε μὲν ἀναχωρήσας ἐπὶ τῆς ὑπαρχούσης ηὐλίσθη παρεμβολῆς.
Ptolemy, having decided the whole issue by means of the phalanx, and having slain many of the enemy in the pursuit by means of the cavalry and mercenaries from the right wing, then withdrew and encamped in his existing camp.
τῇ δʼ ἐπαύριον τοὺς μὲν ἰδίους νεκροὺς ἀνελόμενος καὶ θάψας, τοὺς δὲ τῶν ἐναντίων σκυλεύσας, ἀνέζευξε καὶ προῆγε πρὸς τὴν Ῥαφίαν.
On the following day, having recovered and buried his own dead and despoiled those of the enemy, he broke camp and advanced towards Raphia.
ὁ δʼ Ἀντίοχος ἐκ τῆς φυγῆς ἐβούλετο μὲν εὐθέως ἔξω στρατοπεδεύειν, συναθροίσας τοὺς ἐν τοῖς συστήμασι πεφευγότας, τῶν δὲ πλείστων εἰς τὴν πόλιν πεποιημένων τὴν ἀποχώρησιν2 ἠναγκάσθη καὶ αὐτὸς εἰσελθεῖν.
Antiochus, after his flight, wished at first to camp outside the city, having collected those who had fled in scattered groups; but since the majority had retreated into the city, he was forced to enter it himself as well.
οὗτος μὲν οὖν ὑπὸ τὴν ἑωθινὴν ἐξαγαγὼν τὸ σῳζόμενον μέρος τῆς δυνάμεως διέτεινε πρὸς Γάζαν, κἀκεῖ καταστρατοπεδεύσας καὶ διαπεμψάμενος περὶ τῆς τῶν νεκρῶν ἀναιρέσεως, ἐκήδευσε τοὺς τεθνεῶτας ὑποσπόνδους.
Accordingly, towards dawn, leading out the surviving portion of his army, he hastened towards Gaza, and having encamped there and sent messengers regarding the recovery of the dead, he buried the deceased under a truce.
ἦσαν δʼ οἱ τετελευτηκότες τῶν παρʼ Ἀντιόχου πεζοὶ μὲν οὐ πολὺ λείποντες μυρίων,3 ἱππεῖς δὲ πλείους τριακοσίων· ζωγρίᾳ δʼ ἑάλωσαν ὑπὲρ τοὺς τετρακισχιλίους.
The dead on the side of Antiochus were little short of ten thousand infantry, and over three hundred cavalry; while more than four thousand were taken alive as prisoners.
ἐλέφαντες δὲ τρεῖς μὲν παραχρῆμα, δύο δʼ ἐκ τῶν τραυμάτων ἀπέθανον. τῶν δὲ παρὰ Πτολεμαίου πεζοὶ μὲν εἰς χιλίους καὶ πεντακοσίους ἐτελεύτησαν, ἱππεῖς δʼ εἰς ἑπτακοσίους· τῶν δʼ ἐλεφάντων ἑκκαίδεκα μὲν ἀπέθανον, ᾑρέθησαν δʼ αὐτῶν οἱ πλείους.
Of the elephants, three died on the spot, and two of their wounds. On Ptolemy’s side, about fifteen hundred infantry died, and about seven hundred cavalry; of his elephants, sixteen died, and most of the rest were captured.
ἡ μὲν οὖν πρὸς Ῥαφίαν μάχη γενομένη τοῖς βασιλεῦσι περὶ Κοίλης Συρίας τοῦτον ἀπετελέσθη τὸν τρόπον·
Thus, then, the battle fought at Raphia between the kings for Coele-Syria was brought to this conclusion.
μετὰ δὲ τὴν τῶν νεκρῶν ἀναίρεσιν Ἀντίοχος μὲν ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ἀποχώρησιν εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως, Πτολεμαῖος δὲ τήν τε Ῥαφίαν καὶ τὰς ἄλλας πόλεις ἐξ ἐφόδου παρελάμβανε, πάντων τῶν πολιτευμάτων ἁμιλλωμένων ὑπὲρ τοῦ φθάσαι τοὺς πέλας4 περὶ τὴν ἀποκατάστασιν καὶ μετάθεσιν τὴν πρὸς αὐτόν.
After the recovery of the dead, Antiochus made his retreat to his own country with his army, while Ptolemy took possession of Raphia and the other cities without opposition, all the local communities competing to anticipate their neighbors in restoring allegiance and shifting their loyalty to him.
ἴσως μὲν οὖν εἰώθασι πάντες περὶ τοὺς τοιούτους καιροὺς ἁρμόζεσθαί πως ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ παρόν· μάλιστα δὲ τὸ κατʼ ἐκείνους τοὺς τόπους γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων εὐφυὲς καὶ πρόχειρον πρὸς τὰς ἐκ τοῦ καιροῦ χάριτας.
Perhaps, indeed, all men are accustomed at such crises to adapt themselves somehow to the present situation; but the race of men in those parts is especially gifted and ready in paying court according to the occasion.
τότε δὲ καὶ τῆς εὐνοίας προκαθηγουμένης πρὸς τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας βασιλεῖς εἰκότως τοῦτο συνέβαινε γίνεσθαι· τῇ γὰρ οἰκίᾳ ταύτῃ μᾶλλον ἀεί πως οἱ κατὰ Κοίλην Συρίαν ὄχλοι προσκλίνουσι.
On this occasion, moreover, as a feeling of goodwill towards the kings from Alexandria already predominated, it was natural that this should happen; for the masses in Coele-Syria always incline more or less to this house.
διόπερ οὐκ ἀπέλειπον ὑπερβολὴν ἀρεσκείας, στεφάνοις καὶ θυσίαις καὶ βωμοῖς καὶ παντὶ τῷ τοιούτῳ τρόπῳ τιμῶντες τὸν Πτολεμαῖον.
Therefore, they left no extreme of adulation untouched, honoring Ptolemy with crowns, sacrifices, altars, and every such kind of tribute.
- 5.86.1τὰ ὅλα διακρίνας
The verb διακρίνω, in addition to 'distinguish', carries the meaning of 'decide' or 'settle' an issue or battle. Here, with τὰ ὅλα ('the whole situation', 'the general issue') as its object, it means 'having decided the overall outcome of the battle'.
- 5.86.3τῶν δὲ πλείστων εἰς τὴν πόλιν πεποιημένων τὴν ἀποχώρησιν
A genitive absolute construction with τῶν πλείστων as the logical subject. The participle πεποιημένων is perfect middle, forming a periphrastic expression with ποιέομαι τὴν ἀποχώρησιν ('to make a retreat', i.e., 'to retreat').
- 5.86.5οὐ πολὺ λείποντες μυρίων
The participle λείποντες ('falling short of') governs the genitive of comparison/separation μυρίων ('ten thousand'). Literally 'not falling much short of ten thousand', meaning 'nearly ten thousand'.
- 5.86.8ὑπὲρ τοῦ φθάσαι τοὺς πέλας
The preposition ὑπέρ is followed by the genitive of the articular infinitive τοῦ φθάσαι to express purpose. The transitive verb φθάνω ('to anticipate', 'to get ahead of') governs the accusative object τοὺς πέλας ('one's neighbors', 'others').