Introduction to the Roman Constitution and Its Role — Polybius, The Histories Book 6 (6.1.1–6.1.9), Greek & English

§6.1.1

στήσαντες δʼ ἐπὶ τούτων τὴν διήγησιν τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς Ῥωμαίων πολιτείας συστησόμεθα λόγον, ᾧ¹ κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς ὑποδείξομεν ὅτι μέγιστα συνεβάλετʼ αὐτοῖς ἡ τοῦ πολιτεύματος ἰδιότης πρὸς τὸ μὴ μόνον ἀνακτήσασθαι² τὴν Ἰταλιωτῶν καὶ Σικελιωτῶν δυναστείαν, ἔτι δὲ τὴν Ἰβήρων προσλαβεῖν καὶ Κελτῶν ἀρχήν, ἀλλὰ τὸ τελευταῖον καὶ πρὸς τὸ κρατήσαντας τῷ πολέμῳ Καρχηδονίων ἔννοιαν σχεῖν τῆς τῶν ὅλων ἐπιβολῆς..

Having stopped our narrative at this point, we shall compose our discourse on the Roman constitution, in which, in what follows, we shall show that the peculiar character of their constitution contributed most of all to their not only recovering dominion over the Italians and Siceliotes, and furthermore acquiring the rule of the Iberians and Celts, but finally also, having conquered the Carthaginians in the war, to conceiving the project of universal empire.

§6.1.4

ὅταν δὲ τὰς Ἑλληνικὰς πράξεις τὰς κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ὀλυμπιάδα γενομένας διεξιόντες ἐπιστῶμεν τοῖς καιροῖς τούτοις, τότʼ ἤδη προθέμενοι ψιλῶς τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς τῆς Ῥωμαίων πολιτείας ποιησόμεθα λόγον, νομίζοντες οὐ μόνον πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἱστορίας σύνταξιν οἰκείαν εἶναι τὴν περὶ αὐτῆς ἐξήγησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὰς τῶν πολιτευμάτων διορθώσεις καὶ κατασκευὰς μεγάλα συμβάλλεσθαι τοῖς φιλομαθοῦσι καὶ πραγματικοῖς τῶν ἀνδρῶν. καὶ τί δήποτʼ ἔστι τὸ αἴτιον, ἀπορήσαι τις ἄν, ὅτι³ κεκρατηκότες οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι τῶν ὅλων καὶ πολλαπλασίαν ἔχοντες ὑπεροχὴν νῦν ἢ πρόσθεν οὔτʼ ἂν πληρῶσαι τοσαύτας ναῦς οὔτʼ ἀναπλεῦσαι τηλικούτοις στόλοις δυνηθεῖεν;

And when, in detailing Greek affairs that occurred during the same Olympiad, we arrive at these times, then, having set it before ourselves, we shall make our discourse on the Roman constitution itself in a separate manner, thinking that the exposition of it is not only appropriate to the structure of history, but also contributes greatly to the correction and establishment of constitutions for those who are eager to learn and are men of action. And what indeed is the cause, one might wonder, that the Romans, although being masters of the whole world and having a superiority many times greater now than before, would be able neither to man so many ships nor to sail with such great fleets?

§6.1.7

οὐ μὲν ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν ταύτης τῆς ἀπορίας σαφῶς ἐξέσται τὰς αἰτίας κατανοεῖν, ὅταν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐξήγησιν αὐτῶν τῆς πολιτείας ἔλθωμεν.. ὑπὲρ τούτου δὲ τοῦ μέρους εἴρηται πρότερον ἡμῖν διὰ πλειόνων ἐν τοῖς περὶ τῆς πολιτείας.. τοῦτο δʼ ἔστι, καθάπερ ἡμῖν ἐν τοῖς περὶ τῆς πολιτείας εἴρηται, τῶν τριῶν ἓν σύστημα, διʼ ὧν συμβαίνει τὰς ἐπιφανεστάτας θυσίας ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ συντελεῖσθαι τοῖς θεοῖς..

Nevertheless, regarding this problem, it will be possible to understand the causes clearly when we come to the exposition of their constitution. Regarding this part, it has been spoken by us previously at greater length in the chapters on the constitution. And this is, as has been spoken by us in the chapters on the constitution, one of the three systems, through which it happens that the most illustrious sacrifices are performed in Rome to the gods.

Syntax notes3 items

6.1.2ᾧ
The relative pronoun ᾧ (dative masculine singular) has as its antecedent λόγον in the phrase τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς Ῥωμαίων πολιτείας ... λόγον (the discourse on the Roman constitution) in the preceding sentence (§6.1.1). It is used in the sense of "in which" or "through which discourse," introducing the purpose of the subsequent historical narrative.
6.1.2συνεβάλετʼ αὐτοῖς ἡ τοῦ πολιτεύματος ἰδιότης πρὸς τὸ μὴ μόνον ἀνακτήσασθαι...
The verb συμβάλλομαι, combined with πρὸς τὸ + infinitive (or πρὸς + accusative noun), means "to contribute to" or "help toward." Here, μὴ μόνον ἀνακτήσασθαι... (not only recovering...) is in parallel with ἀλλὰ τὸ τελευταῖον καὶ πρὸς τὸ ... ἔννοιαν σχεῖν (but finally also... to conceiving...) in §6.1.3. The dative pronoun αὐτοῖς refers to the Romans as the beneficiaries of this contribution.
6.1.6ἀπορήσαι τις ἄν, ὅτι...
The conjunction ὅτι introduces a noun clause dependent on the potential optative ἀπορήσαι ἄν ("one might wonder"), presenting the fact about which the doubt is raised ("namely, that..."). The optative verb in the dependent clause (δυνηθεῖεν) is due to the optative of indirect discourse, attracted by the potential optative of the main clause, or reflecting a subjective view.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (10, latest 2026-10-09)

2026-10-09 Collated with the printed edition — source 10

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.1.1-6.1.9