- 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-grc2:6.19.1-6.19.9
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
This passage details the military service requirements for Roman citizens and the annual procedure at the Capitol for assigning newly appointed military tribunes to the four primary legions.
ἐπειδὰν ἀποδείξωσι τοὺς ὑπάτους, μετὰ ταῦτα χιλιάρχους καθιστᾶσι, τετταρασκαίδεκα μὲν ἐκ τῶν πέντʼ ἐνιαυσίους ἐχόντων ἤδη στρατείας,1 δέκα δʼ ἄλλους σὺν τούτοις ἐκ τῶν δέκα.
When they have appointed the consuls, they next appoint military tribunes: fourteen from those who have already completed five years of service, and ten others in addition to these from those of ten years of service.
τῶν λοιπῶν τοὺς μὲν ἱππεῖς δέκα, τοὺς δὲ πεζοὺς ἓξ καὶ δέκα δεῖ στρατείας τελεῖν κατʼ ἀνάγκην ἐν τοῖς τετταράκοντα καὶ ἓξ ἔτεσιν ἀπὸ γενεᾶς2 πλὴν τῶν ὑπὸ τὰς τετρακοσίας δραχμὰς τετιμημένων·
Of the rest, the cavalry must complete ten campaigns and the infantry sixteen, of necessity, within the forty-six years from their birth, except for those whose property is valued under four hundred drachmae.
τούτους δὲ παριᾶσι πάντας εἰς τὴν ναυτικὴν χρείαν. ἐὰν δέ ποτε κατεπείγῃ τὰ τῆς περιστάσεως, ὀφείλουσιν οἱ πεζοὶ στρατεύειν εἴκοσι στρατείας ἐνιαυσίους.
These latter they all assign to the naval service. But if ever the circumstances become pressing, the infantry are obliged to serve twenty annual campaigns.
πολιτικὴν δὲ λαβεῖν ἀρχὴν οὐκ ἔξεστιν οὐδενὶ πρότερον, ἐὰν μὴ δέκα στρατείας ἐνιαυσίους ᾖ τετελεκώς.
And it is not permitted for anyone to hold a public office earlier, unless he has completed ten annual campaigns.
ἐὰν δὲ μέλλωσι ποιεῖσθαι τὴν καταγραφὴν τῶν στρατιωτῶν οἱ τὰς ὑπάτους ἔχοντες ἀρχάς, προλέγουσιν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐν ᾗ δεήσει παραγενέσθαι τοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἡλικίαις Ῥωμαίους ἅπαντας. ποιοῦσι δὲ τοῦτο καθʼ ἕκαστον ἐνιαυτόν.
When those holding the consular office are about to make the enrollment of the soldiers, they proclaim in public the day on which it will be necessary for all Romans of military age to appear. And they do this every year.
τῆς δʼ ἡμέρας ἐπελθούσης καὶ τῶν στρατευσίμων παραγενομένων εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην, καὶ μετὰ ταῦθʼ ἁθροισθέντων εἰς τὸ Καπετώλιον, διεῖλον σφᾶς αὐτοὺς οἱ νεώτεροι τῶν χιλιάρχων, καθάπερ ἂν ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου κατασταθῶσιν ἢ τῶν στρατηγῶν, εἰς τέτταρα μέρη διὰ τὸ τέτταρα παρʼ αὐτοῖς στρατόπεδα τὴν ὁλοσχερῆ καὶ πρώτην διαίρεσιν τῶν δυνάμεων ποιεῖσθαι.3
When the day has arrived and those liable to military service have come to Rome, and after that have assembled at the Capitol, the younger of the military tribunes divide themselves into four parts, according as they have been appointed by the people or by the generals, because with them the complete and primary division of the forces forms four legions.
καὶ τοὺς μὲν πρώτους κατασταθέντας τέτταρας εἰς τὸ πρῶτον καλούμενον στρατόπεδον ἔνειμαν, τοὺς δʼ ἑξῆς τρεῖς εἰς τὸ δεύτερον, τοὺς δʼ ἑπομένους τούτοις τέτταρας εἰς τὸ τρίτον, τρεῖς δὲ τοὺς τελευταίους εἰς τὸ τέταρτον.
And they assigned the first four appointed to the so-called first legion, the next three to the second, the next four following these to the third, and the last three to the fourth.
τῶν δὲ πρεσβυτέρων δύο μὲν τοὺς πρώτους εἰς τὸ πρῶτον, τρεῖς δὲ τοὺς δευτέρους εἰς τὸ δεύτερον τιθέασι στρατόπεδον, δύο δὲ τοὺς ἑξῆς εἰς τὸ τρίτον, τρεῖς δὲ τοὺς τελευταίους εἰς τὸ τέταρτον [τῶν
Of the senior tribunes, they place the first two in the first legion, the second three in the second, the next two in the third, and the last three in the fourth.
- 6.19.1ἐκ τῶν πέντʼ ἐνιαυσίους ἐχόντων ἤδη στρατείας
The genitive plural present participle ἐχόντων with the article functions substantively ('those who have...'), where πέντε and ἐνιαυσίους modify στρατείας, meaning 'from those who already have completed five annual campaigns.'
- 6.19.2ἐν τοῖς τετταράκοντα καὶ ἓξ ἔτεσιν ἀπὸ γενεᾶς
Literally 'within the forty-six years from birth,' referring to the age limit of the military obligation for Roman citizens (from age 17 up to age 46).
- 6.19.7διὰ τὸ τέτταρα παρʼ αὐτοῖς στρατόπεδα τὴν ὁλοσχερῆ καὶ πρώτην διαίρεσιν τῶν δυνάμεων ποιεῖσθαι
A causal clause introduced by διὰ τὸ with the infinitive ποιεῖσθαι. The accusative τέτταρα στρατόπεδα acts as the subject, while τὴν ὁλοσχερῆ καὶ πρώτην διαίρεσιν τῶν δυνάμεων functions as the object of the infinitive, meaning 'because with them four legions make up the complete and primary division of the forces.'
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-10-09)
- 2026-10-09 Collated with the printed edition — source 1