- 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-grc2:6.21.1-6.21.10
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
Following the enrollment, a representative takes a solemn oath of obedience, followed by all other soldiers. The consuls summon allied troops from Italy, while the military tribunes in Rome divide each legion into four classes (velites, hastati, principes, and triarii) based on age, wealth, and physical maturity.
Ἐπιτελεσθείσης δὲ τῆς καταγραφῆς τὸν προειρημένον τρόπον, ἁθροίσαντες τοὺς ἐπειλεγμένους οἱ προσήκοντες τῶν χιλιάρχων καθʼ ἕκαστον στρατόπεδον, καὶ λαβόντες ἐκ πάντων ἕνα τὸν ἐπιτηδειότατον, ἐξορκίζουσιν ἦ μὴν πειθαρχήσειν1 καὶ ποιήσειν τὸ προσταττόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν ἀρχόντων κατὰ δύναμιν.
When the enrollment has been completed in the manner described above, the appropriate military tribunes of each legion, having assembled the selected men and having chosen from among them all the single most suitable man, administer an oath to him that he will surely obey and perform what is commanded by his officers to the best of his ability.
οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ πάντες ὀμνύουσι καθʼ ἕνα προπορευόμενοι, τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ δηλοῦντες ὅτι ποιήσουσι πάντα καθάπερ ὁ πρῶτος.
All the others then take the oath, coming forward one by one, declaring by this very act that they will do everything exactly as the first man.
κατὰ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς καιροὺς οἱ τὰς ὑπάτους ἀρχὰς ἔχοντες παραγγέλλουσι τοῖς ἄρχουσι τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν συμμαχίδων πόλεων τῶν ἐκ τῆς Ἰταλίας, ἐξ ὧν ἂν βούλωνται συστρατεύειν τοὺς συμμάχους,2 διασαφοῦντες τὸ πλῆθος καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν καὶ τὸν τόπον, εἰς ὃν δεήσει παρεῖναι τοὺς κεκριμένους.
At the same time, those who hold the consular office send orders to the magistrates of the allied cities in Italy from which they wish to have allies serve in the army, specifying the number, the day, and the place where those selected must present themselves.
αἱ δὲ πόλεις παραπλησίαν ποιησάμεναι τῇ προειρημένῃ τὴν ἐκλογὴν καὶ τὸν ὅρκον ἐκπέμπουσιν, ἄρχοντα συστήσασαι καὶ μισθοδότην.
The cities, having made a selection and administered an oath in a manner very similar to that described above, send them forth, having appointed a commander and a paymaster.
οἱ δʼ ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ χιλίαρχοι μετὰ τὸν ἐξορκισμὸν παραγγείλαντες ἡμέραν ἑκάστῳ στρατοπέδῳ καὶ τόπον, εἰς ὃν δεήσει παρεῖναι χωρὶς τῶν ὅπλων, τότε μὲν ἀφῆκαν.
The military tribunes in Rome, after the administration of the oath, having commanded each legion the day and the place where they must present themselves without their arms, dismissed them for the time being.
παραγενομένων δʼ εἰς τὴν ταχθεῖσαν ἡμέραν διαλέγουσι τῶν ἀνδρῶν τοὺς μὲν νεωτάτους καὶ πενιχροτάτους εἰς τοὺς γροσφομάχους, τοὺς δʼ ἑξῆς τούτοις εἰς τοὺς ἁστάτους καλουμένους, τοὺς δʼ ἀκμαιοτάτους ταῖς ἡλικίαις εἰς τοὺς πρίγκιπας, τοὺς δὲ πρεσβυτάτους εἰς τοὺς τριαρίους.
When they arrived on the appointed day, they selected from the men the youngest and poorest for the velites, those next in order to these for the so-called hastati, those in the prime of life for the principes, and the oldest for the triarii.
αὗται γάρ εἰσι καὶ τοσαῦται διαφοραὶ παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις καὶ τῶν ὀνομασιῶν καὶ τῶν ἡλικιῶν, ἔτι δὲ τῶν καθοπλισμῶν ἐν ἑκάστῳ στρατοπέδῳ.
For these are the various divisions among the Romans in each legion, in respect of names, ages, and also of their equipment.
διαιροῦσι δʼ αὐτοὺς τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον ὥστʼ εἶναι τοὺς μὲν πρεσβυτάτους καὶ τριαρίους προσαγορευομένους ἑξακοσίους, τοὺς δὲ πρίγκιπας χιλίους καὶ διακοσίους, ἴσους δὲ τούτοις τοὺς ἁστάτους, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς καὶ νεωτάτους γροσφοφόρους.
And they divide them in such a manner that the oldest, who are called triarii, number six hundred, the principes twelve hundred, the hastati an equal number to these, and the remainder, who are the youngest, velites.
ἐὰν δὲ πλείους τῶν τετρακισχιλίων ὦσι, κατὰ λόγον ποιοῦνται τὴν διαίρεσιν πλὴν τῶν τριαρίων. τούτους αἰεὶ τοὺς ἴσους.3
But if they exceed four thousand in number, they make the division proportionally, except for the triarii. These always remain the same in number.
- 6.21.2ἦ μὴν πειθαρχήσειν
The particles ἦ μὴν are a formulaic expression introducing a solemn oath or strong assurance ("verily," "surely"), governing the infinitive πειθαρχήσειν which serves as the object of ἐξορκίζουσιν.
- 6.21.4ἐξ ὧν ἂν βούλωνται συστρατεύειν τοὺς συμμάχους
The relative clause employs ἄν with the subjunctive βούλωνται to form a generalizing or conditional relative clause ("from whichever [cities] they may wish"). The accusative τοὺς συμμάχους serves as the subject of the infinitive συστρατεύειν.
- 6.21.10τούτους αἰεὶ τοὺς ἴσους
A highly elliptical structure consisting of only the subject and complement, where either the infinitive εἶναι (to be) or the verb ποιοῦσιν (they make) is omitted from the previous clause. τούτους acts as the subject and τοὺς ἴσους as the predicate accusative.