- 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-grc2:6.34.1-6.34.12
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
This section describes the division of labor in building the camp fortifications, the duty rotation of the tribunes, and the precise system of transmitting and retrieving the nightly watchword using wooden tablets.
τῆς δὲ ταφρείας καὶ χαρακοποιίας1 δύο μὲν ἐπιβάλλουσι πλευραὶ τοῖς συμμάχοις, παρʼ ἃς καὶ στρατοπεδεύει τὸ κέρας αὐτῶν ἑκάτερον, δύο δὲ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις, ἑκατέρῳ τῷ στρατοπέδῳ μία.
As for the construction of the trench and the palisade, two sides are assigned to the allies, along which each of their two wings encamp, and two sides to the Romans, one to each of the two legions.
διαιρεθείσης δὲ τῆς πλευρᾶς ἑκάστης κατὰ σημαίαν, τὴν μὲν κατὰ μέρος ἐπιμέλειαν οἱ ταξίαρχοι ποιοῦνται παρεστῶτες, τὴν δὲ καθόλου δοκιμασίαν τῆς πλευρᾶς δύο τῶν χιλιάρχων.
Each side being divided according to maniple, the centurions supervise the individual parts, standing by them, while two of the tribunes conduct the general inspection of the entire side.
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὴν λοιπὴν τὴν κατὰ τὸ στρατόπεδον ἐπιμέλειαν οὗτοι ποιοῦνται· κατὰ δύο γὰρ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς διελόντες ἀνὰ μέρος τῆς ἑκμήνου τὴν δίμηνον ἄρχουσι, καὶ πάσης οἱ λαχόντες τῆς ἐν τοῖς ὑπαίθροις προΐστανται χρείας.
In like manner, these also perform the remaining supervision throughout the camp; for dividing themselves into pairs, they rule in turn for two months out of the six, and those who draw the lot preside over every necessity in the field.
ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς τρόπος τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐστι καὶ τῶν πραιφέκτων περὶ τοὺς συμμάχους.
The same manner of command exists also for the prefects in regard to the allies.
οἱ δʼ ἱππεῖς καὶ ταξίαρχοι πάντες ἅμα τῷ φωτὶ παραγίνονται πρὸς τὰς τῶν χιλιάρχων σκηνάς, οἱ δὲ χιλίαρχοι πρὸς τὸν ὕπατον.
All the cavalry and centurions assemble at daybreak at the tents of the tribunes, and the tribunes proceed to the consul.
κἀκεῖνος μὲν τὸ κατεπεῖγον ἀεὶ παραγγέλλει τοῖς χιλιάρχοις, οἱ δὲ χιλίαρχοι τοῖς ἱππεῦσι καὶ ταξιάρχοις, οὗτοι δὲ τοῖς πολλοῖς, ὅταν ἑκάστων ὁ καιρὸς ᾖ.
And he always gives the urgent orders of the day to the tribunes, the tribunes to the cavalry and centurions, and these to the rank and file, whenever the proper time for each arrives.
τὴν δὲ τοῦ νυκτερινοῦ συνθήματος παράδοσιν ἀσφαλίζονται τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον.
They secure the delivery of the night-signal in the following manner.
καθʼ ἕκαστον γένος καὶ τῶν ἱππέων καὶ τῶν πεζῶν ἐκ τῆς δεκάτης σημαίας καὶ τελευταίας στρατοπεδευούσης2 κατὰ τὰς ῥύμας, ἐκ τούτων εἷς ἑκάστης ἀνὴρ λαμβάνεται κατʼ ἐκλογήν, ὃς τῶν μὲν κατὰ τὰς φυλακὰς λειτουργιῶν ἀπολύεται, παραγίνεται δὲ καθʼ ἡμέραν δύνοντος ἡλίου πρὸς τὴν τοῦ χιλιάρχου σκηνήν, καὶ λαβὼν τὸ σύνθημα — τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶ πλατεῖον ἐπιγεγραμμένον —
From each class of both cavalry and infantry, from the tenth and last maniple encamped along the streets, one man is chosen from each, who is exempted from duties on guard, and comes daily at sunset to the tent of the tribune, and having received the watchword—which is a tablet with writing on it—
ἀπαλλάττεται πάλιν. ἀναχωρήσας δʼ ἐπὶ τὴν αὑτοῦ σημαίαν τό τε ξυλήφιον παρέδωκε καὶ τὸ σύνθημα μετὰ μαρτύρων τῷ τῆς ἐχομένης σημαίας ἡγεμόνι, παραπλησίως δὲ πάλιν οὗτος τῷ τῆς ἐχομένης.
departs again. Having returned to his own maniple, he delivers the small wooden tablet and the watchword in the presence of witnesses to the commander of the next maniple, and this commander in like manner to the next.
τὸ δʼ ὅμοιον ἑξῆς ποιοῦσι πάντες, ἕως ἂν ἐπὶ τὰς πρώτας καὶ σύνεγγυς τοῖς χιλιάρχοις στρατοπεδευούσας σημαίας ἐξικνῆται. τούτους δὲ δεῖ τὸ πλατεῖον ἔτι φωτὸς ὄντος ἀναφέρειν3 πρὸς τοὺς χιλιάρχους.
All perform the same in succession, until it reaches the first maniples encamped near the tribunes. These latter must bring back the tablet to the tribunes while it is still light.
κἂν μὲν ἀνενεχθῇ πάντα τὰ δοθέντα, γινώσκει διότι δέδοται τὸ σύνθημα πᾶσι καὶ διὰ πάντων εἰς αὐτὸν ἥκει·
And if all the tablets that were given out are brought back, he knows that the watchword has been given to all and has returned to him through all;
ἐὰν δʼ ἐλλείπῃ τι, παρὰ πόδας ζητεῖ τὸ γεγονός, εἰδὼς ἐκ τῆς ἐπιγραφῆς ἐκ ποίου μέρους οὐχ ἥκει τὸ πλατεῖον. οὗ δʼ ἂν εὑρεθῇ τὸ κώλυμα, τυγχάνει τῆς καθηκούσης ζημίας.
but if any is missing, he immediately investigates what has happened, knowing from the writing from which quarter the tablet has not returned. And whoever is found to have caused the delay receives the proper punishment.
- 6.34.1τῆς δὲ ταφρείας καὶ χαρακοποιίας
Genitive noun phrase at the beginning of the sentence. It functions as a genitive of reference or a partitive genitive qualifying the division of duties denoted by the verb ἐπιβάλλουσι.
- 6.34.8ἐκ τῆς δεκάτης σημαίας καὶ τελευταίας στρατοπεδευούσης
The present participle στρατοπεδευούσης qualifies σημαίας ("from the tenth and last maniple encamped along the streets"). It specifies the precise starting point of the watchword transmission within each class.
- 6.34.10τούτους δὲ δεῖ τὸ πλατεῖον ἔτι φωτὸς ὄντος ἀναφέρειν
An accusative with infinitive construction governed by the impersonal verb δεῖ. The accusative subject τούτους refers back to the soldiers of the "first maniples" (τὰς πρώτας... σημαίας) mentioned in the previous sentence, who are required to bring back the tablet.