- 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-grc2:6.35.1-6.35.12
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
Explains the rules for arranging night guards in the Roman camp and the method of assigning and communicating orders for the nightly patrol by the cavalry.
τὰ δὲ περὶ τὰς νυκτερινὰς φυλακὰς οὕτως οἰκονομεῖται παρʼ αὐτοῖς.
The arrangements for the night quarters are managed among them in the following manner.
τὸν μὲν στρατηγὸν καὶ τὴν τούτου σκηνὴν ἡ παρακοιτοῦσα σημαία φυλάττει, τὰς δὲ τῶν χιλιάρχων1 καὶ τοὺς τῶν ἱππέων οὐλαμοὺς οἱ διατεταγμένοι κατὰ τὸν ἄρτι λόγον ἐξ ἑκάστης σημαίας.
The general and his tent are guarded by the maniple encamped next to him, while the tents of the tribunes and the troops of cavalry are guarded by those appointed from each maniple according to the rule just mentioned.
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ παρʼ ἕκαστον τάγμα πάντες ἐξ ἑαυτῶν τιθέασι φυλακήν· τὰς δὲ λοιπὰς ὁ στρατηγὸς ἀποτάττει.
In like manner, at each legion they all set a guard from among themselves; and the remaining guards are assigned by the general.
γίνονται δʼ ὡς ἐπίπαν τρεῖς φυλακαὶ παρὰ τὸν ταμίαν, καὶ παρʼ ἕκαστον τῶν πρεσβευτῶν καὶ συμβούλων δύο.
Generally, three guards are stationed at the quaestor’s, and two at each of the legates and advisors.
τὴν δʼ ἐκτὸς ἐπιφάνειαν οἱ γροσφομάχοι πληροῦσι, παρʼ ὅλον καθʼ ἡμέραν τὸν χάρακα2 παρακοιτοῦντες — αὕτη γὰρ ἐπιτέτακται τούτοις ἡ λειτουργία — ἐπί τε τῶν εἰσόδων ἀνὰ δέκα ποιοῦνται τούτων αὐτῶν τὰς προκοιτίας.
The velites occupy the outer area, encamping daily along the whole palisade—for this duty is assigned to them—and at the entrances they perform their outposts, ten of these very men at each.
τῶν δʼ εἰς τὰς φυλακὰς ἀποταχθέντων3 ἀφʼ ἑκάστου φυλακείου τὸν τὴν πρώτην μέλλοντα τηρεῖν εἷς ἐξ ἑκάστης σημαίας οὐραγὸς ἄγει πρὸς τὸν χιλίαρχον ἑσπέρας·
And of those assigned to the guards, from each post, the one who is to keep the first watch is led by one rear-leader from each maniple to the tribune in the evening;
ὁ δὲ δίδωσι τούτοις πᾶσι ξυλήφια κατὰ φυλακήν, βραχέα τελέως, ἔχοντα χαρακτῆρα. λαβόντες δʼ οὗτοι μὲν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποδεδειγμένους ἀπαλλάττονται τόπους.
and he gives to all of these a very small wooden tablet for each guard, bearing a mark. Having received these, they depart to their designated places.
ἡ δὲ τῆς ἐφοδείας πίστις εἰς τοὺς ἱππεῖς ἀνατίθεται. δεῖ γὰρ τὸν πρῶτον ἰλάρχην καθʼ ἕκαστον στρατόπεδον ἑνὶ τῶν οὐραγῶν τῶν αὑτοῦ παραγγεῖλαι πρῲ παράγγελμα τοιοῦτον, ἵνα τέτταρσιν οὗτος ἐμφανίσῃ νεανίσκοις τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας ἴλης πρὸ ἀρίστου τοῖς μέλλουσιν ἐφοδεύειν.
The charge of the patrol is committed to the cavalry. For the first decurion in each legion must give such an order early in the morning to one of his own rear-leaders, so that this man, before breakfast, may notify four young men of his own squadron who are to patrol.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τῷ τῆς ἐχομένης ἴλης ἡγεμόνι δεῖ τὸν αὐτὸν ἀφʼ ἑσπέρας παραγγεῖλαι διότι τούτῳ καθήκει τὰ περὶ τῆς ἐφοδείας φροντίζειν εἰς τὴν αὔριον.
After this, the same rear-leader must give notice in the evening to the commander of the next squadron that it is his duty to take care of the patrol for the morrow.
τοῦτον δʼ ἀκούσαντα παραπλησίως ταὐτὰ δεῖ ποιεῖν τοῖς προειρημένοις εἰς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ἡμέραν· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἑξῆς.
And he, having heard this, must do the same as those mentioned before for the following day; and in like manner those who follow.
οἱ δὲ προκριθέντες ὑπὸ τῶν οὐραγῶν ἐκ τῆς πρώτης ἴλης τέτταρες, ἐπειδὰν διαλάχωσι τὰς φυλακάς, πορεύονται πρὸς τὸν χιλίαρχον, καὶ γραφὴν λαμβάνουσι πόσου καὶ πόσας4 ἐφοδεῦσαι δεῖ φυλακάς.
And the four chosen by the rear-leaders from the first squadron, when they have drawn lots for their watches, go to the tribune and receive written instructions as to at what time and how many guards they must patrol.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα παρακοιτοῦσιν οἱ τέτταρες παρὰ τὴν πρώτην σημαίαν τῶν τριαρίων· ὁ γὰρ ταύτης ταξίαρχος τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ποιεῖται τοῦ κατὰ φυλακὴν5
After this, the four encamp beside the first maniple of the triarii; for the centurion of this maniple takes charge of the watch-by-watch administration.
- 6.35.2τὰς δὲ τῶν χιλιάρχων
The noun σκηνάς (tents) is omitted from the previous clause, and the verb φυλάττει is understood here as plural φυλάττουσι.
- 6.35.5παρʼ ὅλον καθʼ ἡμέραν τὸν χάρακα
A hyperbaton where καθʼ ἡμέραν (daily, or by day) is inserted between the preposition and its noun παρʼ ὅλον τὸν χάρακα (along the whole palisade).
- 6.35.6τῶν δʼ εἰς τὰς φυλακὰς ἀποταχθέντων
A partitive genitive qualifying the following accusative object τὸν ... μέλλοντα τηρεῖν (the direct object of ἄγει), meaning 'of those assigned to the guards, the one who is to...'.
- 6.35.11πόσου καὶ πόσας
πόσου is a genitive of time, indicating 'at what time' or 'at what watch' the patrol should be made, coordinate with πόσας (how many guards) in the indirect question.
- 6.35.12τοῦ κατὰ φυλακὴν
The text breaks off here, but a noun or participle like σημαίνοντος (the one signaling) or σημείου (signal) is understood after τοῦ, referring to the management of signals or administration for each watch.