- 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-grc2:6.36.1-6.36.9
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
This passage describes the specific procedures for night patrols and the system of investigation and confrontation when negligence is discovered.
βουκανᾶν.1 συνάψαντος δὲ τοῦ καιροῦ2 τὴν πρώτην ἐφοδεύει φυλακὴν ὁ ταύτην λαχών, ἔχων μεθʼ αὑτοῦ μάρτυρας τῶν φίλων.
of the bugles. When the time arrives, the one who drew by lot this first watch patrols it, having with him some of his friends as witnesses.
ἐπιπορεύεται δὲ τοὺς ῥηθέντας τόπους, οὐ μόνον τοὺς περὶ τὸν χάρακα καὶ τὰς εἰσόδους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς κατὰ σημαίαν ἅπαντας καὶ τοὺς κατʼ οὐλαμόν·
He visits the stated places, not only those around the palisade and the entrances, but also all those throughout each maniple and throughout each squadron.
κἂν μὲν εὕρῃ τοὺς φυλάττοντας τὴν πρώτην ἐγρηγορότας,3 λαμβάνει παρὰ τούτων τὸ κάρφος· ἐὰν δʼ εὕρῃ κοιμώμενον ἢ λελοιπότα τινὰ τὸν τόπον, ἐπιμαρτυράμενος τοὺς σύνεγγυς ἀπαλλάττεται.
And if indeed he finds those guarding the first watch awake, he receives from them the wooden tablet; but if he finds anyone asleep or having left his post, he calls those nearby to witness and departs.
τὸ δὲ παραπλήσιον γίνεται καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν τὰς ἑξῆς φυλακὰς ἐφοδευόντων.
The same thing is done also by those patrolling the subsequent watches.
τὴν δʼ ἐπιμέλειαν τοῦ κατὰ φυλακὴν βουκανᾶν, ὡς ἀρτίως εἶπον, ἵνα σύμφωνον ᾖ τοῖς ἐφοδεύουσι πρὸς τοὺς φυλάττοντας, οἱ τῆς πρώτης σημαίας τῶν τριαρίων ἐξ ἑκατέρου τοῦ στρατοπέδου ταξίαρχοι καθʼ ἡμέραν ποιοῦνται.
And the charge of blowing the bugle at each watch, as I just said, is taken daily by the centurions of the first maniple of the triarii of each of the two legions, in order that the signal may be in agreement for those patrolling with those guarding.
τῶν δʼ ἐφόδων ἕκαστος ἅμα τῷ φωτὶ πρὸς τὸν χιλίαρχον ἀναφέρει τὸ σύνθημα. κἂν μὲν ᾖ πάντα δεδομένα, χωρὶς ἐγκλήματος ἀπαλλάττονται πάλιν· ἂν δέ τις ἐλάττω φέρῃ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν φυλακείων, ζητοῦσιν ἐκ τοῦ χαρακτῆρος ποῖον ἐκ τῶν φυλακείων λέλοιπε.
And each of the patrolmen reports the token at daybreak to the tribune. If indeed all have been delivered, they depart again without accusation; but if anyone brings fewer than the number of the guard posts, they investigate by means of the mark which of the guard posts is missing.
τούτου δὲ γνωσθέντος καλεῖ τὸν ταξίαρχον· οὗτος δʼ ἄγει τοὺς ἀποταχθέντας εἰς τὴν φυλακήν· οὗτοι δὲ συγκρίνονται πρὸς τὸν ἔφοδον. ἐὰν μὲν οὖν ἐν τοῖς φύλαξιν ᾖ τὸ κακόν, εὐθέως δῆλός ἐστιν ὁ τὴν ἐφοδείαν ἔχων ἐπιμαρτυράμενος τοὺς σύνεγγυς·4 ὀφείλει γὰρ τοῦτο ποιεῖν· ἐὰν δὲ μηδὲν ᾖ τοιοῦτο γεγονός, εἰς τὸν ἔφοδον ἀναχωρεῖ5
When this is known, the tribune summons the centurion, and the latter brings those assigned to that guard post; and these are confronted with the patrolman. If, therefore, the guilt lies with the guards, this is immediately clear from the patrolman’s having called those nearby to witness (for he is obliged to do this); but if no such thing has happened, the blame recoils upon the patrolman.
- 6.36.1βουκανᾶν
This is a present infinitive continuing from 'τοῦ κατὰ φυλακὴν...' at the end of the previous chapter (6.35.12), forming a single noun phrase spanning across the chapter division: 'the management of blowing the bugle at each watch'.
- 6.36.1συνάψαντος δὲ τοῦ καιροῦ
A genitive absolute construction using the intransitive (or reflexive) sense of the verb συνάπτω. It means 'when the time drew near' or 'when the time arrived'.
- 6.36.3τοὺς φυλάττοντας τὴν πρώτην ἐγρηγορότας
An accusative phrase serving as the object of εὕρῃ. The perfect active participle ἐγρηγορότας (from ἐγείρω, meaning 'awake') is used predicatively with respect to the attributive participle phrase τοὺς φυλάττοντας.
- 6.36.9εὐθέως δῆλός ἐστιν ὁ τὴν ἐφοδείαν ἔχων ἐπιμαρτυράμενος τοὺς σύνεγγυς
A personal construction with the adjective δῆλος and a participle (instead of an impersonal 'It is clear that...'). The subject is 'the patrolman' (ὁ τὴν ἐφοδείαν ἔχων), and the sentence expresses that his having called those nearby to witness (ἐπιμαρτυράμενος) immediately makes it clear that he fulfilled his duty.
- 6.36.9εἰς τὸν ἔφοδον ἀναχωρεῖ
The subject of the intransitive verb ἀναχωρέω is understood from the context (τὸ κακόν in 6.36.8, 'the wrong/guilt'). It means that the blame 'returns' or 'recoils' upon the patrolman himself.
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — note 1