- 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-grc2:6.54.1-6.54.6
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
The author explains that in Roman funerals, the deeds of all the ancestors present as images are praised starting from the oldest, which inspires the young to sacrifice themselves for the state, and points to historical examples.
θέαμα τούτου φανείη; πλὴν ὅ γε λέγων ὑπὲρ τοῦ θάπτεσθαι μέλλοντος, ἐπὰν διέλθῃ τὸν περὶ τούτου λόγον, ἄρχεται τῶν ἄλλων ἀπὸ τοῦ προγενεστάτου τῶν παρόντων,1 καὶ λέγει τὰς ἐπιτυχίας ἑκάστου καὶ τὰς πράξεις.
spectacle could there appear? At all events, the one who speaks in honor of the person about to be buried, when he has finished the discourse concerning him, begins with the other ancestors present, starting from the oldest, and recounts the successes and deeds of each.
ἐξ ὧν καινοποιουμένης ἀεὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν τῆς ἐπʼ ἀρετῇ φήμης2 ἀθανατίζεται μὲν ἡ τῶν καλόν τι διαπραξαμένων εὔκλεια, γνώριμος δὲ τοῖς πολλοῖς καὶ παραδόσιμος τοῖς ἐπιγινομένοις ἡ τῶν εὐεργετησάντων τὴν πατρίδα γίνεται δόξα. τὸ δὲ μέγιστον, οἱ νέοι παρορμῶνται πρὸς τὸ πᾶν ὑπομένειν ὑπὲρ τῶν κοινῶν πραγμάτων χάριν τοῦ τυχεῖν τῆς συνακολουθούσης τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς τῶν ἀνδρῶν εὐκλείας.
By these means, while the reputation of good men for their virtue is ever renewed, the fame of those who have performed some noble deed is made immortal, and the glory of those who have benefited their country becomes well-known to the multitude and transmissible to posterity. And what is most important, the young are inspired to endure everything for the sake of public affairs, in order to attain the fame that accompanies good men.
πίστιν δʼ ἔχει τὸ λεγόμενον ἐκ τούτων.3 πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐμονομάχησαν ἑκουσίως Ῥωμαίων ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν ὅλων κρίσεως, οὐκ ὀλίγοι δὲ προδήλους εἵλοντο θανάτους, τινὲς μὲν ἐν πολέμῳ τῆς τῶν ἄλλων ἕνεκεν σωτηρίας, τινὲς δʼ ἐν εἰρήνῃ χάριν τῆς τῶν κοινῶν πραγμάτων ἀσφαλείας.
And what is said finds confirmation from the following facts. For many Romans have voluntarily fought in single combat to decide the general issue, and not a few have chosen certain death, some in war for the safety of others, and some in peace for the security of public affairs.
καὶ μὴν ἀρχὰς ἔχοντες ἔνιοι τοὺς ἰδίους υἱοὺς παρὰ πᾶν ἔθος ἢ νόμον ἀπέκτειναν, περὶ πλείονος ποιούμενοι4 τὸ τῆς πατρίδος συμφέρον τῆς κατὰ φύσιν οἰκειότητος πρὸς τοὺς ἀναγκαιοτάτους.
Indeed, some, while holding office, put their own sons to death contrary to all custom and law, valuing the interest of their country more than their natural affection for their nearest kindred.
πολλὰ μὲν οὖν τοιαῦτα καὶ περὶ πολλῶν ἱστορεῖται παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις ἓν δʼ ἀρκοῦν ἔσται πρὸς τὸ παρὸν ἐπʼ ὀνόματος ῥηθὲν ὑποδείγματος καὶ πίστεως ἕνεκεν.
Thus, many such stories are recorded about many men among the Romans, but one, mentioned by name, will be sufficient for the present purpose, for the sake of example and proof.
- 6.54.1τῶν παρόντων
Genitive plural of the present participle. In this context, it refers not to the funeral spectators, but to the ancestors who are "present" there, represented by the actors wearing their masks and sitting on the ivory chairs.
- 6.54.2καινοποιουμένης ... τῆς ... φήμης
Genitive absolute construction. The noun meaning "reputation" is the subject, and the present passive participle meaning "to renew" acts as the predicate, expressing an accompanying circumstance.
- 6.54.4ἐκ τούτων
Prepositional phrase. Although demonstrative pronouns usually refer back to what has been said, here it points forward to the following concrete historical examples of self-sacrifice (single combats and voluntary deaths).
- 6.54.5περὶ πλείονος ποιούμενοι
An idiomatic expression meaning "to value more highly." The accusative object "the interest of their country" is contrasted with the genitive of comparison "natural affection."