- 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-grc2:6.55.1-6.55.4
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
The heroic story of Horatius Cocles defending the bridge against the enemy and sacrificing his life by jumping into the river to save Rome is recounted, demonstrating how Roman customs instill noble impulses and emulation in the young.
Κόκλην γὰρ λέγεται τὸν Ὡράτιον ἐπικληθέντα, διαγωνιζόμενον πρὸς δύο τῶν ὑπεναντίων ἐπὶ τῷ καταντικρὺ τῆς γεφύρας πέρατι τῆς ἐπὶ τοῦ Τιβέριδος, ἣ κεῖται πρὸ τῆς πόλεως, ἐπεὶ πλῆθος ἐπιφερόμενον εἶδε τῶν βοηθούντων τοῖς πολεμίοις, δείσαντα μὴ βιασάμενοι παραπέσωσιν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, βοᾶν1 ἐπιστραφέντα τοῖς κατόπιν ὡς τάχος ἀναχωρήσαντας2 διασπᾶν τὴν γέφυραν.
For it is said that Cocles, who was surnamed Horatius, while fighting against two of the enemy at the opposite end of the bridge over the Tiber which lies before the city, when he saw a multitude of those bringing aid to the enemy advancing, and fearing lest they should force their way and break into the city, turned around and cried out to those behind him to retreat as quickly as possible and break down the bridge.
τῶν δὲ πειθαρχησάντων, ἕως μὲν οὗτοι διέσπων, ὑπέμενε τραυμάτων πλῆθος ἀναδεχόμενος καὶ διακατέσχε τὴν ἐπιφορὰν τῶν ἐχθρῶν, οὐχ οὕτως τὴν δύναμιν ὡς τὴν ὑπόστασιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τόλμαν καταπεπληγμένων3 τῶν ὑπεναντίων·
When they complied, while they were breaking it down, he stood his ground, receiving a multitude of wounds, and held back the onslaught of the enemy, as the opponents were terrified not so much by his strength as by his resolution and daring.
διασπασθείσης δὲ τῆς γεφύρας, οἱ μὲν πολέμιοι τῆς ὁρμῆς ἐκωλύθησαν, ὁ δὲ Κόκλης ῥίψας ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις κατὰ προαίρεσιν μετήλλαξε τὸν βίον, περὶ πλείονος ποιησάμενος4 τὴν τῆς πατρίδος ἀσφάλειαν καὶ τὴν ἐσομένην μετὰ ταῦτα περὶ αὐτὸν εὔκλειαν τῆς παρούσης ζωῆς καὶ τοῦ καταλειπομένου βίου.
And when the bridge was broken down, the enemy were stopped from their charge, but Cocles, throwing himself into the river in his armor, deliberately ended his life, valuing the safety of his country and the glory that would afterwards surround him more than his present life and the remainder of his days.
τοιαύτη τις, ὡς ἔοικε, διὰ τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῖς ἐθισμῶν ἐγγεννᾶται τοῖς νέοις ὁρμὴ καὶ φιλοτιμία πρὸς τὰ καλὰ τῶν ἔργων.
Such, as it seems, is the impulse and emulation toward noble deeds generated in the young through the customs established among them.
- 6.55.1Κόκλην γὰρ λέγεται τὸν Ὡράτιον ἐπικληθέντα ... βοᾶν
An accusative and infinitive (A.C.I.) construction introduced by the impersonal λέγεται (it is said). The accusative Κόκλην serves as the subject of the infinitive βοᾶν. While λέγεται usually prefers a personal construction (Κόκλης λέγεται βοᾶν), it here takes an impersonal form with an accusative subject.
- 6.55.1ἀναχωρήσαντας
An accusative plural participle. It agrees with the implied accusative subject of the infinitive διασπᾶν (to break down), which refers back to 'those behind him' (represented previously by the dative τοῖς κατόπιν). It represents the subjects who are to retreat.
- 6.55.2καταπεπληγμένων
A perfect middle/passive participle in a genitive absolute construction. The middle/passive of καταπλήσσω (especially in the perfect) has an active meaning 'to be terrified of, to be struck with awe by' and can govern direct objects in the accusative (τὴν δύναμιν, τὴν ὑπόστασιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τόλμαν).
- 6.55.3περὶ πλείονος ποιησάμενος
An expression of valuing more. The objects valued more are in the accusative (τὴν ... ἀσφάλειαν...), while the objects compared (his present life and the remainder of his days) are in the genitive of comparison (τῆς παρούσης ζωῆς καὶ τοῦ καταλειπομένου βίου) responding to the comparative πλείονος, without the conjunction ἤ (than).