- 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-grc2:9.2.1-9.2.7
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
The author explains that genealogies, myths, and foundations have already been fully treated by predecessors, and argues that "practical history" (pragmatic narrative of deeds) must be pursued because it is constantly renewed and offers the greatest utility in modern times.
πολλῶν γὰρ καὶ πολλαχῶς ἐξηριθμημένων τά τε περὶ τὰς γενεαλογίας καὶ μύθους καὶ περὶ τὰς ἀποικίας, ἔτι δὲ συγγενείας καὶ κτίσεις,1 λοιπὸν ἢ τὰ ἀλλότρια δεῖ λέγειν ὡς ἴδια τὸν νῦν περὶ τούτων πραγματευόμενον,2 ὃ πάντων ἐστὶν αἴσχιστον, ἢ τοῦτο μὴ βουλόμενον προδήλως ματαιοπονεῖν, ὑπὲρ τοιούτων ὁμολογοῦντα συντάττεσθαι καὶ φροντίζειν, ἃ διὰ τῶν προγενεστέρων ἱκανῶς δεδήλωται καὶ παραδέδοται τοῖς ἐπιγινομένοις.
For as the matters concerning genealogies and myths, and also concerning colonies, have been fully recounted by many and in many ways, and furthermore relationships and foundations of cities, it remains that he who now writes about these things must either speak of other people’s works as his own—which is the most shameful of all—or, if he does not wish this, must manifestly labor in vain, admitting that he is composing and concerning himself with such matters as have already been sufficiently clarified by predecessors and handed down to posterity.
ταῦτα μὲν οὖν παρελείφθη τούτων ἕνεκα καὶ πλειόνων ἑτέρων·
For these reasons, then, and many others, these matters were omitted;
ὁ δὲ πραγματικὸς τρόπος ἐνεκρίθη πρῶτον μὲν διὰ τὸ καινοποιεῖσθαι συνεχῶς καὶ καινῆς ἐξηγήσεως δεῖσθαι τῷ μὴ συμβατὸν εἶναι τοῖς ἀρχαίοις τὸ τὰς ἐπιγινομένας πράξεις ἡμῖν ἐξαγγεῖλαι,3 δεύτερον δὲ καὶ διὰ τὸ πάντων ὠφελιμώτατον αὐτὸν καὶ πρὸ τοῦ μέν, μάλιστα δὲ νῦν ὑπάρχειν, τῷ τὰς ἐμπειρίας καὶ τέχνας ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον προκοπὴν εἰληφέναι καθʼ ἡμᾶς ὥστε πᾶν τὸ παραπῖπτον ἐκ τῶν καιρῶν ὡς ἂν εἰ μεθοδικῶς4 δύνασθαι χειρίζειν τοὺς φιλομαθοῦντας.
but the practical style was approved, first, because it is constantly renewed and requires a fresh exposition, as it is impossible for the ancients to declare to us the deeds that happen after them; and secondly, because it is of all things the most useful, as indeed it was in the past, but most of all now, since experience and skills have made such progress in our time that those who wish to learn are able to handle, as if methodically, whatever arises from the circumstances.
διόπερ ἡμεῖς οὐχ οὕτως τῆς τέρψεως στοχαζόμενοι τῶν ἀναγνωσομένων ὡς τῆς ὠφελείας τῶν προσεχόντων, τἄλλα παρέντες ἐπὶ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος κατηνέχθημεν.
Therefore, aiming not so much at the amusement of those who will read as at the benefit of those who pay attention, we have passed over other matters and turned to this part.
περὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων οἱ συνεφιστάνοντες ἐπιμελῶς ἡμῶν τοῖς ὑπομνήμασι βεβαιότατα μαρτυρήσουσι τοῖς νῦν λεγομένοις.
Concerning these matters, then, those who attentively study our memoirs will bear the most certain witness to what is now being said.
- 9.2.2ἔτι δὲ συγγενείας καὶ κτίσεις
This sequence of accusative nouns συγγενείας καὶ κτίσεις is governed by the preposition περί from the previous section (§9.2.1). The structure is understood as τά τε περὶ τὰς γενεαλογίας ... καὶ περὶ τὰς ἀποικίας, ἔτι δὲ [περὶ] συγγενείας καὶ κτίσεις, meaning 'and furthermore concerning relationships and foundations'.
- 9.2.2λοιπὸν ἢ τὰ ἀλλότρια δεῖ λέγειν ὡς ἴδια τὸν νῦν περὶ τούτων πραγματευόμενον
The impersonal verb δεῖ governs an accusative and infinitive construction. The accusative phrase τὸν νῦν περὶ τούτων πραγματευόμενον ('he who now writes about these things') serves as the subject of the infinitive λέγειν (and later ματαιοπονεῖν). λοιπόν is used adverbially to indicate a logical consequence ('it remains that', 'consequently').
- 9.2.4τῷ μὴ συμβατὸν εἶναι τοῖς ἀρχαίοις τὸ τὰς ἐπιγινομένας πράξεις ἡμῖν ἐξαγγεῖλαι
The articular infinitive in the dative, τῷ ... εἶναι, expresses cause ('because'). The subject of this infinitive εἶναι is the subsequent articular infinitive phrase τὸ ... ἐξαγγεῖλαι ('to declare'), and τοῖς ἀρχαίοις acts as the dative of agent or interest for ἐξαγγεῖλαι. The whole phrase means 'since it is impossible for the ancients to declare to us the deeds that happen after them'.
- 9.2.5ὡς ἂν εἰ μεθοδικῶς
The phrase ὡς ἂν εἰ is an idiomatic expression for hypothetical comparison, meaning 'as if' or 'as though'. Here it modifies the adverb μεθοδικῶς ('methodically'), indicating that one can handle events as if guided by a systematic art or method.