- 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-grc2:9.20.1-9.20.10
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-07
The author emphasizes the necessity of basic geometry and astronomy for generals, particularly in the planning of military operations and camp-making, while criticizing those who reject such external learning.
διὸ πάλιν ἐν τούτοις φανερὸν ὅτι δεήσει τοὺς βουλομένους εὐστοχεῖν ἐν ταῖς ἐπιβολαῖς καὶ πράξεσι γεγεωμετρηκέναι μὴ τελείως, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἐφʼ ὅσον ἀναλογίας ἔννοιαν ἔχειν1 καὶ τῆς περὶ τὰς ὁμοιότητας θεωρίας.
Therefore, in these matters again, it is clear that those who wish to succeed in their undertakings and actions must have studied geometry, not indeed perfectly, but so far as to have a concept of proportion and of the theory of similarities.
οὐ γὰρ περὶ ταῦτα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τὰς τῶν σχημάτων μεταλήψεις ἐν ταῖς στρατοπεδείαις ἀναγκαῖός ἐστιν ὁ τρόπος, χάριν τοῦ δύνασθαι ποτὲ μὲν πᾶν σχῆμα μεταλαμβάνοντας τηρεῖν2 τὴν αὐτὴν συμμετρίαν τῶν ἐν ταῖς παρεμβολαῖς περιλαμβανομένων, ποτὲ δὲ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν σχημάτων μένοντας αὔξειν ἢ μειοῦν τὸ περιλαμβανόμενον τῇ στρατοπεδείᾳ χωρίον, κατὰ λόγον ἀεὶ τῶν προσγινομένων ἢ τῶν χωριζομένων ἐκ τῆς παρεμβολῆς·
For this method is necessary not only in these matters, but also in the alterations of figures in camp-making, for the sake of being able at one time, while changing into any figure, to maintain the same proportion of the things enclosed in the encampments, and at another time again, while remaining with the same figures, to increase or decrease the area enclosed by the camp-making, always in proportion to those added to or separated from the encampment.
ὑπὲρ ὧν ἡμῖν ἐν τοῖς περὶ τὰς τάξεις ὑπομνήμασιν ἀκριβέστερον δεδήλωται.
Concerning these things, we have explained them more precisely in our memoirs on tactics.
οὐ γὰρ οἴομαι τοῦτό γε μετρίως ἡμῖν ἐποίσειν3 οὐδένα διότι πολλά τινα προσαρτῶμεν τῇ στρατηγίᾳ, κελεύοντες ἀστρολογεῖν καὶ γεωμετρεῖν τοὺς ὀρεγομένους αὐτῆς.
For I do not think that anyone will bring this as a reasonable charge against us, because we attach so many things to generalship, bidding those who aspire to it to study astronomy and geometry.
ἐγὼ δὲ τὰ μὲν ἐκ περιττοῦ παρελκόμενα τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασι χάριν τῆς ἐν ἑκάστοις ἐπιφάσεως καὶ στωμυλίας πολύ τι μᾶλλον ἀποδοκιμάζων, παραπλησίως δὲ καὶ τὸ πορρωτέρω τοῦ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ἀνήκοντος ἐπιτάττειν, περὶ τἀναγκαῖα φιλοτιμότατός εἰμι καὶ σπουδάζων.
For my part, while I reject much more those things which are superfluously dragged into studies for the sake of show and talkativeness in each case, and likewise also the prescribing of things further than what belongs to practical utility, I am most zealous and earnest about necessary things.
καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον τοὺς μὲν ὀρχηστικῆς ἢ τοὺς αὐλητικῆς ἐφιεμένους ἐπιδέχεσθαι τήν τε περὶ τοὺς ῥυθμοὺς καὶ τὰ μουσικὰ προκατασκευήν, ἔτι δὲ4 τὰ περὶ τὴν παλαίστραν, διὰ τὸ δοκεῖν προσδεῖσθαι τὸ τέλος ἑκατέρου τῆς τῶν προειρημένων συνεργίας, τοὺς δὲ στρατηγίας ἀντιποιουμένους ἀσχάλλειν, εἰ δεήσει τῶν ἐκτὸς ἐπιτηδευμάτων μέχρι τινὸς ἀναλαβεῖν.
For indeed it is absurd that those who aim at dancing or flute-playing should accept the preliminary training in rhythms and music, and further in the palaestra, because the end of each seems to stand in need of the cooperation of the aforementioned things, but that those who lay claim to generalship should be vexed if they must undertake external studies to some extent.
ὥστε τοὺς περὶ τὰς βαναύσους τέχνας ἀσκοῦντας ἐμμελεστέρους εἶναι καὶ φιλοτιμοτέρους τῶν περὶ τὰ κάλλιστα καὶ σεμνότατα προαιρουμένων διαφέρειν·5 ὧν οὐδὲν ἂν ὁμολογήσειε νοῦν ἔχων οὐδείς.
The result would be that those who practice the vulgar arts are more systematic and more zealous, and excel those who choose the finest and most noble pursuits; which no one in his right mind would admit.
καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἡμῖν εἰρήσθω.
And concerning these matters, let so much have been said by us.
- 9.20.1ἐφʼ ὅσον ἀναλογίας ἔννοιαν ἔχειν
The infinitive ἔχειν is used in the relative clause ἐφ' ὅσον to express the limit or result ('so far as to have'), with its logical subject supplied from the accusative τοὺς βουλομένους in the main clause.
- 9.20.2χάριν τοῦ δύνασθαι... τηρεῖν
The articular infinitive in the genitive τοῦ δύνασθαι, governed by the postposition χάριν, controls the complementary infinitives τηρεῖν (in §9.20.2) and αὔξειν ἢ μειοῦν (in §9.20.3) via the parallel construction ποτὲ μὲν... ποτὲ δὲ...
- 9.20.5μετρίως ἡμῖν ἐποίσειν
ἐποίσειν is the future infinitive of ἐπιφέρω in the sense of bringing a charge (τοῦτο) against someone (ἡμῖν). The adverb μετρίως means 'reasonably' or 'justly', creating the construction 'no one will reasonably bring this charge against us.'
- 9.20.7τοὺς μὲν ... τοὺς δὲ
The impersonal predicate adjective ἄτοπον ('absurd') governs two accusative-with-infinitive (A.C.I.) clauses contrasted by μὲν... δέ...: 'that those who aim at dancing or flute-playing accept preliminary training... but that those who claim generalship are vexed...'
- 9.20.9ὥστε τοὺς ... διαφέρειν
An accusative-with-infinitive construction introduced by ὥστε. The subject is τοὺς ... ἀσκοῦντας, governing the infinitive διαφέρειν ('excel') with the genitive of comparison τῶν ... προαιρουμένων, expressing the absurd result that those in vulgar arts would excel those choosing noble pursuits.