Alternating Fortunes of War for Romans and Carthaginians — Polybius, The Histories Book 9 (9.21.1), Greek & English

§9.21.1

ὅτι¹ τοιαύτης διαθέσεως ὑπαρχούσης περί τε τοὺς Ῥωμαίους καὶ Καρχηδονίους, καὶ παλιντρόπων ἑκατέροις ἐκ τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς τύχης ἀπαντωμένων ἐναλλὰξ προσπιπτόντων,² κατὰ τὸν ποιητὴν ἅμα λύπην καὶ χαρὰν ὑποτρέχειν³ εἰκὸς ἦν τὰς ἑκάστων ψυχάς.

That, such a state of affairs existing both with regard to the Romans and the Carthaginians, and alternating reverses from the events brought about by fortune falling upon each in turn, it was natural, in the words of the poet, that grief and joy at the same time should steal into the souls of each.

Syntax notes3 items

9.21.1ὅτι
This initial ὅτι serves as an introductory marker typical of Byzantine epitomes, meaning 'that' or 'namely that,' introducing an excerpt. Because the sentence is structured as a noun clause without a main finite verb, the translations preserve this nominalized structure.
9.21.1παλιντρόπων ... προσπιπτόντων
A genitive absolute construction where the genitive present participle προσπιπτόντων agrees with παλιντρόπων, here used substantively in the neuter plural ('reverses' or 'contrary events'). The dative pronoun ἑκατέροις ('to each [of the two sides]') depends on the participle, meaning 'with alternating reverses falling upon each.'
9.21.1ὑποτρέχειν
An infinitive introduced by the impersonal phrase εἰκὸς ἦν ('it was natural'). The subject of the infinitive is ἅμα λύπην καὶ χαρὰν ('grief and joy at the same time', in the accusative), and the object is τὰς ἑκάστων ψυχάς ('the souls of each', in the accusative). This echoes the epic language of Homer (e.g., Odyssey 19.471), as indicated by κατὰ τὸν ποιητὴν ('according to the poet').

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.21.1