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Polybius · The Histories §1.36.1-1.36.12

Departure of Xanthippus and Battle of Cape Hermaeum

Passage 36 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

The Carthaginians celebrate their victory, and Xanthippus prudently departs. The Romans dispatch a large fleet to rescue the survivors in Libya and defeat the Carthaginian fleet at the Battle of Cape Hermaeum.

§1.36.1Καρχηδόνιοι δέ, κατὰ νοῦν ἁπάντων σφίσι κεχωρηκότων, ὑπερβολὴν χαρᾶς οὐκ ἀπέλιπον διά τε τῆς πρὸς τὸν θεὸν εὐχαριστίας καὶ διὰ τῆς μετʼ ἀλλήλων φιλοφροσύνης.
The Carthaginians, as everything had gone according to their wish, left no excess of joy undone, both through thanksgiving to God and through friendliness toward one another. The Carthaginians, as everything had gone according to their wish, left no excess of joy undone, both through thanksgiving to God and through friendliness toward one another.
§1.36.2Ξάνθιππος δὲ τηλικαύτην ἐπίδοσιν καὶ ῥοπὴν ποιήσας τοῖς Καρχηδονίων πράγμασιν μετʼ οὐ πολὺν χρόνον ἀπέπλευσεν πάλιν, φρονίμως καὶ συνετῶς βουλευσάμενος.
Xanthippus, having brought such great progress and a turning point to the affairs of the Carthaginians, sailed away again after no long time, having made a wise and prudent decision. Xanthippus, having brought such great progress and a turning point to the affairs of the Carthaginians, sailed away again after no long time, having made a wise and prudent decision.
§1.36.3αἱ γὰρ ἐπιφανεῖς καὶ παράδοξοι πράξεις βαρεῖς μὲν τοὺς φθόνους, ὀξείας δὲ τὰς διαβολὰς γεννῶσιν· ἃς οἱ μὲν ἐγχώριοι διά τε τὰς συγγενείας καὶ τὸ τῶν φίλων πλῆθος οἷοί τʼ ἂν εἶεν ἐπὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἀναφέρειν, οἱ δὲ ξένοι ταχέως ἐφʼ ἑκατέρων τούτων ἡττῶνται καὶ κινδυνεύουσι.
For distinguished and unexpected achievements generate heavy envy and sharp slanders; which the natives, through their kindred and multitude of friends, might be able to bear for a long time, but foreigners are quickly overcome in both of these respects and run into danger. For distinguished and unexpected achievements generate heavy envy and sharp slanders; which the natives, through their kindred and multitude of friends, might be able to bear for a long time, but foreigners are quickly overcome in both of these respects and run into danger.
§1.36.4λέγεται δὲ καὶ ἕτερος ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀπαλλαγῆς τῆς Ξανθίππου λόγος, ὃν πειρασόμεθα διασαφεῖν οἰκειότερον λαβόντες τοῦ παρόντος καιρόν. Ῥωμαῖοι δέ,
Another account is also told concerning the departure of Xanthippus, which we shall endeavor to clear up when we find a more suitable occasion than the present. But the Romans,
§1.36.5προσπεσόντων σφίσι παρʼ ἐλπίδα τῶν ἐν Λιβύῃ συμβεβηκότων, εὐθέως ἐγίνοντο πρὸς τὸ καταρτίζειν τὸν στόλον καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐξαιρεῖσθαι τοὺς ἐν τῇ Λιβύῃ διασεσωσμένους.
But the Romans, when the events in Libya were reported to them contrary to their expectation, immediately set about fitting out their fleet and rescuing the men who had survived in Libya.
§1.36.6οἱ δὲ Καρχηδόνιοι μετὰ ταῦτα στρατοπεδεύσαντες ἐπολιόρκουν τὴν Ἀσπίδα, σπουδάζοντες ἐγκρατεῖς γενέσθαι τῶν ἐκ τῆς μάχης διαφυγόντων.
The Carthaginians after this, having encamped, besieged Aspis, being eager to get into their power those who had escaped from the battle. The Carthaginians after this, having encamped, besieged Aspis, being eager to get into their power those who had escaped from the battle.
§1.36.7διὰ δὲ τὴν γενναιότητα καὶ τόλμαν τῶν ἀνδρῶν οὐδαμῶς ἑλεῖν δυνάμενοι τέλος ἀπέστησαν τῆς πολιορκίας.
But because of the bravery and daring of the men, being in no way able to take it, they finally abandoned the siege. But because of the bravery and daring of the men, being in no way able to take it, they finally abandoned the siege.
§1.36.8προσπεσόντος δʼ αὐτοῖς ἐξαρτύειν τὸν στόλον τοὺς Ῥωμαίους καὶ μέλλειν αὖθις ἐπὶ τὴν Λιβύην ποιεῖσθαι τὸν πλοῦν, τὰ μὲν ἐπεσκεύαζον σκάφη, τὰ δʼ ἐκ καταβολῆς ἐναυπηγοῦντο.
And when it was reported to them that the Romans were equipping a fleet and were about to make their voyage to Libya again, they repaired some of their vessels and built others from the keel. And when it was reported to them that the Romans were equipping a fleet and were about to make their voyage to Libya again, they repaired some of their vessels and built others from the keel.
§1.36.9ταχὺ δὲ συμπληρώσαντες ναῦς διακοσίας ἀνήχθησαν καὶ παρεφύλαττον τὸν ἐπίπλουν τῶν ὑπεναντίων.
Having quickly manned two hundred ships, they put to sea and kept watch for the approach of the enemy. Having quickly manned two hundred ships, they put to sea and kept watch for the approach of the enemy.
§1.36.10οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι τῆς θερείας ἀρχομένης καθελκύσαντες τριακόσια καὶ πεντήκοντα σκάφη καὶ στρατηγοὺς ἐπιστήσαντες Μάρκον Αἰμίλιον καὶ Σερούιον Φόλουιον ἐξαπέστελλον. οἱ δʼ ἀναχθέντες ἔπλεον παρὰ τὴν Σικελίαν ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς Λιβύης.
The Romans, at the beginning of summer, having launched three hundred and fifty vessels and appointed Marcus Aemilius and Servius Fulvius as commanders, sent them out. Having put to sea, they sailed along Sicily towards Libya. The Romans, at the beginning of summer, having launched three hundred and fifty vessels and appointed Marcus Aemilius and Servius Fulvius as commanders, sent them out. Having put to sea, they sailed along Sicily towards Libya.
§1.36.11συμμίξαντες δὲ περὶ τὴν Ἑρμαίαν τῷ τῶν Καρχηδονίων στόλῳ, τούτους μὲν ἐξ ἐφόδου καὶ ῥᾳδίως τρεψάμενοι ναῦς ἔλαβον αὐτάνδρους ἑκατὸν δεκατέτταρας·
Having encountered the Carthaginian fleet near Cape Hermaeum, they easily routed them at the first onset and captured one hundred and fourteen ships with their crews.
§1.36.12τοὺς δʼ ἐν Λιβύῃ διαμείναντας νεανίσκους ἀναλαβόντες ἐκ τῆς Ἀσπί
And having taken on board from Aspis the young men who had remained in Libya...

Notes

  1. 1.36.1κατὰ νοῦν ἁπάντων σφίσι κεχωρηκότων — Genitive absolute construction. The dative pronoun σφίσι ('to them') depends on the participle κεχωρηκότων ('having gone'), expressing the reason or circumstance: 'since everything had gone according to their mind.'
  2. 1.36.3ἃς οἱ μὲν ἐγχώριοι... οἷοί τʼ ἂν εἶεν — The relative pronoun ἃς functions as a connecting relative at the beginning of the clause, referring back to διαβολάς and φθόνους. The optative with ἄν (ἂν εἶεν) is a potential optative, expressing present possibility or ability ('would be able to').
  3. 1.36.8προσπεσόντος δʼ αὐτοῖς ἐξαρτύειν τὸν στόλον τοὺς Ῥωμαίους — The genitive absolute of the impersonal participle προσπεσόντος ('it having been reported') takes an accusative with infinitive clause (τοὺς Ῥωμαίους ἐξαρτύειν...) as its subject, explaining the substance of the report.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §1.36.1-1.36.12. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.36.1-1.36.12

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