Humanitext Reader

Polybius · The Histories §10.25.1-10.25.6

Analogy of Battle Lines and Warning of Roman Hegemony

Passage 671 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Comparing the current war situation to the tactical disposition of battle lines, the speaker warns that the Romans remain in a safe reserve position like a phalanx while the Greeks risk their lives, threatening ultimate Roman hegemony.

§10.25.1εἶναι γὰρ τὸ νῦν γινόμενον ὁμοιότατον τῇ περὶ τὰς παρατάξεις οἰκονομίᾳ καὶ χειρισμῷ.
For what is now happening is extremely similar to the arrangement and management of battle lines.
§10.25.2καὶ γὰρ ἐπʼ ἐκείνων προκινδυνεύει μὲν ὡς ἐπίπαν καὶ προαπόλλυται τὰ κοῦφα καὶ τὰ πρακτικώτατα τῆς δυνάμεως, τὴν δʼ ἐπιγραφὴν τῶν ἐκβαινόντων ἡ φάλαγξ καὶ τὰ βαρέα λαμβάνει τῶν ὅπλων.
For in those cases, as a general rule, the light-armed troops and the most active parts of the force run the first risks and perish first, whereas the phalanx and the heavy-armed infantry receive the credit for the results.
§10.25.3νῦν δὲ παραπλησίως προκινδυνεύουσι μὲν Αἰτωλοὶ καὶ Πελοποννησίων οἱ τούτοις συμμαχοῦντες, ἐφεδρεύουσι δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι, φάλαγγος ἔχοντες διάθεσιν.
But now, in a similar manner, the Aetolians and those of the Peloponnesians who are allied with them are running the first risks, while the Romans are in reserve, holding the disposition of a phalanx.
§10.25.4κἂν μὲν οὗτοι πταίσαντες καταφθαρῶσιν, ἀναστρέψαντες ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀβλαβεῖς ἀπολυθήσονται Ῥωμαῖοι·
And if these should trip and be destroyed, the Romans will withdraw from the situation unharmed.
§10.25.5νικησάντων δὲ τούτων, ὃ μὴ δόξειε τοῖς θεοῖς, ἅμα τούτοις καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους Ἕλληνας ὑφʼ αὑτοὺς ἐκεῖνοι ποιήσονται. — §10.25.6πᾶσαν γὰρ δημοκρατικὴν συμμαχίαν καὶ φιλίας πολλῆς δεῖσθαι διὰ τὰς ἐν τοῖς πλήθεσι γινομένας ἀλογίας. —
But if they should conquer—which may the gods forbid!—the Romans, together with them, will bring the other Greeks under their own subjection. — For every democratic alliance needs a great deal of friendship because of the irrationalities that occur among the multitudes. —

Notes

  1. §10.25.1εἶναι γὰρ — An infinitive in indirect discourse (oratio obliqua), indicating the continuation of the reported speech from the context.
  2. §10.25.2ἐπʼ ἐκείνων — Genitive plural of the demonstrative pronoun pointing back to "battle lines (αἱ παρατάξεις)" from the previous section. Together with the preposition ἐπί, it means "in those cases [of battle lines]."
  3. §10.25.5ὃ μὴ δόξειε τοῖς θεοῖς — A parenthetical expression of wish using the aorist optative (with the relative pronoun ὃ in the neuter singular), meaning "which may it not seem good to the gods," expressing a strong wish to avert an unfavorable outcome.
  4. §10.25.6δεῖσθαι — Present infinitive of the verb δέομαι (to need). Like εἶναι in 10.25.1, it depends on the indirect discourse construction. It takes the accusative subject πᾶσαν δημοκρατικὴν συμμαχίαν and the genitive complement φιλίας πολλῆς.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §10.25.1-10.25.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:10.25.1-10.25.6

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