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Polybius · The Histories §18.12.1-18.12.5

Grant of Full Command to Titus and His Astute Leadership

Passage 901 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

The Senate decided to send both consuls to Gaul while decreeing the continuation of the war against Philip, giving Titus full command over Greece. Upon hearing this, Titus managed all affairs successfully through his extraordinary wisdom and foresight despite his youth.

§18.12.1τὸν λόγον.
their speech.
ἡ δὲ σύγκλητος τοὺς μὲν ὑπάτους ἀμφοτέρους εἰς Γαλατίαν ἐξαπέστειλε, καθάπερ ἐπάνω προεῖπα, τὸν δὲ πρὸς τὸν Φίλιππον πόλεμον ἐψηφίσατο κατάμονον εἶναι, δοῦσα τῷ Τίτῳ τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν. §18.12.2ταχὺ δὲ τούτων εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα διασαφηθέντων ἐγεγόνει τῷ Τίτῳ πάντα κατὰ νοῦν, ἐπὶ βραχὺ μὲν καὶ ταὐτομάτου συνεργήσαντος, τὸ δὲ πολὺ διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ προνοίας ἁπάντων κεχειρισμένων. §18.12.3πάνυ γὰρ ἀγχίνους, εἰ καί τις ἕτερος Ῥωμαίων, [καὶ] ὁ προειρημένος ἀνὴρ γέγονεν· §18.12.4οὕτως γὰρ εὐστόχως ἐχείριζε καὶ νουνεχῶς οὐ μόνον τὰς κοινὰς ἐπιβολάς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς κατʼ ἰδίαν ἐντεύξεις, ὥσθʼ ὑπερβολὴν μὴ καταλιπεῖν. §18.12.5καίτοι γε [καὶ] νέος ἦν κομιδῇ· πλείω γὰρ τῶν τριάκοντʼ ἐτῶν οὐκ εἶχε· καὶ πρῶτος εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα διαβεβήκει μετὰ στρατοπέδων. —
And the Senate dispatched both consuls to Gaul, just as I mentioned above, but decreed that the war against Philip should be continued, giving to Titus the charge of Greek affairs. When these matters were quickly made known in Greece, everything turned out for Titus according to his mind, with fortune cooperating to a small extent indeed, but the greater part because all matters were managed through his own foresight. For the aforementioned man was extremely shrewd, if ever any other of the Romans was. For he managed so aptly and prudently not only public enterprises but also private interviews, so as to leave no room for improvement. And yet indeed he was quite young, for he was not more than thirty years old; and he was the first who had crossed over to Greece with armies. —

Notes

  1. 18.12.1τὸν λόγον — The phrase `τὸν λόγον` is the direct object of the verb `κατέπαυσαν` at the end of the previous chapter (18.11.14). It stands isolated at the beginning of this chapter due to the traditional division of chapters in the manuscript tradition.
  2. 18.12.1κατάμονον εἶναι — This is an accusative and infinitive construction depending on `ἐψηφίσατο` ("decreed"), with `τὸν ... πόλεμον` as the subject accusative and `εἶναι` as the infinitive. The adjective `κατάμονος` ("remaining, continuous") functions as a predicate adjective, meaning that the war should be continued.
  3. 18.12.2ταὐτομάτου συνεργήσαντος ... ἁπάντων κεχειρισμένων — Two contrasting genitive absolute constructions are juxtaposed. In the first part, `ταὐτομάτου συνεργήσαντος`, the substantivated neuter singular `τὸ αὐτόματον` ("chance, spontaneity") is the logical subject of the participle `συνεργήσαντος`. In the second part, `ἁπάντων κεχειρισμένων`, the neuter plural `ἅπαντα` ("all things") is the logical subject of the passive participle `κεχειρισμένων`.
  4. 18.12.3εἰ καί τις ἕτερος — An idiomatic phrase derived from the conditional clause meaning "if indeed any other person is so, he is too," which functions to emphasize a quality, equivalent to a superlative ("as much as anyone else," "more than anyone else").

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §18.12.1-18.12.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:18.12.1-18.12.5

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