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Polybius · The Histories §2.23.1-2.23.14

Invasion of the Gaesatae and Rome's Great Mobilization

Passage 111 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

The Gaesatae Galatians cross the Alps and invade Italy, causing deep panic among the Romans and their Italian allies, who quickly initiate massive military mobilizations and defensive preparations of unprecedented scale.

§2.23.1οἱ δὲ Γαισάται Γαλάται συστησάμενοι δύναμιν πολυτελῆ καὶ βαρεῖαν ἧκον ὑπεράραντες τὰς Ἄλπεις εἰς τὸν Πάδον ποταμὸν ἔτει μετὰ τὴν τῆς χώρας διάδοσιν ὀγδόῳ.
The Gaesatae Galatians, having organized a costly and powerful force, crossed the Alps and arrived at the river Padus in the eighth year after the division of the land.
§2.23.2τὸ μὲν οὖν τῶν Ἰνσόμβρων καὶ Βοίων γένος ἔμεινε γενναίως ἐν ταῖς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπιβολαῖς, οἱ δʼ Οὐένετοι καὶ Γονομάνοι, διαπρεσβευσαμένων Ῥωμαίων, τούτοις εἵλοντο συμμαχεῖν.
Now the tribe of the Insubres and Boii remained loyally faithful to their original designs, but the Veneti and Gonomani, when the Romans sent embassies, chose to ally themselves with them.
§2.23.3διὸ καὶ μέρος τι τῆς δυνάμεως καταλιπεῖν ἠναγκάσθησαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῶν Κελτῶν φυλακῆς χάριν τῆς χώρας πρὸς τὸν ἀπὸ τούτων φόβον.
Therefore the kings of the Celts were forced to leave a portion of their force behind for the guard of their country, owing to the fear of these peoples.
§2.23.4αὐτοὶ δʼ ἐξάραντες παντὶ τῷ στρατεύματι κατατεθαρρηκότως ὥρμησαν, ποιούμενοι τὴν πορείαν ὡς ἐπὶ Τυρρηνίας, ἔχοντες πεζοὺς μὲν εἰς πεντακισμυρίους, ἱππεῖς δὲ καὶ συνωρίδας εἰς δισμυρίους.
They themselves, having set out with their whole army, marched forward courageously, making their way towards Tyrrhenia, having about fifty thousand infantry and twenty thousand cavalry and chariots.
§2.23.5Ῥωμαῖοι δʼ ὡς θᾶττον ἤκουσαν τοὺς Κελτοὺς ὑπερβεβληκέναι τὰς Ἄλπεις, Λεύκιον μὲν Αἰμίλιον ὕπατον μετὰ δυνάμεως ἐξαπέστειλαν ὡς ἐπʼ Ἀριμίνου, τηρήσοντα ταύτῃ τῶν ἐναντίων τὴν ἔφοδον, ἕνα δὲ τῶν ἑξαπελέκεων εἰς Τυρρηνίαν.
As soon as the Romans heard that the Celts had crossed the Alps, they dispatched the consul Lucius Aemilius with a force towards Ariminum, to watch for the enemy's attack there, and one of the praetors into Tyrrhenia.
§2.23.6ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἕτερος τῶν ὑπάτων Γάιος Ἀτίλιος προεξεληλυθὼς ἔτυχεν εἰς Σαρδόνα μετὰ τῶν στρατοπέδων,
For the other consul, Gaius Atilius, happened to have already departed with his legions for Sardinia.
§2.23.7οἱ δʼ ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ πάντες περιδεεῖς ἦσαν, μέγαν καὶ φοβερὸν αὑτοῖς ὑπολαμβάνοντες ἐπιφέρεσθαι κίνδυνον.
Those in Rome were all in great fear, thinking that a great and formidable danger was threatening them.
ἔπασχον δὲ τοῦτʼ εἰκότως, ἔτι περὶ Γαλατῶν ἐγκαθημένου ταῖς ψυχαῖς αὐτῶν τοῦ παλαιοῦ φόβου.
And they felt this naturally, since the ancient fear of the Galatians still sat deep in their souls.
§2.23.8διὸ καὶ πρὸς ταύτην ἀναφέροντες τὴν ἔννοιαν τὰ μὲν συνήθροιζον, τὰ δὲ κατέγραφον στρατόπεδα, τοῖς δʼ ἑτοίμοις εἶναι παρήγγελλον τῶν συμμάχων.
Therefore, keeping this thought in mind, they assembled some legions, enrolled others, and ordered those of their allies who were ready to be in waiting.
§2.23.9καθόλου δὲ τοῖς ὑποτεταγμένοις ἀναφέρειν ἐπέταξαν ἀπογραφὰς τῶν ἐν ταῖς ἡλικίαις, σπουδάζοντες εἰδέναι τὸ σύμπαν πλῆθος τῆς ὑπαρχούσης αὐτοῖς δυνάμεως.
In general, they ordered their subjects to return registers of men of military age, being anxious to know the total number of the forces available to them.
§2.23.11σίτου δὲ καὶ βελῶν καὶ τῆς ἄλλης ἐπιτηδειότητος πρὸς πόλεμον τηλικαύτην ἐποιήσαντο κατασκευὴν ἡλίκην οὐδείς πω μνημονεύει πρότερον.
And of corn, missiles, and other military provisions, they made so great a preparation as no one remembered before.
§2.23.12συνηργεῖτο δʼ αὐτοῖς πάντα καὶ πανταχόθεν ἑτοίμως.
Everything was eagerly contributed to them from all sides.
§2.23.13καταπεπληγμένοι γὰρ οἱ τὴν Ἰταλίαν οἰκοῦντες τὴν τῶν Γαλατῶν ἔφοδον οὐκέτι Ῥωμαίοις ἡγοῦντο συμμαχεῖν οὐδὲ περὶ τῆς τούτων ἡγεμονίας γίνεσθαι τὸν πόλεμον, §2.23.14ἀλλὰ περὶ σφῶν ἐνόμιζον ἕκαστοι καὶ τῆς ἰδίας πόλεως καὶ χώρας ἐπιφέρεσθαι τὸν κίνδυνον.
For the inhabitants of Italy, terrified by the invasion of the Galatians, no longer considered that they were fighting as allies of the Romans, or that the war was being waged for the supremacy of the latter; but each believed that the danger was threatening themselves, their own cities, and their own lands.
διόπερ ἑτοίμως τοῖς παραγγελλομένοις ὑπήκουον.
Therefore, they readily obeyed the orders given to them.

Notes

  1. 2.23.1ἔτει μετὰ τὴν τῆς χώρας διάδοσιν ὀγδόῳ — Meaning "in the eighth year after the division of the land." The dative "ἔτει" (point of time) is modified by "ὀγδόῳ," with the prepositional phrase "μετὰ τὴν... διάδοσιν" embedded. This "division of land" refers to the distribution of the Picene territory enacted by Gaius Flaminius in 232 BC, making the eighth year 225 BC.
  2. 2.23.5ἕνα δὲ τῶν ἑξαπελέκεων — Meaning "one of those with six axes." This is Polybius's distinctive terminology for a praetor, who was accompanied by six lictors bearing fasces, in contrast to a consul who was accompanied by twelve. Here it refers to "one of the praetors," with the verb "ἐξαπέστειλαν" being supplied from the preceding clause.
  3. 2.23.6προεξεληλυθὼς ἔτυχεν — A construction combining the verb "τυγχάνω" with a participle. While commonly translated as "happened to have set out," in Polybius it is frequently used to emphasize the objective fact or completed state of "having already departed" rather than an accidental occurrence.
  4. 2.23.7ἔτι περὶ Γαλατῶν ἐγκαθημένου ταῖς ψυχαῖς αὐτῶν τοῦ παλαιοῦ φόβου — Genitive absolute. The logical subject is the postposed "τοῦ παλαιοῦ φόβου" (the ancient fear), which agrees with the participle "ἐγκαθημένου" (seated within). "περὶ Γαλατῶν" (concerning the Galatians) modifies "φόβου."
  5. 2.23.8τὰ μὲν συνήθροιζον, τὰ δὲ κατέγραφον στρατόπεδα — The correlative "τὰ μὲν... τὰ δὲ..." functions adjectivally with the neuter plural accusative noun "στρατόπεδα," representing the contrast "some legions they assembled, and others they enrolled." The noun is separated at the end of the clause (hyperbaton).
  6. 2.23.13οὐκέτι Ῥωμαίοις ἡγοῦντο συμμαχεῖν — The subject of "ἡγοῦντο" (they considered) is "οἱ τὴν Ἰταλίαν οἰκοῦντες" (the inhabitants of Italy). "συμμαχεῖν" (to fight as an ally) takes the dative "Ῥωμαίοις," meaning "they no longer considered that they were fighting as allies of the Romans."

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §2.23.1-2.23.14. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.23.1-2.23.14

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