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Polybius · The Histories §2.67.1-2.67.8

Philopoemen's Initiative and the Defeat of Eucleidas

Passage 155 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

When the attacking Illyrian forces fell into danger due to a rear assault by enemy light troops, the young Philopoemen took the initiative to charge with his own citizens. This counterattack forced the enemy to retreat, paving the way for the victory over Eucleidas.

§2.67.1ἐπειδὴ δʼ ὁ μὲν καιρὸς ἧκε τῆς χρείας, τὸ δὲ σύνθημα τοῖς Ἰλλυριοῖς ἀπεδόθη, παρήγγειλαν δὲ ποιεῖν τὸ δέον οἷς ἦν ἐπιμελές, πάντες εὐθέως ἀναδείξαντες αὑτοὺς κατήρχοντο τῆς πρὸς τὸν βουνὸν προσβολῆς.
When the time for action arrived, and the signal was given to the Illyrians, and those in charge gave orders to do their duty, they all at once showed themselves and began the assault upon the hill.
§2.67.2οἱ δὲ μετὰ τῶν Κλεομένους ἱππέων ἐξ ἀρχῆς ταχθέντες εὔζωνοι, θεωροῦντες τὰς σπείρας τῶν Ἀχαιῶν ἐρήμους ἐκ τῶν κατόπιν οὔσας, κατʼ οὐρὰν προσπίπτοντες εἰς ὁλοσχερῆ κίνδυνον ἦγον τοὺς πρὸς τὸν λόφον βιαζομένους, §2.67.3ὡς ἂν τῶν μὲν περὶ τὸν Εὐκλείδαν ἐξ ὑπερδεξίου κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτοῖς ἐφεστώτων, τῶν δὲ μισθοφόρων κατόπιν ἐπικειμένων καὶ προσφερόντων τὰς χεῖρας ἐρρωμένως.
Meanwhile, the light-armed troops who had been stationed from the beginning with Cleomenes' cavalry, seeing that the cohorts of the Achaeans were left unprotected in their rear, fell upon them from behind and brought those who were forcing their way up the hill into extreme danger, inasmuch as Eucleidas and his men were posted on the heights facing them in front, while the mercenaries were pressing upon them from behind and fighting with vigor.
ἐν ᾧ καιρῷ συννοήσας τὸ γινόμενον, §2.67.4ἅμα δὲ προορώμενος τὸ μέλλον Φιλοποίμην ὁ Μεγαλοπολίτης τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ὑποδεικνύειν ἐπεβάλλετο τοῖς προεστῶσι τὸ συμβησόμενον·
At this critical moment, perceiving what was happening, and at the same time anticipating what would follow, Philopoemen of Megalopolis at first attempted to point out to the commanders what would happen.
§2.67.5οὐδενὸς δὲ προσέχοντος αὐτῷ διὰ τὸ μήτʼ ἐφʼ ἡγεμονίας τετάχθαι μηδεπώποτε κομιδῇ τε νέον ὑπάρχειν αὐτόν, παρακαλέσας τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ πολίτας ἐνέβαλε τοῖς πολεμίοις τολμηρῶς.
But since no one paid attention to him because he had never held any command and was still extremely young, he called upon his own fellow citizens and boldly charged the enemy.
§2.67.6οὗ γενομένου ταχέως οἱ προσκείμενοι μισθοφόροι κατʼ οὐρὰν τοῖς προσβαίνουσιν, ἀκούσαντες τῆς κραυγῆς καὶ συνιδόντες τὴν τῶν ἱππέων συμπλοκήν, ἀφέμενοι τῶν προκειμένων ἀνέτρεχον εἰς τὰς ἐξ ἀρχῆς τάξεις καὶ προσεβοήθουν τοῖς παρʼ αὑτῶν ἱππεῦσι.
Upon this, the mercenaries who had been pressing on the rear of the attacking force, hearing the shouting and seeing the clash of the cavalry, immediately abandoned their current object and ran back to their original positions to support their own cavalry.
§2.67.7τούτου δὲ συμβάντος ἀπερίσπαστον γενόμενον τό τε τῶν Ἰλλυριῶν καὶ Μακεδόνων καὶ τῶν ἅμα τούτοις προσβαινόντων πλῆθος ἐκθύμως ὥρμησε καὶ τεθαρρηκότως ἐπὶ τοὺς ὑπεναντίους.
This having occurred, the force of the Illyrians, Macedonians, and those ascending along with them, being now free from distraction, rushed with enthusiasm and confidence upon the enemy.
§2.67.8ἐξ οὗ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα φανερὸν ἐγενήθη διότι τοῦ κατὰ τὸν Εὐκλείδαν προτερήματος αἴτιος ἐγίνετο Φιλοποίμην.
From which circumstance it became clear afterwards also that Philopoemen was the cause of the victory over Eucleidas.

Notes

  1. §2.67.2οἱ δὲ μετὰ τῶν Κλεομένους ἱππέων ἐξ ἀρχῆς ταχθέντες εὔζωνοι — The subject consists of the article `οἱ` and the adjective `εὔζωνοι` (light-armed troops), which are widely separated (hyperbaton) by the intervening prepositional phrase `μετὰ τῶν...` and the participle `ταχθέντες`.
  2. §2.67.3ὡς ἂν — This introduces the following two genitive absolute constructions (`τῶν μὲν... ἐφεστώτων` and `τῶν δὲ... ἐπικειμένων`), presenting the objective situation or reason behind the main clause's event (the Illyrians being brought into danger).
  3. §2.67.5διὰ τὸ μήτʼ ἐφʼ ἡγεμονίας τετάχθαι μηδεπώποτε κομιδῇ τε νέον ὑπάρχειν αὐτόν — An articular infinitive construction led by the preposition `διὰ` (`τὸ... τετάχθαι` and `τὸ... ὑπάρχειν`). The accusative pronoun `αὐτόν` (referring to Philopoemen) is placed at the end as the common subject of both infinitives.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §2.67.1-2.67.8. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.67.1-2.67.8

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