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Polybius · The Histories §3.11.1-3.11.9

Hannibal's Revelation of His Lifelong Oath against Rome

Passage 170 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

To dispel the suspicions cast upon him by Antiochus III, Hannibal reveals the childhood episode where, at his father Hamilcar's urging, he swore a lifelong oath of hostility against Rome at an altar.

§3.11.1πίστιν ἀρκοῦν ἔσται τὸ λέγεσθαι μέλλον.
What is about to be said will be a sufficient proof.
καθʼ οὓς γὰρ καιροὺς καταπολεμηθεὶς Ἀννίβας ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων τέλος ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος ἐξεχώρησε καὶ παρʼ Ἀντιόχῳ διέτριβε, τότε Ῥωμαῖοι συνθεωροῦντες ἤδη τὴν Αἰτωλῶν ἐπιβολὴν ἐξαπέστειλαν πρεσβευτὰς πρὸς Ἀντίοχον, βουλόμενοι μὴ λανθάνειν σφᾶς τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως προαίρεσιν.
For at the time when Hannibal, having been subdued by the Romans, finally departed from his country and was staying with Antiochus, then the Romans, already observing the attempt of the Aetolians, sent ambassadors to Antiochus, wishing that the king's purpose should not be hidden from them.
§3.11.2οἱ δὲ πρέσβεις ὁρῶντες τὸν Ἀντίοχον προσέχοντα τοῖς Αἰτωλοῖς καὶ πρόθυμον ὄντα πολεμεῖν Ῥωμαίοις, ἐθεράπευον τὸν Ἀννίβαν, σπουδάζοντες εἰς ὑποψίαν ἐμβαλεῖν πρὸς τὸν Ἀντίοχον.
And the ambassadors, seeing Antiochus paying attention to the Aetolians and being eager to make war against the Romans, courted Hannibal, striving to bring him into suspicion with Antiochus.
§3.11.3ὃ καὶ συνέβη γενέσθαι.
Which indeed came to pass.
προβαίνοντος γὰρ τοῦ χρόνου, καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως ὑπόπτως ἔχοντος ἀεὶ καὶ μᾶλλον πρὸς τὸν Ἀννίβαν, ἐγένετό τις καιρὸς ὡς ἐπὶ λόγον ἀχθῆναι τὴν ὑποικουρουμένην ἀτοπίαν ἐν αὐτοῖς.
For as time went on, and the king was holding ever more suspicion towards Hannibal, an opportunity arose for the secret resentment that was fostered between them to be brought to discussion.
§3.11.4ἐν ᾧ καὶ πλείους ἀπολογισμοὺς ποιησάμενος Ἀννίβας τέλος ἐπὶ τὸ τοιοῦτο κατήντησε, δυσχρηστούμενος τοῖς λόγοις.
In which, Hannibal, having made many defenses, finally resorted to the following account, being at a loss for words.
§3.11.5ἔφη γάρ, καθʼ ὃν καιρὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ τὴν εἰς Ἰβηρίαν ἔξοδον μέλλοι στρατεύεσθαι μετὰ τῶν δυνάμεων, ἔτη μὲν ἔχειν ἐννέα, θύοντος δʼ αὐτοῦ τῷ Διὶ παρεστάναι παρὰ τὸν βωμόν.
For he said that, at the time when his father was about to march out with his forces for the expedition to Iberia, he was nine years old, and as his father was sacrificing to Zeus, he was standing by the altar.
§3.11.6ἐπεὶ δὲ καλλιερήσας κατασπείσαι τοῖς θεοῖς καὶ ποιήσαι τὰ νομιζόμενα, τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους τοὺς περὶ τὴν θυσίαν ἀποστῆναι κελεῦσαι μικρόν, αὐτὸν δὲ προσκαλεσάμενον ἐρέσθαι φιλοφρόνως εἰ βούλεται συνεξορμᾶν ἐπὶ τὴν στρατείαν.
And when, having obtained favorable omens, his father poured libations to the gods and performed the customary rites, he ordered the others who were around the sacrifice to stand back a little, and having called him to himself, kindly asked if he wished to set out together on the expedition.
§3.11.7ἀσμένως δὲ κατανεύσαντος αὐτοῦ καί τι καὶ προσαξιώσαντος παιδικῶς, λαβόμενον τῆς δεξιᾶς προσαγαγεῖν αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν βωμὸν καὶ κελεύειν ἁψάμενον τῶν ἱερῶν ὀμνύναι μηδέποτε Ῥωμαίοις εὐνοήσειν.
And when he gladly nodded and even made some request in a childish manner, his father, taking him by his right hand, led him to the altar and ordered him, touching the sacrificial victims, to swear never to be well-disposed to the Romans.
§3.11.8ταῦτʼ οὖν εἰδότα σαφῶς ἠξίου τὸν Ἀντίοχον, ἕως μὲν ἄν τι δυσχερὲς βουλεύηται κατὰ Ῥωμαίων, θαρρεῖν καὶ πιστεύειν, αὐτὸν συνεργὸν ἕξειν νομίζοντʼ ἀληθινώτατον.
Therefore, knowing these things clearly, he requested Antiochus that, as long as he should plan anything hostile against the Romans, he should be confident and trust him, believing that he would have him as his truest collaborator.
§3.11.9ἐπὰν δὲ διαλύσεις ἢ φιλίαν συντίθηται πρὸς αὐτούς, τότε μὴ προσδεῖσθαι διαβολῆς, ἀλλʼ ἀπιστεῖν καὶ φυλάττεσθαι·
But whenever he should make treaties or friendship with them, then he should not require any further slander, but should distrust and guard against him.

Notes

  1. 3.11.1πίστιν ἀρκοῦν — The participle `ἀρκοῦν` (neuter nominative singular) serves as the predicate complement ("sufficient"), and `πίστιν` (accusative) functions as an accusative of respect ("with respect to proof"), or `ἀρκοῦν` adjectivally modifies it to mean "sufficient proof."
  2. 3.11.4δυσχρηστούμενος τοῖς λόγοις — The passive participle `δυσχρηστούμενος` is accompanied by the dative of respect or instrument `τοῖς λόγοις`. It means "being in difficulties with respect to words," indicating a situation where it was hard to dispel the king's suspicion merely through verbal defenses.
  3. 3.11.6καλλιερήσας κατασπείσαι — `κατασπείσαι` and the subsequent `ποιήσαι` are aorist optatives. Since they are in a subordinate clause (`ἐπειδή` clause) within indirect discourse introduced by the past-tense main verb `ἔφη` (§3.11.5), the indicative of the direct speech has changed to the oblique optative.
  4. 3.11.7λαβόμενον — `λαβόμενον` is an accusative participle (aorist middle). It does not agree with the subject of the main verb `ἔφη` (§3.11.5) (Hannibal himself), but with the accusative subject of the infinitives `προσαγαγεῖν` and `κελεύειν` (his father Hamilcar), hence it is in the accusative rather than the nominative.
  5. 3.11.8ταῦτʼ οὖν εἰδότα — `εἰδότα` (perfect participle accusative masculine singular) agrees with `τὸν Ἀντίοχον`, which is the object of the main verb `ἠξίου`. It describes the state of Antiochus "knowing these things clearly."

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §3.11.1-3.11.9. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.11.1-3.11.9

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