§30.22.1Λεύκιος δὲ Ἀνίκιος, καὶ αὐτὸς Ῥωμαίων στρατηγήσας, Ἰλλυριοὺς καταπολεμήσας καὶ αἰχμάλωτον ἀγαγὼν Γένθιον τὸν τῶν Ἰλλυριῶν βασιλέα σὺν τοῖς τέκνοις, ἀγῶνας ἐπιτελῶν τοὺς ἐπινικίους ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ παντὸς γέλωτος ἄξια πράγματα ἐποίησεν, ὡς Πολύβιος ἱστορεῖ ἐν τῇ τριακοστῇ.
Lucius Anicius, who had also served as a Roman praetor, having defeated the Illyrians and brought Genthius, the king of the Illyrians, as a captive along with his children, performed actions worthy of all laughter when celebrating his triumphal games in Rome, as Polybius relates in the thirtieth book.
§30.22.2μεταπεμψάμενος γὰρ τοὺς ἐκ τῆς Ἑλλάδος ἐπιφανεστάτους τεχνίτας καὶ σκηνὴν κατασκευάσας μεγίστην ἐν τῷ κίρκῳ πρώτους εἰσῆγεν αὐλητὰς ἅμα πάντας.
For, having sent for the most famous artists from Greece and having constructed a very large stage in the circus, he first brought in all the flute-players together.
§30.22.3οὗτοι δʼ ἦσαν Θεόδωρος ὁ Βοιώτιος, Θεόπομπος, Ἕρμιππος, [ὁ] Λυσίμαχος, οἵτινες ἐπιφανέστατοι ἦσαν.
These were Theodorus the Boeotian, Theopompus, Hermippus, and Lysimachus, who were the most famous.
§30.22.4τούτους οὖν στήσας ἐπὶ τὸ προσκήνιον μετὰ τοῦ χοροῦ αὐλεῖν ἐκέλευσεν ἅμα πάντας.
So, having stationed them upon the proscenium with the chorus, he ordered them all to play the flute together.
§30.22.5τῶν δὲ διαπορευομένων τὰς κρούσεις μετὰ τῆς ἁρμοζούσης κινήσεως προσπέμψας οὐκ ἔφη καλῶς αὐτοὺς αὐλεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἀγωνίζεσθαι μᾶλλον ἐκέλευσεν.
But when they were executing their instrumental pieces with the appropriate movement, he sent word to them, saying that they were not playing well, and instead ordered them to contend.
§30.22.6τῶν δὲ διαπορούντων ὑπέδειξέν τις τῶν ῥαβδούχων ἐπιστρέψαντας ἐπαγαγεῖν ἐφʼ αὑτοὺς καὶ ποιεῖν ὡσανεὶ μάχην.
While they were at a loss, one of the lictors suggested that they should turn around, advance against one another, and make as it were a battle.
§30.22.7ταχὺ δὲ συννοήσαντες οἱ αὐληταὶ καὶ λαβόντες οἰκείαν ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ἀσελγείαις μεγάλην ἐποίησαν σύγχυσιν.
Quickly understanding this, the flute-players, adopting a manner suited to their own wantonness, created a great confusion.
§30.22.8συνεπιστρέψαντες δὲ τοὺς μέσους χοροὺς πρὸς τοὺς ἄκρους οἱ μὲν αὐληταὶ φυσῶντες ἀδιανόητα καὶ διαφέροντες τοὺς αὐλοὺς ἐπῆγον ἀνὰ μέρος ἐπʼ ἀλλήλους.
Turning the middle parts of the chorus towards the ends, the flute-players, blowing unintelligible sounds and brandishing their flutes, rushed against one another in turn.
§30.22.9ἅμα δὲ τούτοις ἐπικτυποῦντες οἱ χοροὶ καὶ συνεπεισιόντες τὴν σκηνὴν ἐπεφέροντο τοῖς ἐναντίοις καὶ πάλιν ἀνεχώρουν ἐκ μεταβολῆς.
At the same time, the choruses, stamping their feet and entering the stage together, charged against their opponents and again retreated after turning back.
§30.22.10ὡς δὲ καὶ περιζωσάμενός τις τῶν χορευτῶν ἐκ τοῦ καιροῦ στραφεὶς ἦρε τὰς χεῖρας ἀπὸ πυγμῆς πρὸς τὸν ἐπιφερόμενον αὐλητήν, τότʼ ἤδη κρότος ἐξαίσιος ἐγένετο καὶ κραυγὴ τῶν θεωμένων.
And when one of the chorus dancers, girding up his garments under the circumstance, turned around and raised his hands in a boxing stance against the charging flute-player, then indeed an extraordinary applause and shouting arose from the spectators.
§30.22.11ἔτι δὲ τούτων ἐκ παρατάξεως ἀγωνιζομένων ὀρχησταὶ δύο εἰσήγοντο μετὰ συμφωνίας εἰς τὴν ὀρχήστραν, καὶ πύκται τέτταρες ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὴν σκηνὴν μετὰ σαλπιγκτῶν καὶ βυκανιστῶν.
While these were still contending in battle array, two dancers were introduced with accompaniment into the orchestra, and four boxers mounted the stage along with trumpeters and horn-blowers.
§30.22.12ὁμοῦ δὲ τούτων πάντων ἀγωνιζομένων ἄλεκτον ἦν τὸ συμβαῖνον. περὶ δὲ τῶν τραγῳδῶν, φησὶν ὁ Πολύβιος, ὅ,τι ἂν ἐπιβάλωμαι λέγειν, δόξω τισὶ διαχλευάζειν.
When all these were contending together, what happened was indescribable; and concerning the tragic actors, Polybius says: "Whatever I might essay to say, I shall seem to some to be merely mocking."