§6.20.1πρεσβυτέρων].
(of the senior).
γενομένης δὲ τῆς διαιρέσεως καὶ καταστάσεως τῶν χιλιάρχων τοιαύτης ὥστε πάντα τὰ στρατόπεδα τοὺς ἴσους ἔχειν ἄρχοντας, §6.20.2μετὰ ταῦτα καθίσαντες χωρὶς ἀλλήλων κατὰ στρατόπεδον κληροῦσι τὰς φυλὰς κατὰ μίαν καὶ προσκαλοῦνται τὴν ἀεὶ λαχοῦσαν.
When this division and arrangement of the military tribunes has been made in such a way that all the legions have an equal number of officers, after this, taking their seats separately by legion, they draw the tribes by lot one by one, and summon the one that is chosen from time to time.
§6.20.3ἐκ δὲ ταύτης ἐκλέγουσι τῶν νεανίσκων τέτταρας ἐπιεικῶς τοὺς παραπλησίους ταῖς ἡλικίαις καὶ ταῖς ἕξεσι.
From this tribe they select four young men of suitable character, who are nearly equal in age and physical condition.
§6.20.4προσαχθέντων δὲ τούτων λαμβάνουσι πρῶτοι τὴν ἐκλογὴν οἱ τοῦ πρώτου στρατοπέδου, δεύτεροι δʼ οἱ τοῦ δευτέρου, τρίτοι δʼ οἱ τοῦ τρίτου, τελευταῖοι δʼ οἱ τοῦ τετάρτου.
When these are brought forward, the officers of the first legion have the first choice, those of the second the second, those of the third the third, and those of the fourth the last.
§6.20.5πάλιν δʼ ἄλλων τεττάρων προσαχθέντων λαμβάνουσι πρῶτοι τὴν αἵρεσιν οἱ τοῦ δευτέρου στρατοπέδου καὶ ἑξῆς οὕτως, τελευταῖοι δʼ οἱ τοῦ πρώτου.
Again, when another four are brought forward, the selection is made first by those of the second legion, and so on in order, and last by those of the first legion.
§6.20.6μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα πάλιν ἄλλων τεττάρων προσαχθέντων πρῶτοι λαμβάνουσιν οἱ τοῦ τρίτου στρατοπέδου, τελευταῖοι δʼ οἱ τοῦ δευτέρου.
After this, when another four are brought forward, those of the third legion choose first, and those of the second last.
§6.20.7[καὶ] αἰεὶ κατὰ λόγον οὕτως ἐκ περιόδου τῆς ἐκλογῆς γινομένης παραπλησίους συμβαίνει λαμβάνεσθαι τοὺς ἄνδρας εἰς ἕκαστον τῶν στρατοπέδων.
And as the selection always proceeds in this regular rotation, it happens that nearly equal men are taken for each of the legions.
§6.20.8ὅταν δʼ ἐκλέξωσι τὸ προκείμενον πλῆθος — τοῦτο δʼ ἔστιν ὁτὲ μὲν εἰς ἕκαστον στρατόπεδον πεζοὶ τετρακισχίλιοι καὶ διακόσιοι, ποτὲ δὲ πεντακισχίλιοι, ἐπειδὰν μείζων τις αὐτοῖς προφαίνηται κίνδυνος — §6.20.9μετὰ ταῦτα τοὺς ἱππεῖς τὸ μὲν παλαιὸν ὑστέρους εἰώθεσαν δοκιμάζειν ἐπὶ τοῖς τετρακισχιλίοις διακοσίοις, νῦν δὲ προτέρους, πλουτίνδην αὐτῶν γεγενημένης ὑπὸ τοῦ τιμητοῦ τῆς ἐκλογῆς· καὶ ποιοῦσι τριακοσίους εἰς ἕκαστον στρατόπεδον.
When they have selected the prescribed number—this is sometimes four thousand two hundred infantry for each legion, and at other times five thousand, whenever some greater danger appears to threaten them— after this, whereas in ancient times they were accustomed to enroll the cavalry after the four thousand two hundred infantry, now they enroll them beforehand, their selection having been made by the censor on the basis of wealth; and they assign three hundred to each legion.