§6.23.1τοῖς γε μὴν δευτέροις μὲν κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν, ἁστάτοις δὲ προσαγορευομένοις, παρήγγειλαν φέρειν πανοπλίαν.
To those who are second in age, who are called hastati, they gave orders to wear full armor.
§6.23.2ἔστι δʼ ἡ Ῥωμαϊκὴ πανοπλία πρῶτον μὲν θυρεός — οὗ τὸ μὲν πλάτος ἐστὶ τῆς κυρτῆς ἐπιφανείας πένθʼ ἡμιποδίων, τὸ δὲ μῆκος ποδῶν τεττάρων, τὸ δʼ ἐπʼ ἴτυος πάχος ἔτι καὶ παλαιστιαῖον —
The Roman full armor consists first of all of a shield, the width of whose curved surface is two feet and a half, its length four feet, and its thickness at the rim a palm's breadth.
§6.23.3ἐκ διπλοῦ σανιδώματος ταυροκόλλῃ πεπηγώς, ὀθονίῳ, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα μοσχείῳ δέρματι περιείληται τὴν ἐκτὸς ἐπιφάνειαν.
It is made of two planks glued together with bull's-hide glue, and its outer surface is covered first with canvas and then with calfskin.
§6.23.4ἔχει δὲ περὶ τὴν ἴτυν ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν καὶ κάτωθεν μερῶν σιδηροῦν σιάλωμα, διʼ οὗ τάς τε καταφορὰς τῶν μαχαιρῶν ἀσφαλίζεται καὶ τὰς πρὸς τὴν γῆν ἐξερείσεις.
It has also an iron rim at its upper and lower edges, which protects it from the downward strokes of swords and from wear when rested on the ground.
§6.23.5προσήρμοσται δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ σιδηρᾶ κόγχος, ἣ τὰς ὁλοσχερεῖς ἀποστέγει πληγὰς λίθων καὶ σαρισῶν καὶ καθόλου βιαίων βελῶν.
Attached to it is also an iron boss, which wards off the heavier blows of stones, pikes, and formidable missiles in general.
§6.23.6ἅμα δὲ τῷ θυρεῷ μάχαιρα· ταύτην δὲ περὶ τὸν δεξιὸν φέρει μηρόν, καλοῦσι δʼ αὐτὴν Ἰβηρικήν.
Along with the shield they carry a sword; this they wear on the right thigh, and it is called the Spanish sword.
§6.23.7ἔχει δʼ αὕτη κέντημα διάφορον καὶ καταφορὰν ἐξ ἀμφοῖν τοῖν μεροῖν βίαιον διὰ τὸ τὸν ὀβελίσκον αὐτῆς ἰσχυρὸν καὶ μόνιμον εἶναι.
This sword has an excellent point and a powerful cut on both sides, because its blade is strong and unyielding.
§6.23.8πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ὑσσοὶ δύο καὶ περικεφαλαία χαλκῆ καὶ προκνημίς.
In addition to these they have two javelins, a bronze helmet, and a greave.
τῶν δʼ ὑσσῶν εἰσιν οἱ μὲν παχεῖς, οἱ δὲ λεπτοί.
Of the javelins, some are thick, others thin.
§6.23.9τῶν δὲ στερεωτέρων οἱ μὲν στρογγύλοι παλαιστιαίαν ἔχουσι τὴν διάμετρον, οἱ δὲ τετράγωνοι τὴν πλευράν.
Of the stouter ones, those that are round have a diameter of a palm's breadth, and those that are square have a side of the same dimension.
οἵ γε μὴν λεπτοὶ σιβυνίοις ἐοίκασι συμμέτροις, οὓς φοροῦσι μετὰ τῶν προειρημένων.
The thin ones, on the other hand, resemble medium-sized hunting spears, which they carry in addition to the weapons mentioned above.
§6.23.10ἁπάντων δὲ τούτων τοῦ ξύλου τὸ μῆκός ἐστιν ὡς τρεῖς πήχεις.
For all of these, the length of the wooden shaft is about three cubits.
προσήρμοσται δʼ ἑκάστοις βέλος σιδηροῦν ἀγκιστρωτόν, ἴσον ἔχον τὸ μῆκος τοῖς ξύλοις·
To each is fitted a barbed iron head, which is of equal length to the wooden shaft.
§6.23.11οὗ τὴν ἔνδεσιν καὶ τὴν χρείαν οὕτως ἀσφαλίζονται βεβαίως, ἕως μέσων τῶν ξύλων ἐνδιδέντες καὶ πυκναῖς ταῖς λαβίσι καταπερονῶντες, ὥστε πρότερον ἢ τὸν δεσμὸν ἐν ταῖς χρείαις ἀναχαλασθῆναι τὸν σίδηρον θραύεσθαι, καίπερ ὄντα τὸ πάχος ἐν τῷ πυθμένι καὶ τῇ πρὸς τὸ ξύλον συναφῇ τριῶν ἡμιδακτυλίων·
They secure its attachment and usability so firmly, by inserting it as far as the middle of the wood and fastening it with many rivets, that in actual use the iron itself will break before the joint loosens, although the thickness of the metal at the base and where it joins the wood is a finger and a half.
ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον καὶ τοιαύτην πρόνοιαν ποιοῦνται τῆς ἐνδέσεως.
Such is the great care they bestow on this attachment.
§6.23.12ἐπὶ δὲ πᾶσι τούτοις προσεπικοσμοῦνται πτερίνῳ στεφάνῳ καὶ πτεροῖς φοινικοῖς ἢ μέλασιν ὀρθοῖς τρισίν, §6.23.13ὡς πηχυαίοις τὸ μέγεθος, ὧν προστεθέντων κατὰ κορυφὴν ἅμα τοῖς ἄλλοις ὅπλοις ὁ μὲν ἀνὴρ φαίνεται διπλάσιος ἑαυτοῦ κατὰ τὸ μέγεθος, ἡ δʼ ὄψις καλὴ καὶ καταπληκτικὴ τοῖς ἐναντίοις.
Over and above all these, they are further adorned with a crown of feathers and with three upright purple or black feathers, about a cubit in length; when these are added on the crest along with the rest of their armor, the soldier appears twice his real height, and his aspect is beautiful and terrifying to the enemy.
§6.23.14οἱ μὲν οὖν πολλοὶ προσλαβόντες χάλκωμα σπιθαμιαῖον πάντῃ πάντως, ὃ προστίθενται μὲν πρὸ τῶν στέρνων, καλοῦσι δὲ καρδιοφύλακα, τελείαν ἔχουσι τὴν καθόπλισιν· §6.23.15οἱ δʼ ὑπὲρ τὰς μυρίας τιμώμενοι δραχμὰς ἀντὶ τοῦ καρδιοφύλακος σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἁλυσιδωτοὺς περιτίθενται θώρακας.
Now the common soldiers, adding a bronze plate a span square, which they place in front of their breasts and call a breastplate, have their equipment complete; but those whose property is valued at more than ten thousand drachmae wear, instead of this breastplate, coats of mail along with the rest of their armor.
§6.23.16ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς τρόπος τῆς καθοπλίσεώς ἐστι καὶ περὶ τοὺς πρίγκιπας καὶ τριαρίους, πλὴν ἀντὶ τῶν ὑσσῶν οἱ τριάριοι δόρατα φοροῦσιν.
This same style of equipment is worn also by the principes and triarii, except that instead of javelins the triarii carry spears.