§9.9.1τὸ δὲ παραπλήσιον ἄν τις εἴποι καὶ περὶ τῶν κατʼ Ἀννίβαν.
And one might say a similar thing also regarding the affairs of Hannibal.
§9.9.2καὶ γὰρ τὸ προσβαλόντα τοῖς πολεμίοις πειραθῆναι διὰ τῶν ἐκ μέρους ἀγώνων λύειν τὴν πολιορκίαν, §9.9.3καὶ τὸ ταύτης ἀποπεσόντα τῆς προσβολῆς ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ὁρμῆσαι τὴν Ῥώμην, κἄπειτα μὴ καθικόμενον τῆς προθέσεως διὰ τὰς ἐκ ταὐτομάτου περιπετείας αὖθις ἐξ ὑποστροφῆς συντρῖψαι μὲν τοὺς ἑπομένους, ἐφεδρεῦσαι δὲ τῷ κατὰ λόγον, εἰ συνέβη γενέσθαι κίνημα περὶ τοὺς τὴν Καπύην πολιορκοῦντας, §9.9.4τὸ δὲ τελευταῖον μὴ λήξαντα τῆς προθέσεως εἰς τὴν τῶν ἐχθρῶν βλάβην ἀποσκῆψαι, μόνον οὐ δʼ ἀναστάτους ποιῆσαι Ῥηγίνους, §9.9.5τίς οὐκ ἂν ἐπισημήναιτο καὶ θαυμάσαι τὸν προειρημένον ἐπὶ τούτοις ἡγεμόνα;
For indeed, his having attempted, by attacking the enemy, to raise the siege through partial engagements, and his having, upon failing in this attack, rushed against Rome itself, and then, though not achieving his purpose due to accidental circumstances, having turned back again to crush his pursuers, and to lie in wait as was reasonable, in case any movement should happen to occur among those besieging Capua, and finally, not having desisted from his purpose, his having turned his force to the injury of his enemies, and having all but utterly destroyed the Rhegians; on these accounts, who would not point out and admire the aforementioned leader?
§9.9.6καὶ μὴν Ῥωμαίους Λακεδαιμονίων ἀμείνους ἄν τις ἐν τούτῳ τῷ καιρῷ κρίνειεν.
And indeed, one might judge the Romans to be better than the Lacedaemonians at this time.
§9.9.7Λακεδαιμόνιοι μὲν γὰρ τῇ πρώτῃ προσαγγελίᾳ συνεκχυθέντες τὴν μὲν Σπάρτην ἔσωσαν, τὴν δὲ Μαντίνειαν τὸ καθʼ αὑτοὺς μέρος ἀπέβαλον· §9.9.8Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ καὶ τὴν πατρίδα διεφύλαξαν καὶ τὴν πολιορκίαν οὐκ ἔλυσαν, ἀλλʼ ἔμειναν ἀσαλεύτως καὶ βεβαίως ἐπὶ τῶν ὑποκειμένων καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη τεθαρρηκότως προσέκειντο τοῖς Καπυανοῖς.
For the Lacedaemonians, being thrown into confusion at the first message, saved Sparta, but lost Mantinea as far as lay in their power; whereas the Romans both preserved their fatherland and did not raise the siege, but remained unshaken and firm in their purpose, and henceforth pressed upon the Capuans with confidence.
§9.9.9ταῦτα μὲν οὖν οὐχ οὕτως τοῦ Ῥωμαίων ἢ Καρχηδονίων ἐγκωμίου χάριν εἴρηταί μοι — τούτους μὲν γὰρ ἤδη πολλάκις ἐπεσημηνάμην — τὸ δὲ πλεῖον τῶν ἡγουμένων παρʼ ἀμφοτέροις καὶ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα μελλόντων χειρίζειν παρʼ ἑκάστοις τὰς κοινὰς πράξεις, §9.9.10ἵνα τῶν μὲν ἀναμιμνησκόμενοι, τὰ δʼ ὑπὸ τὴν ὄψιν λαμβάνοντες ζηλωταὶ γίνωνται παράβολον ἔχειν τι καὶ κινδυνῶδες, τοὐναντίον ἀσφαλῆ μὲν τὴν τόλμαν, θαυμασίαν δὲ τὴν ἐπίνοιαν, ἀείμνηστον δὲ καὶ καλὴν ἔχει τὴν προαίρεσιν καὶ κατορθωθέντα καὶ διαψευσθέντα παραπλησίως, ἐὰν μόνον σὺν νῷ γένηται τὰ πραττόμενα. Ἄτελλα, §9.9.10aπόλις Ὀπικῶν Ἰταλίας μεταξὺ Καπύης καὶ Νεαπόλεως.
Now these things have been said by me not so much for the sake of eulogizing the Romans or Carthaginians—for I have already frequently praised them—but rather for the sake of the leaders in both nations, and of those who are hereafter to manage public affairs in each, so that, by recalling the one and keeping the other before their eyes, they may become eager to embrace undertakings which, though possessing something hazardous and dangerous, on the contrary make daring safe and design admirable, and render their purpose memorable and noble, whether successful or frustrated, provided only that what is done is done with intelligence. Ἄτελλα, Atella, a city of the Opici of Italy between Capua and Neapolis.
τὸ ἐθνικὸν Ἀτελλανός, ὡς Πολύβιος ἐνάτῃ ‘Ἀτελλανοὶ παρέδοσαν αὑτούσ’. §9.9.11τῶν γὰρ Ῥωμαίων πολιορκούντων Τάραντα Βομίλκας ὁ τῶν Καρχηδονίων ναύαρχος εἰς τὸ συμμαχήσειν μετὰ δυνάμεως πλείστης καὶ μηδὲν δυνηθεὶς ἐπικουρῆσαι τοῖς ἔνδον διὰ τὸ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους ἀσφαλῶς θέσθαι τὰ περὶ τὴν στρατοπεδείαν, ἔλαθεν ἀναλώσας τὴν χορηγίαν.
The ethnic name is Atellanus, as Polybius says in the ninth book: "The Atellani surrendered themselves." For when the Romans were besieging Tarentum, Bomilcar, the Carthaginian admiral, having arrived to bring assistance with a very large force but being unable to render any aid to those inside because the Romans had secured their camp safely, spent his provisions before anyone realized it.
καὶ μετὰ παρακλήσεως πρότερον ἀφικέσθαι ἐκβιασθεὶς καὶ ὑποσχέσεων μεγάλων, ὕστερον μεθʼ ἱκετηρίας τῶν ἔνδον ἀποπλεῦσαι ἀπηναγκάσθη.
And though he had previously been urged to arrive with entreaty and great promises, he was later compelled to sail away amidst the supplications of those inside.