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Book 1 - Chapter 23

1
<w lemma="raskeuh%3D%7C">ρασκευῇ</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29peth%2Froun">ἐπετήρουν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="naumaxi%2Fan:">ναυμαχίαν·</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Aga%2Fios">Γάιος</w> <w lemma="%2Abi%2Flios">Βίλιος</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="qa%3Dtton">θᾶττον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fgnw">ἔγνω</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="peripe%2Fteian">περιπέτειαν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="nautikh%3Ds">ναυτικῆς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w> <w lemma="h%28goume%2Fnou">ἡγουμένου</w>, <w lemma="paradou%5Cs">παραδοὺς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pezika%5C">πεζικὰ</w> <w lemma="strato%2Fpeda">στρατόπεδα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="xilia%2Frxois">χιλιάρχοις</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="diekomi%2Fsqh">διεκομίσθη</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="sto%2Flon">στόλον</w>.
2
<w lemma="puqo%2Fmenos">πυθόμενος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fous">πολεμίους</w> <w lemma="porqei%3Dn">πορθεῖν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Amulai+%3Dtin">Μυλαῗτιν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w> <w lemma="e%29piplei%3D">ἐπιπλεῖ</w> <w lemma="sto%2Flw%7C">στόλῳ</w> <w lemma="panti%2F">παντί</w>.
3
<w lemma="sunido%2Fntes">συνιδόντες</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnioi">Καρχηδόνιοι</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="xara%3Ds">χαρᾶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="spoudh%3Ds">σπουδῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%2Fgonto">ἀνήγοντο</w> <w lemma="nausi%5Cn">ναυσὶν</w> <w lemma="e%28kato%5Cn">ἑκατὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tria%2Fkonta">τριάκοντα</w>, <w lemma="katafronou%3Dntes">καταφρονοῦντες</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29peiri%2Fas">ἀπειρίας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpleon">ἔπλεον</w> <w lemma="a%29nti%2Fprwrroi">ἀντίπρωρροι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w>, <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fcews">τάξεως</w> <w lemma="kataciw%2Fsantes">καταξιώσαντες</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunon">κίνδυνον</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="lei%2Fan">λείαν</w> <w lemma="tina%5C">τινὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fdhlon">πρόδηλον</w>.
4
<w lemma="h%28gei%3Dto">ἡγεῖτο</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> — <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtos">οὗτος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmeis">δυνάμεις</w> <w lemma="e%29kkle%2Fyas">ἐκκλέψας</w> <w lemma="nukto%5Cs">νυκτὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29akraganti%2Fnwn">Ἀκραγαντίνων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> — <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="e%28pth%2Frh">ἑπτήρη</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnhn">γενομένην</w> <w lemma="%2Apu%2Frrou">Πύρρου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w>.
5
<w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="plhsia%2Fzein">πλησιάζειν</w> <w lemma="sunqewrou%3Dntes">συνθεωροῦντες</w> <w lemma="a%29naneneuko%2Ftas">ἀνανενευκότας</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="ko%2Frakas">κόρακας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstwn">ἑκάστων</w> <w lemma="prw%2Frrais">πρώρραις</w>, <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="poso%5Cn">ποσὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="h%29po%2Froun">ἠπόρουν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnioi">Καρχηδόνιοι</w>, <w lemma="cenizo%2Fmenoi">ξενιζόμενοι</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29rga%2Fnwn">ὀργάνων</w> <w lemma="kataskeuai%3Ds:">κατασκευαῖς·</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="tele%2Fws">τελέως</w> <w lemma="kategnwko%2Ftes">κατεγνωκότες</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fwn">ἐναντίων</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Fbalon">ἐνέβαλον</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dtoi">πρῶτοι</w> <w lemma="ple%2Fontes">πλέοντες</w> <w lemma="tetolmhko%2Ftws">τετολμηκότως</w>.
6
<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="sumplekome%2Fnwn">συμπλεκομένων</w> <w lemma="skafw%3Dn">σκαφῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="dedeme%2Fnwn">δεδεμένων</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%29rga%2Fnois">ὀργάνοις</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="eu%29qu%5Cs">εὐθὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29piporeuome%2Fnwn">ἐπιπορευομένων</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="ko%2Frakos">κόρακος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumplekome%2Fnwn">συμπλεκομένων</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="katastrw%2Fmasin">καταστρώμασιν</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29foneu%2Fonto">ἐφονεύοντο</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="paredi%2Fdosan">παρεδίδοσαν</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%5Cs">ἑαυτοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29kplhtto%2Fmenoi">ἐκπληττόμενοι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gino%2Fmenon:">γινόμενον·</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsion">παραπλήσιον</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="pezomaxi%2Fas">πεζομαχίας</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbaine">συνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunon">κίνδυνον</w> <w lemma="a%29potelei%3Dsqai">ἀποτελεῖσθαι</w>.
7
<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tria%2Fkonta">τριάκοντα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftas">πρώτας</w> <w lemma="sumbalou%2Fsas">συμβαλούσας</w> <w lemma="nau%3Ds">ναῦς</w> <w lemma="au%29ta%2Fndrous">αὐτάνδρους</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fbalon">ἀπέβαλον</w>, <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="ai%28%3Ds">αἷς</w> <w lemma="e%29ge%2Fnet%27">ἐγένετ᾽</w> <w lemma="ai%29xma%2Flwton">αἰχμάλωτον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="strathgou%3D">στρατηγοῦ</w> <w lemma="ploi%3Don:">πλοῖον·</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29nelpi%2Fstws">ἀνελπίστως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parabo%2Flws">παραβόλως</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="ska%2Ffh%7C">σκάφῃ</w> <w lemma="die%2Ffugen">διέφυγεν</w>.
8
<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="e%29poiei%3Dto">ἐποιεῖτο</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fploun">ἐπίπλουν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%29mbolh%2Fn">ἐμβολήν</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="suneggi%2Fzein">συνεγγίζειν</w> <w lemma="qewrou%3Dntes">θεωροῦντες</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sumbebhko%5Cs">συμβεβηκὸς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="propleou%2Fsas">προπλεούσας</w> <w lemma="nau%3Ds">ναῦς</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fklinon">ἐξέκλινον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="die%2Fneuon">διένευον</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29rga%2Fnwn">ὀργάνων</w> <w lemma="e%29pibola%2Fs">ἐπιβολάς</w>.
9
<w lemma="pisteu%2Fontes">πιστεύοντες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="taxunautei%3Dn">ταχυναυτεῖν</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="plagi%2Fwn">πλαγίων</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pru%2Fmnan">πρύμναν</w> <w lemma="e%29kperiple%2Fontes">ἐκπεριπλέοντες</w> <w lemma="a%29sfalw%3Ds">ἀσφαλῶς</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Flpizon">ἤλπιζον</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsasqai">ποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29mbola%2Fs">ἐμβολάς</w>.
10
<w lemma="pa%2Fnth">πάντη</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntws">πάντως</w> <w lemma="a%29ntiperiistame%2Fnwn">ἀντιπεριισταμένων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sundianeuo%2Fntwn">συνδιανευόντων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29rga%2Fnwn">ὀργάνων</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkhn">ἀνάγκην</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29ggi%2Fsantas">ἐγγίσαντας</w> <w lemma="sundede%2Fsqai">συνδεδέσθαι</w>, <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="e%29gkli%2Fnantes">ἐγκλίναντες</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffugon">ἔφυγον</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnioi">Καρχηδόνιοι</w>, <w lemma="kataplage%2Fntes">καταπλαγέντες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="kainotomi%2Fan">καινοτομίαν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnontos">συμβαίνοντος</w>, <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="nau%3Ds">ναῦς</w> <w lemma="a%29pobalo%2Fntes">ἀποβαλόντες</w>.
As for Gaius Duilius, no sooner had he learnt of the disaster which had befallen the commander of the naval forces than handing over his legions to the military tribunes he proceeded to the fleet.
Learning that the enemy were ravaging the territory of Mylae, he sailed against them with his whole force.
The Carthaginians on sighting him put to sea with a hundred and thirty sail, quite overjoyed and eager, as they despised the inexperience of the Romans. They all sailed straight on the enemy, not even thinking it worth while to maintain order in the attack, but just as is they were falling on a prey that was obviously theirs.
They were commanded by Hannibal — the same who stole out of Agrigentum by night with his army — in the seven-banked galley that was formerly King Pyrrhus'.
On approaching and seeing the ravens nodding aloft on the prow of each ship, the Carthaginians were at first nonplussed, being surprised at the construction of the engines. However, as they entirely gave the enemy up for lost, the front ships attacked daringly.
But when the ships that came into collision were in every case held fast by the machines, and the Roman crews boarded by means of the ravens and attacked them hand to hand on deck, some of the Carthaginians were cut down and others surrendered from dismay at what was happening, the battle having become just like a fight on land.
So the first thirty ships that engaged were taken with all their crews, including the commander's galley, Hannibal himself managing to escape beyond his hopes by a miracle in the jolly-boat.
The rest of the Carthaginian force was bearing up as if to charge the enemy, but seeing, as they approached, the fate of the advanced ships they turned aside and avoided the blows of the engines.
Trusting in their swiftness, they veered round the enemy in the hope of being able to strike him in safety either on the broadside or on the stern,
but when the ravens swung round and plunged down in all directions and in all manner of ways so that those who approached them were of necessity grappled, they finally gave way and took to flight, terror-stricken by this novel experience and with the loss of fifty ships.

Walbank Commentary

Overview
1.12.0 - 1.64.0
<p>The First Punic War</p>
1.23.2 - 1.23.10
<p>Battle of Mylae. (modern Milazzo) lay on the neck of a promontory on the north coast of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a> about 25 miles west of Pelorus (Capo di Faro): cf. 9. 7, <w lang="el-GR">τὸ Μυλαῖον πεδίον</w>. The battle occurred in summer 260. The 130 Punic vessels were probably a normal complement prior to the war with <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> (Tarn, JHS, 1907, 49, comparing earlier statistics in Diodorus: the latter's figure for Mylae (xxiii. 10. 1) viz. 200, may be neglected; De Sanctis, iii. 1. 127 n. 70). The Punic losses were 50 (§ 10); whether 30 or 31 of these were captured depends on whether <w lang="el-GR">σὺν αἷς</w> (§ 7) means 'including' or 'as well as'. (The annalistic tradition offers no help, since Eutrop. ii. 20. 2 gives 31 taken and 14 sunk, Oros. iv. 7. 10 gives 31 taken and 13 sunk, and auct. de uir. ill. 38. 1 gives 30 taken and 13 sunk. The columna rostrata inscription (cf. 21. 4 n.) has a lacuna at the vital point: u[ique nau[eis cepe]t cum socieissepter[esmom unam quin-]/[queresmos]que triresmosque naveis x[. . . ..) The Punic flagship was a hepteres, a galley with a single bank of oars, seven men to an oar: Tarn, HMND, 136; it is mentioned on the columna rostrata inscription (above) and probably was taken from Pyrrhus in the naval battle recorded by App. Samn. 12. P. omits the total of Roman ships; reckoning allied auxiliary ships, it probably came to about 140 (Thiel, Hist. 84–86).</p>

Commentary