Polybius, Histories

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Book 1 - Chapter 77

1
<w lemma="%2A%28o">Ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Fqws">Μάθως</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ippakritw%3Dn">Ἱππακριτῶν</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fas">πολιορκίας</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fmenen">ἐπέμενεν</w>, <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aau%29ta%2Friton">Αὐτάριτον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Agalatw%3Dn">Γαλατῶν</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fna">ἡγεμόνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aspe%2Fndion">Σπένδιον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxesqai">ἔχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fwn">ὑπεναντίων</w> <w lemma="sunebou%2Fleue">συνεβούλευε</w>,
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<w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fa">πεδία</w> <w lemma="feu%2Fgontas">φεύγοντας</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fois">ὑπεναντίοις</w> <w lemma="i%28ppe%2Fwn">ἱππέων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qhri%2Fwn">θηρίων</w>, <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28pwrei%2Fais">ὑπωρείαις</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipara%2Fgontas">ἀντιπαράγοντας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunepitiqeme%2Fnous">συνεπιτιθεμένους</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="u%28popiptou%2Fsas">ὑποπιπτούσας</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="dusxerei%2Fas">δυσχερείας</w>.
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<w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pinoi%2Fais">ἐπινοίαις</w> <w lemma="tau%2Ftais">ταύταις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Anoma%2Fdas">Νομάδας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Ali%2Fbuas">Λίβυας</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fpempe">ἐξέπεμπε</w>, <w lemma="deo%2Fmenos">δεόμενος</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn">βοηθεῖν</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="kataproi+%2Fesqai">καταπροΐεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29leuqeri%2Fas">ἐλευθερίας</w> <w lemma="kairou%2Fs">καιρούς</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Aspe%2Fndios">Σπένδιος</w> <w lemma="proslabw%5Cn">προσλαβὼν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Atu%2Fnhtos">Τύνητος</w> <w lemma="a%29f%27">ἀφ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstou">ἑκάστου</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="genw%3Dn">γενῶν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%28cakisxili%2Fous">ἑξακισχιλίους</w> <w lemma="proh%3Dge">προῆγε</w>, <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28pwrei%2Fais">ὑπωρείαις</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipara%2Fgwn">ἀντιπαράγων</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnois">προειρημένοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2Aau%29tari%2Ftou">Αὐταρίτου</w> <w lemma="%2Agala%2Ftas">Γαλάτας</w>, <w lemma="o%29%2Fntas">ὄντας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="disxili%2Fous">δισχιλίους</w>.
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29rxa%5Cs">ἀρχὰς</w> <w lemma="susth%2Fmatos">συστήματος</w> <w lemma="hu%29tomolh%2Fkei">ηὐτομολήκει</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Feruka">Ἔρυκα</w> <w lemma="stratopedei%2Fais">στρατοπεδείαις</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ami%2Flkou">Ἀμίλκου</w> <w lemma="parembeblhko%2Ftos">παρεμβεβληκότος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fn">ἔν</w> <w lemma="tini">τινι</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fw%7C">πεδίῳ</w> <w lemma="pantaxo%2Fqen">πανταχόθεν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fresi">ὄρεσι</w> <w lemma="periexome%2Fnw%7C">περιεχομένῳ</w>, <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Anoma%2Fdwn">Νομάδων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fwn">Λιβύων</w> <w lemma="bohqei%2Fas">βοηθείας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="suna%2Fyai">συνάψαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aspe%2Fndion">Σπένδιον</w>.
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<w lemma="genome%2Fnhs">γενομένης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fwn">Λιβύων</w> <w lemma="e%29pistratopedei%2Fas">ἐπιστρατοπεδείας</w> <w lemma="ai%29fnidi%2Fou">αἰφνιδίου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fswpon">πρόσωπον</w>, <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Anoma%2Fdwn">Νομάδων</w> <w lemma="a%29p%27">ἀπ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29ra%3Ds">οὐρᾶς</w>, <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aspe%2Fndion">Σπένδιον</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="plagi%2Fou">πλαγίου</w>, <w lemma="mega%2Flhn">μεγάλην</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29pori%2Fan">ἀπορίαν</w>
Mathos for his own part continued to prosecute the siege of Hippacritae, advising Autaritus, the leader of the Gauls, and Spendius to harass the enemy,
keeping away from the plains owing to the numbers of the cavalry and elephants opposed to them but marching along the foothills parallel to the Carthaginians and descending on them whenever they were on difficult ground.
While adopting this plan he at the same time sent messages to the Numidians and Libyans, begging them to come to his assistance and not lose the chance of gaining their freedom.
Spendius, taking with him from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tunis&groupId=1051&placeId=1849">Tunis</a> a force of about six thousand men in all drawn from all the tribes, advanced along the slopes parallel to the Carthaginians.
He had also with him Autaritus and his Gauls numbering only about two thousand, the rest of the original corps having deserted to the Romans when encamped near Eryx.
Hamilcar had established his camp in a plain surrounded by mountains, and just at this time Spendius was joined by the Numidian and Libyan reinforcements.
The Carthaginians, suddenly finding the additional force of Libyans in their front, and that of the Numidians in their rear, while Spendius was on their flank, were in a very difficult situation, from which it was not easy to extricate themselves.