Polybius, Histories

Translation

Book 11 - Chapter 1

<head lang="la">II. Res Italiae</head><w lemma="%2A%29alla%5C">Ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cdieste%2Fran">ῥᾳδιεστέραν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="suntomwte%2Fran">συντομωτέραν</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asdrou%2Fbou">Ἀσδρούβου</w> <w lemma="parousi%2Fan">παρουσίαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fan">Ἰταλίαν</w>. — <w lemma="%2Adio%2Fper">Διόπερ</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fpote">οὐδέποτε</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="o%29rqh%5C">ὀρθὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%2Ffobos">περίφοβος</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flis">πόλις</w> <w lemma="e%29gego%2Fnei">ἐγεγόνει</w>, <w lemma="karadokou%3Dsa">καραδοκοῦσα</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sumbhso%2Fmenon">συμβησόμενον</w>. — <w lemma="%2A%29asdrou%2Fba%7C">Ἀσδρούβᾳ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fresken">ἤρεσκεν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fn">οὐδέν</w>,

<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29ke%2Fti">οὐκέτι</w> <w lemma="dido%2Fntwn">διδόντων</w> <w lemma="a%29nastrofh%5Cn">ἀναστροφὴν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="qewrei%3Dn">θεωρεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fous">πολεμίους</w> <w lemma="e%29ktetagme%2Fnous">ἐκτεταγμένους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prosa%2Fgontas">προσάγοντας</w>, <w lemma="h%29nagka%2Fzeto">ἠναγκάζετο</w> <w lemma="parata%2Fttein">παρατάττειν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fibhras">Ἴβηρας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Ftas">γεγονότας</w> <w lemma="%2Agala%2Ftas">Γαλάτας</w>.

<w lemma="proqe%2Fmenos">προθέμενος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="qhri%2Fa">θηρία</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29riqmo%5Cn">ἀριθμὸν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fnta">ὄντα</w> <w lemma="de%2Fka">δέκα</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ba%2Fqos">βάθος</w> <w lemma="au%29ch%2Fsas">αὐξήσας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fcewn">τάξεων</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsas">ποιήσας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="braxei%3D">βραχεῖ</w> <w lemma="xw%2Frw%7C">χώρῳ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhn">ὅλην</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w>, <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="me%2Fson">μέσον</w> <w lemma="au%28to%5Cn">αὑτὸν</w> <w lemma="qei%5Cs">θεὶς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="parata%2Fcews">παρατάξεως</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="qhri%2Fwn">θηρίων</w> <w lemma="prostasi%2Fan">προστασίαν</w>, <w lemma="e%29poiei%3Dto">ἐποιεῖτο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffodon">ἔφοδον</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="laia%5C">λαιὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w>, <w lemma="prodieilhfw%5Cs">προδιειληφὼς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="paro%2Fnta">παρόντα</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunon">κίνδυνον</w> <w lemma="nika%3Dn">νικᾶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="qnh%2Fskein">θνήσκειν</w>.

<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="%2Ali%2Fbios">Λίβιος</w> <w lemma="a%29nteph%2F%7Cei">ἀντεπῄει</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w> <w lemma="sobarw%3Ds">σοβαρῶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumbalw%5Cn">συμβαλὼν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmesin">δυνάμεσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29ma%2Fxeto">ἐμάχετο</w> <w lemma="gennai%2Fws:">γενναίως·</w>

<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Aklau%2Fdios">Κλαύδιος</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="deciou%3D">δεξιοῦ</w> <w lemma="ke%2Fratos">κέρατος</w> <w lemma="tetagme%2Fnos">τεταγμένος</w> <w lemma="proa%2Fgein">προάγειν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%29%2Fmprosqen">τοὔμπροσθεν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="perikera%3Dn">περικερᾶν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fous">ὑπεναντίους</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29du%2Fnato">ἐδύνατο</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="prokeime%2Fnas">προκειμένας</w> <w lemma="dusxwri%2Fas">δυσχωρίας</w>, <w lemma="ai%28%3Ds">αἷς</w> <w lemma="pepisteukw%5Cs">πεπιστευκὼς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asdrou%2Fbas">Ἀσδρούβας</w> <w lemma="e%29poih%2Fsato">ἐποιήσατο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="laia%5C">λαιὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffodon">ἔφοδον</w>.

<w lemma="a%29po%2Frws">ἀπόρως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="diakei%2Fmenos">διακείμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fttein">πράττειν</w>, <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnontos">συμβαίνοντος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmaqen">ἔμαθεν</w> <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="de%2Fon">δέον</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fttein">πράττειν</w>.

<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paradeca%2Fmenos">παραδεξάμενος</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="deciw%3Dn">δεξιῶν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="stratiw%2Ftas">στρατιώτας</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fpisqen">ὄπισθεν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhs">μάχης</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="laio%5Cn">λαιὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28pera%2Fras">ὑπεράρας</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fas">ἰδίας</w> <w lemma="parembolh%3Ds">παρεμβολῆς</w>, <w lemma="prose%2Fbale">προσέβαλε</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ke%2Fras">κέρας</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="qhri%2Fa">θηρία</w>.

<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fxri">μέχρι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> [<w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w>] <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="a%29mfi%2Fdocos">ἀμφίδοξος</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="ni%2Fkh">νίκη</w>. <w lemma="oi%28%2F">οἵ</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndres">ἄνδρες</w> <w lemma="e%29fami%2Fllws">ἐφαμίλλως</w> <w lemma="e%29kindu%2Fneuon">ἐκινδύνευον</w> <w lemma="a%29mfo%2Fteroi">ἀμφότεροι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fda">ἐλπίδα</w> <w lemma="katalei%2Fpesqai">καταλείπεσθαι</w> <w lemma="swthri%2Fas">σωτηρίας</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="sfalei%3Den">σφαλεῖεν</w>, <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fibhrsi">Ἴβηρσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois:">Καρχηδονίοις·</w> <w lemma="ta%2F">τά</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="qhri%2Fa">θηρία</w> <w lemma="koinh%5Cn">κοινὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29mfoi%3Dn">ἀμφοῖν</w> <w lemma="parei%2Fxonto">παρείχοντο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fan">χρείαν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxh%7C:">μάχῃ·</w>

<w lemma="me%2Fsa">μέσα</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29peilhmme%2Fna">ἀπειλημμένα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunakontizo%2Fmena">συνακοντιζόμενα</w> <w lemma="dieta%2Fratte">διετάραττε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibh%2Frwn">Ἰβήρων</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fceis">τάξεις</w>.

<w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aklau%2Fdion">Κλαύδιον</w> <w lemma="prospesei%3Dn">προσπεσεῖν</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29ra%5Cn">οὐρὰν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fnisos">ἄνισος</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxh">μάχη</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fswpon">πρόσωπον</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="nw%2Ftou">νώτου</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fibhrsi">Ἴβηρσι</w> <w lemma="proskeime%2Fnwn">προσκειμένων</w>.

<w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fstous">πλείστους</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibh%2Frwn">Ἰβήρων</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhs">μάχης</w> <w lemma="kairw%3D%7C">καιρῷ</w> <w lemma="katakoph%3Dnai">κατακοπῆναι</w>.

<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="qhri%2Fwn">θηρίων</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%28%5Cc">ἓξ</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29ndra%2Fsin">ἀνδράσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpese">ἔπεσε</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="te%2Fttara">τέτταρα</w> <w lemma="diwsa%2Fmena">διωσάμενα</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fceis">τάξεις</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Fsteron">ὕστερον</w> <w lemma="e%28a%2Flw">ἑάλω</w> <w lemma="memonwme%2Fna">μεμονωμένα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="yila%5C">ψιλὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29indw%3Dn">Ἰνδῶν</w>.

<head>II. Affairs of Italy</head><head>Hasdrubal\'s Expedition</head>Hasdrubal\'s arrival in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a> was much easier and more rapid than Hannibal\'s had been. <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> had never been in such a state of excitement and dismay, awaiting the result. . . .

None of these things were agreeable to Hasdrubal, but as circumstances did not admit of delay, for he saw the Romans already in battle order and advantage, he was obliged to draw up his Iberians and the Gauls who were with him.

Stationing his elephants, ten in number, in front, he increased the depth of his line, making the front of his whole army very narrow, and then taking up his position in the centre behind the elephants fell upon the enemy's left, having determined either to conquer or die in this battle.

Livius advanced to meet the enemy's attack in an imposing fashion, and on encountering them with his army fought gallantly.

Marcellus, who was stationed on the right wing, could not advance and outflank the enemy owing to the difficult character of the ground in front of him, relying on which Hasdrubal had attacked the Roman left,

but when he found himself thus at a loss owing to his forced inaction, circumstances suggested to him what ought to be done.

Having therefore collected his men from the right wing in the rear of the field he passed round the left of the Roman camp and attacked the Carthaginians in flank where the elephants were.

Up to now the victory had been disputed, for the men fought on both sides with equal bravery, as there was no hope of safety either for the Romans if defeated or for the Spaniards and Carthaginians. The elephants too had been of equal service to both sides in the battle;

for as they were shut in between the two armies and tormented by missiles, they threw both the Roman and the Spanish ranks into confusion.

But as soon as Marcellus fell on the enemy from behind, the battle became unequal, as the Spaniards were now attacked both in front and rear.

In consequence they were most of them cut to pieces on the battle-field.

Of the elephants six were killed with their drivers and the other four having forced two way through the ranks were captured afterwards alone and abandoned by their Indians.

Walbank Commentary

Overview

11.1.0 - 11.3.6

Hasdrubal in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a>: the Metaurus This fragment is from the res Italiae of Ol. 143, 1 = 207 B.C. After escaping from Baecula (x. 39. 8, 40. 10) Hasdrubal wintered in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaul&groupId=598&placeId=1108">Gaul</a> (208/7), crossing the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a> in the early spring. Livy (xxvii. 39. 7) and Appian (Hann. 52) imply that he used Hannibal's pass, but Varro (ap. Serv. Aen. x. 13) denies it (see De Sanctis, iii. 2. 561–2). For the events between then and the battle of the Metaurus see Livy, xxvii. 39. 1–49; Zon. ix. 9; Appian, Maced. 52–53; with Val. Max. vii. 4. 4; Frontin, Strat. i. 1. 9, 2. 9, iv. 7. 15; Flor. i. 22. 50; Eutrop. iii. 18. 2; Oros. iv. 18. 9–15; Ampel. 18. 12, 36. 3, 46. 6; auct. de uir. ill. 48. 2; Suet. Tib. 2. 1; Hor. Od. iv. 4. 37–39; Sil. It. xv. 543 ff. Livy, the main source other than P., is closely related to P., but his version incorporates annalistic material, which occasionally contradicts P.; in the main his narrative may be accepted. To prevent the brothers joining forces the Romans sent one consul, C. Claudius Nero, to watch Hannibal in the south, and the other, M. Livius Salinator, to oppose Hasdrubal in the north (Livy, xxvii. 40. 1). Hannibal moved north to Grumentum to make contact with Claudius; 'here and again at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Venusia&groupId=1057&placeId=1860">Venusia</a> skirmishes took place which Roman tradition magnified into victories' (Scullard) (cf. Livy, xxvii. 41–42). Next Hannibal advanced to Canusium to await a message from Hasdrubal (Livy, xxvii. 42. 16); but Hasdrubal's envoys, four Gauls and two Numidians, were intercepted by the propraetor Q. Claudius, and so revealed to the Romans that Hasdrubal proposed to meet Hannibal in Umbria (Livy, xxvii. 43. 1–8). By now M. Livius <milestone unit="page" n="267">[267]</milestone> was encamped ad Senam about half a mile from Hasdrubal, who had followed the Via Aemilia down from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Placentia&groupId=907&placeId=1630">Placentia</a> (Livy, xxvii. 46. 4). Nero, taking 6,000 picked infantry and 1,000 horse, meanwhile left a covering force against Hannibal and pressed north by forced marches to join Livius (Livy, xxvii. 46. 4; cf. 50. 1). Hasdrubal, learning from the double signal that both consuls were facing him and uncertain what had happened to Hannibal attempted to retire by night, but missed the way and was eventually overtaken some distance up the river Metaurus, which he had failed to ford, his two guides having escaped. Here the battle took place. The battle-site and those of the Roman and Punic camps have been much discussed, but no theory fits all the evidence and avoids all the difficulties. It is clear that the Punic camp and the battlefield were both on the same side of the Metaurus. In favour of the right bank is the association of the camps in many of our sources with <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sena&groupId=968&placeId=1716">Sena</a>, which lies about 10 miles south of the Metaurus (cf. Livy, xxvii. 46. 4, ad Senam; Eutrop. iii. 18. 2; and auct. de uir. ill. 48. 2, apud Senam; App. Hann. 52, <w lang="el-GR">περὶ πόλιν Σένας)</w>; on the other hand, Cicero (Brut. 73) calls the battle Senense proelium, and it is located near <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sena&groupId=968&placeId=1716">Sena</a> by Silius (xv. 552) and Eutropius (iii. 18. 2). Perhaps, then, the references to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sena&groupId=968&placeId=1716">Sena</a> are to be taken in a general sense, as being the last town of consequence before <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Ariminum&groupId=362&placeId=691">Ariminum</a>, and naturally associated with the ancient territory of the Senones (De Sanctis, iii. 2. 563). If the reference to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sena&groupId=968&placeId=1716">Sena</a> is not pressed, a decision between the two banks will depend in part on Hasdrubal's purpose in disengaging; and this will link up with the message he had sent to Hannibal. Livy (xxvii. 43. 8) records that before setting out north Nero dispatched a letter to the Senate: 'monet ut cum in Umbria se occursurum Hasdrubal fratri scribat, legionem a Capua Romam arcessant, dilectum Romae habeant, exercitum urbanum ad Narniam hosti opponant'. As Kromayer observes (AS, iii. 1. 447– 8), Umbria can include areas on both sides of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Apennines&groupId=343&placeId=664">Apennines</a> (cf. ii. 16. 3 n.). But his argument that <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Narnia&groupId=787&placeId=1424">Narnia</a> was the southern frontier of Umbria hardly explains why the Senate were to advance troops from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> only to that point, if from the intercepted letter the consul had in fact deduced a projected meeting on the Adriatic coast. Nero's letter to the Senate strongly favours the view that Hasdrubal proposed meeting his brother west of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Apennines&groupId=343&placeId=664">Apennines</a>. If this is so, it is not clear why he should have advanced as far as <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sena&groupId=968&placeId=1716">Sena</a>, since the obvious route for a march into Umbria was the Via Flaminia, which leaves the Adriatic at Fanum, north of the Metaurus mouth. Kromayer (AS, iii. 1. 441–2) stresses the difficulties of the Via Flaminia, in particular the dangerous gorge at the Furlo Pass; but these could be surmounted by holding the defiles in advance with light troops, and the advantages of a made road for a full <milestone unit="page" n="268">[268]</milestone> army including elephants would easily outweigh such difficulties of terrain (cf. De Sanctis, iii. 2. 564–5). These considerations seem to favour the view that the rival armies were encamped near Fanum, and perhaps (though not necessarily) one on either side of the Metaurus (if the flumen unde aquabantur (Livy, xxvii. 47. 2) is that river). But Hasdrubal's withdrawal creates difficulties on any hypothesis. Our sources are not agreed on its purpose. According to Appian, Hann. 52, <w lang="el-GR">οὔ πω μάχεσθαι κεκρικώς, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἀδελφῷ συνελθεῖν ἐπειγόμενος, ὑπεχώρει</w>. Kromayer (AS, iii. 1. 474) translates this: 'der . . . wich zurck, indem er mit seinem Bruder zusammenkommen wollte'; but this misses the force of <w lang="el-GR">ἐπειγόμενος</w>, which seems to support the view that Hasdrubal withdrew as part of a plan to join Hannibal in Umbria. Zonaras (ix. 9) says that Hasdrubal <w lang="el-GR">ἔ γνω πρὸς τοὺς Γαλάτας ἀναχωρῆσαι καὶ ἔ κει τὰ περὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἀκριβώσασθαι</w>; but a retreat to the Po valley would be excessively timorous for a Barcid. Livy (xxvii. 47) does not refer to Hasdrubal's purpose at all. General considerations then seem to favour Appian's view, which implies a meeting with Hannibal in Umbria; but clearly the evidence here is not decisive. More difficult is the detailed account of the withdrawal, when according to Livy (xxvii. 47. 11) Hasdrubal was in search of a ford over the Metaurus. If his camp lay south of the river, he had already crossed it and it is not clear why he found it so hard to go back the way he had come, even if the ford lay some way upstream to avoid the marshes mentioned by Appian (Hann. 52). But if his camp was north of the Metaurus, it becomes impossible to reconcile the long march per tortuosi amnis sinus flexusque described by Livy (xxvii. 47. 10–11) and Appian (Hann. 52) with an advance up the left bank, where the Via Flaminia must have facilitated a night march, and where one may assume a bridge at Calmazzo. Kahrstedt's assertion (iii. 310 that the whole of Hasdrubal's nightmarch is an annalistic invention (cf. 1. 2 n.) may appear drastic; but if Hasdrubal's camp stood on the left bank of the Metaurus, Livy's account is at least considerably embellished and worked over by annalists. The theme is typical of Hellenistic <w lang="el-GR">ἔκφρασις</w>. At most Hasdrubal may have made a detour to avoid detection before gaining his obvious route, the Via Flaminia. Nothing can be deduced from the story of the two guides who deserted, one to swim the Metaurus at a well-known ford, the other to hide in destinatis iam animo latebris (Livy, xxvii. 47. 9). This has been used to prove that Hasdrubal was on the left bank (hence the first guide swam the river to join the Romans), and the contrary (since the second guide had already marked out his hiding-place on the way south); but if the guides were local men, both conclusions break down. Livy's account, which clearly contains non-Polybian material and <milestone unit="page" n="269">[269]</milestone> several inaccuracies, may well be unreliable on the night march. Moreover, if Hasdrubal proposed to meet Hannibal in Umbria, an advance as far as <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sena&groupId=968&placeId=1716">Sena</a> is hard to accept. Hence on balance, it seems more likely that his camp lay north of the Metaurus. But the evidence is finely balanced and certainty not possible. Hence it seems futile to attempt to locate the exact site of the battle. The main sites proposed have been (a) north of the Metaurus, moving westward: La Lucrezia, Borgaccio, M. Sterpette, Calmazzo, and San Silvestro; (b) south of the Metaurus: San Angelo, Cerasa, Monte Maggiore, Montebello, Tombacchia, and Vago Colle. Bibliography: Kromayer, AS, iii. 1. 424–6 (full discussion, pp. 426–94), with Karten 4 and 10;; iv. 625; Schlachtenatlas, Röm. Abt., 7. 8 with commentary); Hallward, CAH, viii. 727; De Sanctis, iii. 2. 562–7. The following studies have been published locally in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a> (non vidi): A. Bianchini, La battaglia del Metauro (Pesaro, 1934); G. Bonarelli, La battaglia di Metauro, i. (Ancona, 1942); G. Boroni, Dissertazione sulla battaglia del Metauro (Fano, 1940); Le diverse tesi sulla battaglia del Metauro (Urbania, 1953; cf. M. Fivez, Latomus, 1954, 494); N. Alfieri, Topografia della battaglia del Metauro (Fabriano, 1941; = Rend. Ist. March. Sci. Lett. Arti, 15–16, 1939–40, publ. 1941, pp. 91–136; cf. Rend. Acc. Sci. Ist. Bologna <emph rend="superscript">4</emph> , 5, 1942, 93–104); G. Rossi, La battaglia del Metauro, ricostruita sul luogo col testo di T. Livio (Fano, 1928); La battaglia del Metauro combattuta fra i Romani e i Cartaginesi nell'anno 207 a.C. ricostruita sul luogo col testo di Tito Livio, xxvii. 43–51 (Pesaro, 1939); Teatro della battaglia del Metauro ricostruito . . . col testo di Tito Livio e documentato da iscrizioni . . ., da molte tombe romane . . . e da carcami di elefanti ecc. (Fano, 1939).

11.1.12 - 11.1.12

Fate of the elephants. Livy, xxvii. 49. 1–2, records that many were killed by their mahouts, who drove a chisel behind their ears with a mallet. This story, with its pathetic note, cannot be reconciled with P.'s precise details.

Specifics

11.1.1 - 11.1.1

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐν ταύτῇ τῇ βίβλῳ</w>:</emph> probably, as Bttner-Wobst suggests, the epitomator's words, since <w lang="el-GR">βίβλος (βύβλος)</w> must mean a book, not the whole work. Birt (Buchwesen, 142 n. 1) proposed adding <w lang="el-GR">καὶ ἐν ταῖς πρὸ ταύτης</w>; but this is unconvincing. Orelli's <w lang="el-GR">ἐν ταυτῇ τῇ πραγματείᾳ</w> or Bttner-Wobst's <w lang="el-GR">ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ συντάξει</w> gives the required sense. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">καθάπερ οἱ πρὸ ἡμῶν</w>:</emph> if, as this suggests, <w lang="el-GR">προγραφαί</w> preceded the books of previous historians, they have rarely survived. The prefaces to Xenophon's Anabasis, ii–vii, summarize the contents of the previous book, and are not <w lang="el-GR">προγραφαί</w> at all; but one can form some impression of a <w lang="el-GR">προγραφή</w> from FGH, 577 F 1 (= P. Oxy. 665), which is probably the <w lang="el-GR">προγραφή</w> to a work on Sicilian history (Philistus?), and from FGH, 115 F 103 and 217, which are either <w lang="el-GR">προγραφαί</w> or epitomes of books xii and xlvii of Theopompus' Philippica. Examples survive in Diodorus. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀλλὰ καὶ προεκθέσεις</w>:</emph> on <w lang="el-GR">προεκθέσεις</w> see above. <w lang="el-GR">καὶ</w> will be 'simply' (cf. J. Denniston, The Greek Particles <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> (Oxford, 1954), 320, quoting Herod. ix. 27. 5; Lys. xxv. 13). <milestone unit="page" n="266">[266]</milestone>

11.1.2 - 11.1.2

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">εἰς ἐπίστασιν ἄγει κτλ</w>:</emph> cf. xiv. 1 a 1, <w lang="el-GR">εἰς ἐπίστασιν ἄγουσι τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος καὶ διὰ τὸ μέ γεθος τῶν γεγονότων</w>.

11.1.3 - 11.1.3

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὀλιγωρούμενον καὶ φθειρόμενον</w>:</emph> 'they are held in little account and get destroyed'. This is a general characteristic of <w lang="el-GR">προγραφαί</w>, and not something which has recently come about as Paton's translation implies: 'as I saw that . . . prologues were now neglected and had degenerated in style'. <w lang="el-GR">φθειρόμενον</w> refers, not to style (so Pdech, Mthode, 510 n. 78), but to the loss of <w lang="el-GR">προγραφαί</w> (see above, 1 a n.).

11.1.5 - 11.1.5

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πλὴν ἓξ τῶν πρώτων βυβλίων</w>:</emph> for the reading in M (resembling according to Hultsch) Mai read <w lang="el-GR">ʹ</w> and Cobet <w lang="el-GR">ʹ</w>; but there were special reasons for not giving <w lang="el-GR">προεκθέσεις καθ</w>f <w lang="el-GR">ἑκάστην ὀλυμπιάδα</w> to books i–vi. i and ii were introductory, vi was an account of the constitution, army, etc., and iii-v dealt exceptionally with a single Olympiad. iii could have had a <w lang="el-GR">προέκθεσις</w> to Ol. 140, but instead P. chose to prefix an introduction to the whole work (cf. iii. 1. 5 n.), just as he had included a <w lang="el-GR">προέκθεσις</w> of the <w lang="el-GR">προκατασκευή</w> in i. 13. 1–5. The <w lang="el-GR">προγραφαί</w>, now lost, were a substitute, giving the contents of the first six books (cf. 1 a n.).

11.1.1 - 11.1.1

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πολὺ ῥαδιεστέραν καὶ συντομωτέραν</w>:</emph> cf. Livy, xxvii. 39. 6, 'Hasdrubali et sua et aliorum spe celeriora atque expeditiora fuere'. Paton translates 'much easier and more rapid than Hannibal's had been'; but the Livian parallel suggests 'easier and more rapid than was expected'. The reasons given by Livy are that the inhabitants proved more friendly than when Hannibal crossed, some even joining Hasdrubal's army. Appian (Hann. 52) says the crossing took two months. De Sanctis (iii. 2. 574–5) argues convincingly that Hasdrubal reached the Po valley in May, and that the battle of Metaurus took place at the end of June or early in July (allowing for the siege of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Placentia&groupId=907&placeId=1630">Placentia</a> (Livy, xxvii. 39. 11) and a march of just over 300 miles from Turin to Fanum). Ovid, Fasti, vi. 770, refers to 22 June an occasion when cecidit telis Hasdrubal ipse suis. De Sanctis (loc. cit.) refers this to the defeat of Hasdrubal, son of Gisgo, at the battle of the Great Plains, but his arguments are unconvincing; and though it may seem difficult to apply these words of Ovid to <milestone unit="page" n="270">[270]</milestone> Hasdrubal's death at the Metaurus, P. certainly uses this as a peg on which to hang what is really a sermon on the permissibility of suicide in certain circumstances. Moreover, if the calendar was running true to the sun in 207 (which we do not know), the date would fit general probabilities. For discussion of Ovid, Fasti, vi. 770, see Scullard, Scip. 324–5. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὀρθὴ καὶ περίφοβος</w>:</emph> cf. Livy, xxvii. 40. 1 ff. for tension at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> on Hasdrubal's approach.

11.1.2 - 11.1.2

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τούτων μὲν ἤρεσκεν οὐδέν</w>:</emph> what displeased Hasdrubal is not clear. Kahrstedt's assumption (iii. 310) that it is his realization that the enemy were reinforced is designed to support his theory that Hasdrubal's night march (Livy, xxvii. 47. 8–11; App. Hann. 52) is sheer annalistic invention. De Sanctis (iii. 2. 562–3) suggests more plausibly that Hasdrubal was displeased at the drunkenness among the Celts (cf. 3. 1). But <w lang="el-GR">τούτων . . . οὐδέν</w> implies more than one factor; and another may be the general disorder in which his troops now found themselves (cf. Livy, xxvii. 47. 9, 'fessique aliquot somno ac uigiliis sternunt corpora passim atque infrequentia relinquunt signa'). Hesselbarth (549) suggests that fg. 40 refers to the drunkenness of the Celts and should be inserted between 1. 1 and 1. 2 (cf. De Sanctis, iii. 2. 563). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐκτεταγμένους καὶ προσάγοντας</w>:</emph> cf. Livy, xxvii. 48. 3, 'aduenit Liuius peditum omnibus copiis non itineris modo sed ad conserendum extemplo proelium instructis armatisque'. According to Livy (xxvii. 48. 2 and 5) Hasdrubal was trying to fortify a camp in tumulo super fluminis ripam, but was forced to abandon this on the Roman attack. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοὺς Ἴβηρας καὶ τοὺς μετ</w>f <w lang="el-GR">αὐτοῦ? γεγονότας Γαλάτας</w>:</emph> according to Livy (xxvii. 48. 5–6) Hasdrubal put his Gauls on the left facing Nero, and himself took up station on the right (see below, § 3 n.) against Livius.

11.1.3 - 11.1.3

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὰ θηρία . . . δέκα</w>:</emph> cf. Livy, xxvii. 48. 5, 'in prima acie ante signa elephantos conlocat'. Livy places Ligurians in the centre, and the elephants in front of these, whereas according to P. there is only a deep-massed Punic right led by Hasdrubal, with the elephants in front, and the Gauls on the left. Livy thus fails to make clear the desperate character of Hasdrubal's formation <w lang="el-GR">(νικᾶν ἢ θνήσκειν)</w>, which was designed to stake all on the right; cf. Kromayer, AS, iii. 1. 465 n. 1. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κατὰ τὴν τῶν θηρίων προστασίαν</w>:</emph> 'at the point where the elephants formed the front'.

11.1.4 - 11.1.4

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὁ . . . Λίβιος</w>:</emph> M. Livius M.f. M.n. Salinator, consul for 207 and, previously, 219; cf. Mnzer, RE, 'Livius (Salinator) (33)', cols. 891–9. Livius had been out of politics since his condemnation for misuse of the booty in the Second Illyrian War (cf. iii. 19. 12 n.; Livy, xxvii. 34. 4). On the background of his election now see Scullard, Pol. 72–73. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀντεπῄει τοῖς πολεμίοις σοβαρῶς</w>:</emph> cf. iii. 72. 13 (Sempronius at <milestone unit="page" n="271">[271]</milestone> <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Trebia&groupId=1044&placeId=1838">Trebia</a>), xv. 12. 17 (the phalanxes at Zama), xviii. 23. 7 (Flamininus at Cynoscephalae).

11.1.5 - 11.1.5

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὁ δὲ Κλαύδιος</w>:</emph> C. Claudius Ti.f. Ti.n. Nero, the other consul; cf. Mnzer, RE, 'Claudius (296)', cols. 2774–6. By a slip Paton refers to him both here and in § 10 as Marcellus. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">περικερᾶν . . . οὐκ ἐδύνατο</w>:</emph> i.e. advance into the gap between Hasdrubal's Gallic left and his advancing right, and strike the latter on its left flank.

11.1.7 - 11.1.7

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κατὰ τὸν ὄπισθεν τόπον τῆς μάχης</w>:</emph> 'in the rear of the field'; P. probably means that Nero took men from the rear of the right wing, to hide his intentions from the enemy. Thus not all the right took part in this manuvre. Kromayer, AS, iii. 1. 471, translates: 'deshalb zog er seine Soldaten vom rechten Flgel hinter der Schlachtreihe herum': this is not easily extracted from <w lang="el-GR">παραδεξάμενος . . . κατὰ τὸν ὄπισθεν τόπον τῆς μάχης</w>. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸ λαιὸν ὑπεράρας τῆς ἰδίας παρεμβολῆς</w>:</emph> 'passing round the Roman battle-line to the left'. Claudius took men from the inactive right wing, assembled them in the rear and led them round (to the left of) the Roman left, which was now engaging Hasdrubal's main forces. Paton renders <w lang="el-GR">παρεμβολῆς</w> as 'camp', which is nonsense. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κατὰ κέρας . . . ἐπὶ τὰ θηρία</w>:</emph> i.e. he struck the front of the Punic line on its right flank; cf. Livy, xxvii. 48. 13–14, 'cohortes aliquot subductas e dextro cornu ... post aciem circumducit, et non hostibus modo sed etiam suis inopinantibus in sinistrum 〈euectus in dextrum〉 hostium latus incurrit' (where euectus in dextrum is Conway's addition, but the sense is clear, since the advancing troops subsequently reach the Gauls who are on Hasdrubal's left).

11.1.8 - 11.1.8

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κοινὴν ἀμφοῖν παρείχοντο τὴν χρείαν ἐν τῇ μάχῃ</w>:</emph> 'they contributed to the fighting an element which affected both sides equally'; <w lang="el-GR">χρεία</w> here is 'fighting' rather than 'use', for they were a disadvantage to both lines.

11.1.10 - 11.1.10

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἅμα δὲ τῷ . . . προσπεσεῖν κατ</w>f <w lang="el-GR">οὐράν</w>:</emph> in § 7 they are attacking Hasdrubal's flank, now they have got round to his rear; cf. Livy, xxvii. 48. 14, 'tantaque celeritas fuit ut cum ostendissent se ab latere mox in terga iam pugnarent'. There is much to be said for Schweighaeuser's 〈<w lang="el-GR">καὶ</w>〉> <w lang="el-GR">κατ</w>f <w lang="el-GR">οὐράν</w>.

Polybius, Histories

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