Polybius, Histories

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Book 12 - Chapter 20

1
<w lemma="%2Ameta%5C">Μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta%2F">ταῦτά</w> <w lemma="fhsi">φησι</w> <w lemma="metwphdo%5Cn">μετωπηδὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgein">ἄγειν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w>, <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fxonta">ἀπέχοντα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tettara%2Fkonta">τετταράκοντα</w> <w lemma="stadi%2Fous">σταδίους</w>.
2
<w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mei%3Dzon">μεῖζον</w> <w lemma="a%29lo%2Fghma">ἀλόγημα</w> <w lemma="dusxere%5Cs">δυσχερὲς</w> <w lemma="e%29pinoh%3Dsai:">ἐπινοῆσαι·</w> <w lemma="pou%3D">ποῦ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="eu%28%2Froi">εὕροι</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftous">τοιούτους</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w>, <w lemma="a%29%2Fllws">ἄλλως</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Akiliki%2Fan">Κιλικίαν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fst%27">ὥστ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="stadi%2Fous">σταδίους</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fkosi">εἴκοσι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pla%2Ftos">πλάτος</w> <w lemma="tettara%2Fkonta">τετταράκοντα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mh%3Dkos">μῆκος</w> <w lemma="metwphdo%5Cn">μετωπηδὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgein">ἄγειν</w> <w lemma="fa%2Flagga">φάλαγγα</w> <w lemma="sarisofo%2Fron">σαρισοφόρον</w>;
3
<w lemma="tosau%3Dta">τοσαῦτα</w> <w lemma="ga%2Fr">γάρ</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="e%29mpo%2Fdia">ἐμπόδια</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fcin">τάξιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fan">χρείαν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2F">ἅ</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29cariqmh%2Fsaito">ἐξαριθμήσαιτο</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cdi%2Fws">ῥᾳδίως</w>. <w lemma="e%28%5Cn">ἓν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Akallisqe%2Fnous">Καλλισθένους</w> <w lemma="legome%2Fnwn">λεγομένων</w> <w lemma="i%28kano%5Cn">ἱκανὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxei">ὑπάρχει</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin:">πίστιν·</w>
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<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29rw%3Dn">ὀρῶν</w> <w lemma="xeima%2Frrous">χειμάρρους</w> <w lemma="kataferome%2Fnous">καταφερομένους</w> <w lemma="tosau%3Dta%2F">τοσαῦτά</w> <w lemma="fhsi">φησι</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29krh%2Fgmata">ἐκρήγματα</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fon">πεδίον</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Apersw%3Dn">Περσῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="fugh%5Cn">φυγὴν</w> <w lemma="diafqarh%3Dnai">διαφθαρῆναι</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgousi">λέγουσι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fstous">πλείστους</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftois">τοιούτοις</w> <w lemma="koilw%2Fmasi">κοιλώμασι</w>.
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<w lemma="nh%5C">νὴ</w> <w lemma="%2Adi%2F%27">Δί᾽</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Ftoimos">ἕτοιμος</w> <w lemma="e%29bou%2Flet%27">ἐβούλετ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="e%29pifa%2Fneian">ἐπιφάνειαν</w>.
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<w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29netoimo%2Fteron">ἀνετοιμότερον</w> <w lemma="fa%2Flaggos">φάλαγγος</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="metw%2Fpw%7C">μετώπῳ</w> <w lemma="dialelume%2Fnhs">διαλελυμένης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diestame%2Fnhs">διεσταμένης</w>; <w lemma="po%2Fsw%7C">πόσῳ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="poreutikh%3Ds">πορευτικῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29gwgh%3Ds">ἀγωγῆς</w> <w lemma="a%28rmozou%2Fshs">ἁρμοζούσης</w> <w lemma="parata%2Fcai">παρατάξαι</w> <w lemma="r%28a%3D%7Con">ῥᾷον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="dialelume%2Fnhn">διαλελυμένην</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="metw%2Fpw%7C">μετώπῳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diespasme%2Fnhn">διεσπασμένην</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="eu%29qei%3Dan">εὐθεῖαν</w> <w lemma="a%29gagei%3Dn">ἀγαγεῖν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="susth%3Dsai">συστῆσαι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhn">μάχην</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w> <w lemma="u%28lw%2Fdesi">ὑλώδεσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="perikeklasme%2Fnois">περικεκλασμένοις</w>;
7
<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="mikro%5Cn">μικρὸν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="krei%3Dtton">κρεῖττον</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgein">ἄγειν</w> <w lemma="difalaggi%2Fan">διφαλαγγίαν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="tetrafalaggi%2Fan">τετραφαλαγγίαν</w> <w lemma="a%28rmo%2Fzousan">ἁρμόζουσαν</w>, <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w> <w lemma="porei%2Fas">πορείας</w> <w lemma="eu%28rei%3Dn">εὑρεῖν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29du%2Fnaton">ἀδύνατον</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="parata%2Fcai">παρατάξαι</w> <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="r%28a%2F%7Cdio%2Fn">ῥᾴδιόν</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w>, <w lemma="duna%2Fmenon">δυνάμενον</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="prodro%2Fmwn">προδρόμων</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="pollou%3D">πολλοῦ</w> <w lemma="ginw%2Fskein">γινώσκειν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="parousi%2Fan">παρουσίαν</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w> <w lemma="proe%2Fqeto">προέθετο</w>, <w lemma="metwphdo%5Cn">μετωπηδὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgwn">ἄγων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w> <w lemma="e%29pipe%2Fdois">ἐπιπέδοις</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsou">ἴσου</w> <w lemma="poiei%3D">ποιεῖ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pezoi%3Ds">πεζοῖς</w>.
After this he says that Alexander led on his army in an extended line, being then at a distance of about forty stades from the enemy.
It is difficult to conceive anything more absurd than this. Where, especially in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cilicia&groupId=467&placeId=350">Cilicia</a>, could one find an extent of ground where a phalanx with its long spears could advance for forty stades in a line twenty stades long?
The obstacles indeed to such a formation and such a movement are so many that it would be difficult to enumerate them all, a single one mentioned by Callisthenes himself being sufficient to convince us of its impossibility.
For he tells us that the torrents descending the mountains have formed so many clefts in the plain that most of the Persians in their flight perished in such fissures.
But, it may be said, Alexander wished to be prepared for the appearance of the enemy.
And what can be less prepared than a phalanx advancing in line but broken and disunited? How much easier indeed it would have been to develop from proper marching-order into order of battle than to straighten out and prepare for action on thickly wooded and fissured ground a broken line with numerous gaps in it
It would, therefore, have been considerably better to form a proper double or quadruple phalanx, for which it was not impossible to find marching room and which it would have been quite easy to get into order of battle expeditiously enough, as he was enabled through his scouts to receive in good time warning of the approach of the enemy.
But, other things apart, Alexander did not even, according to Callisthenes, send his cavalry on in front when advancing in line over flat ground, but apparently placed them alongside the infantry.