Polybius, Histories

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Book 27 - Chapter 11

1
<w lemma="%2Ake%2Fstros">Κέστρος</w>. <w lemma="ce%2Fnon">ξένον</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="eu%28%2Frhma">εὕρημα</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Apersiko%5Cn">Περσικὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>.
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="be%2Flos">βέλος</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dton:">τοιοῦτον·</w> <w lemma="dipa%2Flaiston">διπάλαιστον</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w>, <w lemma="i%29%2Fson">ἴσον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxon">ἔχον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29li%2Fskon">αὐλίσκον</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="probolh%3D%7C">προβολῇ</w>. <w lemma="tou%2Ftw%7C">τούτῳ</w> <w lemma="cu%2Flon">ξύλον</w> <w lemma="e%29nh%2Frmosto">ἐνήρμοστο</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fkei">μήκει</w> <w lemma="spiqamiai%3Don">σπιθαμιαῖον</w>,
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<w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fxei">πάχει</w> <w lemma="daktuliai%2Fan">δακτυλιαίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxon">ἔχον</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="dia%2Fmetron">διάμετρον</w>.
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<w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fson">μέσον</w> <w lemma="e%29sfh%2Fnwto">ἐσφήνωτο</w> <w lemma="pteru%2Fgia">πτερύγια</w> <w lemma="tri%2Fa">τρία</w> <w lemma="cu%2Flina">ξύλινα</w>, <w lemma="braxe%2Fa">βραχέα</w> <w lemma="pantelw%3Ds">παντελῶς</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w>, <w lemma="duei%3Dn">δυεῖν</w> <w lemma="kw%2Flwn">κώλων</w> <w lemma="a%29ni%2Fswn">ἀνίσων</w> <w lemma="u%28parxo%2Fntwn">ὑπαρχόντων</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sfendo%2Fnhs">σφενδόνης</w>, <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fson">μέσον</w> <w lemma="e%29nhgkuli%2Fzeto">ἐνηγκυλίζετο</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kw%2Flwn">κώλων</w> <w lemma="eu%29lu%2Ftws">εὐλύτως</w>.
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<w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="periagwgh%3D%7C">περιαγωγῇ</w> <w lemma="tetame%2Fnwn">τεταμένων</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmenen:">ἔμενεν·</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="paraluqei%2Fh">παραλυθείη</w> <w lemma="qa%2Fteron">θάτερον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kw%2Flwn">κώλων</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Ffesin">ἄφεσιν</w>, <w lemma="e%29kpi%3Dpton">ἐκπῖπτον</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29gku%2Flhs">ἀγκύλης</w> <w lemma="kaqaperei%5C">καθαπερεὶ</w>
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<w lemma="molubdi%5Cs">μολυβδὶς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sfendo%2Fnhs">σφενδόνης</w> <w lemma="e%29fe%2Freto">ἐφέρετο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prospi%3Dpton">προσπῖπτον</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="biai%2Fas">βιαίας</w> <w lemma="plhgh%3Ds">πληγῆς</w> <w lemma="kakw%3Ds">κακῶς</w> <w lemma="dieti%2Fqei">διετίθει</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="sugkurh%2Fsantas">συγκυρήσαντας</w>. —
<head>The Cestrus or Cestrosphendone</head>The so‑called cestrus was a novel invention at the time of the war with Perseus.
The form of the missile was as follows. It was two cubits long, the tube being of the same length as the point. Into the former was fitted a wooden shaft a span in length and a finger's breadth in thickness, and to the middle of this were firmly attached three quite short wing-shaped sticks.
The thongs of the sling from which the missile was discharged were of unequal length, and it was so inserted into the loop between them that it was easily freed.
There it remained fixed while the thongs were whirled round and taut, but when at the moment of discharge one of the thongs was loosened, it left the loop and was shot like a leaden bullet from the sling, and striking with great force inflicted severe injury on those who were hit by it.