Polybius, Histories

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Book 3 - Chapter 104

1
<w lemma="stadi%2Fous">σταδίους</w>. <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29kou%2Fwn">ἀκούων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%28liskome%2Fnwn">ἁλισκομένων</w> <w lemma="ai%29xmalw%2Ftwn">αἰχμαλώτων</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="qewrw%3Dn">θεωρῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="prattome%2Fnwn">πραττομένων</w> <w lemma="h%29%2F%7Cdei">ᾔδει</w> <w lemma="th%2Fn">τήν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fnwn">ἡγεμόνων</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flous">ἀλλήλους</w> <w lemma="filotimi%2Fan">φιλοτιμίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%5Cn">ὁρμὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="filodoci%2Fan">φιλοδοξίαν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Frkou">Μάρκου</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w>, <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fsas">νομίσας</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnonta">συμβαίνοντα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fous">ἐναντίους</w>, <w lemma="e%29gi%2Fneto">ἐγίνετο</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Frkon">Μάρκον</w>, <w lemma="spouda%2Fzwn">σπουδάζων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="to%2Flman">τόλμαν</w> <w lemma="a%29fele%2Fsqai">ἀφελέσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prokatalabei%3Dn">προκαταλαβεῖν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%2Fn">ὁρμήν</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29%2Fshs">οὔσης</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tinos">τινος</w> <w lemma="u%28peroxh%3Ds">ὑπεροχῆς</w> <w lemma="metacu%5C">μεταξὺ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Frkou">Μάρκου</w> <w lemma="stratopedei%2Fas">στρατοπεδείας</w> <w lemma="duname%2Fnhs">δυναμένης</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Frous">ἑκατέρους</w> <w lemma="bla%2Fptein">βλάπτειν</w>, <w lemma="e%29peba%2Fleto">ἐπεβάλετο</w> <w lemma="katalabei%3Dn">καταλαβεῖν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w>. <w lemma="safw%3Ds">σαφῶς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ginw%2Fskwn">γινώσκων</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="progegono%2Ftos">προγεγονότος</w> <w lemma="katorqw%2Fmatos">κατορθώματος</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="pare%2Fstai">παρέσται</w> <w lemma="bohqw%3Dn">βοηθῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="xeiro%5Cs">χειρὸς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%2Fn">ἐπιβολήν</w>, <w lemma="e%29pinoei%3D">ἐπινοεῖ</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dton">τοιοῦτον</w>.
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<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="lo%2Ffon">λόφον</w> <w lemma="u%28parxo%2Fntwn">ὑπαρχόντων</w> <w lemma="yilw%3Dn">ψιλῶν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w>, <w lemma="polla%5Cs">πολλὰς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pantodapa%5Cs">παντοδαπὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29xo%2Fntwn">ἐχόντων</w> <w lemma="perikla%2Fseis">περικλάσεις</w> <w lemma="koilo%2Fthtas">κοιλότητας</w>, <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fpemye">ἐξέπεμψε</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="nukto%5Cs">νυκτὸς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pithdeiota%2Ftas">ἐπιτηδειοτάτας</w> <w lemma="u%28pobola%5Cs">ὑποβολὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29na%5C">ἀνὰ</w> <w lemma="diakosi%2Fous">διακοσίους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="triakosi%2Fous">τριακοσίους</w>, <w lemma="pentakosi%2Fous">πεντακοσίους</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w>, <w lemma="yilou%5Cs">ψιλοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pezou%5Cs">πεζοὺς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="pentakisxili%2Fous">πεντακισχιλίους</w>.
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<w lemma="i%28%2Fna">ἵνα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="prw%5C%7C">πρῲ</w> <w lemma="katopteuqw%3Dsin">κατοπτευθῶσιν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pronoma%5Cs">προνομὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29kporeuome%2Fnwn">ἐκπορευομένων</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="diauga%2Fzein">διαυγάζειν</w> <w lemma="katela%2Fmbane">κατελάμβανε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="eu%29zw%2Fnois">εὐζώνοις</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="lo%2Ffon">λόφον</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Frkos">Μάρκος</w> <w lemma="qewrw%3Dn">θεωρῶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gino%2Fmenon">γινόμενον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fsas">νομίσας</w> <w lemma="e%28rmai%3Don">ἑρμαῖον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="parauti%2Fka">παραυτίκα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29cape%2Fsteile">ἐξαπέστειλε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="yilou%2Fs">ψιλούς</w>, <w lemma="keleu%2Fsas">κελεύσας</w> <w lemma="a%29gwni%2Fzesqai">ἀγωνίζεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diama%2Fxesqai">διαμάχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpou">τόπου</w>, <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds:">ἱππεῖς·</w>
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<w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="kato%2Fpin">κατόπιν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dge">ἦγε</w> <w lemma="sunexh%3D">συνεχῆ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="bare%2Fa">βαρέα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fplwn">ὅπλων</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w>, <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstwn">ἑκάστων</w> <w lemma="poiou%2Fmenos">ποιούμενος</w>
Hannibal, partly from what he heard from prisoners and partly from what he saw was going on, was aware of the rivalry of the two generals and of Marcus' impulsiveness and ambition.
Considering, then, that the present circumstances of the enemy were not against him but in his favour, he turned his attention to Minucius, being anxious to put a stop to his venturesomeness and anticipate his offensive.
There was a small eminence between his own camp and that of Minucius capable of being used against either of them, and this he decided to occupy. While knowing that owing to his previous achievement Minucius would instantly advance to frustrate this project, he devised the following stratagem.
The ground round the hill was treeless but had many irregularities and hollows of every description in it, and he sent out at night to the most suitable positions for ambuscade, in bodies of two or three hundred, five hundred horse and about five thousand light-armed and other infantry.
In order that they should not be observed in the early morning by the Romans who were going out to forage, he occupied the hill with his light-armed troops as soon as it was daybreak.
Minucius, seeing this and thinking a favourable chance, sent out at once his light infantry with orders to engage the enemy and dispute the position.
Afterwards he sent his cavalry too and next followed in person leading his legions in close order, as on the former occasion, operating exactly in the same manner as then.