<w lemma="%2Aperaiwqe%2Fntwn">Περαιωθέντων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="qhri%2Fwn">θηρίων</w>, <w lemma="a%29nalabw%5Cn">ἀναλαβὼν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29le%2Ffantas">ἐλέφαντας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w> <w lemma="proh%3Dge">προῆγε</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="a%29pouragw%3Dn">ἀπουραγῶν</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="potamo%5Cn">ποταμὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="qala%2Ftths">θαλάττης</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fw">ἕω</w>, <w lemma="poiou%2Fmenos">ποιούμενος</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="porei%2Fan">πορείαν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="meso%2Fgaion">μεσόγαιον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29rw%2Fphs">Εὐρώπης</w>.
<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodano%5Cs">Ῥοδανὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxei">ἔχει</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="phga%5Cs">πηγὰς</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29adriatiko%5Cn">Ἀδριατικὸν</w> <w lemma="muxo%5Cn">μυχὸν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28spe%2Fran">ἑσπέραν</w> <w lemma="neuou%2Fsas">νευούσας</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29pokli%2Fnousi">ἀποκλίνουσι</w> <w lemma="me%2Fresi">μέρεσι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Falpewn">Ἄλπεων</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frktous">ἄρκτους</w>, <w lemma="r%28ei%3D">ῥεῖ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> [<w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w>] <w lemma="du%2Fseis">δύσεις</w> <w lemma="xeimerina%2Fs">χειμερινάς</w>, <w lemma="e%29kba%2Fllei">ἐκβάλλει</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Asardw%3D%7Con">Σαρδῷον</w> <w lemma="pe%2Flagos">πέλαγος</w>.
<w lemma="fe%2Fretai">φέρεται</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29lw%3Dnos">αὐλῶνος</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frktous">ἄρκτους</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fardues">Ἄρδυες</w> <w lemma="%2Akeltoi%5C">Κελτοὶ</w> <w lemma="katoikou%3Dsi">κατοικοῦσι</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="meshmbri%2Fas">μεσημβρίας</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="pleura%5Cn">πλευρὰν</w> <w lemma="o%28ri%2Fzousi">ὁρίζουσι</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsan">πᾶσαν</w> <w lemma="ai%28">αἱ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frkton">ἄρκτον</w> <w lemma="keklime%2Fnai">κεκλιμέναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Falpewn">Ἄλπεων</w> <w lemma="parw%2Freiai">παρώρειαι</w>. <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fa">πεδία</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Apa%2Fdon">Πάδον</w>,
<w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Frhtai">εἴρηται</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="pleio%2Fnwn">πλειόνων</w>, <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodano%5Cn">Ῥοδανὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29lw%3Dnos">αὐλῶνος</w> <w lemma="diazeugnu%2Fousin">διαζευγνύουσιν</w> <w lemma="ai%28">αἱ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="o%29rw%3Dn">ὀρῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29krw%2Freiai">ἀκρώρειαι</w>, <w lemma="lamba%2Fnousai">λαμβάνουσαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Amassali%2Fas">Μασσαλίας</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="panto%5Cs">παντὸς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29adri%2Fou">Ἀδρίου</w> <w lemma="muxo%2Fn:">μυχόν·</w>
<w lemma="a%28%5Cs">ἃς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fq%27">τόθ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28pera%2Fras">ὑπεράρας</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodano%5Cn">Ῥοδανὸν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Fbalen">ἐνέβαλεν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fan">Ἰταλίαν</w>.
<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fenioi">Ἔνιοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="gegrafo%2Ftwn">γεγραφότων</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="u%28perbolh%3Ds">ὑπερβολῆς</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w>, <w lemma="boulo%2Fmenoi">βουλόμενοι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29naginw%2Fskontas">ἀναγινώσκοντας</w> <w lemma="e%29kplh%2Fttein">ἐκπλήττειν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="paradocologi%2Fa%7C">παραδοξολογίᾳ</w>, <w lemma="lanqa%2Fnousin">λανθάνουσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29mpi%2Fptontes">ἐμπίπτοντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="du%2Fo">δύο</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="a%29llotriw%2Ftata:">ἀλλοτριώτατα·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="yeudologei%3Dn">ψευδολογεῖν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="maxo%2Fmena">μαχόμενα</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffein">γράφειν</w> <w lemma="au%28toi%3Ds">αὑτοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29nagka%2Fzontai">ἀναγκάζονται</w>.
<w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fban">Ἀννίβαν</w> <w lemma="a%29mi%2Fmhto%2Fn">ἀμίμητόν</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="pareisa%2Fgontes">παρεισάγοντες</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Flmh%7C">τόλμῃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pronoi%2Fa%7C">προνοίᾳ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="o%28mologoume%2Fnws">ὁμολογουμένως</w> <w lemma="a%29podeiknu%2Fousin">ἀποδεικνύουσιν</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="a%29logisto%2Ftaton">ἀλογιστότατον</w>,
<w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="katastrofh%5Cn">καταστροφὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmenoi">δυνάμενοι</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnein">λαμβάνειν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fcodon">ἔξοδον</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="yeu%2Fdous">ψεύδους</w> <w lemma="qeou%5Cs">θεοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qew%3Dn">θεῶν</w> <w lemma="pai%3Ddas">παῖδας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="pragmatikh%5Cn">πραγματικὴν</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fan">ἱστορίαν</w> <w lemma="pareisa%2Fgousin">παρεισάγουσιν</w>.
<w lemma="u%28poqe%2Fmenoi">ὑποθέμενοι</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29rumno%2Fthtas">ἐρυμνότητας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="traxu%2Fthtas">τραχύτητας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29alpeinw%3Dn">Ἀλπεινῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29rw%3Dn">ὀρῶν</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Ftas">τοιαύτας</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="i%28%2Fppous">ἵππους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="strato%2Fpeda">στρατόπεδα</w>, <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="e%29le%2Ffantas">ἐλέφαντας</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5C">μηδὲ</w> <w lemma="pezou%5Cs">πεζοὺς</w> <w lemma="eu%29zw%2Fnous">εὐζώνους</w> <w lemma="eu%29xerw%3Ds">εὐχερῶς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="dielqei%3Dn">διελθεῖν</w>, <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frhmon">ἔρημον</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="tina%5C">τινὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="u%28pogra%2Fyantes">ὑπογράψαντες</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fst%27">ὥστ᾽</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="qeo%5Cs">θεὸς</w> <w lemma="h%29%2F">ἤ</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="h%28%2Frws">ἥρως</w> <w lemma="a%29panth%2Fsas">ἀπαντήσας</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fban">Ἀννίβαν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Fdeice">ὑπέδειξε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="o%28dou%2Fs">ὁδούς</w>, <w lemma="e%29caporh%2Fsantas">ἐξαπορήσαντας</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="katafqarh%3Dnai">καταφθαρῆναι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w>, <w lemma="o%28mologoume%2Fnws">ὁμολογουμένως</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fteron">ἑκάτερον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w>
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After the elephants had been put across, Hannibal, taking them and his cavalry and forming these into a rear-guard, advanced up the river bank away from the sea in an easterly direction as though making for the centre of Europe. The <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhone&groupId=933&placeId=1667">Rhone</a> rises north-west of the head of the Adriatic on the northern slope of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a>, and running in a south-westerly direction, falls into the Sardinian Sea. A great part of its course is through a deep valley, to the north of which lives the Celtic tribe of the Ardyes, while on the south it is bounded for its whole extent by the northern spurs of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a>. The plain of the Po which I described above at length is separated from the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhone&groupId=933&placeId=1667">Rhone</a> valley by the lofty main chain of these mountains, which starting from Marseilles extends to the head of the Adriatic. It is this chain which Hannibal now crossed to enter <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a> from the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhone&groupId=933&placeId=1667">Rhone</a> valley. Some of the writers who have described this passage of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a>, from the wish to impress their readers by the marvels they recount of these mountains, are betrayed into two vices ever most alien to true history; for they are compelled to make both false statements and statements which contradict each other. While on the one hand introducing Hannibal as a commander of unequalled courage and foresight, they incontestably represent him to us as entirely wanting in prudence, and again, being unable to bring their series of falsehoods to any close or issue they introduce gods and the sons of gods into the sober history of the facts. By representing the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a> as being so steep and rugged that not only horses and troops accompanied by elephants, but even active men on foot would have difficult in passing, and at the same time picturing to us the desolation of the country as being such, that unless some god or hero had met Hannibal and showed him the way, his whole army would have gone astray and perished utterly, they unquestionably fall into both the above vices.
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Walbank Commentary