<w lemma="a%28marthma%2Ftwn">ἁμαρτημάτων</w> <w lemma="e%29mpi%2Fptousi">ἐμπίπτουσι</w>. <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="fanei%2Fh">φανείη</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cs">στρατηγὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29logisto%2Fteros">ἀλογιστότερος</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbou">Ἀννίβου</w>, <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="skaio%2Fteros">σκαιότερος</w> <w lemma="h%28gemw%2Fn">ἡγεμών</w>,
<w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="tosou%2Ftwn">τοσούτων</w> <w lemma="h%28gou%2Fmenos">ἡγούμενος</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmewn">δυνάμεων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fstas">μεγίστας</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdas">ἐλπίδας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="katorqw%2Fsein">κατορθώσειν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flois">ὅλοις</w>, <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="o%28dou%5Cs">ὁδοὺς</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtoi%2F">οὗτοί</w> <w lemma="fasin">φασιν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="pou%3D">ποῦ</w> <w lemma="poreu%2Fetai">πορεύεται</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="para%2Fpan">παράπαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fnas">τίνας</w> <w lemma="e%29gi%2Fnwske">ἐγίνωσκε</w>,
<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fras">πέρας</w>, <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> [<w lemma="tou%29nanti%2Fon">τοὐναντίον</w>] <w lemma="dunatoi%3Ds">δυνατοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29piba%2Flletai">ἐπιβάλλεται</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasin">πράγμασιν</w>;
<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fper">ὅπερ</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flois">ὅλοις</w> <w lemma="e%29ptaiko%2Ftes">ἐπταικότες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> <w lemma="e%29caporou%3Dntes">ἐξαποροῦντες</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="u%28pome%2Fnousin">ὑπομένουσιν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fst%27">ὥστ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="a%29pronoh%2Ftous">ἀπρονοήτους</w> <w lemma="kaqie%2Fnai">καθιέναι</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w>, <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="peritiqe%2Fasin">περιτιθέασιν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="suggrafei%3Ds">συγγραφεῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fba%7C">Ἀννίβᾳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fstas">μεγίστας</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdas">ἐλπίδας</w> <w lemma="a%29kerai%2Fous">ἀκεραίους</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxonti">ἔχοντι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28to%5Cn">αὑτὸν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w>.
<w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29rhmi%2Fas">ἐρημίας</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29rumno%2Fthtos">ἐρυμνότητος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dusxwri%2Fas">δυσχωρίας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fkdhlon">ἔκδηλον</w> <w lemma="poiei%3D">ποιεῖ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="yeu%3Ddos">ψεῦδος</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w>.
<w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="i%28storh%2Fsantes">ἱστορήσαντες</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akeltou%5Cs">Κελτοὺς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodano%5Cn">Ῥοδανὸν</w> <w lemma="potamo%5Cn">ποταμὸν</w> <w lemma="oi%29kou%3Dntas">οἰκοῦντας</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpac">ἅπαξ</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="di%5Cs">δὶς</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbou">Ἀννίβου</w> <w lemma="parousi%2Fas">παρουσίας</w>, <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flai">πάλαι</w> <w lemma="prosfa%2Ftws">προσφάτως</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w>, <w lemma="mega%2Flois">μεγάλοις</w> <w lemma="stratope%2Fdois">στρατοπέδοις</w> <w lemma="u%28perba%2Fntas">ὑπερβάντας</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Falpeis">Ἄλπεις</w> <w lemma="parateta%2Fxqai">παρατετάχθαι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w>, <w lemma="sunhgwni%2Fsqai">συνηγωνίσθαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Akeltoi%3Ds">Κελτοῖς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</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="pedi%2Fa">πεδία</w> <w lemma="katoikou%3Dsi">κατοικοῦσι</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="h%28mei%3Ds">ἡμεῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="e%29dhlw%2Fsamen">ἐδηλώσαμεν</w>,
<w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="ei%29do%2Ftes">εἰδότες</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dston">πλεῖστον</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpwn">ἀνθρώπων</w> <w lemma="fu%3Dlon">φῦλον</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29ta%5Cs">αὐτὰς</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%3Dn">οἰκεῖν</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Falpeis">Ἄλπεις</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoou%3Dntes">ἀγνοοῦντες</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkasta">ἕκαστα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhme%2Fnwn">εἰρημένων</w> <w lemma="h%28%2Frw">ἥρω</w> <w lemma="tina%2F">τινά</w> <w lemma="fasin">φασιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pifane%2Fnta">ἐπιφανέντα</w> <w lemma="sunupodei%3Dcai">συνυποδεῖξαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="o%28dou%5Cs">ὁδοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w>.
<w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="e%29mpi%2Fptousin">ἐμπίπτουσιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsion">παραπλήσιον</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="tragw%7Cdiogra%2Ffois">τραγῳδιογράφοις</w>. <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnois">ἐκείνοις</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsin">πᾶσιν</w> <w lemma="ai%28">αἱ</w> <w lemma="katastrofai%5C">καταστροφαὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="drama%2Ftwn">δραμάτων</w> <w lemma="prosde%2Fontai">προσδέονται</w> <w lemma="qeou%3D">θεοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mhxanh%3Ds">μηχανῆς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftas">πρώτας</w> <w lemma="u%28poqe%2Fseis">ὑποθέσεις</w> <w lemma="yeudei%3Ds">ψευδεῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paralo%2Fgous">παραλόγους</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnein">λαμβάνειν</w>,
<w lemma="tou%2Fs">τούς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="suggrafe%2Fas">συγγραφέας</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkh">ἀνάγκη</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsion">παραπλήσιον</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsxein">πάσχειν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w> <w lemma="h%28%2Frwa%2Fs">ἥρωάς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qeou%5Cs">θεοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29pifainome%2Fnous">ἐπιφαινομένους</w>, <w lemma="e%29peida%5Cn">ἐπειδὰν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29rxa%5Cs">ἀρχὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29piqa%2Fnous">ἀπιθάνους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="yeudei%3Ds">ψευδεῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28posth%2Fswntai">ὑποστήσωνται</w>. <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Do%2Fn">οἷόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="paralo%2Fgois">παραλόγοις</w> <w lemma="a%29rxai%3Ds">ἀρχαῖς</w> <w lemma="eu%29%2Flogon">εὔλογον</w> <w lemma="e%29piqei%3Dnai">ἐπιθεῖναι</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w>;
<w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtoi">οὗτοι</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffousin">γράφουσιν</w>, <w lemma="li%2Fan">λίαν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="pragmatikw%3Ds">πραγματικῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29xrh%3Dto">ἐχρῆτο</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolai%3Ds">ἐπιβολαῖς</w>.
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w> <w lemma="a%29reth%2Fn">ἀρετήν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="h%28%5Cn">ἣν</w> <w lemma="e%29peba%2Fleto">ἐπεβάλετο</w> <w lemma="kaqie%2Fnai">καθιέναι</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fxlwn">ὄχλων</w> <w lemma="a%29llotrio%2Fthta">ἀλλοτριότητα</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="e%29chta%2Fkei">ἐξητάκει</w> <w lemma="safw%3Ds">σαφῶς</w>, <w lemma="ei%29%2Fs">εἴς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="metacu%5C">μεταξὺ</w> <w lemma="dusxwri%2Fas">δυσχωρίας</w> <w lemma="o%28dhgoi%3Ds">ὁδηγοῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaqhgemo%2Fsin">καθηγεμόσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29gxwri%2Fois">ἐγχωρίοις</w> <w lemma="e%29xrh%3Dto">ἐχρῆτο</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdwn">ἐλπίδων</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllousi">μέλλουσι</w> <w lemma="koinwnei%3Dn">κοινωνεῖν</w>.
<w lemma="h%28mei%3Ds">ἡμεῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="eu%29qarsw%3Ds">εὐθαρσῶς</w> <w lemma="a%29pofaino%2Fmeqa">ἀποφαινόμεθα</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcewn">πράξεων</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="i%28storhke%2Fnai">ἱστορηκέναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="parateteuxo%2Ftwn">παρατετευχότων</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="kairoi%3Ds">καιροῖς</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="katwpteuke%2Fnai">κατωπτευκέναι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Falpewn">Ἄλπεων</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%5C">αὐτοὶ</w> <w lemma="kexrh%3Dsqai">κεχρῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="porei%2Fa%7C">πορείᾳ</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fsews">γνώσεως</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fneka">ἕνεκα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qe%2Fas">θέας</w>.
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For in the first place can we imagine a more imprudent general or a more incompetent leader than Hannibal would have been, if with so large an army under his command and all his hopes of ultimate success resting on it, he did not know the roads and the country, as these writers say, and had absolutely no idea where he was marching or against whom, or in fact if his enterprise were feasible or not? What they would have us believe is that Hannibal, who had met with no check to diminish his high hopes of success, ventured on a course that no general, even after a crushing defeat and utterly at his wits\' end, would take, to march, that is, into a country as to which he had no information. Similarly, in what they say about the loneliness, and the extreme steepness and difficulty of the road, the falsehood is manifest. For they never took the trouble to learn that the Celts who live near the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhone&groupId=933&placeId=1667">Rhone</a> not on one or on two occasions only before Hannibal\'s arrival but often, and not at any remote date but quite recently, had crossed the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a> with large armies and met the Romans in the field side by side with the Celts who inhabit the plain of the Po (as I narrated in an earlier Book) nor are they aware that there is a considerable population in the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a> themselves; but in entire ignorance of all this they tell us that some hero appeared and showed the road. The natural consequence is that they get into the same difficulties as tragic dramatists all of whom, to bring their dramas to a close, require a deus ex machina, as the data they choose on which to found their plots are false and contrary to reasonable probability. These writers are necessarily in the same spirit and invent apparitions of heroes and gods, since the beginnings on which they build are false and improbable; for how is it possible to finish conformably to reason what has been begun in defiance of it? Of course Hannibal did not act as these writers describe, but conducted his plans with sound practical sense. He had ascertained by careful inquiry the richness of the country into which he proposed to descend and the aversion of the people to the Romans, and for the difficulties of the route he employed as guides and pioneers natives of the country, who were about to take part in his adventure. On these points I can speak with some confidence as I have inquired about the circumstances from men present on the occasion and have personally inspected the country and made the passage of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a> to learn for myself and see.
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Walbank Commentary