Polybius, Histories

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Book 36 - Chapter 8

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<w lemma="%2A%29ami%2Flkas">Ἀμίλκας</w>, <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Afame%2Fas">Φαμέας</w>, <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="strathgo%2Fs">στρατηγός</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="u%28ph%3Drxe">ὑπῆρχε</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="h%28liki%2Fan">ἡλικίαν</w> <w lemma="a%29kma%2Fzwn">ἀκμάζων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fcin">ἕξιν</w> <w lemma="e%29rrwme%2Fnos">ἐρρωμένος</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgiston">μέγιστον</w> <w lemma="e%29fo%2Fdion">ἐφόδιον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="polemikh%5Cn">πολεμικὴν</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fan">χρείαν</w>, <w lemma="i%28ppeu%5Cs">ἱππεὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgan">ἄγαν</w> <w lemma="a%29gaqo%5Cs">ἀγαθὸς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tolmhro%2Fs">τολμηρός</w>. —
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Aoi%28">Οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="diazhlotupou%2Fmenoi">διαζηλοτυπούμενοι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwna">Σκιπίωνα</w> <w lemma="e%29peba%2Flonto">ἐπεβάλοντο</w> <w lemma="diasu%2Frein">διασύρειν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w>. — <w lemma="%2Ata%5Cs">Τὰς</w> <w lemma="profulaka%5Cs">προφυλακὰς</w> <w lemma="ble%2Fpwn">βλέπων</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Afame%2Fas">Φαμέας</w>,
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<w lemma="w%29%5Cn">ὢν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fyuxos">ἄψυχος</w>, <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fkline">ἐξέκλινε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwna">Σκιπίωνα</w> <w lemma="sumploka%2Fs">συμπλοκάς</w>. <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="pote">ποτε</w> <w lemma="suneggi%2Fsas">συνεγγίσας</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29fedrei%2Fais">ἐφεδρείαις</w>, <w lemma="probalo%2Fmenos">προβαλόμενος</w> <w lemma="o%29fru%5Cn">ὀφρὺν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Ftomon">ἀπότομον</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fsth">ἐπέστη</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w>. —
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Aai%28">Αἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="shmei%3Dai">σημεῖαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="sunepefeu%2Fgesan">συνεπεφεύγεσαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="bouno%2Fn:">βουνόν·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="do%2Fntwn">δόντων</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmas">γνώμας</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwn">Σκιπίων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffh">ἔφη</w>, *
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? <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29kerai%2Fou">ἀκεραίου</w> <w lemma="bouleu%2Fwntai">βουλεύωνται</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fnoian">πρόνοιαν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="paqei%3Dn">παθεῖν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dra%3Dsai">δρᾶσαι</w> <w lemma="kakw%3Ds">κακῶς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29xqrou%2Fs">ἐχθρούς</w>. —
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Aou%29">Οὐ</w> <w lemma="xrh%5C">χρὴ</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fzein">θαυμάζειν</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="filotimo%2Fteron">φιλοτιμότερον</w> <w lemma="e%29chgou%2Fmeqa">ἐξηγούμεθα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwna">Σκιπίωνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="r%28hqe%5Cn">ῥηθὲν</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="diastolh%3Ds">διαστολῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29cagge%2Fllomen">ἐξαγγέλλομεν</w>. — <w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbios:">Πολύβιος·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmh%7C">Ῥώμῃ</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Frkon">Μάρκον</w> <w lemma="%2Apo%2Frkion">Πόρκιον</w> <w lemma="a%29kou%2Fsanta">ἀκούσαντα</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29ristei%2Fas">ἀριστείας</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwnos">Σκιπίωνος</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> [<w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllon">ἄλλον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnon:">ἐκεῖνον·</w> <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="a%29kh%2Fkoas">ἀκήκοας</w>] <w lemma="oi%29%3Dos">οἶος</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fpnutai:">πέπνυται·</w> <w lemma="toi%5C">τοὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="skiai%5C">σκιαὶ</w> <w lemma="a%29i+%2Fssousin">ἀΐσσουσιν</w>. —
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Aoi%28">Οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="u%28pereudokou%2Fmenoi">ὑπερευδοκούμενοι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwnos">Σκιπίωνος</w> <w lemma="o%28mologi%2Fa%7C">ὁμολογίᾳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="xeirismw%3D%7C">χειρισμῷ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> ?<w lemma=""></w>*
Hamilcar, also known as Phameas, the Carthaginian general, was in the prime of life, of great personal vigour, and what is most important in a soldier, a good and bold rider.
Others from extreme jealousy of Scipio tried to belittle his achievements.
Seeing the strength of the outposts, Phameas, who was by no means timid, used to avoid any engagement with Scipio, and once when he approached the Roman reserve force he got under shelter of a steep ridge and halted there for a considerable time.
The Roman maniples fled to the top of a hill, and when every one had given his advice, Scipio said,
"When men are consulting about a fresh emergency they must rather take care to avoid disaster than scheme how to damage the enemy."
It should not be a matter of surprise to anyone if I display particular interest in Scipio and report all his utterances at length.