Polybius, Histories

Translation

Book 38 - Chapter 7

<head lang="la">II. Bellum Punicum Tertium</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asdrou%2Fbas">Ἀσδρούβας</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cs">στρατηγὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="keno%2Fdocos">κενόδοξος</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="a%29lazw%5Cn">ἀλαζὼν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="kexwrisme%2Fnos">κεχωρισμένος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pragmatikh%3Ds">πραγματικῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="strathgikh%3Ds">στρατηγικῆς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w>.

<w lemma="polla%5C">πολλὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="shmei%3Da">σημεῖα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29krisi%2Fas">ἀκρισίας</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w>. <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="parh%3Dn">παρῆν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="panopli%2Fa%7C">πανοπλίᾳ</w>, <w lemma="porfuri%2Fda">πορφυρίδα</w> <w lemma="qalatti%2Fan">θαλαττίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pipeporphme%2Fnos">ἐπιπεπορπημένος</w>, <w lemma="h%28ni%2Fka">ἡνίκα</w> <w lemma="%2Agolo%2Fssh%7C">Γολόσσῃ</w> <w lemma="sunegi%2Fneto">συνεγίνετο</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Anoma%2Fdwn">Νομάδων</w> <w lemma="basilei%3D">βασιλεῖ</w>, <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="maxairofo%2Frwn">μαχαιροφόρων</w> <w lemma="de%2Fka">δέκα</w>.

<w lemma="e%29%2Fpeita">ἔπειτα</w> <w lemma="proba%5Cs">προβὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%2Fx%27">δέχ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fkosi">εἴκοσι</w> <w lemma="po%2Fdas">πόδας</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsth">ἀπέστη</w>, <w lemma="probeblhme%2Fnos">προβεβλημένος</w> <w lemma="ta%2Ffron">τάφρον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xa%2Fraka">χάρακα</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fneue">κατένευε</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="basilei%3D">βασιλεῖ</w> <w lemma="prosie%2Fnai">προσιέναι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%28to%2Fn">αὑτόν</w>, <w lemma="kaqh%3Dkon">καθῆκον</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%29nanti%2Fon">τοὐναντίον</w>.

<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Agolo%2Fsshs">Γολόσσης</w> <w lemma="a%29felw%3Ds">ἀφελῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="%2Anomadikw%3D%7C">Νομαδικῷ</w> <w lemma="tini">τινι</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpw%7C">τρόπῳ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnos">μόνος</w> <w lemma="prosh%2F%7Cei">προσῄει</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29to%2Fn:">αὐτόν·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="proseggi%2Fsas">προσεγγίσας</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Freto">ἤρετο</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fna">τίνα</w> <w lemma="fobou%2Fmenos">φοβούμενος</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="panopli%2Fan">πανοπλίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Dke">ἧκε</w>.

<w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29po%2Fntos">εἰπόντος</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w>, "<w lemma="%2Aou%29k">Οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fr%27">ἄρ᾽</w>" <w lemma="e%29%2Ffhsen">ἔφησεν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Agolo%2Fsshs">Γολόσσης</w> "<w lemma="e%29%2Fdwkas">ἔδωκας</w> <w lemma="sauto%5Cn">σαυτὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w>, <w lemma="mhdemi%2Fan">μηδεμίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkhn">ἀνάγκην</w>. <w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="bou%2Flei">βούλει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="parakalei%3Ds">παρακαλεῖς</w>;" <w lemma="fhsi%2Fn">φησίν</w>. <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asdrou%2Fbas">Ἀσδρούβας</w> "

<w lemma="%2A%29egw%2F">Ἐγώ</w>" <w lemma="fhsi%5C">φησὶ</w> "<w lemma="presbeuth%2Fn">πρεσβευτήν</w> <w lemma="se">σε</w> <w lemma="parakalw%3D">παρακαλῶ</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nade%2Fxesqai">ἀναδέχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsomen">ποιήσομεν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="prostatto%2Fmenon:">προσταττόμενον·</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Fsxesqe">ἀπόσχεσθε</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="talaipw%2Frou">ταλαιπώρου</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w>.

" <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> [<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w>] <w lemma="%2Agolo%2Fsshs">Γολόσσης</w> "<w lemma="%2Apaidikh%5Cn">Παιδικὴν</w> <w lemma="dokei%3Ds">δοκεῖς</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w>" <w lemma="fhsi%5Cn">φησὶν</w> "<w lemma="a%29ci%2Fwsin">ἀξίωσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29ciou%3Dn">ἀξιοῦν</w>, <w lemma="w%29%3D">ὦ</w> <w lemma="be%2Fltiste:">βέλτιστε·</w>

<w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29kerai%2Fou">ἀκεραίου</w> <w lemma="presbeu%2Fontes">πρεσβεύοντες</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="kaqhme%2Fnwn">καθημένων</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itu%2Fkh%7C">Ἰτύκῃ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29du%2Fnasqe">ἐδύνασθε</w> <w lemma="pei%2Fqein">πείθειν</w>, <w lemma="ti%2Fni">τίνι</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgw%7C">λόγῳ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="a%29cioi%3Ds">ἀξιοῖς</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta%2F">ταῦτά</w> <w lemma="soi">σοι</w> <w lemma="sugxwrei%3Dsqai">συγχωρεῖσθαι</w>, <w lemma="periteteixisme%2Fnos">περιτετειχισμένος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="gh%3Dn">γῆν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fsas">ἁπάσας</w> <w lemma="a%29pegnwkw%5Cs">ἀπεγνωκὼς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="swthri%2Fas">σωτηρίας</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdas">ἐλπίδας</w>;

" <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asdrou%2Fbas">Ἀσδρούβας</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoei%3Dn">ἀγνοεῖν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffh:">ἔφη·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fcwqen">ἔξωθεν</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxois">συμμάχοις</w> <w lemma="a%29kmh%5Cn">ἀκμὴν</w> <w lemma="kala%5Cs">καλὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdas">ἐλπίδας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein:">ἔχειν·</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="ga%2Fr">γάρ</w> <w lemma="pw">πω</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Amaurousi%2Fous">Μαυρουσίους</w> <w lemma="h%29khko%2Fei">ἠκηκόει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pai%2Fqrwn">ὑπαίθρων</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmewn">δυνάμεων</w> [<w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fzontai:">σώζονται·</w>] <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29pelpi%2Fzein">ἀπελπίζειν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%2Fs:">αὑτούς·</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pepoiqe%2Fnai">πεποιθέναι</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="qew%3Dn">θεῶν</w> <w lemma="summaxi%2Fa%7C">συμμαχίᾳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnois">ἐκείνοις</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fsin:">ἐλπίσιν·</w>

<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="perio%2Fyesqai">περιόψεσθαι</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="profanw%3Ds">προφανῶς</w> <w lemma="paraspondoume%2Fnous">παρασπονδουμένους</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="polla%5Cs">πολλὰς</w> <w lemma="dw%2Fsein">δώσειν</w> <w lemma="a%29forma%5Cs">ἀφορμὰς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="swthri%2Fan">σωτηρίαν</w>.

<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="parakalei%3Dn">παρακαλεῖν</w> <w lemma="h%29ci%2Fou">ἠξίου</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="qew%3Dn">θεῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fneken">ἕνεκεν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhs">τύχης</w> <w lemma="fei%2Fsasqai">φείσασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w>, <w lemma="ei%29do%2Fta">εἰδότα</w> <w lemma="safw%3Ds">σαφῶς</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmenoi">δυνάμενοι</w> <w lemma="tuxei%3Dn">τυχεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="katasfagh%2Fsontai">κατασφαγήσονται</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="paraxwrh%2Fsousi">παραχωρήσουσι</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w>.

<w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsia">παραπλήσια</w> <w lemma="dialexqe%2Fntes">διαλεχθέντες</w> <w lemma="e%29xwri%2Fsqhsan">ἐχωρίσθησαν</w>, <w lemma="taca%2Fmenoi">ταξάμενοι</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tri%2Fthn">τρίτην</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fran">ἡμέραν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="sumporeu%2Fesqai:">συμπορεύεσθαι·</w>

<head>II. The Third Punic War</head>Hasdrubal, the Carthaginian general, was an empty-headed braggart and very far from being a competent statesman or general.

There are many evidences of his lack of judgement. To begin with, at his meeting with Golosses, king of the Numidians, he appeared in a complete suit of armour over which was fastened a cloak of sea purple and with a retinue of ten swordsmen.

Then advancing in front of these ten men he remained at a distance of about twenty feet from the king protected by a trench and palisade, and made signs to him to come to him, while it ought to have been the reverse.

However, Golosses with true Numidian simplicity advanced to him unaccompanied, and when he approached him asked him in fear of whom he had come thus armed cap-a-pie.

Hasdrubal answered, "In fear of the Romans." "But then," said Golosses, "you would scarcely have trusted yourself in the town without any necessity. But what do you want, what is your request?"

"I beg you," answered Hasdrubal, "to act as my envoy to the general, and I consent on my part to submit to any terms, if only they will spare this unhappy city."

"My good friend," said Golosses, "you seem to me to make a perfectly childish request.

How do you expect, now you are surrounded by land and sea and have almost abandoned every hope of safety, to persuade the Romans to front you what they refused you, when at the time they were still in Utica, you approached them with your strength yet intact?"

"You are mistaken," said Hasdrubal, "for I still have good hopes of what our foreign allies may do for us." For he had not yet heard what had happened to the Moors or to his own force in the field. And he added that he was not even in despair as regards their own resources: for he chiefly relied on the support of the gods and the hope he placed in them.

"Surely," he said, "they will not suffer us to be thus undisguisedly betrayed but will give us many means of salvation."

He therefore begged him to implore the general to think of the gods and of Fortune and to spare the town, and he might be quite sure that if they could not obtain this request they would all rather be slaughtered than give up the town

After conversing more or less in this sense they separated, agreeing to meet again in three days.

Walbank Commentary

Overview

38.7.1 - 38.8.15

Criticism of the Punic general Hasdrubal This excerpt from de uirt. et uit. belongs to res Africae of Ol. 158, 2 = 147/6 and refers to late autumn 147 (8. 3); on its position here, following 19 and fg. 145 see p. 48. For Hasdrubal's attempts to negotiate, described here, cf. Zon. ix. 30. 1; Diod. xxxii. 22.

Specifics

38.7.1 - 38.7.1

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Ἀσδρούβας ὁ στρατηγὸς Καρχηδονίων</w>:</emph> excerptor's words. Hasdrubal had commanded the forces that attacked Masinissa in winter 151/0 (cf. xxxvi. 2. 1–4 n., p. 654; App. Lib. 70–71). Condemned to death for capitulating (xxxvi. 3. 1–6. 6 n.), he operated for a time with an army against <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>, but was recalled to assume the supreme command (Zon. ix. 26; above, xxxvi. 7. 5 n.). At Nepheris he held out against Manilius (xxxvi. 8. 4 n.) and the consuls of 148 dared not attack him (App. Lib. 110). When Scipio took over in 147, Hasdrubal left Nepheris and moved close to the walls of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> (App. Lib. 111, 114). He is said to have followed Scipio's attack on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megara&groupId=746&placeId=1361">Megara</a> by outrages against Roman prisoners and by executing members of the Carthaginian council who objected to his policy (App. Lib. 118); see 8. 1 n. See Lenschau, RE, 'Hasdrubal (13)', cols. 2476–7. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πραγματικῆς καὶ στρατηγικῆς δυνάμεως</w>:</emph> cf. xii. 25 k 8 n.

38.7.2 - 38.7.2

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Γολόσσῃ . . . τῷ τῶν Νομάδων βασιλεῖ</w>:</emph> cf. xxxiv. 16. 1. On Masinissa's death Gulussa was given command of the army (cf. xxxvi. 15. <milestone unit="page" n="695">[695]</milestone> 10 n.) and joined the Roman forces with Numidian reinforcements (xxxvi. 16. 12 n.; note on the position of xxxvi. 8. 8). Gulussa seems to be P.'s source for the conversation with Hasdrubal.

38.7.3 - 38.7.3

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">προβεβλημένος τάφρον καὶ χάρακα</w>:</emph> <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> had at this time a triple walla moat, palisade, and two ramparts, of which the inner one contained rows of casements to shelter 300 elephants, 4,000 horses, 20,000 infantry, and 4,000 cavalry. This wall was c. 57 ft. high and 28 ft. broad (App. Lib. 95; cf. 97 mentioning <w lang="el-GR">τὴν τάφρον καὶ βραχὺ ἐπιτείχισμα . . . καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐκείνῳ τὰ ὑψηλὰ τείχη)</w>. These walls have vanished, but the moat has been detected running across the Isthmus <w lang="el-GR">(αὐχήν</w>: i. 75. 4) between the <w lang="el-GR">λίμνη</w> (i. 73. 4) and the sea to the north (now the Sebka er Riana). See maps in Vol. I, p. 138; Warmington, 139; Charles-Picard, Daily Life, 8; Lenschau, RE, 'Karthago', facing cols. 2175–6. For the detection and subsequent excavation of the fortifications see R. Duval, CRAI, 1950, 53; G. Picard, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> (London, 1964), Pl. 76. The <w lang="el-GR">τάφρος</w> and <w lang="el-GR">χάραξ</w> mentioned here seem to be identical with the <w lang="el-GR">τάφρος</w> and <w lang="el-GR">βραχὺ ἐπιτείχισμα</w> mentioned by Appian; and Gulussa evidently spoke to Hasdrubal in the area between this <w lang="el-GR">ἐπιτείχισμα</w> and the first of the main walls. For discussion see Lenschau, RE, 'Karthago', cols. 2168–9.

38.7.4 - 38.7.4

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀφελῶς ἔχων</w>:</emph> 'simply dressed' in contrast to Hasdrubal (§ 2); Paton, 'with true Numidian simplicity', misses the point.

38.7.5 - 38.7.5

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">οὐκ ἂν ἄρ᾿ . . . ἔδωκας σαυτὸν εἰς τὴν πόλιν</w>:</emph> 'Yes indeed, for you would not otherwise have shut yourself up in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> . . .' Hasdrubal had come in from his strong position at Nepheris and was now penned in within the Roman fortifications. Paton, 'But then, said Golosses, you would scarcely have trusted yourself in the town without necessity', completely misses the point of Gulussa's taunt ('yes, you certainly are afraid!'). Shuckburgh, 'Then you should not have trusted yourself to the city etc.', introduces a didactic note not in the Greek. Valesius and Reiske also went wrong; see Schweighaeuser's excellent remarksthough I cannot see in Gulussa's retort the implication attributed to it by Schweighaeuser at the end of his note: 'At nimirum nunc quidem in hoc congressu non est cur Romanos timeas et idcirco armatus et fossa ualloque munitus mecum colloqui uelis, cum ego solus et nudus prodeam neque Romanis militibus sim cinctus.' Gulussa had no reason to soothe and reassure Hasdrubal; having made his gibe he comes directly to the point.

38.7.6 - 38.7.6

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">καὶ πᾶν ἀναδέχεσθαι</w>:</emph> 'go surety for the fact that . . .'

38.7.8 - 38.7.8

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐξ ἀκεραίου</w>:</emph> 'at the outset' (cf. fg. 96) or 'when your strength was intact'.

38.7.9 - 38.7.9

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὰ περὶ τοὺς Μαυρουσίους κτλ</w>.:</emph> cf. App. Lib. 126, describing the victory of Scipio and Gulussa over the forces in Nepheris, now under one Diogenes (perhaps a mercenary captain; but Kahrstedt, iii. 659, suggests that this is merely what the Greeks and Romans called <milestone unit="page" n="696">[696]</milestone> him). The capture of Nepheris after a 22 days' blockade was accompanied by heavy losses; Appian records 70,000 killed, 10,000 captives and 4,000 who escaped. It was followed by a general capitulation of the countryside. This took place <w lang="el-GR">χειμῶνος ἀρχομένου</w> (App. Lib. 126); since the news had not hitherto reached <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>, Hasdrubal's conversation with Gulussa was evidently in early winter (cf. 8. 3 n.), probably Nov./Dec. 147 (cf. Pdech, Mthode, 462–3). [ <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὅτι σώζονται</w></emph> ]: the wrong meaning and best excised as a gloss.

38.7.10 - 38.7.10

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">οὐ . . . περιόψεσθαι σφᾶς . . . παρασπονδουμένους</w>:</emph> 'they will not allow us to be treacherously treated'; on <w lang="el-GR">παρασπονδεῖν</w>, which need not involve the actual breach of a treaty, see i. 43. 2 n. The same phrase is used of Hannibal and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Saguntum&groupId=938&placeId=1673">Saguntum</a> in iii. 15. 7.

Polybius, Histories

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