Polybius, Histories

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Book 6 - Chapter 42

1
<w lemma="%2A%28%3Dhi">Ἧι</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dsi">δοκοῦσι</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="katadiw%2Fkontes">καταδιώκοντες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="eu%29xe%2Freian">εὐχέρειαν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fan">ἐναντίαν</w> <w lemma="o%28do%5Cn">ὁδὸν</w> <w lemma="poreu%2Fesqai">πορεύεσθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhsi">Ἕλλησι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhnes">Ἕλληνες</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="stratopedeu%2Fein">στρατοπεδεύειν</w> <w lemma="h%28gou%3Dntai">ἡγοῦνται</w> <w lemma="kuriw%2Ftaton">κυριώτατον</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="katakolouqei%3Dn">κατακολουθεῖν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="o%29xuro%2Fthsin">ὀχυρότησιν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29kkli%2Fnontes">ἐκκλίνοντες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tafrei%2Fas">ταφρείας</w> <w lemma="talaipwri%2Fan">ταλαιπωρίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fzontes">νομίζοντες</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fas">ὁμοίας</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="xeiropoih%2Ftous">χειροποιήτους</w> <w lemma="a%29sfalei%2Fas">ἀσφαλείας</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsews">φύσεως</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="u%28parxou%2Fsais">ὑπαρχούσαις</w> <w lemma="o%29xuro%2Fthsi">ὀχυρότησι</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhs">ὅλης</w> <w lemma="parembolh%3Ds">παρεμβολῆς</w> <w lemma="qe%2Fsin">θέσιν</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nagka%2Fzontai">ἀναγκάζονται</w> <w lemma="sxh%3Dma">σχῆμα</w> <w lemma="metalamba%2Fnein">μεταλαμβάνειν</w>, <w lemma="e%28po%2Fmenoi">ἑπόμενοι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w>, <w lemma="ta%2F">τά</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="metalla%2Fttein">μεταλλάττειν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllote">ἄλλοτε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllous">ἄλλους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="a%29katallh%2Flous">ἀκαταλλήλους</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous:">τόπους·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fstaton">ἄστατον</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstw%7C">ἑκάστῳ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="stratopedei%2Fas">στρατοπεδείας</w>.
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<w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ta%2Ffrous">τάφρους</w> <w lemma="talaipwri%2Fan">ταλαιπωρίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%29%2Flla">τἄλλα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="parepo%2Fmena">παρεπόμενα</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="u%28pome%2Fnein">ὑπομένειν</w> <w lemma="ai%28rou%3Dntai">αἱροῦνται</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="eu%29xerei%2Fas">εὐχερείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Frimon">γνώριμον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mi%2Fan">μίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein">ἔχειν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="ai%29ei%5C">αἰεὶ</w> <w lemma="parembolh%2Fn">παρεμβολήν</w>.
6
<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Ata%5C">Τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="o%28losxere%2Fstera">ὁλοσχερέστερα</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="strato%2Fpeda">στρατόπεδα</w> <w lemma="qewri%2Fas">θεωρίας</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="parembola%2Fs">παρεμβολάς</w>, <w lemma="tau%3Dt%27">ταῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fstin">ἔστιν</w>. [<foreign lang="la">Cod. Urb. v. p. 264, 17 habet haec cum antecedentibus arcte cohaerentia exc. ant. p. 180.</foreign>]
The Romans by thus studying convenience in this matter pursue, it seems to me, a course diametrically opposite to that usual among the Greeks.
The Greeks in encamping think it of primary importance to adapt the camp to the natural advantages of the ground, first because they shirk the labour of entrenching, and next because they think artificial defences are not equal in value to the fortifications which nature provides unaided on the spot.
So that as regards the plan of the camp as a whole they are obliged to adopt all kinds of shapes to suit the nature of the ground, and they often have to shift the parts of the army to unsuitable situations, the consequence being that everyone is quite uncertain whereabouts in the camp his own place or the place of his corps is.
The Romans on the contrary prefer to submit to the fatigue of entrenching and other defensive work for the sake of the convenience of having a single type of camp which never varies and is familiar to all.
Such are the most important facts about the Roman armies and especially about the method of encampment. . . .