Polybius, Histories

Translation

Book 8 - Chapter 4

<w lemma="%2A%28o">Ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Frkos">Μάρκος</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%2Fkonta">ἑξήκοντα</w> <w lemma="ska%2Ffesi">σκάφεσι</w> <w lemma="penthrikoi%3Ds">πεντηρικοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29poiei%3Dto">ἐποιεῖτο</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fploun">ἐπίπλουν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axradi%2Fnhn">Ἀχραδίνην</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkaston">ἕκαστον</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dres">πλῆρες</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29xo%2Fntwn">ἐχόντων</w> <w lemma="to%2Fca">τόξα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sfendo%2Fnas">σφενδόνας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gro%2Fsfous">γρόσφους</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmellon">ἔμελλον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pa%2Flcewn">ἐπάλξεων</w> <w lemma="maxome%2Fnous">μαχομένους</w> <w lemma="a%29naste%2Fllein">ἀναστέλλειν</w>.

<w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="o%29ktw%5C">ὀκτὼ</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fresi">πεντήρεσι</w>, <w lemma="paralelume%2Fnais">παραλελυμέναις</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="tarsou%2Fs">ταρσούς</w>, <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="deciou%2Fs">δεξιούς</w>, <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="eu%29wnu%2Fmous">εὐωνύμους</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunezeugme%2Fnais">συνεζευγμέναις</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flas">ἀλλήλας</w> <w lemma="su%2Fnduo">σύνδυο</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29yilwme%2Fnous">ἐψιλωμένους</w> <w lemma="toi%2Fxous">τοίχους</w>, <w lemma="prosh%3Dgon">προσῆγον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tei%3Dxos">τεῖχος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29kto%5Cs">ἐκτὸς</w> <w lemma="toi%2Fxwn">τοίχων</w> <w lemma="ei%29resi%2Fas">εἰρεσίας</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="legome%2Fnas">λεγομένας</w> <w lemma="sambu%2Fkas">σαμβύκας</w>.

<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnos">γένος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kataskeuh%3Ds">κατασκευῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhme%2Fnwn">εἰρημένων</w> <w lemma="o%29rga%2Fnwn">ὀργάνων</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5C">ἐστὶ</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dto">τοιοῦτο</w>.

<w lemma="kli%2Fmaka">κλίμακα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="pla%2Ftei">πλάτει</w> <w lemma="tetra%2Fpedon">τετράπεδον</w> <w lemma="e%28toima%2Fsantes">ἑτοιμάσαντες</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fst%27">ὥστ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29poba%2Fsews">ἀποβάσεως</w> <w lemma="i%29sou+yh%3D">ἰσοϋψῆ</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tei%2Fxei">τείχει</w>, <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Fran">ἑκατέραν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pleura%5Cn">πλευρὰν</w> <w lemma="drufaktw%2Fsantes">δρυφακτώσαντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="skepa%2Fsantes">σκεπάσαντες</w> <w lemma="u%28perpete%2Fsi">ὑπερπετέσι</w> <w lemma="qwraki%2Fois">θωρακίοις</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fqhkan">ἔθηκαν</w> <w lemma="plagi%2Fan">πλαγίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="sumyau%2Fontas">συμψαύοντας</w> <w lemma="toi%2Fxous">τοίχους</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="sunezeugme%2Fnwn">συνεζευγμένων</w> <w lemma="new%3Dn">νεῶν</w>, <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="propi%2Fptousan">προπίπτουσαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29mbo%2Flwn">ἐμβόλων</w>.

<w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%28stoi%3Ds">ἱστοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fnw">ἄνω</w> <w lemma="merw%3Dn">μερῶν</w> <w lemma="troxili%2Fai">τροχιλίαι</w> <w lemma="prosh%2Frthnto">προσήρτηντο</w> <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="ka%2Flois">κάλοις</w>.

<w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="e%29ggi%2Fswsi">ἐγγίσωσι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fas">χρείας</w>, <w lemma="e%29ndedeme%2Fnwn">ἐνδεδεμένων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ka%2Flwn">κάλων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="korufh%5Cn">κορυφὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kli%2Fmakos">κλίμακος</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Flkousi">ἕλκουσι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="troxiliw%3Dn">τροχιλιῶν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="e%28stw%3Dtes">ἑστῶτες</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="pru%2Fmnais:">πρύμναις·</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteroi">ἕτεροι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fws">παραπλησίως</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="prw%2Frrais">πρώρραις</w> <w lemma="e%29cerei%2Fdontes">ἐξερείδοντες</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29nthri%2Fsin">ἀντηρίσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29sfali%2Fzontai">ἀσφαλίζονται</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frsin">ἄρσιν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="mhxanh%2Fmatos">μηχανήματος</w>.

<w lemma="ka%29%2Fpeita">κἄπειτα</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ei%29resi%2Fas">εἰρεσίας</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29f%27">ἀφ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Frou">ἑκατέρου</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29kto%5Cs">ἐκτὸς</w> <w lemma="tarsw%3Dn">ταρσῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29ggi%2Fsantes">ἐγγίσαντες</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="gh%3D%7C">γῇ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="nau%3Ds">ναῦς</w>, <w lemma="peira%2Fzousi">πειράζουσι</w> <w lemma="proserei%2Fdein">προσερείδειν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tei%2Fxei">τείχει</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnon">προειρημένον</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Frganon">ὄργανον</w>.

<w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kli%2Fmakos">κλίμακος</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fkras">ἄκρας</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxei">ὑπάρχει</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fteuron">πέτευρον</w> <w lemma="h%29sfalisme%2Fnon">ἠσφαλισμένον</w> <w lemma="ge%2Frrois">γέρροις</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="trei%3Ds">τρεῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pifanei%2Fas">ἐπιφανείας</w>, <w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="te%2Fttares">τέτταρες</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndres">ἄνδρες</w> <w lemma="e%29pibebhko%2Ftes">ἐπιβεβηκότες</w> <w lemma="a%29gwni%2Fzontai">ἀγωνίζονται</w>, <w lemma="diamaxo%2Fmenoi">διαμαχόμενοι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Frgontas">εἴργοντας</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pa%2Flcewn">ἐπάλξεων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fsqesin">πρόσθεσιν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sambu%2Fkhs">σαμβύκης</w>.

<w lemma="e%29pa%5Cn">ἐπὰν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="proserei%2Fsantes">προσερείσαντες</w> <w lemma="u%28perde%2Fcioi">ὑπερδέξιοι</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnwntai">γένωνται</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tei%2Fxous">τείχους</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtoi">οὗτοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pla%2Fgia">πλάγια</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ge%2Frrwn">γέρρων</w> <w lemma="paralu%2Fsantes">παραλύσαντες</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Frou">ἑκατέρου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frous">μέρους</w> <w lemma="e%29pibai%2Fnousin">ἐπιβαίνουσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pa%2Flceis">ἐπάλξεις</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="pu%2Frgous">πύργους</w>.

<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="loipoi%5C">λοιποὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sambu%2Fkhs">σαμβύκης</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fpontai">ἕπονται</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w>, <w lemma="a%29sfalw%3Ds">ἀσφαλῶς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ka%2Flois">κάλοις</w> <w lemma="bebhkui%2Fas">βεβηκυίας</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kli%2Fmakos">κλίμακος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="a%29mfote%2Fras">ἀμφοτέρας</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="nau%3Ds">ναῦς</w>.

<w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kataskeu%2Fasma">κατασκεύασμα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proshgori%2Fas">προσηγορίας</w> <w lemma="te%2Fteuxe">τέτευχε</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths:">ταύτης·</w> <w lemma="e%29peida%5Cn">ἐπειδὰν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29carqh%3D%7C">ἐξαρθῇ</w>, <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai">γίνεται</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sxh%3Dma">σχῆμα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="new%5Cs">νεὼς</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kli%2Fmakos">κλίμακος</w> <w lemma="e%28nopoihqe%5Cn">ἑνοποιηθὲν</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsion">παραπλήσιον</w> <w lemma="sambu%2Fkh%7C">σαμβύκῃ</w>.

Meanwhile Marcellus was attacking Achradina from the sea with sixty quinqueremes, each of which was full of men armed with bows, slings, and javelins, meant to repulse those fighting from the battlements.

He had also eight quinqueremes from which the oars had been removed, the starboard oars from some and the larboard ones from others. These were lashed together two and two, on their dismantled sides, and pulling with the oars on their outer sides they brought up to the wall the so‑called ""

These engines are constructed as follows.

A ladder was made four feet broad and of a height equal to that of the wall when planted at the proper distance. Each side was furnished with a breastwork, and it was covered in by a screen at a considerable height. It was then laid flat upon those sides of the ships which were in contact and protruding a considerable distance beyond the prow.

At the top of the masts there are pulleys with ropes, and when they are about to use it, they attach the ropes to the top of the ladder, and men standing at the stern pull them by means of the pulleys, while others stand on the prow, and supporting the engine with props, assure its being safely raised. After this the towers on both the outer sides of the ships bring them close to shore, and they now endeavour to set the engine I have described up against the wall.

At the summit of the ladder there is a platform protected on three sides by wicker screens, on which four men mount and face the enemy resisting the efforts of those who from the battlements try to prevent the sambuca from being set up against the wall.

As soon as they have set it up and are on a higher level than the wall, these men pull down the wicker screens on each side of the platform and mount the battlements or towers,

while the rest follow them through the sambuca which is held firm by the ropes attached to both ships.

The construction was appropriately called a sambuca, for when it is raised the shape of the ship and ladder together is just like the musical instrument.

Walbank Commentary

Overview

8.2.0 - 8.7.0

The Siege of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a> The Sicilian events from which this extract came evidently covered the period from Hieronymus' death in 214 to the end of 213; see above, pp. 2 and 3, and below 37 n. For the events related here see Livy, xxiv. 33. 9–35. 1 (based on P.; cf. Klotz, Livius, 113 ff.). 3. 2–7. 9 is also in Anon. de obsid. tol. 200–241 (326–7 Thvenot). § 1 is largely the epitomator's wording. P. evidently draws on a good source, well able to cope with the technical details of the siege; its identity is unknown. <milestone unit="page" n="69">[69]</milestone>

Specifics

8.4.1 - 8.4.1

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἑξήκοντα σκάφεσι πεντηρικοῖς</w>:</emph> cf. Livy, xxiv. 34. 4; Plut. Marc. <milestone unit="page" n="71">[71]</milestone> 14. 3. These and the eight mentioned in § 2 were only part of the 100 quinqueremes at Marcellus' disposal; cf. 1. 8 n.; Thiel, 79 n. 133.

8.4.2 - 8.4.2

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">διὰ τῆς τῶν ἐκτὸς τοίχων εἰρεσίας</w>:</emph> cf. Livy, xxiv. 34. 7, 'cum exteriore ordine remorum uelut una nauis agerentur'. From this passage and Livy's use of the singular ordo remorum Tarn (HMND, 127) draws support for his convincing hypothesis that the quinquereme had a single bank of oars rowed five men to an oar (cf. i. 20. 9 n.). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὰς . . . σαμβύκας</w>:</emph> literally a <w lang="el-GR">σαμβύκη</w> was a kind of harp, triangular in shape, and with many strings (cf. Athen. xiv. 634–5; Plut. Mor. 827 a ff.); the word is also used for a 'harp-player': cf. 6. 6, v. 37. 10 (where Paton's 'sackbut-girls' will not do: the sackbut was a kind of trombone). For the transference of the name to the siege-engine see § 11. A type of sambuca, or boarding-bridge for use on land, is described by Biton (ed. Rehm-Schramm, Abh. Bay. Ak. 1929), 57–60 (Wescher); it was invented by a Damius (or Damis) of Colophon, otherwise unknown. But the first boarding-bridges used to attack a fortification from shipboard were those of Alexander, mounted on two merchant-ships, at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tyre&groupId=1053&placeId=1855">Tyre</a> (Arrian, ii. 23. 2), and probably the invention of his engineer Diades (Athen. Mech. (ed. Schneider, Gött. Abh. 1912) 10. 10 ff. (Wescher); Tarn, HMND, 111-12). As inventor of Marcellus' sambuca an otherwise unknown writer on Mechanica named Moschus (Athen. xiv. 634) mentions Heracleides of Tarentum. From xiii. 4. 6 it is clear that Heracleides was not expelled from his native city until after its defection to Hannibal in winter 213/12 (see p. 5). But he may well have been in previous Roman employment, and have assisted Marcellus with the sambuca at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a>; this would have contributed to the suspicion with which he was regarded at Tarentum. For the use of such machines see further Plut. Marc. 15. 4; Appian, Mith. 26 f.; Vitruv. x. 16. 9; Athen. xiv. 634 A; Veget. iv. 21; Fiebiger, RE, 'sambuca (2)', col. 2125. Livy (xxiv. 34. 7) refers at this point only to 'turris contabulatas machinamentaque alia quatiendis muris'; and Plutarch (Marc. 14. 3) assumes that the device was erected on all the eight ships fastened together.

8.4.4 - 8.4.4

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐξ ἀποβάσεως ἰσοϋψῆ . . . τῷ τείχει</w>:</emph> 'of equal height to the wall when erected at a(n appropriate) distance.' For this technical sense of <w lang="el-GR">ἀπόβασις</w> see ix. 19. 7. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">δρυφακτώσαντες . . . θωρακίοις</w>:</emph> 'fencing in with a high protective breastwork'. The words <w lang="el-GR">ὑπερπετέσι θωρακίοις</w> go with both participles: see Schweighaeuser's discussion ad loc. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἔθηκαν πλαγίαν</w>:</emph> 'they laid it flat'; for <w lang="el-GR">πλάγιος</w> 'horizontal' see LSJ. Schweighaeuser, who did not know this meaning of the word, has a desperately complicated explanation of this passage, which may be neglected.

8.4.6 - 8.4.6

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐνδεδεμένων τῶν κάλων</w>:</emph> i.e. well in advance of the operation. Paton's translation suggests that they do not attach the ropes until <milestone unit="page" n="72">[72]</milestone> they are about to use the machine, but this is unlikely. (I owe this point to Dr. J. G. Landels, who has now discussed the various kinds of instrument called sambuca in JHS, 1966, 69–77.) <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">παραπλησίως</w>:</emph> 'similarly'. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐξερείδοντες ταῖς ἀντηρίσιν</w>:</emph> 'supporting it with props'.

8.4.7 - 8.4.7

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">διὰ τῆς εἰρεσίας . . . ταρσῶν</w>:</emph> 'using the oars on both the outer sides'.

8.4.8 - 8.4.8

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πέτευρον</w>:</emph> 'a platform'; primarily a roosting perch for fowls (cf. Aristoph. frag. 839; Hesych. s.v.).

8.4.9 - 8.4.9

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὑπερδέξιοι . . . τοῦ τείχους</w>:</emph> 'above the level of the wall', or 'in a controlling position on the wall' (cf. v. 102. 3).

8.4.10 - 8.4.10

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀσφαλῶς . . . βεβηκυίας</w>:</emph> 'standing securely (on both ships)'. For this, the only sense in which P. uses <w lang="el-GR">βέβηκα</w>, cf. ix. 26 a 8. <w lang="el-GR">εἰς . . . ναῦς</w>is to be taken with <w lang="el-GR">βεβηκυίας</w>. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοῖς κάλοις</w>:</emph> the <w lang="el-GR">κάλοι</w> of § 5, hence the article. It is true that in § 6 the article is used with <w lang="el-GR">ἀ?ντήρισιν</w> although this is their first mention; but no ambiguity arises there, as it would here if the <w lang="el-GR">κάλοι</w> were not those just mentioned. Nevertheless, as Dr. Landels has pointed out to me, it is odd that the weight should continue to be taken by the ropes, when the ladder would more naturally drop on to the wall. Has P. perhaps misunderstood a reference to other ropes hanging down from the ladder, which could have been used to hold it down on the wall?

8.4.11 - 8.4.11

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">παραπλήσιον σαμβύκῃ</w>:</emph> this comparison of the siege-engine to the triangular harp-like musical instrument is also in Vegetius, iv. 21: 'sambuca dicitur ad similitudinem citharae; nam quemadmodum in cithara chordae sunt, ita in trabe, quae iuxta turrem ponitur, funes sunt, qui pontem de superiore parte trochleis laxant, ut descendat ad murum.' Festus, s.v., also equates the chordae and funes. Now Vegetius' sambuca seems to be on land; but if we make the necessary adjustment to the naval sambuca, the triangle, comparable to the harp, appears to be formed by the ladder, the mast, and the ropes running from the mast-tops to the ladder-top, and the analogy with a harp in which the triangular space is occupied with a succession of vertical strings (four according to Euphorion, quoted in Athen. xiv. 633 F, but possibly more) is not very close. However, P. emphasizes that it is the ship and ladder together which resemble the instrument; so too Andreas of Panormus (Athen. xiv. 634 A = FGH, 571 F 1), though if his <w lang="el-GR">Σικελικὰ κατὰ πόλιν</w> was written under the empire, as Jacoby thinks, he was probably copying P. On this interpretation the sides of the triangle will be formed by the ladder and the deck beneath, while the strings and third side are represented by the series of props of different sizes which help to support the ladder and give it stability (cf. § 6 <w lang="el-GR">ἐξερείδοντες ταῖς ἀντήρισιν)</w>. As Schweighaeuser (who has the substance of this note) observes, the basis of <milestone unit="page" n="73">[73]</milestone> P.'s comparison and Vegetius's is quite different; the latter's source may well be early, but P.'s comparison is closer and may be assumed to be the original one. It has its difficulties, but one has no right to press a soldier's joke of this kind too closely; a general analogy would be enough to justify the nickname (cf. i. 26. 6 n. for a parallel). For other suggestions cf. Landels, JHS, 1966, 69–77. On the damage inflicted on the sambucae by Archimedes see Flacelire, Rev. arch. 1966, 5–12.

Addenda & corrigenda

8.4.11 - 8.4.11

<emph rend="bold">4. 11. <w lang="el-GR">παραπλήσιον σαμβύκῃ</w>:</emph> on the damage inflicted on the sambucae by Archimedes see Flacelire, Rev. arch. 1966, 5–12.

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