Polybius, Histories

Translation

Book 1 - Chapter 61

<w lemma="ron">ρον</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fsthse">κατέστησε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="sto%2Flon">στόλον</w>. <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnioi">Καρχηδόνιοι</w> <w lemma="katido%2Fntes">κατιδόντες</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="dia%2Fploun">διάπλουν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="prokate%2Fxontas">προκατέχοντας</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w>, <w lemma="kaqelo%2Fmenoi">καθελόμενοι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%28stou%5Cs">ἱστοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parakale%2Fsantes">παρακαλέσαντες</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="nau%3Dn">ναῦν</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fballon">συνέβαλλον</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fois">ὑπεναντίοις</w>.

<w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Frwn">ἑκατέρων</w> <w lemma="paraskeuh%3Ds">παρασκευῆς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fan">ἐναντίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29xou%2Fshs">ἐχούσης</w> <w lemma="dia%2Fqesin">διάθεσιν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Adre%2Fpana">Δρέπανα</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnh%7C">γενομένῃ</w> <w lemma="naumaxi%2Fa%7C">ναυμαχίᾳ</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Frois">ἑκατέροις</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhs">μάχης</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fon">ἐναντίον</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fbh">ἀπέβη</w>.

<w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="th%2Fn">τήν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="nauphgi%2Fan">ναυπηγίαν</w> <w lemma="meteilh%2Ffesan">μετειλήφεσαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="ba%2Frh">βάρη</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="naumaxi%2Fan">ναυμαχίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pithdei%2Fwn">ἐπιτηδείων</w> <w lemma="e%29cete%2Fqeinto:">ἐξετέθειντο·</w> <w lemma="ta%2F">τά</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="plhrw%2Fmata">πληρώματα</w> <w lemma="sugkekrothme%2Fna">συγκεκροτημένα</w> <w lemma="diafe%2Frousan">διαφέρουσαν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fan">χρείαν</w> <w lemma="parei%2Fxeto">παρείχετο</w>, <w lemma="tou%2Fs">τούς</w> <w lemma="t%27">τ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29piba%2Ftas">ἐπιβάτας</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29klogh%5Cn">ἐκλογὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w> <w lemma="a%29paraxwrh%2Ftous">ἀπαραχωρήτους</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pezikw%3Dn">πεζικῶν</w> <w lemma="stratope%2Fdwn">στρατοπέδων</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxon">εἶχον</w>.

<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="ta%29nanti%2Fa">τἀναντία</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="u%28ph%3Drxen">ὑπῆρχεν</w>. <w lemma="ai%28">αἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="nh%3Des">νῆες</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fmousai">γέμουσαι</w> <w lemma="dusxrh%2Fstws">δυσχρήστως</w> <w lemma="die%2Fkeinto">διέκειντο</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunon">κίνδυνον</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="plhrw%2Fmata">πληρώματα</w> <w lemma="tele%2Fws">τελέως</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fskhta">ἀνάσκητα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29mbeblhme%2Fna">ἐμβεβλημένα</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pibatika%5C">ἐπιβατικὰ</w> <w lemma="neosu%2Flloga">νεοσύλλογα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prwto%2Fpeira">πρωτόπειρα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="kakopaqei%2Fas">κακοπαθείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="panto%5Cs">παντὸς</w> <w lemma="deinou%3D">δεινοῦ</w>.

<w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fpot%27">μηδέποτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fsai">ἐλπίσαι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="qala%2Ftths">θαλάττης</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipoih%2Fsasqai">ἀντιποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="katafronh%2Fsantes">καταφρονήσαντες</w> <w lemma="w%29ligw%2Froun">ὠλιγώρουν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="nautikw%3Dn">ναυτικῶν</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmewn">δυνάμεων</w>.

<w lemma="toigarou%3Dn">τοιγαροῦν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="sumbalei%3Dn">συμβαλεῖν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="polla%5C">πολλὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhs">μάχης</w> <w lemma="e%29lattou%2Fmenoi">ἐλαττούμενοι</w> <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="e%29lei%2Ffqhsan">ἐλείφθησαν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="nau%3Ds">ναῦς</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fdusan">κατέδυσαν</w>, <w lemma="e%28bdomh%2Fkonta">ἑβδομήκοντα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28a%2Flwsan">ἑάλωσαν</w> <w lemma="au%29%2Ftandroi:">αὔτανδροι·</w>

<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="e%29para%2Fmenon">ἐπαράμενον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%28stou%5Cs">ἱστοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="katourw%3Dsan">κατουρῶσαν</w> <w lemma="au%29%3Dqis">αὖθις</w> <w lemma="a%29pexw%2Frei">ἀπεχώρει</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28iera%5Cn">Ἱερὰν</w> <w lemma="nh%3Dson">νῆσον</w>, <w lemma="eu%29tuxw%3Ds">εὐτυχῶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fcws">παραδόξως</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="metabolh%3Ds">μεταβολῆς</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="de%2Fonta">δέοντα</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="pneu%2Fmatos">πνεύματος</w> <w lemma="sunergh%2Fsantos">συνεργήσαντος</w>.

<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%28o">Ὁ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cs">στρατηγὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29popleu%2Fsas">ἀποπλεύσας</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Alilu%2Fbaion">Λιλύβαιον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="strato%2Fpeda">στρατόπεδα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ai%29xmalw%2Ftwn">αἰχμαλώτων</w> <w lemma="ploi%2Fwn">πλοίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="swma%2Ftwn">σωμάτων</w> <w lemma="oi%29konomi%2Fan">οἰκονομίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29gi%2Fneto">ἐγίνετο</w>, <w lemma="mega%2Flhn">μεγάλην</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dsan:">οὖσαν·</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="muri%2Fwn">μυρίων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fleipe">ἔλειπε</w> <w lemma="swma%2Ftwn">σωμάτων</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="lhfqe%2Fnta">ληφθέντα</w> <w lemma="zwgri%2Fa%7C">ζωγρίᾳ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunon">κίνδυνον</w>.

<head>The Battle of Aegusa</head>When the Carthaginians saw that the Romans were<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note156">The battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Aegusa&groupId=291&placeId=573">Aegusa</a>.</note>intercepting their passage across, they lowered their masts, and after some words of mutual exhortation had been uttered in the several ships, closed with their opponents. But the respective state of equipment of the two sides was exactly the converse of what it had been in the battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Drepana&groupId=544&placeId=1023">Drepana</a>; and the result of the battle was, therefore, naturally reversed also. The Romans had reformed their mode of shipbuilding, and had eased their vessels of all freight, except the provisions necessary for the battle: while their rowers having been thoroughly trained and got well together, performed their office in an altogether superior manner, and were backed up by marines who, being picked men from the legions, were all but invincible. The case with the Carthaginians was exactly the reverse. Their ships were heavily laden and therefore unmanageable in the engagement; while their rowers were entirely untrained, and merely put on board for the emergency; and such marines as they had were raw recruits, who had never had any previous experience of any difficult or dangerous<pb n="70" />service.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note157">Victory of the Romans.</note>The fact is that the Carthaginian government never expected that the Romans would again attempt to dispute the supremacy at sea: they had, therefore, in contempt for them, neglected their navy. The result was that, as soon as they closed, their manifold disadvantages quickly decided the battle against them. They had fifty ships sunk, and seventy taken with their crews. The rest set their sails, and running before the wind, which luckily for them suddenly veered round at the nick of time to help them, got away again to Holy Isle. The Roman Consul sailed back to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Lilybaeum&groupId=690&placeId=1261">Lilybaeum</a> to join the army, and there occupied himself in making arrangements for the ships and men which he had captured; which was a business of considerable magnitude, for the prisoners made in the battle amounted to little short of ten thousand.

Walbank Commentary

Overview

1.12.0 - 1.64.0

The First Punic War

1.59.0 - 1.61.0

Battle of the Aegates Islands. The substantial agreement with Diod. xxiv. 11 points to the continued use of Philinus as P.'s main source (though he corrects the numbers from Fabius, 61. 6 n.); see also Zon. viii. 17. Eutrop. ii. 27. 2 dates the battle VI idus martias, i.e. 10 March; Zon. viii. 17 puts it at the end of Lutatius' consulship; and the act. tr. give him a naval triumph de Poenis ex Sicilia as proconsul on 4 October 241. Beloch (iv. 2. 261–2) argues that Lutatius did not reach <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a> till April 241 (59. 8, <w lang="el-GR">ἀρχομένης τῆς θερείας)</w>, and that at this time 10 March fell in May (Jul.); but De Sanctis (iii. 1. 264–7) shows that, if Lutatius went out in April, it would have been impossible for the battle to take place before July at the earliest. <milestone unit="page" n="124">[124]</milestone> P.'s. account is indecisive. But it seems unlikely that the Carthaginians could have been ready as quickly as Beloch suggests, despite the stress on their speed in § 2; they must have needed a considerable time, perhaps even six months (Luterbacher, Phil., 1907, 424). Hence De Sanctis's arguments seem conclusive. And if P.'s narrative nowhere makes clear that a winter intervened between Lutatius' arrival and the battle of the Aegates Islands, he was perhaps misled by stress on the speed of Punic preparations in Philinus, who may have used this theme partly to excuse the defeat (cf. 61. 4, <w lang="el-GR">τελέως ἀνάσκητα)</w>. It may be assumed that Lutatius left for <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a> in summer, 242, and won his victory in March 241 (Meltzer, ii. 347–9; De Sanctis, iii. 1. 264–7; Mnzer, RE, 'Lutatius (4)', col. 2069; Frank, CAH, vii. 691–2; Scullard, Hist. 170). Reuss (Phil., 1901, 121–6) has argued that the battle was in 242, largely on the basis of a synchronism in ii. 43. 6; but this can be otherwise explained (see ad loc.), and Reuss's theory is too ruthless towards the other evidence to be seriously considered.

1.61.6 - 1.61.6

Losses in the battle. P. gives the Punic losses as 50 ships sunk and 70 captured with their crews; the prisoners amount to nearly 10,000 (§ 8). Diod. xxiv. 11. 1 gives 117 ships lost, 20 of them with their crews; and 6,000 prisoners (i.e. 300 for each of 20 crews) according to Philinus, 4,040 according to others (but De Sanctis, iii. 1. 235 emends to give 6,000 Carthaginians and 4,040 <w lang="el-GR">τῶν ἑτέρων</w>, i.e. c. 10,000 in all). The annalistic tradition (Eutrop. ii. 27. 2; Oros. iv. 10. 7) gives 63 ships taken, 125 sunk, 32,000 prisoners, and 13,000– 14,000 killed. Diodorus makes the Punic fleet 250 ships, excluding transports; the annalistic tradition raises it to 400 or even 600, to make the Roman victory the more glorious. By two separate methods <milestone unit="page" n="125">[125]</milestone> of calculation Tarn (JHS, 1907, 56–57) arrives at a total of c. 170. Diodorus puts the Roman losses (including damaged ships) at 80, the annalistic tradition at only 12. P.'s total of Punic losses (50+70 = 120) does not differ greatly from Diodorus' total of 117; and Jacoby, FGH, 174 F 5 (commentary), suggests that Diodorus' figure of 20 ships lost with their crews may be corrupt, and that in fact P. is here reproducing Philinus (cf. Reuss, Phil., 1901, 146). Alternatively, P. may have corrected Philinus' figures from Fabius, as he has done elsewhere.

Specifics

1.61.1 - 1.61.1

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">καθελόμενοι τοὺς ἱστούς</w>:</emph> they were sailing, not rowing, as this was faster with a favourable wind; cf. Caesar, BC, iii. 26, for the example of the Pompeian squadron under sail. For fighting, the fuller control by oars was essential. See Strachan-Davidson, ad loc.

1.61.7 - 1.61.7

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐπαράμενον τοὺς ἱστούς</w>:</emph> a very difficult, if not impossible, manuvre at sea; perhaps the Punic ships got away with the aid of the dolon, a subsidiary sail attached to the foremast (cf. Thiel, Hist. 314 n. 818).

Polybius, Histories

Bibliography

Archaeology

Places

Walbank Commentary

Commentary