Polybius, Histories

Layout
Translation

Book 14 - Chapter 5

1
<w lemma="%2Akata%5C">Κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnioi">Καρχηδόνιοι</w>, <w lemma="qewrou%3Dntes">θεωροῦντες</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="puro%5Cs">πυρὸς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29cairome%2Fnhs">ἐξαιρομένης</w> <w lemma="flogo%2Fs">φλογός</w>, <w lemma="u%28polabo%2Fntes">ὑπολαβόντες</w> <w lemma="au%29toma%2Ftws">αὐτομάτως</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%3Dfqai">ἀνῆφθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Anoma%2Fdwn">Νομάδων</w> <w lemma="xa%2Fraka">χάρακα</w>, <w lemma="tine%5Cs">τινὲς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29boh%2Fqoun">ἐβοήθουν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w>,
2
<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="loipoi%5C">λοιποὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="e%29ktre%2Fxontes">ἐκτρέχοντες</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="parembolh%3Ds">παρεμβολῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fnoploi">ἄνοπλοι</w> <w lemma="suni%2Fstanto">συνίσταντο</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fas">ἰδίας</w> <w lemma="stratopedei%2Fas">στρατοπεδείας</w>, <w lemma="e%29kplagei%3Ds">ἐκπλαγεῖς</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntes">ὄντες</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ginome%2Fnois">γινομένοις</w>.
3
<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwn">Σκιπίων</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="eu%29xh%5Cn">εὐχὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="proxwrhsa%2Fntwn">προχωρησάντων</w>, <w lemma="e%29pipesw%5Cn">ἐπιπεσὼν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29celhluqo%2Fsin">ἐξεληλυθόσιν</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29fo%2Fneuen">ἐφόνευεν</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="katadiw%2Fkwn">καταδιώκων</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pu%3Dr">πῦρ</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Fballe">ἐνέβαλλε</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="skhnai%3Ds">σκηναῖς</w>.
4
<w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnou">γενομένου</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsia">παραπλήσια</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbaine">συνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsxein">πάσχειν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Afoi%2Fnikas">Φοίνικας</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="puro%5Cs">πυρὸς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhs">ὅλης</w> <w lemma="perista%2Fsews">περιστάσεως</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frti">ἄρτι</w> <w lemma="r%28hqei%3Dsi">ῥηθεῖσι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Anoma%2Fdwn">Νομάδων</w>.
5
<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asdrou%2Fban">Ἀσδρούβαν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="puri%5C">πυρὶ</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn">βοηθεῖν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%2Fqen">αὐτόθεν</w> <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsthsan">ἀπέστησαν</w>, <w lemma="gno%2Fntes">γνόντες</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnontos">συμβαίνοντος</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Anoma%2Fdas">Νομάδας</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="au%29toma%2Ftws">αὐτομάτως</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Flabon">ὑπέλαβον</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%3Ds">ἐπιβολῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Flmhs">τόλμης</w> <w lemma="e%29gego%2Fnei">ἐγεγόνει</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="deino%2Fn:">δεινόν·</w>
6
<w lemma="e%29gi%2Fnonto">ἐγίνοντο</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sw%2F%7Czein">σῴζειν</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%2Fs">ἑαυτούς</w>, <w lemma="braxei%2Fas">βραχείας</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdos">ἐλπίδος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="kataleipome%2Fnhs">καταλειπομένης</w>.
7
<w lemma="to%2F">τό</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="pu%3Dr">πῦρ</w> <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="e%29pene%2Fmeto">ἐπενέμετο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="periela%2Fmbane">περιελάμβανε</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w>, <w lemma="ai%28%2F">αἵ</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="di%2Fodoi">δίοδοι</w> <w lemma="plh%2Freis">πλήρεις</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="i%28%2Fppwn">ἵππων</w>, <w lemma="u%28pozugi%2Fwn">ὑποζυγίων</w>, <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="h%28miqnh%2Ftwn">ἡμιθνήτων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diefqarme%2Fnwn">διεφθαρμένων</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="puro%2Fs">πυρός</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29ceptohme%2Fnwn">ἐξεπτοημένων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parestw%2Ftwn">παρεστώτων</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="dianoi%2Fais">διανοίαις</w>,
8
<w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29ndragaqei%3Dn">ἀνδραγαθεῖν</w> <w lemma="proairoume%2Fnois">προαιρουμένοις</w> <w lemma="e%29mpo%2Fdia">ἐμπόδια</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="taraxh%5Cn">ταραχὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fgxusin">σύγχυσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29ne%2Flpiston">ἀνέλπιστον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="swthri%2Fan">σωτηρίαν</w>.
9
<w lemma="paraplh%2Fsia">παραπλήσια</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aso%2Ffaka">Σόφακα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllous">ἄλλους</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fnas">ἡγεμόνας</w>. <w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtoi">οὗτοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29mfo%2Fteroi">ἀμφότεροι</w> <w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%29li%2Fgwn">ὀλίγων</w> <w lemma="i%28ppe%2Fwn">ἱππέων</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fswsan">ἐξέσωσαν</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%2Fs:">αὑτούς·</w>
10
<w lemma="ai%28">αἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="loipai%5C">λοιπαὶ</w> <w lemma="muria%2Fdes">μυριάδες</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w>, <w lemma="i%28%2Fppwn">ἵππων</w>, <w lemma="u%28pozugi%2Fwn">ὑποζυγίων</w>, <w lemma="a%29tuxw%3Ds">ἀτυχῶς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29leeinw%3Ds">ἐλεεινῶς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="puro%5Cs">πυρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29pw%2Fllunto:">ἀπώλλυντο·</w>
11
<w lemma="ai%29sxrw%3Ds">αἰσχρῶς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29poneidi%2Fstws">ἐπονειδίστως</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fnioi">ἔνιοι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="puro%5Cs">πυρὸς</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fan">βίαν</w> <w lemma="feu%2Fgontes">φεύγοντες</w>, <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="diefqei%2Fronto">διεφθείροντο</w>, <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fplwn">ὅπλων</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%28mati%2Fwn">ἱματίων</w>, <w lemma="gumnoi%5C">γυμνοὶ</w> <w lemma="foneuo%2Fmenoi">φονευόμενοι</w>.
12
<w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Ds">πᾶς</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpos">τόπος</w> <w lemma="oi%29mwgh%3Ds">οἰμωγῆς</w>, <w lemma="boh%3Ds">βοῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29ta%2Fktou">ἀτάκτου</w>, <w lemma="fo%2Fbou">φόβου</w>, <w lemma="yo%2Ffou">ψόφου</w> <w lemma="parhllagme%2Fnou">παρηλλαγμένου</w>, <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="puro%5Cs">πυρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29nergou%3D">ἐνεργοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="flogo%5Cs">φλογὸς</w> <w lemma="u%28perballou%2Fshs">ὑπερβαλλούσης</w> <w lemma="plh%2Frhs:">πλήρης·</w>
13
<w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="e%28%5Cn">ἓν</w> <w lemma="i%28kano%5Cn">ἱκανὸν</w> [<w lemma="o%29%5Cn">ὂν</w>] <w lemma="e%29kplh%3Dcai">ἐκπλῆξαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrwpi%2Fnhn">ἀνθρωπίνην</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsin">φύσιν</w>, <w lemma="mhd%27">μηδ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnq%27">πάνθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28mou%3D">ὁμοῦ</w> <w lemma="sugkurh%2Fsanta">συγκυρήσαντα</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fcws">παραδόξως</w>.
14
<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gegono%5Cs">γεγονὸς</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28perbolh%5Cn">ὑπερβολὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29ka%2Fsai">εἰκάσαι</w> <w lemma="dunato%5Cn">δυνατὸν</w> <w lemma="ou%29deni%5C">οὐδενὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntwn">ὄντων</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%2Fn:">ἐστίν·</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="u%28perpepai%2Fkei">ὑπερπεπαίκει</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="deino%2Fthti">δεινότητι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnas">προειρημένας</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w>.
15
<w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pollw%3Dn">πολλῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Dn">καλῶν</w> <w lemma="dieirgasme%2Fnwn">διειργασμένων</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwni">Σκιπίωνι</w> <w lemma="ka%2Flliston">κάλλιστον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai%2F">εἶναί</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="tou%29%2Frgon">τοὔργον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parabolw%2Ftaton">παραβολώτατον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnw%7C">ἐκείνῳ</w> <w lemma="pepragme%2Fnwn">πεπραγμένων</w> ?<w lemma=""></w>*
<head>Dreadful Scene In the Burning Camps</head>At the same time the Carthaginians, observing the<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note11">and of Hasdrubal.</note>proportions of the conflagration and the hugeness of the flame that was rising, imagined that the Numidian camp had been accidentally set on fire. Some of them therefore started at once to render assistance, and all the rest hurried outside their own camp unarmed, and stood there gazing in astonishment at the spectacle. Everything having thus succeeded to his best wishes, Scipio fell upon these men outside their camp, and either put them to the sword, or, driving them back into the camp, set fire to their huts. The disaster of the Punic army was thus very like that which had just befallen the Numidians, fire and sword in both cases combining to destroy them. Hasdrubal immediately gave up all idea of combating the fire, for he knew from the coincidence of the two that the fire in the Numidian camp was not accidental, as he had supposed, but had originated from some desperate design of the enemy. He therefore turned his attention to saving his own life, although there was now little hope left of doing so. For the fire was spreading rapidly and was catching everywhere; while the camp gangways were full of horses, beasts of burden, and men, some of them half dead and devoured by the fire, and others in a state of such frantic terror and mad excitement that they prevented any attempts at making a defence, and by the utter tumult and confusion which they created rendered all chance of escape hopeless. The case of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syphax&groupId=993&placeId=1751">Syphax</a> was the same as that of Hasdrubal, as it was also that<pb n="129" />of the other officers. The two former, however, did manage to escape, accompanied by a few horsemen: but all those myriads of men, horses, and beasts of burden, either met a miserable and pitiable death from the fire, or, if they escaped the violence of that, some of the men perished ignominiously at the hands of the enemy, cut down naked and defenceless, not only without their arms, but without so much as their clothes to cover them. The whole place was filled with yells of pain, confused cries, terror, and unspeakable din, mingled with a conflagration which spread rapidly and blazed with the utmost fierceness. It was the combination and suddenness of these horrors that made them so awful, any one of which by itself would have been sufficient to strike terror into the hearts of men. It is accordingly impossible for the imagination to exaggerate the dreadful scene, so completely did it surpass in horror everything hitherto recorded. Of all the brilliant achievements of Scipio this appears to me to have been the most brilliant and the most daring. . . .