Polybius, Histories

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Book 15 - Chapter 16

1
<w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnas">προειρημένας</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fas">αἰτίας</w>. <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkasta">ἕκαστα</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="e%29ndexome%2Fnws">ἐνδεχομένως</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="h%28rmo%2Fsato">ἡρμόσατο</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fsq%27">ὥσθ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28perbolh%5Cn">ὑπερβολὴν</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="katalipei%3Dn">καταλιπεῖν</w>.
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29lefa%2Fntwn">ἐλεφάντων</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="pareskeua%2Fsato">παρεσκευάσατο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="proeba%2Fleto">προεβάλετο</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="suntara%2Fcai">συνταράξαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diaspa%2Fsai">διασπάσαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fceis">τάξεις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fwn:">ὑπεναντίων·</w>
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<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frous">μισθοφόρους</w> <w lemma="proe%2Ftace">προέταξε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fqhke">ἔθηκε</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fneka">ἕνεκα</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="proeklu%3Dsai">προεκλῦσαι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="ko%2Fpw%7C">κόπῳ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmata">σώματα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w>, <w lemma="a%29xreiw%3Dsai">ἀχρειῶσαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29kma%5Cs">ἀκμὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fplwn">ὅπλων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="foneuome%2Fnwn">φονευομένων</w>, <w lemma="a%29nagka%2Fsai">ἀναγκάσαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="me%2Fsous">μέσους</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntas">ὄντας</w> <w lemma="me%2Fnein">μένειν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxesqai">μάχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="poihth%5Cn">ποιητὴν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Ffra">ὄφρα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29qe%2Flwn">ἐθέλων</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkai%2Fh%7C">ἀναγκαίῃ</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fzoi">πολεμίζοι</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="maximwta%2Ftous">μαχιμωτάτους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="stasimwta%2Ftous">στασιμωτάτους</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="a%29posta%2Fsei">ἀποστάσει</w> <w lemma="parene%2Fbale">παρενέβαλε</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="proorwme%2Fnous">προορωμένους</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="pollou%3D">πολλοῦ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%3Dnon">συμβαῖνον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diame%2Fnontas">διαμένοντας</w> <w lemma="a%29kerai%2Fous">ἀκεραίους</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmasi">σώμασι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="yuxai%3Ds">ψυχαῖς</w> <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="kairw%3D%7C">καιρῷ</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fsasqai">χρήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="sfete%2Frais">σφετέραις</w> <w lemma="a%29retai%3Ds">ἀρεταῖς</w>.
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<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="dunata%5C">δυνατὰ</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsas">ποιήσας</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="nika%3Dn">νικᾶν</w> <w lemma="e%29sfa%2Flh">ἐσφάλη</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w> <w lemma="a%29h%2Ftthtos">ἀήττητος</w> <w lemma="w%29%2Fn">ὤν</w>, <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmhn">συγγνώμην</w> <w lemma="dote%2Fon:">δοτέον·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%29to%2Fmaton">ταὐτόματον</w> <w lemma="a%29nte%2Fprace">ἀντέπραξε</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolai%3Ds">ἐπιβολαῖς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29gaqw%3Dn">ἀγαθῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="paroimi%2Fan">παροιμίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29sqlo%5Cs">ἐσθλὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29w%5Cn">ἐὼν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllou">ἄλλου</w> <w lemma="krei%2Fttonos">κρείττονος</w> <w lemma="a%29nte%2Ftuxen:">ἀντέτυχεν·</w> <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="gegone%2Fnai">γεγονέναι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnon">ἐκεῖνον</w> <w lemma="fh%2Fseien">φήσειεν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w>. —
<head>Hannibal's Tactics Sound</head>Still Hannibal took his measures against each of these difficulties in a manner that could not be surpassed. He provided himself with those numerous elephants, and put them in the van, for the express purpose of throwing the enemy's ranks into confusion and breaking their order. Again he stationed the mercenaries in front and the Carthaginians behind them, in<pb n="150" />order to wear out the bodies of the enemy with fatigue beforehand, and to blunt the edge of their swords by the numbers that would be killed by them; and moreover to compel the Carthaginians, by being in the middle of the army, to stay where they were and fight, as the poet says<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note26">Homer,<bibl n="Hom. Il. 4.300" default="NO" valid="yes"><title>Iliad,</title>4, 300</bibl>.</note>—<quote><l>"That howsoe'er unwilling fight he must."</l></quote>But the most warlike and steady part of his army he held in reserve at some distance, in order that they might not see what was happening too closely, but, with strength and spirit unimpaired, might use their courage to the best advantage when the moment arrived. And, if in spite of having done everything that could be done, he who had never been beaten before failed to secure the victory now, we must excuse him. For there are times when chance thwarts the plans of the brave; and there are others again, when a man<quote><l>"Though great and brave has met a greater still."<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified">A line of which the author is unknown; perhaps it was Theognis.</note></l></quote>And this we might say was the case with Hannibal on this occasion. . . .