Polybius, Histories

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Book 2 - Chapter 33

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<w lemma="%2Adokou%3Dsi">Δοκοῦσι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29mfro%2Fnws">ἐμφρόνως</w> <w lemma="kexrh%3Dsqai">κεχρῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxh%7C">μάχῃ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fth%7C">ταύτῃ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="xilia%2Frxwn">χιλιάρχων</w> <w lemma="u%28podeica%2Fntwn">ὑποδειξάντων</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29gw%3Dna">ἀγῶνα</w> <w lemma="koinh%3D%7C">κοινῇ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstous">ἑκάστους</w>.
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<w lemma="sunewrako%2Ftes">συνεωρακότες</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="progegono%2Ftwn">προγεγονότων</w> <w lemma="kindu%2Fnwn">κινδύνων</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="qumoi%3Ds">θυμοῖς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="prw%2Fthn">πρώτην</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffodon">ἔφοδον</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="a%29ke%2Fraion">ἀκέραιον</w> <w lemma="h%29%3D%7C">ᾖ</w>, <w lemma="foberw%2Ftato%2Fn">φοβερώτατόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Agalatiko%5Cn">Γαλατικὸν</w> <w lemma="fu%3Dlon">φῦλον</w>,
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<w lemma="ai%28%2F">αἵ</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxairai">μάχαιραι</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="kataskeuai%3Ds">κατασκευαῖς</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Frhtai">εἴρηται</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w>, <w lemma="mi%2Fan">μίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxousi">ἔχουσι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="prw%2Fthn">πρώτην</w> <w lemma="katafora%5Cn">καταφορὰν</w> <w lemma="kairi%2Fan">καιρίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="a%29pocustrou%3Dntai">ἀποξυστροῦνται</w>, <w lemma="kampto%2Fmenai">καμπτόμεναι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="mh%3Dkos">μῆκος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pla%2Ftos">πλάτος</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fst%27">ὥστ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="dw%3D%7C">δῷ</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29nastrofh%5Cn">ἀναστροφὴν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="xrwme%2Fnois">χρωμένοις</w> <w lemma="e%29rei%2Fsantas">ἐρείσαντας</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="gh%3Dn">γῆν</w> <w lemma="a%29peuqu%3Dnai">ἀπευθῦναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="podi%2F">ποδί</w>, <w lemma="tele%2Fws">τελέως</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fprakton">ἄπρακτον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="deute%2Fran">δευτέραν</w> <w lemma="plhgh%5Cn">πληγὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn:">αὐτῶν·</w>
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<w lemma="a%29nado%2Fntes">ἀναδόντες</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="xili%2Farxoi">χιλίαρχοι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="triari%2Fwn">τριαρίων</w> <w lemma="do%2Frata">δόρατα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kato%2Fpin">κατόπιν</w> <w lemma="e%29festw%2Ftwn">ἐφεστώτων</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftais">πρώταις</w> <w lemma="spei%2Frais">σπείραις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraggei%2Flantes">παραγγείλαντες</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="metalh%2Fyews">μεταλήψεως</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ci%2Ffesi">ξίφεσι</w> <w lemma="xrh%3Dsqai">χρῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbalon">συνέβαλον</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="parata%2Fcews">παρατάξεως</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fswpon">πρόσωπον</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akeltoi%3Ds">Κελτοῖς</w>.
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<w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="do%2Frata">δόρατα</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftais">πρώταις</w> <w lemma="kataforai%3Ds">καταφοραῖς</w> <w lemma="xrwme%2Fnwn">χρωμένων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Agalatw%3Dn">Γαλατῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29xreiwqh%3Dnai">ἀχρειωθῆναι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="maxai%2Fras">μαχαίρας</w> <w lemma="sundramo%2Fntes">συνδραμόντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="xei%3Dras">χεῖρας</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Akeltou%5Cs">Κελτοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29pra%2Fktous">ἀπράκτους</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fhsan">ἐποίησαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29felo%2Fmenoi">ἀφελόμενοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="dia%2Frsews">διάρσεως</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhn">μάχην</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fper">ὅπερ</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdio%2Fn">ἴδιόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="%2Agalatikh%3Ds">Γαλατικῆς</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fas">χρείας</w>, <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mhdamw%3Ds">μηδαμῶς</w> <w lemma="ke%2Fnthma">κέντημα</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ci%2Ffos">ξίφος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein:">ἔχειν·</w>
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<w lemma="au%29toi%5C">αὐτοὶ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="katafora%3Ds">καταφορᾶς</w> <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="dialh%2Fyews">διαλήψεως</w> <w lemma="o%29rqai%3Ds">ὀρθαῖς</w> <w lemma="xrw%2Fmenoi">χρώμενοι</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="maxai%2Frais">μαχαίραις</w>, <w lemma="praktikou%3D">πρακτικοῦ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kenth%2Fmatos">κεντήματος</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="au%29ta%5Cs">αὐτὰς</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxontos">ὑπάρχοντος</w>, <w lemma="tu%2Fptontes">τύπτοντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="ste%2Frna">στέρνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fswpa">πρόσωπα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="plhgh%5Cn">πληγὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="plhgh%3D%7C">πληγῇ</w> <w lemma="fe%2Frontes">φέροντες</w> <w lemma="die%2Ffqeiran">διέφθειραν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fstous">πλείστους</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="paratacame%2Fnwn">παραταξαμένων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="xilia%2Frxwn">χιλιάρχων</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fnoian">πρόνοιαν</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cs">στρατηγὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Aflami%2Fnios">Φλαμίνιος</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="o%29rqw%3Ds">ὀρθῶς</w> <w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w> <w lemma="kexrh%3Dsqai">κεχρῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnw%7C">προειρημένῳ</w> <w lemma="kindu%2Fnw%7C">κινδύνῳ</w>. <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%29fru%5Cn">ὀφρὺν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="potamou%3D">ποταμοῦ</w> <w lemma="poihsa%2Fmenos">ποιησάμενος</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fktacin">ἔκταξιν</w> <w lemma="die%2Ffqeire">διέφθειρε</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai+kh%3Ds">Ῥωμαϊκῆς</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhs">μάχης</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdion">ἴδιον</w>, <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="u%28poleipo%2Fmenos">ὑπολειπόμενος</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="po%2Fda">πόδα</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="spei%2Frais">σπείραις</w> <w lemma="a%29naxw%2Frhsin">ἀναχώρησιν</w>.
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<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="braxu%5C">βραχὺ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="piesqh%3Dnai">πιεσθῆναι</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fra%7C">χώρᾳ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhn">μάχην</w>, <w lemma="r%28i%2Fptein">ῥίπτειν</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="potamo%5Cn">ποταμὸν</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%5Cs">αὑτοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdei">ἔδει</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29stoxi%2Fan">ἀστοχίαν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="proestw%3Dtos">προεστῶτος</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%2F">ἀλλά</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="pollw%3D%7C">πολλῷ</w> <w lemma="nikh%2Fsantes">νικήσαντες</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="sfete%2Frais">σφετέραις</w> <w lemma="a%29retai%3Ds">ἀρεταῖς</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dpon">εἶπον</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pamplhqou%3Ds">παμπληθοῦς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="lei%2Fas">λείας</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="o%29li%2Fgwn">ὀλίγων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="sku%2Flwn">σκύλων</w> <w lemma="krath%2Fsantes">κρατήσαντες</w> <w lemma="e%29panh%3Dlqon">ἐπανῆλθον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmhn">Ῥώμην</w>.
<head>Tactics Against the Gauls</head>The Romans are thought to have shown uncommon<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note79">Battle with the Insubres.</note>skill in this battle; the Tribunes instructing the troops how they were to conduct themselves both collectively and individually. They had learned from former engagements that Gallic tribes were always most formidable at the first onslaught, before their courage was at all damped by a check; and that the swords with which they were furnished, as I have mentioned before, could only give one downward cut with any effect, but that after this the edges got so turned and the blade so bent, that unless they had time to straighten them with their foot against the ground, they could not deliver a second blow. The Tribunes accordingly gave out the spears of the Triarii, who are the last of the three ranks, to the first ranks, or Hastati: and ordering the men to use their swords only, after their spears were done with, they charged the Celts full in front. When the Celts had rendered their swords useless by the first blows delivered on the spears, the Romans close with them, and rendered them quite helpless, by preventing them from raising their hands to strike with their swords, which is their peculiar and only stroke, because their blade has no point. The Romans, on the contrary, having excellent points to their swords, used them not to cut but to thrust: and by thus repeatedly hitting the breasts and faces of the enemy, they eventually killed the greater number of them. And this was due to the foresight of the Tribunes: for the Consul Flaminius is thought to have made a strategic mistake in his arrangements for this battle. By drawing up his men along the very brink of the river, he rendered impossible a manœuvre characteristic of Roman tactics, because he left the lines no room for their deliberate retrograde movements; for if, in the course of the battle, the men had been forced ever so little from their ground, they would have been obliged by this blunder of their leader to throw themselves into the river. However, the valour of the soldiers secured them a brilliant victory, as I have said, and they returned to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> with abundance of booty of every kind, and of trophies stripped from the enemy.<pb n="130" />