Polybius, Histories

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Book 3 - Chapter 117

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<w lemma="%2A%28h">Ἡ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aka%2Fnnan">Κάνναν</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnh">γενομένη</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxh">μάχη</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="e%29petele%2Fsqh">ἐπετελέσθη</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w>, <w lemma="ma%2Fxh">μάχη</w> <w lemma="gennaiota%2Ftous">γενναιοτάτους</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxousa">ἔχουσα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="nikh%2Fsantas">νικήσαντας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="h%28tthqe%2Fntas">ἡττηθέντας</w>.
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<w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29ge%2Fnet%27">ἐγένετ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w>. <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%28cakisxili%2Fwn">ἑξακισχιλίων</w> <w lemma="i%28ppe%2Fwn">ἱππέων</w> <w lemma="e%28bdomh%2Fkonta">ἑβδομήκοντα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Aou%29enousi%2Fan">Οὐενουσίαν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Agai+%2Fou">Γαΐου</w> <w lemma="die%2Ffugon">διέφυγον</w>, <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="triakosi%2Fous">τριακοσίους</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxwn">συμμάχων</w> <w lemma="spora%2Fdes">σποράδες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="e%29sw%2Fqhsan:">ἐσώθησαν·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pezw%3Dn">πεζῶν</w> <w lemma="maxo%2Fmenoi">μαχόμενοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%28a%2Flwsan">ἑάλωσαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="muri%2Fous">μυρίους</w> — <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kto%5Cs">ἐκτὸς</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntes">ὄντες</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhs">μάχης</w> — <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kindu%2Fnou">κινδύνου</w> <w lemma="trisxi%2Flioi">τρισχίλιοι</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsws">ἴσως</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="parakeime%2Fnas">παρακειμένας</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="die%2Ffugon">διέφυγον</w>.
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<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="o%29%2Fntes">ὄντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%28pta%5C">ἑπτὰ</w> <w lemma="muria%2Fdas">μυριάδας</w>, <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fqanon">ἀπέθανον</w> <w lemma="eu%29genw%3Ds">εὐγενῶς</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fsthn">μεγίστην</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fan">χρείαν</w> <w lemma="paresxhme%2Fnou">παρεσχημένου</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="nika%3Dn">νικᾶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%28ppe%2Fwn">ἱππέων</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fxlou">ὄχλου</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="e%29ge%2Fneto">ἐγένετο</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pigenome%2Fnois">ἐπιγενομένοις</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="krei%3Dtto%2Fn">κρεῖττόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmwn">πολέμων</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%2Fseis">ἡμίσεις</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein">ἔχειν</w> <w lemma="pezou%2Fs">πεζούς</w>, <w lemma="i%28ppokratei%3Dn">ἱπποκρατεῖν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flois">ὅλοις</w>, <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Frisa">πάρισα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxonta">ἔχοντα</w> <w lemma="diakinduneu%2Fein">διακινδυνεύειν</w>.
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<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbou">Ἀννίβου</w> <w lemma="%2Akeltoi%5C">Κελτοὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpeson">ἔπεσον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tetrakisxili%2Fous">τετρακισχιλίους</w>, <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fibhres">Ἴβηρες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Ali%2Fbues">Λίβυες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="xili%2Fous">χιλίους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pentakosi%2Fous">πεντακοσίους</w>, <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="diakosi%2Fous">διακοσίους</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="zwgrhqe%2Fntes">ζωγρηθέντες</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="e%29kto%5Cs">ἐκτὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29ge%2Fnonto">ἐγένοντο</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kindu%2Fnou">κινδύνου</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fan">αἰτίαν</w>.
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<w lemma="%2Aleu%2Fkios">Λεύκιος</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Flipe">ἀπέλιπε</w> <w lemma="muri%2Fous">μυρίους</w> <w lemma="pezou%5Cs">πεζοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%3D">ἑαυτοῦ</w> <w lemma="parembolh%3Ds">παρεμβολῆς</w>, <w lemma="i%28%2Fn%27">ἵν᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="o%29ligwrh%2Fsas">ὀλιγωρήσας</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frakos">χάρακος</w> <w lemma="e%29kta%2Fch%7C">ἐκτάξῃ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w>, <w lemma="parapeso%2Fntes">παραπεσόντες</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtoi">οὗτοι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhs">μάχης</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29gkratei%3Ds">ἐγκρατεῖς</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnwntai">γένωνται</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="a%29poskeuh%3Ds">ἀποσκευῆς</w>,
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<w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="proi+do%2Fmenos">προϊδόμενος</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllon">μέλλον</w> <w lemma="a%29poli%2Fph%7C">ἀπολίπῃ</w> <w lemma="fulakh%5Cn">φυλακὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29cio%2Fxrewn">ἀξιόχρεων</w>, <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29la%2Fttous">ἐλάττους</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnhtai">γένηται</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunos">κίνδυνος</w>.
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<w lemma="e%28a%2Flwsan">ἑάλωσαν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftw%7C">τοιούτῳ</w> <w lemma="tini%5C">τινὶ</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpw%7C">τρόπῳ</w>. <w lemma="katalipo%2Fntos">καταλιπόντος</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbou">Ἀννίβου</w> <w lemma="fulakh%5Cn">φυλακὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rkou%3Dsan">ἀρκοῦσαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frakos">χάρακος</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="kata%2Frcasqai">κατάρξασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhn">μάχην</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="suntaxqe%5Cn">συνταχθὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29polio%2Frkoun">ἐπολιόρκουν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w>, <w lemma="prosba%2Fllontes">προσβάλλοντες</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29poleleimme%2Fnous">ἀπολελειμμένους</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="xa%2Fraki">χάρακι</w>. <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="a%29ntei%3Dxon:">ἀντεῖχον·</w>
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<w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="piezome%2Fnwn">πιεζομένων</w>, <w lemma="e%29peidh%5C">ἐπειδὴ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhn">μάχην</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fkrine">ἔκρινε</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="parabohqh%2Fsas">παραβοηθήσας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="treya%2Fmenos">τρεψάμενος</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fkleise">συνέκλεισε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="parembolh%5Cn">παρεμβολὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="disxili%2Fous">δισχιλίους</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fkteine">ἀπέκτεινε</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="loipw%3Dn">λοιπῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29gkrath%5Cs">ἐγκρατὴς</w> <w lemma="e%29ge%2Fneto">ἐγένετο</w> <w lemma="zwgri%2Fa%7C">ζωγρίᾳ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w> <w lemma="e%29ru%2Fmata">ἐρύματα</w> <w lemma="sumpefeugo%2Ftas">συμπεφευγότας</w> <w lemma="e%29kpoliorkh%2Fsantes">ἐκπολιορκήσαντες</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Anoma%2Fdes">Νομάδες</w> <w lemma="e%29panh%3Dgon">ἐπανῆγον</w>, <w lemma="o%29%2Fntas">ὄντας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="disxili%2Fous">δισχιλίους</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="fugh%5Cn">φυγὴν</w> <w lemma="trape%2Fntwn">τραπέντων</w> <w lemma="i%28ppe%2Fwn">ἱππέων</w>.
<head>Superiority in Cavalry Wins Battles</head>Such was the end of the battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cannae&groupId=430&placeId=797">Cannae</a>, in which both sides fought with the most conspicuous gallantry, the conquered no less than the conquerors. This is proved by the fact that, out of six thousand horse, only seventy escaped with Gaius Terentius to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Venusia&groupId=1057&placeId=1860">Venusia</a>, and about three hundred of the allied cavalry to various towns in the neighbourhood. Of the infantry ten thousand were taken prisoners in fair fight, but were not actually engaged in the battle: of those who were actually engaged only about three thousand perhaps escaped to the towns of the surrounding district; all the rest died nobly, to the number of seventy thousand, the Carthaginians being on this occasion, as on previous ones, mainly indebted for their victory to their superiority in cavalry: a lesson to posterity that in actual war it is better to have half the number of infantry, and the superiority in cavalry, than to engage your enemy with an equality in both. On the side of Hannibal there fell four thousand Celts, fifteen hundred Iberians and Libyans, and about two hundred horse.The ten thousand Romans who were captured had not,<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note185">Losses of the Romans.</note>as I said, been engaged in the actual battle; and the reason was this. Lucius Aemilius left ten thousand infantry in his camp that, in case Hannibal should disregard the safety of his own camp, and take his whole army on to the field, they might seize the opportunity, while the battle was going on, of forcing their way in and capturing the enemy's baggage; or if, on the other hand, Hannibal should, in view of this contingency, leave a guard in his camp, the number of the enemy in the field might thereby be diminished. These men were captured in the following circumstances. Hannibal, as a matter of fact, did leave a sufficient guard in his camp; and<pb n="274" />as soon as the battle began, the Romans, according to their instructions, assaulted and tried to take those thus left by Hannibal. At first they held their own: but just as they were beginning to waver, Hannibal, who was by this time gaining a victory all along the line, came to their relief, and routing the Romans, shut them up in their own camp; killed two thousand of them; and took all the rest prisoners. In like manner the Numidian horse brought in all those who had taken refuge in the various strongholds about the district, amounting to two thousand of the routed cavalry.