Θωράκιον
breastwork, parapet
Translated by Ryan Stone27 Feb 2008Vetting: high5 revisions
Translation
That [sc. on the back] of an elephant. "Hannibal, general of the Carthaginians, bringing his breastworks of the elephants and, with these mini-houses1 of the beasts, cutting down the branches to as great a height as possible made the journey on foot safe and easy."
Greek original · Adler’s text
Θωράκιον· τὸ τοῦ ἐλέφαντος. ὅτι Ἀννίβας ὁ Καρχηδονίων στρατηγὸς φέρων τῶν ἐλεφάντων τὰ θωράκια καὶ τοῖς τῶν θηρίων οἰκιδίοις ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ὕψος τοὺς κλάδους ἀποκόπτων ἀσφαλῆ καὶ ῥᾳδίαν τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν κατεσκεύαζεν.
Betacode
*qwra/kion: to\ tou= e)le/fantos. o(/ti *)anni/bas o( *karxhdoni/wn strathgo\s fe/rwn tw=n e)lefa/ntwn ta\ qwra/kia kai\ toi=s tw=n qhri/wn oi)kidi/ois e)pi\ plei=ston u(/yos tou\s kla/dous a)poko/ptwn a)sfalh= kai\ r(a|di/an th\n o(doipori/an kateskeu/azen.
Notes (1)
- For the headword see already theta 436, theta 437. The present entry features a quotation cited by Adler as [Polybius] fr. 162b Büttner-Wobst. Büttner-Wobst notes (535) that Stephanus (Henri Estienne, 1531-1598) attributed this fragment to Polybius. Nevertheless, Büttner-Wobst observes -- and endorses -- Schweighäuser's rejection of the fragment (ibid.). Rance (below) argues at length, and with a mass of invaluable detail on historiography in the Suda, that it should be attributed to Diodorus Siculus.
- 1For 'mini-houses' cf. omicroniota 62. ↩
References
Philip Rance, "An unidentified fragment of Diodorus", Classical Quarterly 59 (2009) 91-111
T. Büttner-Wobst, ed., Polybii Historiae, vol. IV, (Leipzig 1904)
T. Büttner-Wobst, ed., Polybii Historiae, vol. IV, (Leipzig 1904)
Linked from2 entries
- θ350Θηρίαbeasts, wild animals[Meaning] elephants. 'Beasts' also [sc. refers to] poisonous creatures, [e.g.] vipers, venomous spiders, snakes. "Prusias' associates became involved with his collection of beasts."
- οι62Οἰκίαhouse[Meaning] a hospice. Also [sc. attested is] oi)ki/dion, [meaning] the (home) building. Also oi)ki/on, [meaning] the little (home) building. "Would that I might build a little home." Meaning that I might house-build.
Neighbouring entries
Revision history5 revisions · last 7 Oct 2018
- expanded primary note, added bibliographical entry — Ronald Allen
- Revised — David Whitehead
- augmented notes, with bibliography — David Whitehead
- augmented notes and keywords; tweaks cosmetics — David Whitehead
- cosmeticule, status — Catharine Roth
- Translated — Ryan Stone