03-11-2018, 09:28 PM
I don't think Paton (the LCL) botched the translation here:
"For since, when it has closed up for action, each man, with his arms, occupies a space of three feet in breadth"
κατὰ τὰς ἐναγωνίους πυκνώσεις simply has been moved to the front of his sentence.
Polybius isn't being entirely clear, but his three feet refers to both breadth and depth, placing the phalangite in a 3x3 foot square (i.e. a cubic yard): note at 18.29.5 he speaks of ἐχούσης τῆς φάλαγγος τὴν αὑτῆς ἰδιότητα καὶ πύκνωσιν κατ᾽ ἐπιστάτην καὶ κατὰ παραστάτην "its characteristic close order as regards both depth and breadth" (again Paton)
"For since, when it has closed up for action, each man, with his arms, occupies a space of three feet in breadth"
κατὰ τὰς ἐναγωνίους πυκνώσεις simply has been moved to the front of his sentence.
Polybius isn't being entirely clear, but his three feet refers to both breadth and depth, placing the phalangite in a 3x3 foot square (i.e. a cubic yard): note at 18.29.5 he speaks of ἐχούσης τῆς φάλαγγος τὴν αὑτῆς ἰδιότητα καὶ πύκνωσιν κατ᾽ ἐπιστάτην καὶ κατὰ παραστάτην "its characteristic close order as regards both depth and breadth" (again Paton)
