01-15-2020, 09:10 PM
He is talking of interval between men, so we don't have any real reason to think in a different way. Anyway, we have also another translation:
Now in the case of the Romans also each soldier with his arms occupies a space of •three feet in breadth, 7 but as in their mode of fighting each man must move separately, as he has to cover his person with his long shield, turning to meet each expected blow, and as he uses his sword both for cutting and thrusting it is obvious that a looser order is required, 8 and each man must be at a distance of at least three feet from the man next him in the same rank and those in front of and behind him, p153 if they are to be of proper use.
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Ro...s/18*.html
In this case, the translation is even more explicit.
Now in the case of the Romans also each soldier with his arms occupies a space of •three feet in breadth, 7 but as in their mode of fighting each man must move separately, as he has to cover his person with his long shield, turning to meet each expected blow, and as he uses his sword both for cutting and thrusting it is obvious that a looser order is required, 8 and each man must be at a distance of at least three feet from the man next him in the same rank and those in front of and behind him, p153 if they are to be of proper use.
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Ro...s/18*.html
In this case, the translation is even more explicit.
