Polybius, Histories

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Book 1 - Chapter 10

1
<w lemma="%2Aoi%28">Οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Amamerti%3Dnoi">Μαμερτῖνοι</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29sterhme%2Fnoi">ἐστερημένοι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pikouri%2Fas">ἐπικουρίας</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rhgi%2Fou">Ῥηγίου</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="a%29nw%2Fteron">ἀνώτερον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dpon">εἶπον</w>, <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fois">ἰδίοις</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasin">πράγμασιν</w> <w lemma="e%29ptaiko%2Ftes">ἐπταικότες</w> <w lemma="o%28losxerw%3Ds">ὁλοσχερῶς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="r%28hqei%2Fsas">ῥηθείσας</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fas">αἰτίας</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="kate%2Ffeugon">κατέφευγον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="e%29nexei%2Frizon">ἐνεχείριζον</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fkran">ἄκραν</w>,
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="e%29pre%2Fsbeuon">ἐπρέσβευον</w>, <w lemma="paradido%2Fntes">παραδιδόντες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="deo%2Fmenoi">δεόμενοι</w> <w lemma="bohqh%2Fsein">βοηθήσειν</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsin">σφίσιν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28mofu%2Flois">ὁμοφύλοις</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxousin">ὑπάρχουσιν</w>.
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<w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="polu%5Cn">πολὺν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w> <w lemma="h%29po%2Frhsan">ἠπόρησαν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="dokei%3Dn">δοκεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29co%2Ffqalmon">ἐξόφθαλμον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29logi%2Fan">ἀλογίαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="bohqei%2Fas">βοηθείας</w>.
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="mikrw%3D%7C">μικρῷ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fous">ἰδίους</w> <w lemma="poli%2Ftas">πολίτας</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fsths">μεγίστης</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%7Crhko%2Ftas">ἀνῃρηκότας</w> <w lemma="timwri%2Fas">τιμωρίας</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rhgi%2Fnous">Ῥηγίνους</w> <w lemma="parespo%2Fndhsan">παρεσπόνδησαν</w>, <w lemma="paraxrh%3Dma">παραχρῆμα</w> <w lemma="%2Amamerti%2Fnois">Μαμερτίνοις</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn">βοηθεῖν</w> <w lemma="zhtei%3Dn">ζητεῖν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsia">παραπλήσια</w> <w lemma="pepoihko%2Fsin">πεποιηκόσιν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Amesshni%2Fwn">Μεσσηνίων</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rhgi%2Fnwn">Ῥηγίνων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w>, <w lemma="dusapolo%2Fghton">δυσαπολόγητον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxe">εἶχε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%28marti%2Fan">ἁμαρτίαν</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoou%3Dnte%2Fs">ἀγνοοῦντές</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fn">οὐδέν</w>, <w lemma="qewrou%3Dntes">θεωροῦντες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fhn">Λιβύην</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibhri%2Fas">Ἰβηρίας</w> <w lemma="u%28ph%2Fkoa">ὑπήκοα</w> <w lemma="polla%5C">πολλὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="pepoihme%2Fnous">πεποιημένους</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="nh%2Fswn">νήσων</w> <w lemma="a%28pasw%3Dn">ἁπασῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29gkratei%3Ds">ἐγκρατεῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxontas">ὑπάρχοντας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Asardo%2Fnion">Σαρδόνιον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aturrhniko%5Cn">Τυρρηνικὸν</w> <w lemma="pe%2Flagos">πέλαγος</w>, <w lemma="h%29gwni%2Fwn">ἠγωνίων</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fas">Σικελίας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="kurieu%2Fsaien">κυριεύσαιεν</w>,
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<w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="li%2Fan">λίαν</w> <w lemma="barei%3Ds">βαρεῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="foberoi%5C">φοβεροὶ</w> <w lemma="gei%2Ftones">γείτονες</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxoien">ὑπάρχοιεν</w>, <w lemma="ku%2Fklw%7C">κύκλῳ</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="perie%2Fxontes">περιέχοντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fas">Ἰταλίας</w> <w lemma="me%2Fresin">μέρεσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pikei%2Fmenoi">ἐπικείμενοι</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="u%28f%27">ὑφ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%5Cs">αὑτοὺς</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsontai">ποιήσονται</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fan">Σικελίαν</w>, <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="tuxo%2Fntwn">τυχόντων</w> <w lemma="e%29pikouri%2Fas">ἐπικουρίας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Amamerti%2Fnwn">Μαμερτίνων</w>, <w lemma="profane%5Cs">προφανὲς</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w>.
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<w lemma="krath%2Fsantes">κρατήσαντες</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29gxeirizome%2Fnhs">ἐγχειριζομένης</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Amessh%2Fnhs">Μεσσήνης</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmellon">ἔμελλον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="o%29li%2Fgw%7C">ὀλίγῳ</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnw%7C">χρόνῳ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakou%2Fsas">Συρακούσας</w> <w lemma="e%29panele%2Fsqai">ἐπανελέσθαι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="despo%2Fzein">δεσπόζειν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllhs">ἄλλης</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fas">Σικελίας</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="proorw%2Fmenoi">προορώμενοι</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fzontes">νομίζοντες</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkai%3Don">ἀναγκαῖον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="proe%2Fsqai">προέσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Amessh%2Fnhn">Μεσσήνην</w> <w lemma="mhd%27">μηδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29a%3Dsai">ἐᾶσαι</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="oi%28onei%5C">οἱονεὶ</w> <w lemma="gefurw%3Dsai">γεφυρῶσαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fan">Ἰταλίαν</w> <w lemma="au%28toi%3Ds">αὑτοῖς</w> <w lemma="dia%2Fbasin">διάβασιν</w>,
The Mamertines had previously, as I above narrated, lost their support from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhegium&groupId=927&placeId=1659">Rhegium</a> and had now suffered complete disaster at home for the reasons I have just stated. Some of them appealed to the Carthaginians, proposing to put themselves and the citadel into their hands,
while others sent an embassy to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>, offering to surrender the city and begging for assistance as a kindred people.
The Romans were long at a loss, the succour demanded being so obviously unjustifiable.
For they had just inflicted on their own fellow-citizens the highest penalty for their treachery to the people of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhegium&groupId=927&placeId=1659">Rhegium</a>, and now to try to help the Mamertines, who had been guilty of like offence not only at Messene but at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhegium&groupId=927&placeId=1659">Rhegium</a> also, was a piece of injustice very difficult to excuse.
But fully aware as they were of this, they yet saw that the Carthaginians had not only reduced <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Libya&groupId=686&placeId=427">Libya</a> to subjection, but a great part of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Spain&groupId=983&placeId=1735">Spain</a> besides, and that they were also in possession of all the islands in the Sardinian and Tyrrhenian Seas.
They were therefore in great apprehension lest, if they also became masters of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a>, they would be most troublesome and dangerous neighbours, hemming them in on all sides and threatening every part of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a>.
That they would soon be supreme in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a>, if the Mamertines were not helped, was evident; for once Messene had fallen into their hands,
they would shortly subdue <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a> also, as they were absolute lords of almost all the rest of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a>.
The Romans, foreseeing this and viewing it as a necessity for themselves not to abandon Messene and thus allow the Carthaginians as it were to build a bridge for crossing over to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a>, debated the matter for long,