Polybius, Histories

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Book 1 - Chapter 55

1
<w lemma="%2Atou%2Ftou">Τούτου</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="sumba%2Fntos">συμβάντος</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="au%29%3Dqis">αὖθις</w> <w lemma="a%29ne%2Fkuye">ἀνέκυψε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pirrepeste%2Fras">ἐπιρρεπεστέρας</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxe">εἶχε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdas">ἐλπίδας</w>,
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="poso%5Cn">ποσὸν</w> <w lemma="h%29tuxhko%2Ftes">ἠτυχηκότες</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28losxerw%3Ds">ὁλοσχερῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="qala%2Ftths">θαλάττης</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fbhsan">ἐξέβησαν</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28pai%2Fqrwn">ὑπαίθρων</w> <w lemma="e%29pekra%2Ftoun:">ἐπεκράτουν·</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnioi">Καρχηδόνιοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="qala%2Ftths">θαλάττης</w> <w lemma="e%29kuri%2Feuon">ἐκυρίευον</w>, <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="gh%3Ds">γῆς</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flws">ὅλως</w> <w lemma="a%29ph%2Flpizon">ἀπήλπιζον</w>.
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<w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flois">ὅλοις</w> <w lemma="e%29sxetli%2Fazon">ἐσχετλίαζον</w>, <w lemma="oi%28%2F">οἵ</w> <w lemma="t%27">τ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmh%7C">Ῥώμῃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Alilu%2Fbaion">Λιλύβαιον</w> <w lemma="strato%2Fpeda">στρατόπεδα</w>, <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fna">προειρημένα</w> <w lemma="sumptw%2Fmata:">συμπτώματα·</w>
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<w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="proqe%2Fsews">προθέσεως</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29fi%2Fstanto">ἀφίσταντο</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fan">πολιορκίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29xorh%2Fgoun">ἐχορήγουν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="gh%3Dn">γῆν</w> <w lemma="a%29profasi%2Fstws">ἀπροφασίστως</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="prosekarte%2Froun">προσεκαρτέρουν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fth%7C">ταύτῃ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="dunato%2Fn">δυνατόν</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29iou%2Fnios">Ἰούνιος</w> <w lemma="a%29nakomisqei%5Cs">ἀνακομισθεὶς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="strato%2Fpedon">στρατόπεδον</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="nauagi%2Fas">ναυαγίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peripaqh%5Cs">περιπαθὴς</w> <w lemma="w%29%2Fn">ὤν</w>, <w lemma="e%29ge%2Fneto">ἐγένετο</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kainotomh%3Dsai%2F">καινοτομῆσαί</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pra%3Dcai">πρᾶξαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="deo%2Fntwn">δεόντων</w>, <w lemma="spouda%2Fzwn">σπουδάζων</w> <w lemma="a%29namaxe%2Fsasqai">ἀναμαχέσασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="gegenhme%2Fnhn">γεγενημένην</w> <w lemma="peripe%2Fteian">περιπέτειαν</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="braxei%2Fas">βραχείας</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="parapesou%2Fshs">παραπεσούσης</w> <w lemma="a%29formh%3Ds">ἀφορμῆς</w>, <w lemma="katalamba%2Fnei">καταλαμβάνει</w> <w lemma="pracikoph%2Fsas">πραξικοπήσας</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Feruka">Ἔρυκα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai">γίνεται</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29afrodi%2Fths">Ἀφροδίτης</w> <w lemma="i%28erou%3D">ἱεροῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="e%29gkrath%2Fs">ἐγκρατής</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Feruc">Ἔρυξ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fros">ὄρος</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fas">Σικελίας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fan">Ἰταλίαν</w> <w lemma="keime%2Fnh%7C">κειμένῃ</w> <w lemma="pleura%3D%7C">πλευρᾷ</w> <w lemma="metacu%5C">μεταξὺ</w> <w lemma="%2Adrepa%2Fnwn">Δρεπάνων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Apano%2Frmou">Πανόρμου</w>, <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fmoron">ὅμορον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="suna%2Fpton">συνάπτον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Adre%2Fpana">Δρέπανα</w>, <w lemma="mege%2Fqei">μεγέθει</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="diafe%2Fron">διαφέρον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fan">Σικελίαν</w> <w lemma="o%29rw%3Dn">ὀρῶν</w> <w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29%2Ftnhs">Αἴτνης</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="korufh%3Ds">κορυφῆς</w>, <w lemma="ou%29%2Fshs">οὔσης</w> <w lemma="e%29pipe%2Fdou">ἐπιπέδου</w>, <w lemma="kei%3Dtai">κεῖται</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29afrodi%2Fths">Ἀφροδίτης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29eruki%2Fnhs">Ἐρυκίνης</w> <w lemma="i%28ero%2Fn">ἱερόν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fper">ὅπερ</w> <w lemma="o%28mologoume%2Fnws">ὁμολογουμένως</w> <w lemma="e%29pifane%2Fstato%2Fn">ἐπιφανέστατόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="plou%2Ftw%7C">πλούτῳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="loiph%3D%7C">λοιπῇ</w> <w lemma="prostasi%2Fa%7C">προστασίᾳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fan">Σικελίαν</w> <w lemma="i%28erw%3Dn:">ἱερῶν·</w>
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<w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flis">πόλις</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="korufh%5Cn">κορυφὴν</w> <w lemma="te%2Ftaktai">τέτακται</w>, <w lemma="pa%2Fnu">πάνυ</w> <w lemma="makra%5Cn">μακρὰν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxousa">ἔχουσα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prosa%2Fnth">προσάντη</w> <w lemma="pantaxo%2Fqen">πανταχόθεν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fbasin">ἀνάβασιν</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29pi%2F">ἐπί</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="korufh%5Cn">κορυφὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pisth%2Fsas">ἐπιστήσας</w> <w lemma="fulakh%2Fn">φυλακήν</w>, <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Adrepa%2Fnwn">Δρεπάνων</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fsbasin">πρόσβασιν</w> <w lemma="e%29th%2Frei">ἐτήρει</w> <w lemma="filoti%2Fmws">φιλοτίμως</w> <w lemma="a%29mfote%2Frous">ἀμφοτέρους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29nabolh%3Ds">ἀναβολῆς</w>, <w lemma="pepeisme%2Fnos">πεπεισμένος</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="a%29sfalw%3Ds">ἀσφαλῶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fmpan">σύμπαν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fros">ὄρος</w> <w lemma="u%28f%27">ὑφ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28to%5Cn">αὑτὸν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fcein">ἕξειν</w>.
Owing to this occurrence the hopes of the Carthaginians rose again, and it seemed to them that the fortune of war was inclining in their favour,
while the Romans, on the contrary, who had been previously to a certain extent unlucky but never had met with so complete a disaster, relinquished the sea, while continuing to maintain their hold on the country.
The Carthaginians were now masters of the sea and were not hopeless of regaining their position on land.
Subsequently, though all, both at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> and in the army at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Lilybaeum&groupId=690&placeId=1261">Lilybaeum</a>, continued to lament their whole situation after these recent defeats, yet they did not abandon their purpose of pursuing the siege, the government not hesitating to send supplies over land, the besiegers thereby keeping up the investment as well as they could.
Junius, returning to the army after the shipwreck in a state of great affliction, set himself to devise some novel and original step that would be of service, being most anxious to make good the loss inflicted by the disaster.
Therefore on some slight pretext offering itself, he surprised and occupied Eryx, possessing himself both of the temple of Venus and of the town.
Eryx is a mountain on the sea on that side of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a> which looks towards <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a>. It is situated between <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Drepana&groupId=544&placeId=1023">Drepana</a> and Panormus, or rather it is adjacent to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Drepana&groupId=544&placeId=1023">Drepana</a>, on the borders, and is much the biggest mountain in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a> after Etna.<note place="end" resp="tr" id="note6"><emph rend="bold">Eryx is much the biggest mountain in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a> after Etna:</emph>This is not a fact.</note>
On its summit, which is flat, stands the temple of Venus Erycina, which is indisputably the first in wealth and general magnificence of all the Sicilian holy places.
The city extends along the hill under the actual summit, the ascent to it being very long and steep on all sides.
He garrisoned the summit and also the approach from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Drepana&groupId=544&placeId=1023">Drepana</a>, and jealously guarded both these positions, especially the latter, in the conviction that by this means he would securely hold the city and the whole mountain.