Polybius, Histories

Layout
Translation

Book 1 - Chapter 59

1
<w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="poluxroni%2Fous">πολυχρονίους</w> <w lemma="ei%29sfora%5Cs">εἰσφορὰς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dapa%2Fnas">δαπάνας</w>. <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="yuxomaxou%3Dntes">ψυχομαχοῦντες</w>, <w lemma="kai%2Fper">καίπερ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fth">ἔτη</w> <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fnte">πέντε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="o%28losxerw%3Ds">ὁλοσχερῶς</w> <w lemma="a%29festhko%2Ftes">ἀφεστηκότες</w> <w lemma="dia%2F">διά</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="peripetei%2Fas">περιπετείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pepei%3Dsqai">πεπεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pezikw%3Dn">πεζικῶν</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmewn">δυνάμεων</w> <w lemma="krinei%3Dn">κρινεῖν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>,
2
<w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="sunorw%3Dntes">συνορῶντες</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="proxwrou%3Dn">προχωροῦν</w> <w lemma="au%28toi%3Ds">αὑτοῖς</w> <w lemma="tou%29%2Frgon">τοὔργον</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29klogismou%5Cs">ἐκλογισμοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="to%2Flman">τόλμαν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fnos">ἡγεμόνος</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fkrinan">ἔκριναν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tri%2Fton">τρίτον</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipoih%2Fsasqai">ἀντιποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="nautikai%3Ds">ναυτικαῖς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmesin">δυνάμεσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdwn">ἐλπίδων</w>,
3
<w lemma="u%28polamba%2Fnontes">ὑπολαμβάνοντες</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pinoi%2Fas">ἐπινοίας</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kairi%2Fws">καιρίως</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fyainto">ἅψαιντο</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%3Ds">ἐπιβολῆς</w>, <w lemma="mo%2Fnws">μόνως</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fras">πέρας</w> <w lemma="e%29piqei%3Dnai">ἐπιθεῖναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmw%7C">πολέμῳ</w> <w lemma="sumfe%2Fron">συμφέρον</w>. <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fhsan">ἐποίησαν</w>.
4
<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="e%29cexw%2Frhsan">ἐξεχώρησαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="qala%2Ftths">θαλάττης</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fcantes">εἴξαντες</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhs">τύχης</w> <w lemma="sumptw%2Fmasin">συμπτώμασιν</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w> <w lemma="e%29lattwqe%2Fntes">ἐλαττωθέντες</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Adre%2Fpana">Δρέπανα</w> <w lemma="naumaxi%2Fa%7C:">ναυμαχίᾳ·</w>
5
<w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tri%2Fthn">τρίτην</w> <w lemma="e%29poiou%3Dnto">ἐποιοῦντο</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%2Fn">ἐπιβολήν</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="nikh%2Fsantes">νικήσαντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Feruka">Ἔρυκα</w> <w lemma="strato%2Fpeda">στρατόπεδα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="a%29poklei%2Fsantes">ἀποκλείσαντες</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w> <w lemma="xorhgi%2Fas">χορηγίας</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fqhkan">ἐπέθηκαν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flois">ὅλοις</w>.
6
<w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%3Ds">ἐπιβολῆς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Don">πλεῖον</w> <w lemma="yuxomaxi%2Fa">ψυχομαχία</w>. <w lemma="xorhgi%2Fa">χορηγία</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="u%28ph%3Drxe">ὑπῆρχε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fqesin">πρόθεσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="koinoi%3Ds">κοινοῖς</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proestw%2Ftwn">προεστώτων</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="koina%5C">κοινὰ</w> <w lemma="filotimi%2Fan">φιλοτιμίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gennaio%2Fthta">γενναιότητα</w> <w lemma="proseure%2Fqh">προσευρέθη</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="sunte%2Fleian">συντέλειαν</w>.
7
<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fwn">βίων</w> <w lemma="eu%29kairi%2Fas">εὐκαιρίας</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fna">ἕνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fo">δύο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="trei%3Ds">τρεῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28fi%2Fstanto">ὑφίσταντο</w> <w lemma="pare%2Fcein">παρέξειν</w> <w lemma="penth%2Frh">πεντήρη</w> <w lemma="kathrtisme%2Fnhn">κατηρτισμένην</w>, <w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="w%28%3D%7C">ᾧ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="dapa%2Fnhn">δαπάνην</w> <w lemma="komiou%3Dntai">κομιοῦνται</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="proxwrhsa%2Fntwn">προχωρησάντων</w>.
8
<w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftw%7C">τοιούτῳ</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpw%7C">τρόπῳ</w> <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="e%28toimasqe%2Fntwn">ἑτοιμασθέντων</w> <w lemma="diakosi%2Fwn">διακοσίων</w> <w lemma="ploi%2Fwn">πλοίων</w> <w lemma="penthrikw%3Dn">πεντηρικῶν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="e%29poih%2Fsanto">ἐποιήσαντο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="nauphgi%2Fan">ναυπηγίαν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> [<w lemma="para%2Fdeigma">παράδειγμα</w>] <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodi%2Fou">Ῥοδίου</w> <w lemma="nau%3Dn">ναῦν</w>, <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="katasth%2Fsantes">καταστήσαντες</w> <w lemma="%2Aga%2Fi+on">Γάϊον</w> <w lemma="%2Aluta%2Ftion">Λυτάτιον</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fpemyan">ἐξέπεμψαν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxome%2Fnhs">ἀρχομένης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="qerei%2Fas">θερείας</w>.
9
<w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fcws">παραδόξως</w> <w lemma="e%29pifanei%5Cs">ἐπιφανεὶς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fan">Σικελίαν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w> <w lemma="to%2Fn">τόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Adre%2Fpana">Δρέπανα</w> <w lemma="lime%2Fna">λιμένα</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fsxe">κατέσχε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Alilu%2Fbaion">Λιλύβαιον</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Frmous">ὅρμους</w>, <w lemma="panto%5Cs">παντὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29nakexwrhko%2Ftos">ἀνακεχωρηκότος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fan">οἰκείαν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="nautikou%3D">ναυτικοῦ</w>.
10
<w lemma="susthsa%2Fmenos">συστησάμενος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Adrepa%2Fnois">Δρεπάνοις</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frga">ἔργα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%29%2Flla">τἄλλα</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fan">πολιορκίαν</w> <w lemma="paraskeuasa%2Fmenos">παρασκευασάμενος</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fth%7C">ταύτῃ</w> <w lemma="prosekarte%2Frei">προσεκαρτέρει</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="dunata%5C">δυνατὰ</w> <w lemma="poiw%3Dn">ποιῶν</w>,
11
<w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="proorw%2Fmenos">προορώμενος</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="parousi%2Fan">παρουσίαν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="sto%2Flou">στόλου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mnhmoneu%2Fwn">μνημονεύων</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w> <w lemma="proqe%2Fsews">προθέσεως</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnws">μόνως</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnatai">δύναται</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w> <w lemma="kindu%2Fnou">κινδύνου</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fsews">κρίσεως</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fla">ὅλα</w> <w lemma="tuxei%3Dn">τυχεῖν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29xrei%3Don">ἀχρεῖον</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29rgo%5Cn">ἀργὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fa">εἴα</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w>,
12
<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29n%27">ἀν᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fsthn">ἑκάστην</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fran">ἡμέραν</w> <w lemma="a%29napei%2Fras">ἀναπείρας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mele%2Ftas">μελέτας</w> <w lemma="poiw%3Dn">ποιῶν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="plhrw%2Fmasin">πληρώμασιν</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fws">οἰκείως</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%3Ds">ἐπιβολῆς</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="loiph%3D%7C">λοιπῇ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="di%2Faitan">δίαιταν</w> <w lemma="e%29pimelei%2Fa%7C">ἐπιμελείᾳ</w> <w lemma="proskarterw%3Dn">προσκαρτερῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29qlhta%5Cs">ἀθλητὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29pete%2Flesen">ἀπετέλεσεν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="prokei%2Fmenon">προκείμενον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnu">πάνυ</w> <w lemma="braxei%3D">βραχεῖ</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnw%7C">χρόνῳ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="nau%2Ftas">ναύτας</w>.
But, in spite of all, the Romans, as if fighting for their lives, although they had for nearly five years utterly withdrawn from the sea owing to their disasters and their belief that they would be able to decide the war by the aid of their land forces alone,
now, when they saw that chiefly owing to the bold action of the Carthaginian general they were not making the progress on which they had reckoned, decided for the third time to court the prospect of using sea-forces.
They thought that this course, if they could but strike a deadly blow, was the only way of bringing the war to a favourable conclusion.
And this they finally accomplished. It was yielding to the blows of Fortune that they had retired from the sea on the first occasion; the second time it was owing to their defeat at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Drepana&groupId=544&placeId=1023">Drepana</a>,
but now they made this third attempt, and through it, by gaining a victory and cutting off the supplies from the sea of the Carthaginian army at Eryx, they put an end to the whole war.
The attempt was indeed of the nature of a struggle for existence. For there were no funds in the public treasury for this purpose; but yet, owing to the patriotic and generous spirit of the leading citizens, enough was found to carry out the project;
as either one, two, or three of them, according to their means, undertook to provide a quinquereme fully equipped on the understanding that they would be repaid if all went well.
In this way a fleet of two hundred quinqueremes was rapidly got ready, all built on the model of the "Rhodian's" ship. They then appointed Gaius Lutatius to the command and dispatched him at the beginning of summer.
Suddenly appearing off the coast of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a>, he seized on the harbour of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Drepana&groupId=544&placeId=1023">Drepana</a> and the road-steads near <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Lilybaeum&groupId=690&placeId=1261">Lilybaeum</a>, the whole Carthaginian navy having retired to their own country.
First of all he constructed works round the city of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Drepana&groupId=544&placeId=1023">Drepana</a> and made all preparations for its siege, but while continuing to prosecute this by every means in his power,
he foresaw that the Carthaginian fleet would arrive, and was not forgetful of the original motive of the expedition, the belief that it was only by a sea battle that the war could be decisively finished. He did not, then, allow the time to pass uselessly and idly,
but every day was spent in exercising and practising the crews properly for this purpose. He also paid unremitting attention to the matter of good food and drink, so that in a very short time he got his sailors into perfect condition for the anticipated battle.