Polybius, Histories

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Book 1 - Chapter 8

1
<w lemma="%2Aoi%28">Οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Amamerti%3Dnoi">Μαμερτῖνοι</w> — <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tou%29%2Fnoma">τοὔνομα</w> <w lemma="kurieu%2Fsantes">κυριεύσαντες</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Akampanoi%5C">Καμπανοὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Amessh%2Fnhs">Μεσσήνης</w> <w lemma="proshgo%2Freusan">προσηγόρευσαν</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%2Fs">αὐτούς</w> — <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="sunexrw%3Dnto">συνεχρῶντο</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="summaxi%2Fa%7C">συμμαχίᾳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rh%2Fgion">Ῥήγιον</w> <w lemma="katasxo%2Fntwn">κατασχόντων</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%28autw%3Dn">ἑαυτῶν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w> <w lemma="a%29sfalw%3Ds">ἀσφαλῶς</w> <w lemma="katekra%2Ftoun">κατεκράτουν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sunorou%2Fshs">συνορούσης</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ftuxe">ἔτυχε</w> <w lemma="parhnw%2Fxloun">παρηνώχλουν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fois">Συρακοσίοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="polla%5C">πολλὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fas">Σικελίας</w> <w lemma="e%29forolo%2Fgoun">ἐφορολόγουν</w>.
2
<w lemma="e%29pei%5C">ἐπεὶ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29sterh%2Fqhsan">ἐστερήθησαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnhs">προειρημένης</w> <w lemma="e%29pikouri%2Fas">ἐπικουρίας</w>, <w lemma="sugkleisqe%2Fntwn">συγκλεισθέντων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rh%2Fgion">Ῥήγιον</w> <w lemma="katexo%2Fntwn">κατεχόντων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fan">πολιορκίαν</w>, <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="po%2Fdas">πόδας</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fwn">Συρακοσίων</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%5C">αὐτοὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="sunediw%2Fxqhsan">συνεδιώχθησαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="dia%2F">διά</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Ftas">τοιαύτας</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fas">αἰτίας</w>.
3
<w lemma="xro%2Fnois">χρόνοις</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="polloi%3Ds">πολλοῖς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="ai%28">αἱ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmeis">δυνάμεις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fwn">Συρακοσίων</w> <w lemma="dienexqei%3Dsai">διενεχθεῖσαι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flei">πόλει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diatri%2Fbousai">διατρίβουσαι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Amerga%2Fnhn">Μεργάνην</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fsthsan">κατέστησαν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frxontas">ἄρχοντας</w>, <w lemma="%2A%29artemi%2Fdwro%2Fn">Ἀρτεμίδωρόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="basileu%2Fsanta">βασιλεύσαντα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fwn">Συρακοσίων</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ie%2Frwna">Ἱέρωνα</w>, <w lemma="ne%2Fon">νέον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fnta">ὄντα</w> <w lemma="komidh%3D%7C">κομιδῇ</w>, <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnos">γένος</w> <w lemma="eu%29fuh%3D">εὐφυῆ</w> <w lemma="basilikh%3Ds">βασιλικῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pragmatikh%3Ds">πραγματικῆς</w> <w lemma="oi%29konomi%2Fas">οἰκονομίας</w>.
4
<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="paralabw%5Cn">παραλαβὼν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pareiselqw%5Cn">παρεισελθὼν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="dia%2F">διά</w> <w lemma="tinwn">τινων</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fwn">οἰκείων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ku%2Frios">κύριος</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenos">γενόμενος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipoliteuome%2Fnwn">ἀντιπολιτευομένων</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="e%29xrh%2Fsato">ἐχρήσατο</w> <w lemma="pra%2F%7Cws">πρᾴως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="megaloyu%2Fxws">μεγαλοψύχως</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasin">πράγμασιν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fous">Συρακοσίους</w>, <w lemma="kai%2Fper">καίπερ</w> <w lemma="ou%29damw%3Ds">οὐδαμῶς</w> <w lemma="eu%29dokoume%2Fnous">εὐδοκουμένους</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="stratiwtw%3Dn">στρατιωτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxairesi%2Fais">ἀρχαιρεσίαις</w>, <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="o%28moqumado%5Cn">ὁμοθυμαδὸν</w> <w lemma="eu%29dokh%3Dsai">εὐδοκῆσαι</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ie%2Frwna">Ἱέρωνα</w>.
5
<w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftwn">πρώτων</w> <w lemma="e%29pinohma%2Ftwn">ἐπινοημάτων</w> <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="dh%3Dlos">δῆλος</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%29rqw%3Ds">ὀρθῶς</w> <w lemma="skopoume%2Fnois">σκοπουμένοις</w> <w lemma="meizo%2Fnwn">μειζόνων</w> <w lemma="o%29rego%2F">ὀρεγό</w>
The Mamertines (for this was the name adopted by the Campanians after their seizure of Messene) as long as they enjoyed the alliance of the Romans together with the Campanians who had occupied <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhegium&groupId=927&placeId=1659">Rhegium</a>, not only remained in secure possession of their own city and territory but caused no little trouble to the Carthaginians and Syracusans about the adjacent territories, levying tribute from many parts of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a>.
When, however, they were deprived of this support, the captors of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhegium&groupId=927&placeId=1659">Rhegium</a> being now closely invested, they were at once in their turn driven to take refuge in their city by the Syracusans owing to the following causes.
Not many years before the Syracusan army had quarrelled with those in the city. They were then posted near <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mergane&groupId=755&placeId=1375">Mergane</a> and appointed two magistrates chosen from their own body, Artemidorus and Hiero, who was subsequently king of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a>. He was still quite young but because of his royal descent qualified to be a ruler and statesman of a kind.
Having accepted the command, he gained admittance to the city through certain relatives, and after overpowering the opposite party, administered affairs with such mildness and magnanimity that the Syracusans, though by no means inclined to approve camp elections, on this occasion unanimously accepted him as their general.
From his first measures it was evident at once to all capable of judging that his ambition was not limited to military command.