Polybius, Histories

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Book 1 - Chapter 81

1
<w lemma="%2Aoi%28">Οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnioi">Καρχηδόνιοι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dustuxh%2Fmatos">δυστυχήματος</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29naggelqe%2Fntos">ἀναγγελθέντος</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxon">εἶχον</w>, <w lemma="e%29sxetli%2Fazon">ἐσχετλίαζον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peripaqei%3Ds">περιπαθεῖς</w> <w lemma="gino%2Fmenoi">γινόμενοι</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="sumfora%3D%7C">συμφορᾷ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ami%2Flkan">Ἀμίλκαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteron">ἕτερον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="strathgw%3Dn">στρατηγῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fannwna">Ἄννωνα</w> <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fpempon">ἐξέπεμπον</w>, <w lemma="deo%2Fmenoi">δεόμενοι</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn">βοηθεῖν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="timwrei%3Dn">τιμωρεῖν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="h%29tuxhko%2Fsi">ἠτυχηκόσι</w>.
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<w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="h%29sebhko%2Ftas">ἠσεβηκότας</w> <w lemma="kh%2Frukas">κήρυκας</w> <w lemma="e%29cape%2Fstellon">ἐξαπέστελλον</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="nekrw%3Dn">νεκρῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29naire%2Fsews">ἀναιρέσεως</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Ft%27">οὔτ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdosan">ἔδοσαν</w>, <w lemma="proei%3Dpo%2Fn">προεῖπόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="parou%3Dsin">παροῦσιν</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="kh%2Fruka">κήρυκα</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fmpein">πέμπειν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="presbeuth%2Fn">πρεσβευτήν</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="kola%2Fsews">κολάσεως</w> <w lemma="u%28pomenou%2Fshs">ὑπομενούσης</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="paragenome%2Fnous">παραγενομένους</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="%2Age%2Fskwn">Γέσκων</w> <w lemma="te%2Fteuxe">τέτευχε</w>.
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<w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29dogmatopoi%2Fhsan">ἐδογματοποίησαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parh%2F%7Cnesan">παρῄνεσαν</w> <w lemma="au%28toi%3Ds">αὑτοῖς</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="la%2Fbwsin">λάβωσιν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w>, <w lemma="timwrhsame%2Fnous">τιμωρησαμένους</w> <w lemma="a%29poktei%2Fnein:">ἀποκτείνειν·</w> <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="summaxou%2Fntwn">συμμαχούντων</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w>, <w lemma="a%29poko%2Fyantas">ἀποκόψαντας</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="xei%3Dras">χεῖρας</w> <w lemma="au%29%3Dqis">αὖθις</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fn%27">Καρχηδόν᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29pope%2Fmpein">ἀποπέμπειν</w>. <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diete%2Flesan">διετέλεσαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pimelw%3Ds">ἐπιμελῶς</w> <w lemma="poiou%3Dntes">ποιοῦντες</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="ble%2Fpwn">βλέπων</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="o%29knh%2Fseien">ὀκνήσειεν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmata">σώματα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpwn">ἀνθρώπων</w> <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="gennwme%2Fnwn">γεννωμένων</w> <w lemma="e%28lkw%3Dn">ἑλκῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fuma%2Ftwn">φυμάτων</w> <w lemma="a%29poqhriou%3Dsqai">ἀποθηριοῦσθαι</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tele%2Fws">τελέως</w> <w lemma="a%29boh%2Fqhta">ἀβοήθητα</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w>, <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="yuxa%2Fs">ψυχάς</w>.
6
<w lemma="e%29pi%2F">ἐπί</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28lkw%3Dn">ἑλκῶν</w>, <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="qerapei%2Fan">θεραπείαν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftois">τοιούτοις</w> <w lemma="prosa%2Fgh%7C">προσάγῃ</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w>, <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29ni%2Fote">ἐνίοτε</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="e%29reqizo%2Fmena">ἐρεθιζόμενα</w> <w lemma="qa%3Dtton">θᾶττον</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dtai">ποιεῖται</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="nomh%2Fn:">νομήν·</w> <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="a%29fh%3D%7C">ἀφῇ</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsin">φύσιν</w> <w lemma="fqei%2Fronta">φθείροντα</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sunexe%5Cs">συνεχὲς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsxei">ἴσχει</w> <w lemma="pau%3Dlan">παῦλαν</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="a%29fani%2Fsh%7C">ἀφανίσῃ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="u%28pokei%2Fmenon:">ὑποκείμενον·</w>
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<w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="yuxai%3Ds">ψυχαῖς</w> <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fws">παραπλησίως</w> <w lemma="toiau%3Dtai">τοιαῦται</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="e%29pifu%2Fontai">ἐπιφύονται</w> <w lemma="melani%2Fai">μελανίαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="shpedo%2Fnes">σηπεδόνες</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29sebe%2Fsteron">ἀσεβέστερον</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpou">ἀνθρώπου</w> <w lemma="mhd%27">μηδ᾽</w> <w lemma="w%29mo%2Fteron">ὠμότερον</w> <w lemma="a%29potelei%3Dsqai">ἀποτελεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="zw%2F%7Cwn">ζῴων</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmhn">συγγνώμην</w> <w lemma="tina%5C">τινὰ</w> <w lemma="prosa%2Fgh%7Cs">προσάγῃς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="filanqrwpi%2Fan">φιλανθρωπίαν</w>, <w lemma="e%29piboulh%5Cn">ἐπιβουλὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paralogismo%5Cn">παραλογισμὸν</w> <w lemma="h%28gou%2Fmenoi">ἡγούμενοι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%3Dnon">συμβαῖνον</w> <w lemma="a%29pisto%2Fteroi">ἀπιστότεροι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dusmene%2Fsteroi">δυσμενέστεροι</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnontai">γίνονται</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="filanqrwpou%3Dntas:">φιλανθρωποῦντας·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29ntitimwrh%3D%7C">ἀντιτιμωρῇ</w>, <w lemma="diamillw%2Fmenoi">διαμιλλώμενοι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="qumoi%3Ds">θυμοῖς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29peirhme%2Fnwn">ἀπειρημένων</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="deinw%3Dn">δεινῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28poi%3Don">ὁποῖον</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29nade%2Fxontai">ἀναδέχονται</w>, <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="kalw%3D%7C">καλῷ</w> <w lemma="tiqe%2Fmenoi">τιθέμενοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="to%2Flman:">τόλμαν·</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29poqhriwqe%2Fntes">ἀποθηριωθέντες</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fsthsan">ἐξέστησαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrwpi%2Fnhs">ἀνθρωπίνης</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsews">φύσεως</w>.
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<w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="diaqe%2Fsews">διαθέσεως</w> <w lemma="a%29rxhgo%5Cn">ἀρχηγὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fsthn">μεγίστην</w> <w lemma="meri%2Fda">μερίδα</w> <w lemma="nomiste%2Fon">νομιστέον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fqh">ἔθη</w> <w lemma="moxqhra%5C">μοχθηρὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="trofh%5Cn">τροφὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="pai%2Fdwn">παίδων</w> <w lemma="kakh%2Fn">κακήν</w>, <w lemma="sunerga%5C">συνεργὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w>, <w lemma="me%2Fgista">μέγιστα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="sunergw%3Dn">συνεργῶν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proestw%2Ftwn">προεστώτων</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Fbreis">ὕβρεις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pleoneci%2Fas">πλεονεξίας</w>.
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<w lemma="a%28%5C">ἃ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbaine">συνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fsthma">σύστημα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frwn">μισθοφόρων</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fnas">ἡγεμόνας</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w>.
The Carthaginians, when news came of this unhappy event, could take no action, but their indignation was extreme, and in the heat of it they sent messengers to Hamilcar and their other general Hanno imploring them to come and avenge the unfortunate victims.
To the assassins they sent heralds begging that the bodies might be given up to them.
Not only was this request refused but the messengers were told to send neither herald nor envoy again, as any who came would meet with the same punishment that had just befallen Gesco.
With regard to treatment of prisoners in the future, the mutineers passed a resolution and engaged each other to torture and kill every Carthaginian and send back to the capital with his hands cut off every ally of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>, and this practice they continued to observe carefully.
No one looking at this would have any hesitation in saying that not only do men's bodies and certain of the ulcers and tumours afflicting them become so to speak savage and brutalized and quite incurable, but that this is true in a much higher degree of their souls.
In the case of ulcers, if we treat them, they are sometimes inflamed by the treatment itself and spread more rapidly, while again if we neglect them they continue, in virtue of their own nature, to eat into the flesh and never rest until they have utterly destroyed the tissues beneath.
Similarly such malignant lividities and putrid ulcers often grow in the human soul, that no beast becomes at the end more wicked or cruel than man.
In the case of men in such a state, if we treat the disease by pardon and kindness, they think we are scheming to betray them or deceive them, and become more mistrustful and hostile to their would-be benefactors,
but if, on the contrary, we attempt to cure the evil by retaliation they work up their passions to outrival ours, until there is nothing so abominable or so atrocious that they will not consent to do it, imagining all the while that they are displaying a fine courage.
Thus at the end they are utterly brutalized and no longer can be called human beings. Of such a condition the origin and most potent cause lies in bad manners and customs and wrong training from childhood, but there are several contributory ones, the chief of which is habitual violence and unscrupulousness on the part of those in authority over them.
All these conditions were present in this mercenary force as a whole and especially in their chiefs.