Polybius, Histories

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Book 10 - Chapter 44

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<w lemma="%2Aai%29nei%2Fas">Αἰνείας</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="boulhqei%5Cs">βουληθεὶς</w> <w lemma="diorqw%2Fsasqai">διορθώσασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="a%29pori%2Fan">ἀπορίαν</w>, <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Astrathgikw%3Dn">Στρατηγικῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pomnh%2Fmata">ὑπομνήματα</w> <w lemma="suntetagme%2Fnos">συντεταγμένος</w>, <w lemma="braxu%5C">βραχὺ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="proebi%2Fbase">προεβίβασε</w>, <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="de%2Fontos">δέοντος</w> <w lemma="a%29kmh%5Cn">ἀκμὴν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fmpolu">πάμπολυ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fnoian">ἐπίνοιαν</w> <w lemma="a%29pelei%2Ffqh">ἀπελείφθη</w>.
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<w lemma="gnoi%2Fh">γνοίη</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w>. <w lemma="fhsi%5C">φησὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllontas">μέλλοντας</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flois">ἀλλήλοις</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pursw%3Dn">πυρσῶν</w> <w lemma="dhlou%3Dn">δηλοῦν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="katepei%3Dgon">κατεπεῖγον</w> <w lemma="a%29ggei%3Da">ἀγγεῖα</w> <w lemma="kataskeua%2Fsai">κατασκευάσαι</w> <w lemma="keramea%3D">κεραμεᾶ</w>, <w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pla%2Ftos">πλάτος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ba%2Fqos">βάθος</w> <w lemma="i%29somege%2Fqh">ἰσομεγέθη</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29kri%2Fbeian:">ἀκρίβειαν·</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ba%2Fqos">βάθος</w> <w lemma="triw%3Dn">τριῶν</w> <w lemma="phxw%3Dn">πηχῶν</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pla%2Ftos">πλάτος</w> <w lemma="ph%2Fxeos">πήχεος</w>.
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<w lemma="ei%29%3Dta">εἶτα</w> <w lemma="paraskeua%2Fsai">παρασκευάσαι</w> <w lemma="fellou%5Cs">φελλοὺς</w> <w lemma="braxu%5C">βραχὺ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pla%2Ftos">πλάτος</w> <w lemma="e%29ndeei%3Ds">ἐνδεεῖς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="stoma%2Ftwn">στομάτων</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="me%2Fsois">μέσοις</w> <w lemma="e%29mpephge%2Fnai">ἐμπεπηγέναι</w> <w lemma="bakthri%2Fas">βακτηρίας</w> <w lemma="dih%7Crhme%2Fnas">διῃρημένας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsa">ἴσα</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="trida%2Fktula">τριδάκτυλα</w>, <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkaston">ἕκαστον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="perigrafh%5Cn">περιγραφὴν</w> <w lemma="eu%29%2Fshmon">εὔσημον</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstw%7C">ἑκάστῳ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frei">μέρει</w> <w lemma="gegra%2Ffqai">γεγράφθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="profane%2Fstata">προφανέστατα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaqolikw%2Ftata">καθολικώτατα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemikoi%3Ds">πολεμικοῖς</w> <w lemma="sumbaino%2Fntwn">συμβαινόντων</w>, <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftw%7C">πρώτῳ</w>, <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> "
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<w lemma="pa%2Freisin">πάρεισιν</w> <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w>," <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="deute%2Frw%7C">δευτέρῳ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> "<w lemma="pezoi%5C">πεζοὶ</w> <w lemma="barei%3Ds">βαρεῖς</w>," <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tri%2Ftw%7C">τρίτῳ</w> "<w lemma="yiloi%2F">ψιλοί</w>," <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> "
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<w lemma="pezoi%5C">πεζοὶ</w> <w lemma="meq%27">μεθ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%28ppe%2Fwn">ἱππέων</w>," <w lemma="ei%29%3Dta">εἶτα</w> "<w lemma="ploi%3Da">πλοῖα</w>," <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> "<w lemma="si%3Dtos">σῖτος</w>," <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sunexe%5Cs">συνεχὲς</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftw">οὕτω</w>, <w lemma="me%2Fxris">μέχρις</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsais">πάσαις</w> <w lemma="grafh%3D%7C">γραφῇ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="xw%2Frais">χώραις</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flist%27">μάλιστ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="eu%29lo%2Fgwn">εὐλόγων</w> <w lemma="pronoi%2Fas">προνοίας</w> <w lemma="tugxa%2Fnonta">τυγχάνοντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnonta">συμβαίνοντα</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29nestw%3Dtas">ἐνεστῶτας</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemikw%3Dn">πολεμικῶν</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnwn">γενομένων</w> <w lemma="a%29mfo%2Ftera">ἀμφότερα</w> <w lemma="keleu%2Fei">κελεύει</w> <w lemma="trh%3Dsai">τρῆσαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="a%29ggei%3Da">ἀγγεῖα</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29kri%2Fbeian">ἀκρίβειαν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%29li%2Fskous">αὐλίσκους</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsous">ἴσους</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fson">ἴσον</w> <w lemma="a%29porrei%3Dn:">ἀπορρεῖν·</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dta">εἶτα</w> <w lemma="plhrw%2Fsantas">πληρώσαντας</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Fdatos">ὕδατος</w> <w lemma="e%29piqei%3Dnai">ἐπιθεῖναι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="fellou%5Cs">φελλοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxontas">ἔχοντας</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="bakthri%2Fas">βακτηρίας</w>, <w lemma="ka%29%2Fpeita">κἄπειτα</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%29li%2Fskous">αὐλίσκους</w> <w lemma="a%29fei%3Dnai">ἀφεῖναι</w> <w lemma="r%28ei%3Dn">ῥεῖν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnontos">συμβαίνοντος</w> <w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkh">ἀνάγκη</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fswn">ἴσων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fwn">ὁμοίων</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntwn">ὄντων</w>, <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="a%29porre%2Fh%7C">ἀπορρέῃ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="u%28gro%2Fn">ὑγρόν</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="fellou%5Cs">φελλοὺς</w> <w lemma="katabai%2Fnein">καταβαίνειν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="bakthri%2Fas">βακτηρίας</w> <w lemma="kru%2Fptesqai">κρύπτεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ggei%2Fwn">ἀγγείων</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fna">προειρημένα</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnhtai">γένηται</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xeirismo%5Cn">χειρισμὸν</w> <w lemma="i%29sotaxh%3D">ἰσοταχῆ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fmfwna">σύμφωνα</w>, <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="komi%2Fsantas">κομίσαντας</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fteroi">ἑκάτεροι</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllousi">μέλλουσι</w> <w lemma="sunthrei%3Dn">συντηρεῖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pursei%2Fas">πυρσείας</w>, <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fteron">ἑκάτερον</w> <w lemma="qei%3Dnai">θεῖναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ggei%2Fwn">ἀγγείων</w>.
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<w lemma="ei%29%3Dt%27">εἶτ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pa%5Cn">ἐπὰν</w> <w lemma="e%29mpe%2Fsh%7C">ἐμπέσῃ</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="bakthri%2Fa%7C">βακτηρίᾳ</w> <w lemma="gegramme%2Fnwn">γεγραμμένων</w>, <w lemma="purso%5Cn">πυρσὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%3Drai">ἆραι</w> <w lemma="keleu%2Fei">κελεύει</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fnein">μένειν</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="a%29ntai%2Frwsin">ἀνταίρωσιν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="suntetagme%2Fnoi:">συντεταγμένοι·</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnwn">γενομένων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="fanerw%3Dn">φανερῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29mfote%2Frwn">ἀμφοτέρων</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pursw%3Dn">πυρσῶν</w> <w lemma="kaqelei%3Dn">καθελεῖν</w>. <w lemma="ei%29%3Dt%27">εἶτ᾽</w> <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="a%29fei%3Dnai">ἀφεῖναι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%29li%2Fskous">αὐλίσκους</w> <w lemma="r%28ei%3Dn">ῥεῖν</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="katabai%2Fnontos">καταβαίνοντος</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="fellou%3D">φελλοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="bakthri%2Fas">βακτηρίας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flqh%7C">ἔλθῃ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="gegramme%2Fnwn">γεγραμμένων</w> <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="bou%2Flei">βούλει</w> <w lemma="dhlou%3Dn">δηλοῦν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="xei%3Dlos">χεῖλος</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="teu%2Fxous">τεύχους</w>, <w lemma="a%29%3Drai">ἆραι</w> <w lemma="keleu%2Fei">κελεύει</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="purso%2Fn:">πυρσόν·</w>
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<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28te%2Frous">ἑτέρους</w> <w lemma="e%29pilabei%3Dn">ἐπιλαβεῖν</w> <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29li%2Fskon">αὐλίσκον</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="skopei%3Dn">σκοπεῖν</w> <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="xei%3Dlo%2Fs">χεῖλός</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="bakthri%2Fa%7C">βακτηρίᾳ</w> <w lemma="gegramme%2Fnwn:">γεγραμμένων·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29%2Fstai">ἔσται</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="dhlou%2Fmenon">δηλούμενον</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="i%29sotaxw%3Ds">ἰσοταχῶς</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29mfote%2Frois">ἀμφοτέροις</w> <w lemma="kinoume%2Fnwn">κινουμένων</w>.
Aeneas, the author of the work on strategy, wishing to find a remedy for the difficulty, advanced matters a little, but his device still fell far short of our requirements, as can be seen from this description of it.
He says that those who are about to communicate urgent news to each other by fire-signal should procure two earthenware vessels of exactly the same width and depth, the depth being some three cubits and the width one.
Then they should have corks made a little narrower than the mouths of the vessels and through the middle of each cork should pass a rod graduated in equal sections of three fingerbreadths, each clearly marked off from the next.
In each section should be written the most evident and ordinary events that occur in war, e.g. on the first "Cavalry arrived in the country," on the second "Heavy infantry," on the third "Light-armed infantry," next "Infantry and cavalry," next "Ships," next "Corn," and so on until we have entered in all the sections the chief contingencies of which, at the present time, there is a reasonable probability in war time.
Next he tells us to bore holes in both vessels of exactly the same size, so that they allow exactly the same escape. Then we are to fill the vessels with water and put on the corks with the rods in them and allow the water to flow through the two apertures.
When this is done it is evident that, the conditions being precisely similar, in proportion as the water escapes the two corks will sink and the rods will disappear into the vessels.
When by experiment it is seen that the rapidity of escape is in both cases exactly the same, the vessels are to be conveyed to the places in which both parties are to locality after the signals and deposited there.
Now whenever any of the contingencies written on the rods occurs he tells us to rise a torch and to wait until the corresponding party raise another. When both the torches are clearly visible the signaller is to lower his torch and at once allow the water to escape through the aperture.
Whenever, as the corks sink, the contingency you wish to communicate reaches the mouth of the vessel he tells the signaller to raise his torch and the receivers of the signal are to stop the aperture at once and to note which of the messages written on the rods is at the mouth of the vessel.
This will be the message delivered, if the apparatus works at the same pace in both cases.