Polybius, Histories

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Book 10 - Chapter 45

1
<w lemma="%2Atau%3Dta">Ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="braxu%5C">βραχὺ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="sunqhma%2Ftwn">συνθημάτων</w> <w lemma="pursei%2Fas">πυρσείας</w> <w lemma="e%29ch%2Fllaxen">ἐξήλλαχεν</w>, <w lemma="a%29kmh%5Cn">ἀκμὴν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="a%29o%2Frista">ἀόριστα</w>.
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<w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> [<w lemma="e%29%2Fstai">ἔσται</w>] <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="proi+de%2Fsqai">προϊδέσθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllonta">μέλλοντα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="dunato%5Cn">δυνατὸν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="proi+do%2Fmenon">προϊδόμενον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="bakthri%2Fan">βακτηρίαν</w> <w lemma="gra%2Fyai:">γράψαι·</w> <w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="o%28po%2Ftan">ὁπόταν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kairw%3Dn">καιρῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nupono%2Fhta%2F">ἀνυπονόητά</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnh%7C">συμβαίνῃ</w>, <w lemma="fanero%5Cn">φανερὸν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnatai">δύναται</w> <w lemma="dhlou%3Dsqai">δηλοῦσθαι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fnoian">ἐπίνοιαν</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</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="ou%29de%2Fn">οὐδέν</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="w%28risme%2Fnon">ὡρισμένον</w>. <w lemma="po%2Fsoi">πόσοι</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="h%28%2Fkousin">ἥκουσιν</w> <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="po%2Fsoi">πόσοι</w> <w lemma="pezoi%5C">πεζοὶ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pou%3D">ποῦ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="po%2Fsai">πόσαι</w> <w lemma="nh%3Des">νῆες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="po%2Fsos">πόσος</w> <w lemma="si%3Dtos">σῖτος</w>, <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Do%2Fn">οἷόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="diasafh%3Dsai:">διασαφῆσαι·</w>
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<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="a%29du%2Fnaton">ἀδύνατον</w> <w lemma="gnw%3Dnai">γνῶναι</w> <w lemma="pri%5Cn">πρὶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w>, <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="sunqe%2Fsqai">συνθέσθαι</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dunato%2Fn">δυνατόν</w>.
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fxon">συνέχον</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5C">ἐστὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto:">τοῦτο·</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="bouleu%2Fsaito">βουλεύσαιτο</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn">βοηθεῖν</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="ginw%2Fskwn">γινώσκων</w> <w lemma="po%2Fsoi">πόσοι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Freisi">πάρεισι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="pou%3D">ποῦ</w>; <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="qarrh%2Fsai">θαρρήσαι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="tou%29nanti%2Fon">τοὐναντίον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="dianohqei%2Fh">διανοηθείη</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="sunei%5Cs">συνεὶς</w> <w lemma="po%2Fsai">πόσαι</w> <w lemma="nh%3Des">νῆες</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="po%2Fsos">πόσος</w> <w lemma="si%3Dtos">σῖτος</w> <w lemma="h%28%2Fkei">ἥκει</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxwn">συμμάχων</w>;
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%28o">Ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="teleutai%3Dos">τελευταῖος</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpos">τρόπος</w>, <w lemma="e%29pinohqei%5Cs">ἐπινοηθεὶς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Akleoce%2Fnou">Κλεοξένου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmoklei%2Ftou">Δημοκλείτου</w>, <w lemma="tuxw%5Cn">τυχὼν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29cergasi%2Fas">ἐξεργασίας</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28mw%3Dn">ἡμῶν</w>, <w lemma="pa%2Fnth">πάντη</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntws">πάντως</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="w%28risme%2Fnos">ὡρισμένος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="katepei%3Dgon">κατεπεῖγον</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmenos">δυνάμενος</w> <w lemma="a%29kribw%3Ds">ἀκριβῶς</w> <w lemma="diasafei%3Dn">διασαφεῖν</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xeirismo%5Cn">χειρισμὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pimelei%2Fas">ἐπιμελείας</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parathrh%2Fsews">παρατηρήσεως</w> <w lemma="a%29kribeste%2Fras">ἀκριβεστέρας</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dtos">τοιοῦτος</w>. <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="stoixei%2Fwn">στοιχείων</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnontas">λαμβάνοντας</w> <w lemma="dielei%3Dn">διελεῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fnte">πέντε</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fnte">πέντε</w> <w lemma="gra%2Fmmata">γράμματα</w>. <w lemma="lei%2Fyei">λείψει</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="teleutai%3Don">τελευταῖον</w> <w lemma="e%28ni%5C">ἑνὶ</w> <w lemma="stoixei%2Fw%7C:">στοιχείῳ·</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="bla%2Fptei">βλάπτει</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fan">χρείαν</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="platei%3Da">πλατεῖα</w> <w lemma="pareskeua%2Fsqai">παρεσκευάσθαι</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fnte">πέντε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllontas">μέλλοντας</w> <w lemma="a%29podido%2Fnai">ἀποδιδόναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pursei%2Fan">πυρσείαν</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flois">ἀλλήλοις</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Frous">ἑκατέρους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gra%2Fyai">γράψαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="merw%3Dn">μερῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkaston">ἕκαστον</w> <w lemma="platei%3Don">πλατεῖον</w>,
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<w lemma="ka%29%2Fpeita">κἄπειτα</w> <w lemma="sunqe%2Fsqai">συνθέσθαι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%5Cs">αὑτοὺς</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftous">πρώτους</w> <w lemma="a%29rei%3D">ἀρεῖ</w> <w lemma="pursou%5Cs">πυρσοὺς</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllwn">μέλλων</w> <w lemma="shmai%2Fnein">σημαίνειν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fo">δύο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="menei%3D">μενεῖ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fxris">μέχρις</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteros">ἕτερος</w> <w lemma="a%29ntai%2Frh%7C">ἀνταίρῃ</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fstai">ἔσται</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pursei%2Fas">πυρσείας</w> <w lemma="e%28autoi%3Ds">ἑαυτοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29nqomologh%2Fsasqai">ἀνθομολογήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="prose%2Fxousi">προσέχουσι</w>.
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<w lemma="kaqaireqe%2Fntwn">καθαιρεθέντων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="shmai%2Fnwn">σημαίνων</w> <w lemma="a%29rei%3D">ἀρεῖ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftous">πρώτους</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="eu%29wnu%2Fmwn">εὐωνύμων</w>, <w lemma="diasafw%3Dn">διασαφῶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="platei%3Don">πλατεῖον</w> <w lemma="poi%3Don">ποῖον</w> <w lemma="deh%2Fsei">δεήσει</w> <w lemma="skopei%3Dn">σκοπεῖν</w>, <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Fn%27">ἕν᾽</w>, <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w>, <w lemma="du%2Fo">δύο</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftw:">οὕτω·</w>
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<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="deute%2Frous">δευτέρους</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="deciw%3Dn">δεξιῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w>, <w lemma="poi%3Don">ποῖον</w> <w lemma="deh%2Fsei">δεήσει</w> <w lemma="gra%2Fmma">γράμμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="platei%2Fou">πλατείου</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffein">γράφειν</w> <w lemma="au%29%3D">αὖ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29podexo%2Fmenon">ἀποδεχόμενον</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pursei%2Fan">πυρσείαν</w>.
This is a slight advance on beacons with a preconcerted code, but it is still quite indefinite.
For it is evident that it is neither possible to foresee all contingencies, or even if one did to write them all on the rod. So that when circumstances produce some unexpected event, it is evident that it cannot be conveyed by this plan. Again none of the things written on the rod are defined statements, for it is impossible to indicate how many infantry are coming and to what part of the country, or how many ships or how much corn.
For it is impossible to agree beforehand about things of which one cannot be aware before they happen.
And this is the vital matter; for how can anyone consider how to render assistance if he does not know how many of the enemy have arrived, or where? And how can anyone be of good cheer or the reverse, or in fact think of anything at all, if he does not understand how many ships are how much corn has arrived from the allies?
The most recent method, devised by Cleoxenus and Democleitus and perfected by myself, is quite definite and capable of dispatching with accuracy every kind of urgent messages, but in practice it requires care and exact attention.
It is as follows: We take the alphabet and divide it into five parts, each consisting of five letters. There is one letter less in the last division, but this makes no practical difference.
Each of the two parties who are about signal to each other must now get ready five tablets and write one division of the alphabet on each tablet, and then come to an agreement that the man who is going to signal is in the first place to raise two torches and wait until the other replies by doing the same.
This is for the purpose of conveying to each other that they are both at attention.
These torches having been lowered the dispatcher of the message will now raise the first set of torches on the left side indicating which tablet is to be consulted, i.e. one torch if it is the first, two if it is the second, and so on.
Next he will raise the second set on the right on the same principle to indicate what letter of the tablet the receiver should write down.