Polybius, Histories

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Book 10 - Chapter 8

1
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Apopli%2Fw%7C">Ποπλίῳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="patri%5C">πατρὶ</w> <w lemma="peripe%2Fsh%7C">περιπέσῃ</w> <w lemma="sumforai%3Ds">συμφοραῖς</w>. <w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="a%29pedoki%2Fmase">ἀπεδοκίμασε</w>, <w lemma="punqano%2Fmenos">πυνθανόμενος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnhn">προειρημένην</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fna">Καρχηδόνα</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fstas">μεγίστας</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fas">χρείας</w> <w lemma="pare%2Fxesqai">παρέχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fois">ὑπεναντίοις</w>, <w lemma="me%2Fgista">μέγιστα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="bla%2Fptein">βλάπτειν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29nestw%3Dta">ἐνεστῶτα</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="au%29to%2Fn">αὐτόν</w>, <w lemma="e%29chta%2Fkei">ἐξητάκει</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="paraxeimasi%2Fa%7C">παραχειμασίᾳ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29do%2Ftwn">εἰδότων</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29kou%2Fwn">ἀκούων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="lime%2Fnas">λιμένας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxei">ἔχει</w> <w lemma="sto%2Flw%7C">στόλῳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nautikai%3Ds">ναυτικαῖς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmesi">δυνάμεσι</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnh">μόνη</w> <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibhri%2Fan">Ἰβηρίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fhs">Λιβύης</w> <w lemma="plou%3Dn">πλοῦν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pela%2Fgion">πελάγιον</w> <w lemma="di%2Farma">δίαρμα</w> <w lemma="li%2Fan">λίαν</w> <w lemma="eu%29fuw%3Ds">εὐφυῶς</w> <w lemma="kei%3Dtai">κεῖται</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</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="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="xrhma%2Ftwn">χρημάτων</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29poskeua%5Cs">ἀποσκευὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="stratope%2Fdwn">στρατοπέδων</w> <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fsas">ἁπάσας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fth%7C">ταύτῃ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flei">πόλει</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbaine">συνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="o%28mh%2Frous">ὁμήρους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhs">ὅλης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibhri%2Fas">Ἰβηρίας</w>,
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgiston">μέγιστον</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fximoi">μάχιμοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndres">ἄνδρες</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fhsan">εἴησαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="xili%2Fous">χιλίους</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fkran">ἄκραν</w> <w lemma="throu%3Dntes">τηροῦντες</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fna">μηδένα</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fpot%27">μηδέποτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="u%28polamba%2Fnein">ὑπολαμβάνειν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="kratou%2Fntwn">κρατούντων</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fshs">ἁπάσης</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibhri%2Fas">Ἰβηρίας</w> <w lemma="e%29pinoh%2Fsei">ἐπινοήσει</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="para%2Fpan">παράπαν</w> <w lemma="poliorkh%3Dsai">πολιορκῆσαι</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w>,
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllo">ἄλλο</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fh">εἴη</w> <w lemma="diafero%2Fntws">διαφερόντως</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3D%7C">αὐτῇ</w>, <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dhmiourgiko%5Cn">δημιουργικὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ba%2Fnauson">βάναυσον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qalattourgo%5Cn">θαλαττουργὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dston">πλεῖστον</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fxon">ἀπέχον</w> <w lemma="polemikh%3Ds">πολεμικῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29mpeiri%2Fas">ἐμπειρίας</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="u%28pela%2Fmbanen">ὑπελάμβανεν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w>, <w lemma="parado%2Fcou">παραδόξου</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnhs">γενομένης</w> <w lemma="e%29pifanei%2Fas">ἐπιφανείας</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="qe%2Fsin">θέσιν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnos">Καρχηδόνος</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="kataskeuh%5Cn">κατασκευὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="periexou%2Fshs">περιεχούσης</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="li%2Fmnhs">λίμνης</w> <w lemma="dia%2Fqesin">διάθεσιν</w> <w lemma="h%29gno%2Fei">ἠγνόει</w>,
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<w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tinwn">τινων</w> <w lemma="a%28lie%2Fwn">ἁλιέων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29neirgasme%2Fnwn">ἐνειργασμένων</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w> <w lemma="e%29chta%2Fkei">ἐξητάκει</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="tenagw%2Fdhs">τεναγώδης</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="li%2Fmnh">λίμνη</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="bath%5C">βατὴ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dston">πλεῖστον</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai%2F">γίνεταί</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29poxw%2Frhsis">ἀποχώρησις</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fran">ἡμέραν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="dei%2Flhn">δείλην</w> <w lemma="o%29yi%2Fan">ὀψίαν</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="sullogisa%2Fmenos">συλλογισάμενος</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="kaqiko%2Fmenos">καθικόμενος</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%3Ds">ἐπιβολῆς</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="bla%2Fyei">βλάψει</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fous">ὑπεναντίους</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="sfete%2Frois">σφετέροις</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasi">πράγμασι</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flhn">μεγάλην</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fdosin">ἐπίδοσιν</w> <w lemma="paraskeua%2Fsei">παρασκευάσει</w>,
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<w lemma="diapesw%5Cn">διαπεσὼν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proqe%2Fsews">προθέσεως</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnatai">δύναται</w> <w lemma="sw%2F%7Czein">σῴζειν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28potattome%2Fnous">ὑποταττομένους</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="qalattokratei%3Dn">θαλαττοκρατεῖν</w>, <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpac">ἅπαξ</w> <w lemma="a%29sfali%2Fshtai">ἀσφαλίσηται</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="stratopedei%2Fan">στρατοπεδείαν</w> — <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="eu%29xere%5Cs">εὐχερὲς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="makra%5Cn">μακρὰν</w> <w lemma="a%29pespa%2Fsqai">ἀπεσπάσθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fwn">ὑπεναντίων</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmeis">δυνάμεις</w> —
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<w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="a%29fe%2Fmenos">ἀφέμενος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w>
He therefore rejected any such course; and on learning that the above city, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=New Carthage&groupId=791&placeId=1430">New Carthage</a>, was of very great service to the enemy, and a cause of great damage to himself in the present war, he made detailed inquiries about it during the winter from people acquainted with it.
He learnt in the first place that it stood almost alone among Spanish cities in possessing harbours fit for a fleet and for naval forces, and that it was at the same time very favourably situated for the Carthaginians to make the direct sea crossing from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Africa&groupId=300&placeId=294">Africa</a>.
Next he heard that the Carthaginians kept the bulk of their money and their war material in this city, as well as their hostages from the whole of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Spain&groupId=983&placeId=1735">Spain</a>, and, what was of most importance,
that the trained soldiers who garrisoned the citadel were only about a thousand in number, because no one dreamt that while the Carthaginians were masters of nearly the whole of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Spain&groupId=983&placeId=1735">Spain</a> it would enter anyone\'s head to besiege the city,
while the remaining population was exceedingly large but composed of artisans, tradesmen, and sailors, men very far from having any military experience. This he considered to be a thing that would tell against the city, if he appeared suddenly before it.
Nor was he ignorant of the position and plan of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=New Carthage&groupId=791&placeId=1430">New Carthage</a> and of the nature of the lagoon which surrounded it, but had learnt from some fishermen who plied their craft there that the whole lagoon was shallow and in most parts fordable, and that usually the water in it receded every day towards evening.
Taking all these facts into consideration he came to the conclusion that if he succeeded in his enterprise he would not only damage the enemy, but would much advance the Roman cause, while in the event of failure he could, since he was master of the sea, place his troops in a position of safety, once he had secured his camp — an easy matter as the forces of the enemy were at so great a distance.
Abandoning, therefore, all other projects he spent his time while in winter quarters in preparing for this,