<head lang="la">III. Res Graeciae</head>"<w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fq%27">οὔθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodi%2Fwn">Ῥοδίων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flis">πόλις</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fq%27">οὔθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Abuzanti%2Fwn">Βυζαντίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Axi%2Fwn">Χίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Amutilhnai%2Fwn">Μυτιληναίων</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="pare%2Frgw%7C">παρέργῳ</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fqentai">τίθενται</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="u%28mete%2Fras">ὑμετέρας</w>, <w lemma="w%29%3D">ὦ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndres">ἄνδρες</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twloi%2F">Αἰτωλοί</w>, <w lemma="dialu%2Fseis">διαλύσεις</w>, <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="u%28polamba%2Fnw">ὑπολαμβάνω</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="sumfane%2Fs">συμφανές</w>.
<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w> <w lemma="poiou%2Fmeqa">ποιούμεθα</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="u%28ma%3Ds">ὑμᾶς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fnhs">εἰρήνης</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous">λόγους</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Ftou">ὅτου</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="e%29nesth%2Fsasqe">ἐνεστήσασθε</w>, <w lemma="prosedreu%2Fontes">προσεδρεύοντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="qerapeu%2Fontes">θεραπεύοντες</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="dialei%2Fpomen">διαλείπομεν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="poiou%2Fmenoi">ποιούμενοι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="u%28ma%3Ds">ὑμᾶς</w> <w lemma="mnh%2Fmhn">μνήμην</w>,
<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="paro%5Cn">παρὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="u%28mete%2Fras">ὑμετέρας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnwn">Μακεδόνων</w> <w lemma="stoxazo%2Fmenoi">στοχαζόμενοι</w> <w lemma="katafqora%3Ds">καταφθορᾶς</w>, <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllon">μέλλον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="sfete%2Frwn">σφετέρων</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdwn">πατρίδων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellh%2Fnwn">Ἑλλήνων</w> <w lemma="pronoou%2Fmenoi">προνοούμενοι</w>.
<w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="puro%2Fs">πυρός</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="u%28fa%2Fyh%7C">ὑφάψῃ</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpac">ἅπαξ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Flhn">ὕλην</w>, <w lemma="ou%29ke%2Fti">οὐκέτι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fsei">προαιρέσει</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai">γίνεται</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%3Dnon">συμβαῖνον</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="pot%27">ποτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxh%7C">τύχῃ</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnei">λαμβάνει</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="nomh%2Fn">νομήν</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Don">πλεῖον</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29ne%2Fmois">ἀνέμοις</w> <w lemma="kubernw%2Fmenon">κυβερνώμενον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="u%28pokeime%2Fnhs">ὑποκειμένης</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Flhs">ὕλης</w> <w lemma="diafqora%3D%7C">διαφθορᾷ</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29mprh%2Fsanta">ἐμπρήσαντα</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Frmhse">ὥρμησε</w> <w lemma="paralo%2Fgws">παραλόγως</w>,
<w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> [<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w>] <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemos">πόλεμος</w> <w lemma="u%28po%2F">ὑπό</w> <w lemma="tinwn">τινων</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpac">ἅπαξ</w> <w lemma="e%29kkauqh%3D%7C">ἐκκαυθῇ</w>, <w lemma="tote%5C">τοτὲ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftous">πρώτους</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Fllusi">ἀπόλλυσι</w>, <w lemma="pote%5C">ποτὲ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="fe%2Fretai">φέρεται</w> <w lemma="fqei%2Frwn">φθείρων</w> <w lemma="a%29di%2Fkws">ἀδίκως</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="parapeso%2Fn">παραπεσόν</w>, <w lemma="ai%29ei%5C">αἰεὶ</w> <w lemma="kainopoiou%2Fmenos">καινοποιούμενος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prosfusw%2Fmenos">προσφυσώμενος</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fsper">ὥσπερ</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29ne%2Fmwn">ἀνέμων</w>, <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="plhsiazo%2Fntwn">πλησιαζόντων</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoi%2Fas">ἀγνοίας</w>.
<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w>, <w lemma="w%29%3D">ὦ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndres">ἄνδρες</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twloi%2F">Αἰτωλοί</w>, <w lemma="nomi%2Fsantes">νομίσαντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="nhsiw%2Ftas">νησιώτας</w> <w lemma="pandhmei%5C">πανδημεὶ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asi%2Fan">Ἀσίαν</w> <w lemma="katoikou%3Dntas">κατοικοῦντας</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhnas">Ἕλληνας</w> <w lemma="paro%2Fntas">παρόντας</w> <w lemma="u%28mw%3Dn">ὑμῶν</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dsqai">δεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="a%29%3Drai">ἆραι</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fnhn">εἰρήνην</w> <w lemma="e%28le%2Fsqai">ἑλέσθαι</w>, <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%2Fkein">ἀνήκειν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="gino%2Fmena">γινόμενα</w>, <w lemma="swfronh%2Fsantes">σωφρονήσαντες</w> <w lemma="e%29ntra%2Fphte">ἐντράπητε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pei%2Fsqhte">πείσθητε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="parakaloume%2Fnois">παρακαλουμένοις</w>.
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhn">τύχην</w> <w lemma="e%29polemei%3Dte">ἐπολεμεῖτε</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="a%29lusitelh%3D">ἀλυσιτελῆ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w>, <w lemma="e%29peidh%5C">ἐπειδὴ</w> <w lemma="panti%5C">παντὶ</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmw%7C">πολέμῳ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="pare%2Fpetai">παρέπεται</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dston">πλεῖστον</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fndocon">ἔνδοξον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%2Fqesin">ὑπόθεσιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29pobaino%2Fntwn">ἀποβαινόντων</w> <w lemma="e%29pigrafh%2Fn">ἐπιγραφήν</w>, <w lemma="i%29%2Fsws">ἴσως</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="u%28mi%3Dn">ὑμῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsxe">ἔσχε</w> <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmhn">συγγνώμην</w>, <w lemma="filoti%2Fmws">φιλοτίμως</w> <w lemma="diakeime%2Fnois">διακειμένοις</w>.
<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Fsxiston">αἴσχιστον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pollh%3Ds">πολλῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29doci%2Fas">ἀδοξίας</w> <w lemma="plh%2Frh">πλήρη</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="blasfhmi%2Fas">βλασφημίας</w>, <w lemma="a%29%3Dr%27">ἆρ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flhs">μεγάλης</w> <w lemma="prosdei%3Dtai">προσδεῖται</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmat%27">πράγματ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pista%2Fsews">ἐπιστάσεως</w>;
<w lemma="r%28hqh%2Fsetai">ῥηθήσεται</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dn">δοκοῦν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="parrhsi%2Fas:">παρρησίας·</w> <w lemma="u%28mei%3Ds">ὑμεῖς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w>, <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="eu%29%3D">εὖ</w> <w lemma="fronh%3Dte">φρονῆτε</w>, <w lemma="meq%27">μεθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28suxi%2Fas">ἡσυχίας</w> <w lemma="a%29ne%2Fcesqe">ἀνέξεσθε</w>.
<w lemma="pollw%3D%7C">πολλῷ</w> <w lemma="ga%2Fr">γάρ</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fmeinon">ἄμεινον</w> <w lemma="o%29neidisqe%2Fntas">ὀνειδισθέντας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="kairw%3D%7C">καιρῷ</w> <w lemma="swqh%3Dnai">σωθῆναι</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="a%29kou%2Fsantas">ἀκούσαντας</w> <w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%29li%2Fgon">ὀλίγον</w> <w lemma="a%29pole%2Fsqai">ἀπολέσθαι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%2Fs">αὐτούς</w>, <w lemma="a%29pole%2Fsai">ἀπολέσαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="loipou%5Cs">λοιποὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhnas">Ἕλληνας</w>.
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<head>III. Affairs of Greece</head><head>Speech of an Ambassador</head>"I consider, men of Aetolia, that the facts themselves demonstrate that neither King Ptolemy nor <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a> nor <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Byzantium&groupId=415&placeId=767">Byzantium</a> nor <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Chios&groupId=462&placeId=863">Chios</a> nor Mytilene make light of coming to terms with you. For this is not the first or the second time that we make proposals to you for peace, but from the date at which you opened hostilities we have never ceased to mention the matter to you, entreating you to entertain it and availing ourselves gladly of every occasion, having before our eyes the ruin brought by the war on yourselves and the Macedonians, and taking thought for the future safety of our own countries and the rest of Greece. For, as with fire, once we have set the fuel alight the consequences are not at our discretion, but it spreads wherever chance directs it, guided chiefly by the wind and by the rapidity with which the fuel it feeds on is consumed, often strangely enough turning on very man who lit it, so it is with war. Once it has been kindled by anyone, at times it destroys in the first place its authors and at times advances blindly, bringing unmerited destruction on everything it meets with, ever revived and ever blown anew into a blaze, as if by winds, by the folly of those who come near it. Therefore, men of Aetolia, we beg you, as if the whole of the islanders and all the Greeks who inhabit Asia Minor were present here and were entreating you to put a top to the war and decide for peace — for the matter concerns them as much as ourselves — to come to your senses and relent and agree to our request. Now if it so chanced that you were engaged in a war, unprofitable indeed, as every war for the most part is, but glorious in the motive of its inception and in the splendour of its us, you might perhaps be pardoned for acting for ambitious motives. But if it is a war most shameful and full of dishonour and reproach, does not the situation call for much hesitation? We will state our opinion frankly, and you, if you are wise, will listen to it calmly. For it is far better to be reproached and saved in time, than to listen to pleasant words and a little after be ruined yourselves and to ruin the rest of the Greeks.
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Walbank Commentary