Polybius, Histories

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Book 11 - Chapter 8

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<w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="triw%3Dn">τριῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntwn">ὄντων</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpwn">τρόπων</w>, <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="e%29fi%2Fentai">ἐφίενται</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="strathgi%2Fas">στρατηγίας</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3D%7C">αὐτῇ</w> <w lemma="prosio%2Fntes">προσιόντες</w>, <w lemma="prw%2Ftou">πρώτου</w>. <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pomnhma%2Ftwn">ὑπομνημάτων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="kataskeuh%3Ds">κατασκευῆς</w>,
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<w lemma="e%28te%2Frou">ἑτέρου</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="meqodikou%3D">μεθοδικοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29mpei%2Frwn">ἐμπείρων</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fsews">παραδόσεως</w>, <w lemma="tri%2Ftou">τρίτου</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fcews">ἕξεως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tribh%3Ds">τριβῆς</w>,
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<w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="a%29nenno%2Fhtoi">ἀνεννόητοι</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="strathgoi%5C">στρατηγοὶ</w> <w lemma="a%28plw%3Ds">ἁπλῶς</w>. —
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Atoi%3Ds">Τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fstois">πλείστοις</w> <w lemma="u%28pegego%2Fnei">ὑπεγεγόνει</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="zh%3Dlos">ζῆλος</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="eu%29tuxh%5Cs">εὐτυχὴς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="a%29lazonei%2Fas">ἀλαζονείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29kairi%2Fas:">ἀκαιρίας·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29spou%2Fdazon">ἐσπούδαζον</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29kolouqi%2Fas">ἀκολουθίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29sqh%3Dtas">ἐσθῆτας</w> <w lemma="diafero%2Fntws">διαφερόντως</w>, <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fstous">πλείστους</w> <w lemma="kallwpismo%2Fs">καλλωπισμός</w>, <w lemma="u%28pere%2Fxwn">ὑπερέχων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fou">βίου</w> <w lemma="xorhgi%2Fan">χορηγίαν</w>. <w lemma="o%28%2Fplwn">ὅπλων</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29la%2Fxiston">ἐλάχιστον</w> <w lemma="e%29poiou%3Dnto">ἐποιοῦντο</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w>.
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Aoi%28">Οἱ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="polloi%5C">πολλοὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frga">ἔργα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="eu%29tuxou%2Fntwn">εὐτυχούντων</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="peirw%3Dntai">πειρῶνται</w> <w lemma="mimei%3Dsqai">μιμεῖσθαι</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Frerga">πάρεργα</w> <w lemma="zhlou%3Dntes">ζηλοῦντες</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="bla%2Fbhs">βλάβης</w> <w lemma="e%29kqeatri%2Fzousi">ἐκθεατρίζουσι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28autw%3Dn">ἑαυτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29krisi%2Fan">ἀκρισίαν</w>. —
<head>Philip at Thermus</head><head>The Achaean Strategi and Philopoemen</head>There are three ways in which those who aim at acquiring the art of generalship may reasonably hope to do so, first by studying military memoirs and availing themselves of the lessons contained in them,
secondly by feeling the systematic instruction of experienced men, and thirdly by the habit and experience acquired in actual practice,
and in all three the present Achaean strategi were absolutely unversed. . . .
Most of them displayed an unhappy emulation of the inopportune pretentiousness of others.
They were particularly careful about their retinues and their dress, generally exhibiting a dandyism much in excess of what their fortunes permitted,
while as to their arms they paid not the least attention to them. . . .
Most men do not even attempt of imitate the essential characteristics of those who are favoured by fortune, but by striving to copy them in unessentials make a display of their own want of judgement. . . .