Polybius, Histories

Layout
Translation

Book 12 - Chapter 14

1
<w lemma="kei">κει</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmoxa%2Frous">Δημοχάρους</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dton">τοιοῦτον</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fn">οὐδέν</w>. <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="e%29gw%2F">ἐγώ</w>, <w lemma="bebaiote%2Fran">βεβαιοτέραν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdos">πατρίδος</w> <w lemma="h%28gou%2Fmenos">ἡγούμενος</w> <w lemma="marturi%2Fan">μαρτυρίαν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Atimai%2Fou">Τιμαίου</w> <w lemma="pikri%2Fan">πικρίαν</w>, <w lemma="qarrw%3Dn">θαρρῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29pofai%2Fnomai">ἀποφαίνομαι</w> <w lemma="mhdeni%5C">μηδενὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmoxa%2Frous">Δημοχάρους</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fnoxon">ἔνοχον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftwn">τοιούτων</w> <w lemma="kathgorhma%2Ftwn">κατηγορημάτων</w>.
2
<w lemma="kai%2Fper">καίπερ</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29lh%2Fqeian">ἀλήθειαν</w> <w lemma="u%28ph%3Drxe%2F">ὑπῆρχέ</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dton">τοιοῦτον</w> <w lemma="a%29tu%2Fxhma">ἀτύχημα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmoxa%2Frhn">Δημοχάρην</w>, <w lemma="poi%3Dos">ποῖος</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cs">καιρὸς</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="poi%2Fa">ποία</w> <w lemma="pra%3Dcis">πρᾶξις</w> <w lemma="h%29na%2Fgkase">ἠνάγκασε</w> <w lemma="%2Ati%2Fmaion">Τίμαιον</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="katata%2Fttein">κατατάττειν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fan">ἱστορίαν</w>;
3
<w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="nou%3Dn">νοῦν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxontes">ἔχοντες</w>, <w lemma="e%29pa%5Cn">ἐπὰν</w> <w lemma="a%29mu%2Fnasqai">ἀμύνασθαι</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fnwsi">κρίνωσι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29xqrou%2Fs">ἐχθρούς</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="skopou%3Dntai">σκοποῦνται</w> <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="paqei%3Dn">παθεῖν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fcio%2Fs">ἄξιός</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="plhsi%2Fon">πλησίον</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fpei">πρέπει</w>, <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> *
4
? <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="loidoriw%3Dn">λοιδοριῶν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29xqroi%3Ds">ἐχθροῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29kou%2Fein">ἀκούειν</w> <w lemma="a%28rmo%2Fzei">ἁρμόζει</w>, <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="h%28ghte%2Fon">ἡγητέον</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgein">λέγειν</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fpei">πρέπει</w>, <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkaio%2Ftaton">ἀναγκαιότατον</w> <w lemma="logiste%2Fon">λογιστέον</w>.
5
<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="metrou%2Fntwn">μετρούντων</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fais">ἰδίαις</w> <w lemma="o%29rgai%3Ds">ὀργαῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="filotimi%2Fais">φιλοτιμίαις</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkh">ἀνάγκη</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnq%27">πάνθ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28popteu%2Fein">ὑποπτεύειν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5C">ἐστὶ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="diapistei%3Dn">διαπιστεῖν</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fra">πέρα</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%2Fontos">δέοντος</w> <w lemma="legome%2Fnois">λεγομένοις</w>.
6
<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="h%28mei%3Ds">ἡμεῖς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcaimen">δόξαιμεν</w> <w lemma="a%29qetei%3Dn">ἀθετεῖν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Atimai%2Fou">Τιμαίου</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmoxa%2Frous">Δημοχάρους</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhme%2Fnois:">εἰρημένοις·</w>
7
<w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnos">ἐκεῖνος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="tugxa%2Fnoi">τυγχάνοι</w> <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmhs">συγγνώμης</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstews">πίστεως</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="profanw%3Ds">προφανῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="loidori%2Fais">λοιδορίαις</w> <w lemma="e%29kpi%2Fptein">ἐκπίπτειν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kaqh%2Fkontos">καθήκοντος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmfuton">ἔμφυτον</w> <w lemma="pikri%2Fan">πικρίαν</w>.
From which, regarding the testimony of his country as more trustworthy than Timaeus's spite, I pronounce with confidence that the life of Demochares was guiltless of all such offences.
And even if, as a fact, Demochares had the misfortune to be guilty of any such thing, what circumstance or what event compelled Timaeus to record it in his history?
For just as men of sense when they meditate revenge on their enemies do not examine in the first place what others deserve to suffer, but rather how it becomes themselves to act, so when we bring reproaches we must not in the first place consider what is fitting for our enemies to hear, but regard it as of the greatest importance to determine what is proper for ourselves to speak.
In the case, therefore, of writers who measure everything by the standard of their own passions and jealousies, we must suspect all their statements and refuse credit to them when extravagant.
So that in the present case I may claim to be justified in rejecting the slanders of Timaeus concerning Demochares,
whereas this author can claim neither pardon nor credit from anyone, as he has in his reproaches so obviously let himself be carried beyond the bounds of decency by the spitefulness which was engrained in him.