Polybius, Histories

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Book 12 - Chapter 23

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<head lang="la">VI. De Timaeo Historico</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29efo%2Frou">Ἐφόρου</w> <w lemma="%2Ati%2Fmaios">Τίμαιος</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fsthn">πλείστην</w> <w lemma="pepoi%2Fhtai">πεποίηται</w> <w lemma="katadromh%2Fn">καταδρομήν</w>, <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="w%29%5Cn">ὢν</w> <w lemma="dusi%5Cn">δυσὶν</w> <w lemma="a%28marth%2Fmasin">ἁμαρτήμασιν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fnoxos">ἔνοχος</w>,
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<w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="pikrw%3Ds">πικρῶς</w> <w lemma="kathgorei%3D">κατηγορεῖ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pe%2Flas">πέλας</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fnoxo%2Fs">ἔνοχός</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w>, <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="die%2Ffqartai">διέφθαρται</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="yuxh%3D%7C">ψυχῇ</w>, <w lemma="toiau%2Ftas">τοιαύτας</w> <w lemma="a%29pofa%2Fseis">ἀποφάσεις</w> <w lemma="e%29ktiqe%2Fmenos">ἐκτιθέμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28pomnh%2Fmasi">ὑπομνήμασι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Ftas">τοιαύτας</w> <w lemma="e%29nti%2Fktwn">ἐντίκτων</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcas">δόξας</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29ntugxa%2Fnousi">ἐντυγχάνουσι</w>.
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<w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Akallisqe%2Fnhn">Καλλισθένην</w> <w lemma="qete%2Fon">θετέον</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="kolasqe%2Fnta">κολασθέντα</w> <w lemma="metalla%2Fcai">μεταλλάξαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w>, <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="xrh%5C">χρὴ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsxein">πάσχειν</w> <w lemma="%2Ati%2Fmaion">Τίμαιον</w>; <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="dikaio%2Fteron">δικαιότερον</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftw%7C">τούτῳ</w> <w lemma="nemesh%2Fsai">νεμεσήσαι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="daimo%2Fnion">δαιμόνιον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="%2Akallisqe%2Fnei">Καλλισθένει</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnos">ἐκεῖνος</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="a%29poqeou%3Dn">ἀποθεοῦν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ale%2Fcandron">Ἀλέξανδρον</w> <w lemma="e%29boulh%2Fqh">ἐβουλήθη</w>, <w lemma="%2Ati%2Fmaios">Τίμαιος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mei%2Fzw">μείζω</w> <w lemma="poiei%3D">ποιεῖ</w> <w lemma="%2Atimole%2Fonta">Τιμολέοντα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pifanesta%2Ftwn">ἐπιφανεστάτων</w> <w lemma="qew%3Dn">θεῶν</w>,
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akallisqe%2Fnhs">Καλλισθένης</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndra">ἄνδρα</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dton">τοιοῦτον</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="megalofue%2Fsteron">μεγαλοφυέστερον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fnqrwpon">ἄνθρωπον</w> <w lemma="gegone%2Fnai">γεγονέναι</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="yuxh%3D%7C">ψυχῇ</w> <w lemma="sugxwrou%3Dsin">συγχωροῦσιν</w>,
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<w lemma="ou%28%3Dtos">οὗτος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Atimole%2Fonta">Τιμολέοντα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcanta%2F">δόξαντά</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="pepraxe%2Fnai">πεπραχέναι</w> <w lemma="megalei%3Don">μεγαλεῖον</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pibalo%2Fmenon">ἐπιβαλόμενον</w>, <w lemma="mi%2Fan">μίαν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fw%7C">βίῳ</w> <w lemma="grammh%5Cn">γραμμὴν</w> <w lemma="dianu%2Fsanta">διανύσαντα</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="spoudai%2Fan">σπουδαίαν</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> <w lemma="tina%5C">τινὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="oi%29koume%2Fnhs">οἰκουμένης</w>, <w lemma="le%2Fgw">λέγω</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdos">πατρίδος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakou%2Fsas">Συρακούσας</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29lla%2F">ἀλλά</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w> <w lemma="peisqh%3Dnai">πεισθῆναι</w> <w lemma="%2Ati%2Fmaios">Τίμαιος</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w>, <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="%2Atimole%2Fwn">Τιμολέων</w>, <w lemma="pefilodochkw%5Cs">πεφιλοδοξηκὼς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3D%7C">αὐτῇ</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fa%7C">Σικελίᾳ</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="o%29cuba%2Ffw%7C">ὀξυβάφῳ</w>, <w lemma="su%2Fgkritos">σύγκριτος</w> <w lemma="fanh%3D%7C">φανῇ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pifanesta%2Ftois">ἐπιφανεστάτοις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="h%28rw%2Fwn">ἡρώων</w>, <w lemma="ka%29%5Cn">κἂν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fas">Ἰταλίας</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fas">Σικελίας</w> <w lemma="pragmateuo%2Fmenos">πραγματευόμενος</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="parabolh%3Ds">παραβολῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29ciwqh%3Dnai">ἀξιωθῆναι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="oi%29koume%2Fnhs">οἰκουμένης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcewn">πράξεων</w> <w lemma="pepoihme%2Fnois">πεποιημένοις</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="sunta%2Fceis">συντάξεις</w>.
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<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aristote%2Flous">Ἀριστοτέλους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aqeofra%2Fstou">Θεοφράστου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akallisqe%2Fnous">Καλλισθένους</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29efo%2Frou">Ἐφόρου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmoxa%2Frous">Δημοχάρους</w>, <w lemma="i%28kana%5C">ἱκανὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dq%27">ταῦθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Atimai%2Fou">Τιμαίου</w> <w lemma="katadromh%2Fn">καταδρομήν</w>, <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29filoti%2Fmws">ἀφιλοτίμως</w> <w lemma="pepeisme%2Fnous">πεπεισμένους</w> <w lemma="a%29lhqeu%2Fein">ἀληθεύειν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="suggrafe%2Fa">συγγραφέα</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w>. —
<head>VI. The Faults of Timaeus</head>Timaeus, while vehemently attacking Ephorus, is himself guilty of two grave faults,
the first being that he thus bitterly accuses others of the sins he himself is guilty of, and the second that he shows an utterly depraved mind in publishing such statements in his works and engendering such notions in his readers.
If, indeed, we must admit that Callisthenes deserved to perish as he did under torture, what fate did Timaeus merit? For the wrath of the gods would have fallen on him with much more justice than on Callisthenes.
Callisthenes wished to deify Alexander, but Timaeus makes Timoleon greater than the most illustrious gods;
Callisthenes spoke of a man whose soul, as all admit, had something in it greater than human,
Timaeus of Timoleon who not only never seems to have achieved anything great, but never even to have attempted to do so, and in his whole life accomplished but one move and that by no means important considering the greatness of the world, the move from his country to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a>.
The fact, in my opinion, is that Timaeus was sure that if Timoleon, who had sought fame in a mere tea-cup, as it were, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a>, could be shown to be worthy of comparison with the most illustrious heroes, he himself, who treated only of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a> and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a>, could claim comparison with writers whose works dealt with the whole world and with universal history.
I have now said enough to defend Aristotle, Theophrastus, Callisthenes, Ephorus, and Demochares from the attacks of Timaeus, and the convince those who not having the spirit to challenge the statements of this author place implicit reliance on all he says.