Polybius, Histories

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Book 12 - Chapter 25b

1
<w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fwma">ἰδίωμα</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5C">ἐστὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29lh%2Fqeian">ἀλήθειαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhme%2Fnous">εἰρημένους</w>, <w lemma="oi%28%3Doi%2F">οἷοί</w> <w lemma="pot%27">ποτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="w%29%3Dsi">ὦσι</w>, <w lemma="gnw%3Dnai">γνῶναι</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous">λόγους</w>, <w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fan">αἰτίαν</w> <w lemma="punqa%2Fnesqai">πυνθάνεσθαι</w>, <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28%5Cn">ἣν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="die%2Fpesen">διέπεσεν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="katwrqw%2Fqh">κατωρθώθη</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="praxqe%5Cn">πραχθὲν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="r%28hqe%2Fn:">ῥηθέν·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29pei%5C">ἐπεὶ</w> <w lemma="yilw%3Ds">ψιλῶς</w> <w lemma="lego%2Fmenon">λεγόμενον</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5C">αὐτὸ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gegono%5Cs">γεγονὸς</w> <w lemma="yuxagwgei%3D">ψυχαγωγεῖ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w>, <w lemma="w%29felei%3D">ὠφελεῖ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fn:">οὐδέν·</w> <w lemma="prosteqei%2Fshs">προστεθείσης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fas">αἰτίας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fgkarpos">ἔγκαρπος</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai">γίνεται</w> <w lemma="xrh%3Dsis">χρῆσις</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fwn">ὁμοίων</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fous">οἰκείους</w> <w lemma="metaferome%2Fnwn">μεταφερομένων</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29formai%5C">ἀφορμαὶ</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnontai">γίνονται</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prolh%2Fyeis">προλήψεις</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="proi+de%2Fsqai">προϊδέσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllon">μέλλον</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pote%5C">ποτὲ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="eu%29labhqh%3Dnai">εὐλαβηθῆναι</w>, <w lemma="pote%5C">ποτὲ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mimou%2Fmenon">μιμούμενον</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="progegono%2Fta">προγεγονότα</w> <w lemma="qarralew%2Fteron">θαρραλεώτερον</w> <w lemma="e%29gxeirei%3Dn">ἐγχειρεῖν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29piferome%2Fnois:">ἐπιφερομένοις·</w>
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="r%28hqe%2Fntas">ῥηθέντας</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous">λόγους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fan">αἰτίαν</w> <w lemma="parasiwpw%3Dn">παρασιωπῶν</w>, <w lemma="yeudh%3D">ψευδῆ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29nti%5C">ἀντὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="e%29pixeirh%2Fmata">ἐπιχειρήματα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diecodikou%5Cs">διεξοδικοὺς</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgwn">λέγων</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous">λόγους</w>, <w lemma="a%29nairei%3D">ἀναιρεῖ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdion:">ἴδιον·</w> <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="poiei%3D">ποιεῖ</w> <w lemma="%2Ati%2Fmaios:">Τίμαιος·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnous">γένους</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5C">ἐστὶ</w> <w lemma="plh%2Frh">πλήρη</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="bubli%2Fa">βυβλία</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w>, <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="ginw%2Fskomen">γινώσκομεν</w>.
The peculiar function of history is to discover, in the first place, the words actually spoken, whatever they were, and next to ascertain the reason why what was done or spoken led to failure or success.
For the mere statement of a fact may interest us but is of no benefit to us: but when we add the cause of it, study of history becomes fruitful.
For it is the mental transference of similar circumstances to our own times that gives us the means of forming presentiments of what is about to happen, and enables us at certain times to take precautions and at others by reproducing former conditions to face with more confidence the difficulties that menace us.
But a writer who passes over in silence the speeches made and the causes of events and in their place introduces false rhetorical exercises and discursive speeches, destroys the peculiar virtue of history . And of this Timaeus especially is guilty, and we all know that his work is full of blemishes of the kind.