Polybius, Histories

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Book 12 - Chapter 26b

1
<w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2Age%2Flwnos">Γέλωνος</w> <w lemma="e%29paggellome%2Fnou">ἐπαγγελλομένου</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhsi">Ἕλλησι</w> <w lemma="dismuri%2Fois">δισμυρίοις</w> <w lemma="pezoi%3Ds">πεζοῖς</w>, <w lemma="diakosi%2Fais">διακοσίαις</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="nausi%5C">ναυσὶ</w> <w lemma="katafra%2Fktois">καταφράκτοις</w> <w lemma="bohqh%2Fsein">βοηθήσειν</w>, <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="h%28gemoni%2Fas">ἡγεμονίας</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="gh%3Dn">γῆν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w> <w lemma="paraxwrh%2Fswsi">παραχωρήσωσι</w>, <w lemma="fasi%5C">φασὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="prokaqhme%2Fnous">προκαθημένους</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Akori%2Fnqw%7C">Κορίνθῳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellh%2Fnwn">Ἑλλήνων</w> <w lemma="pragmatikw%2Ftaton">πραγματικώτατον</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Fkrima">ἀπόκριμα</w> <w lemma="dou%3Dnai">δοῦναι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Age%2Flwnos">Γέλωνος</w> <w lemma="presbeutai%3Ds:">πρεσβευταῖς·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29ke%2Fleuon">ἐκέλευον</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fkouron">ἐπίκουρον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frxesqai">ἔρχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Age%2Flwna">Γέλωνα</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmewn">δυνάμεων</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28gemoni%2Fan">ἡγεμονίαν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkh%7C">ἀνάγκῃ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmata">πράγματα</w> <w lemma="periqh%2Fsein">περιθήσειν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29ri%2Fstois">ἀρίστοις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn:">ἀνδρῶν·</w>
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<w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="katafeugo%2Fntwn">καταφευγόντων</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fwn">Συρακοσίων</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdas">ἐλπίδας</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="pisteuo%2Fntwn">πιστευόντων</w> <w lemma="au%28toi%3Ds">αὑτοῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prokaloume%2Fnwn">προκαλουμένων</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="boulo%2Fmenon">βουλόμενον</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrei%2Fas">ἀνδρείας</w> <w lemma="a%29gw%3Dna">ἀγῶνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29reth%3Ds">ἀρετῆς</w> <w lemma="ste%2Ffanon">στέφανον</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="%2Ati%2Fmaios">Τίμαιος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkasta">ἕκαστα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="tosou%2Ftous">τοσούτους</w> <w lemma="e%29ktei%2Fnei">ἐκτείνει</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous">λόγους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dtai">ποιεῖται</w> <w lemma="spoudh%5Cn">σπουδὴν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fan">Σικελίαν</w> <w lemma="megalomereste%2Fran">μεγαλομερεστέραν</w> <w lemma="poih%3Dsai">ποιῆσαι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sumpa%2Fshs">συμπάσης</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ella%2Fdos">Ἑλλάδος</w>, <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3D%7C">αὐτῇ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="e%29pifaneste%2Fras">ἐπιφανεστέρας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kalli%2Fous">καλλίους</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllhn">ἄλλην</w> <w lemma="oi%29koume%2Fnhn">οἰκουμένην</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="sofi%2Fa%7C">σοφίᾳ</w> <w lemma="dienhnoxo%2Ftwn">διενηνοχότων</w> <w lemma="sofwta%2Ftous">σοφωτάτους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fa%7C">Σικελίᾳ</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pragmatikw%3Dn">πραγματικῶν</w> <w lemma="h%28gemonikwta%2Ftous">ἡγεμονικωτάτους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qeiota%2Ftous">θειοτάτους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakousw%3Dn">Συρακουσῶν</w>,
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<w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="katalipei%3Dn">καταλιπεῖν</w> <w lemma="u%28perbolh%5Cn">ὑπερβολὴν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="meiraki%2Fois">μειρακίοις</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="diatribai%3Ds">διατριβαῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="peripa%2Ftois">περιπάτοις</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fcous">παραδόξους</w> <w lemma="e%29pixeirh%2Fseis">ἐπιχειρήσεις</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="%2Aqersi%2Ftou">Θερσίτου</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgein">λέγειν</w> <w lemma="e%29gkw%2Fmion">ἐγκώμιον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="%2Aphnelo%2Fphs">Πηνελόπης</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fqwntai">πρόθωνται</w> <w lemma="yo%2Fgon">ψόγον</w> <w lemma="h%29%2F">ἤ</w> <w lemma="tinos">τινος</w> <w lemma="e%28te%2Frou">ἑτέρου</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftwn">τοιούτων</w>.
When Gelo promised to send to the assistance of the Greeks twenty thousand infantry and two hundred warships, if they would grant him the command either on land or at sea, they say that the representatives of Greece sitting in council at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a> gave a reply to Gelo\'s envoys which was much to the point.
They bade Gelo with his forces come as an auxiliary, but as for the command actual circumstances would of necessity invest the most capable men with it.
These are by no means the words of men resting their whole hope on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a>, but of men relying on themselves and inviting anyone who wished to do so to join in the contest and win the prize of valour.
But Timaeus, in commenting on all this, is so long-winded and so obviously anxious to manifest that <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a> was more important than all the rest of Greece — the events occurring in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a> being so much more magnificent and more noble than those anywhere else in the world, the sagest of men distinguished for wisdom coming from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a> and the most capable and wonderful leaders being those from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a> —
that no boy in a school of rhetoric who is set to write a eulogy of Thersites or a censure of Penelope or anything else of the sort could surpass him in the paradoxes he ventures on.