Polybius, Histories

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Book 13 - Chapter 7

1
<w lemma="tro%2Fpw%7C">τρόπῳ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fstous">πλείστους</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="h%29fa%2Fnise">ἠφάνισε</w>. <w lemma="kateskeua%2Fsato">κατεσκευάσατο</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="mhxanh%2Fn">μηχανήν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="mhxanh%5Cn">μηχανὴν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="xrh%5C">χρὴ</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgein">λέγειν</w>.
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<w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fdwlon">εἴδωλον</w> <w lemma="gunaikei%3Don">γυναικεῖον</w>, <w lemma="polutele%2Fsin">πολυτελέσιν</w> <w lemma="i%28mati%2Fois">ἱματίοις</w> <w lemma="h%29mfiesme%2Fnon">ἠμφιεσμένον</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="morfh%5Cn">μορφὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="o%28moio%2Fthta">ὁμοιότητα</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Ana%2Fbidos">Νάβιδος</w> <w lemma="gunaiki%5C">γυναικὶ</w> <w lemma="diafo%2Frws">διαφόρως</w> <w lemma="a%29peirgasme%2Fnon">ἀπειργασμένον</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28po%2Fte">ὁπότε</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="politikw%3Dn">πολιτικῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nakale%2Fsaito">ἀνακαλέσαιτο</w>, <w lemma="boulo%2Fmenos">βουλόμενος</w> <w lemma="ei%29spra%3Dcai">εἰσπρᾶξαι</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fmata">χρήματα</w>, <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxa%5Cs">ἀρχὰς</w> <w lemma="dieti%2Fqeto">διετίθετο</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous">λόγους</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fonas">πλείονας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="filanqrw%2Fpous">φιλανθρώπους</w>,
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<w lemma="u%28podeiknu%2Fwn">ὑποδεικνύων</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pikrema%2Fmenon">ἐπικρεμάμενον</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fra%7C">χώρᾳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flei">πόλει</w> <w lemma="fo%2Fbon">φόβον</w>, <w lemma="diasafw%3Dn">διασαφῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frwn">μισθοφόρων</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="trefo%2Fmenon">τρεφόμενον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnwn">ἐκείνων</w> <w lemma="a%29sfalei%2Fas">ἀσφαλείας</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="qeou%5Cs">θεοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="koina%5Cs">κοινὰς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="dapa%2Fnas">δαπάνας</w>.
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<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="e%29ntre%2Fpointo">ἐντρέποιντο</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftwn">τοιούτων</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgwn">λόγων</w>, <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxen">εἶχεν</w> <w lemma="a%29poxrw%2Fntws">ἀποχρώντως</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="prokei%2Fmenon:">προκείμενον·</w>
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<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tines">τινες</w> <w lemma="e%29carnou%2Fmenoi">ἐξαρνούμενοι</w> <w lemma="diwqoi%3Dnto">διωθοῖντο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pitagh%2Fn">ἐπιταγήν</w>, <w lemma="e%29pefqe%2Fggeto">ἐπεφθέγγετο</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dton">τοιοῦτον</w> <w lemma="“i%29%2Fsws">“ἴσως</w> <w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamai%2F">δύναμαί</w> <w lemma="se">σε</w> <w lemma="pei%2Fqein">πείθειν</w>, <w lemma="%2A%29aph%3Dgan">Ἀπῆγαν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fntoi">μέντοι</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="dokw%3D">δοκῶ</w> <w lemma="se">σε</w> <w lemma="pei%2Fsein”">πείσειν”</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fnoma">ὄνομα</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="gunaiki%5C">γυναικὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Ana%2Fbidos">Νάβιδος</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flege">ἔλεγε</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parh%3Dn">παρῆν</w> <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="mikrw%3D%7C">μικρῷ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flegon">ἔλεγον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fdwlon">εἴδωλον</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="deciwsa%2Fmenos">δεξιωσάμενος</w>, <w lemma="e%29peida%5Cn">ἐπειδὰν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kaqe%2Fdras">καθέδρας</w> <w lemma="a%29ne%2Fsthse">ἀνέστησε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="gunai%3Dka">γυναῖκα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="perie%2Fptuce">περιέπτυξε</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="xersi%2F">χερσί</w>, <w lemma="prosh%2Fgeto">προσήγετο</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="braxu%5C">βραχὺ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="ste%2Frna">στέρνα</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ph%2Fxeis">πήχεις</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxe">εἶχε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="xei%3Dras">χεῖρας</w> <w lemma="plh%2Freis">πλήρεις</w> <w lemma="sidhrw%3Dn">σιδηρῶν</w> <w lemma="go%2Fmfwn">γόμφων</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%28mati%2Fois">ἱματίοις</w>, <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="mastou%2Fs">μαστούς</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="prosh%2Freise">προσήρεισε</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="xersi%5C">χερσὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="nw%3Dta">νῶτα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="gunaiko%2Fs">γυναικός</w>, <w lemma="ka%29%2Fpeita">κἄπειτα</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29rga%2Fnwn">ὀργάνων</w> <w lemma="e%28lko%2Fmenon">ἑλκόμενον</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fteine">ἐπέτεινε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prosh%3Dge">προσῆγε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="mastou%5Cs">μαστοὺς</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29la%2Fxiston">ἐλάχιστον</w>, <w lemma="pa%3Dsan">πᾶσαν</w> <w lemma="h%29na%2Fgkaze">ἠνάγκαζε</w> <w lemma="fwnh%5Cn">φωνὴν</w> <w lemma="proi+%2Fesqai">προΐεσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="piezo%2Fmenon">πιεζόμενον</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pollou%5Cs">πολλοὺς</w> <w lemma="dh%2F">δή</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftw%7C">τοιούτῳ</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpw%7C">τρόπῳ</w> <w lemma="die%2Ffqeire">διέφθειρε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29carnoume%2Fnwn">ἐξαρνουμένων</w>.
He had also constructed a machine, if one can call such a thing a machine.
It was in fact an image of a woman richly dressed and was a very good likeness of the wife of Nabis.
Whenever he summoned any of the citizens before him with the design of extracting money from him he would begin by addressing him in kind terms,
pointing out the danger to which the city and country were exposed from the Achaeans and calling attention to the number of the mercenaries he was obliged to maintain to ensure the safety of his subjects, as well as to the amount spent on religious ceremonies and the public outlay of the city. If they yielded to these arguments it was sufficient for his purpose.
But if anyone refused and objected to pay the sum imposed, he would continue somewhat as follows: "Very possibly I shall not be able to persuade you, but I think this Apega of mine may do so" — this being his wife's name —
and even as he spoke in came the image I have described.
When the man offered her his hand he made the woman rise from her chair and taking her in his arms drew her gradually to his bosom.<note place="end" resp="tr" id="note3">The description of this "Maiden" has evidently been shortened by the epitomator, thus confusing the persons.</note>Both her arms and hands as well as her breasts were covered with iron nails concealed under her dress. So that when Nabis rested his hands on her back and then by means of certain springs drew his victim towards her and increasing the pressure brought him at all in contact with her breasts he made the man thus embraced say anything and everything.
Indeed by this means he killed a considerable number of those who denied him money.