Polybius, Histories

Layout
Translation

Book 15 - Chapter 10

1
<w lemma="%2Atau%3Dta">Ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28toimasa%2Fmenos">ἑτοιμασάμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29peporeu%2Feto">ἐπεπορεύετο</w> <w lemma="parakalw%3Dn">παρακαλῶν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmeis">δυνάμεις</w> <w lemma="braxe%2Fws">βραχέως</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w>, <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fws">οἰκείως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="u%28pokeime%2Fnhs">ὑποκειμένης</w> <w lemma="perista%2Fsews">περιστάσεως</w>.
2
<w lemma="h%29ci%2Fou">ἠξίου</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="mnhmoneu%2Fontas">μνημονεύοντας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="progegono%2Ftwn">προγεγονότων</w> <w lemma="a%29gw%2Fnwn">ἀγώνων</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w> <w lemma="a%29gaqou%5Cs">ἀγαθοὺς</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w>, <w lemma="sfw%3Dn">σφῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdos">πατρίδος</w> <w lemma="a%29ci%2Fous">ἀξίους</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnein">λαμβάνειν</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="o%29fqalmw%3Dn">ὀφθαλμῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="krath%2Fsantes">κρατήσαντες</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29xqrw%3Dn">ἐχθρῶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fh%7C">Λιβύῃ</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsontai">ἔσονται</w> <w lemma="ku%2Frioi">κύριοι</w> <w lemma="bebai%2Fws">βεβαίως</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllhs">ἄλλης</w> <w lemma="oi%29koume%2Fnhs">οἰκουμένης</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="h%28gemoni%2Fan">ἡγεμονίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dunastei%2Fan">δυναστείαν</w> <w lemma="a%29dh%2Friton">ἀδήριτον</w> <w lemma="au%28toi%3Ds">αὑτοῖς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdi">πατρίδι</w> <w lemma="peripoih%2Fsousin:">περιποιήσουσιν·</w>
3
<w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllws">ἄλλως</w> <w lemma="e%29kbh%3D%7C">ἐκβῇ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunon">κίνδυνον</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29poqano%2Fntes">ἀποθανόντες</w> <w lemma="eu%29genw%3Ds">εὐγενῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxh%7C">μάχῃ</w> <w lemma="ka%2Flliston">κάλλιστον</w> <w lemma="e%29nta%2Ffion">ἐντάφιον</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fcousi">ἕξουσι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdos">πατρίδος</w> <w lemma="qa%2Fnaton">θάνατον</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="diafugo%2Fntes">διαφυγόντες</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Fsxiston">αἴσχιστον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29leeino%2Ftaton">ἐλεεινότατον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Floipon">ἐπίλοιπον</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w>.
4
<w lemma="a%29sfa%2Fleian">ἀσφάλειαν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="fugou%3Dsin">φυγοῦσιν</w> <w lemma="ou%29dei%5Cs">οὐδεὶς</w> <w lemma="i%28kano%5Cs">ἱκανὸς</w> <w lemma="peripoih%3Dsai">περιποιῆσαι</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpos">τόπος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fh%7C:">Λιβύῃ·</w> <w lemma="pesou%3Dsi">πεσοῦσι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="xei%3Dras">χεῖρας</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fdhla">ἄδηλα</w> [<w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w>] <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="sumbhso%2Fmena">συμβησόμενα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%29rqw%3Ds">ὀρθῶς</w> <w lemma="logizome%2Fnois:">λογιζομένοις·</w> "<w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w>" <w lemma="e%29%2Ffh">ἔφη</w> "<w lemma="mhdeni%5C">μηδενὶ</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnoito">γένοιτο</w> <w lemma="pei%3Dran">πεῖραν</w> <w lemma="u%28mw%3Dn">ὑμῶν</w> <w lemma="labei%3Dn">λαβεῖν</w>.
5
<w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhs">τύχης</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgista">μέγιστα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fqlwn">ἄθλων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fteron">ἑκάτερον</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="e%29kteqeikui%2Fas">ἐκτεθεικυίας</w>, <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fhmen">εἴημεν</w> <w lemma="a%29genne%2Fstatoi">ἀγεννέστατοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sullh%2Fbdhn">συλλήβδην</w> <w lemma="a%29frone%2Fstatoi">ἀφρονέστατοι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="pare%2Fntes">παρέντες</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="ka%2Fllista">κάλλιστα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29gaqw%3Dn">ἀγαθῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28loi%2Fmeqa">ἑλοίμεθα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgista">μέγιστα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kakw%3Dn">κακῶν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="filozwi%2Fan">φιλοζωίαν</w>;
6
" <w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="h%29ci%2Fou">ἠξίου</w> <w lemma="du%2Fo">δύο</w> <w lemma="proqeme%2Fnous">προθεμένους</w>, <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="nika%3Dn">νικᾶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="qnh%2Fskein">θνήσκειν</w>, <w lemma="o%28mo%2Fse">ὁμόσε</w> <w lemma="xwrei%3Dn">χωρεῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fous">πολεμίους</w>.
7
<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Ftas">τοιαύτας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxontas">ἔχοντας</w> <w lemma="dialh%2Fyeis">διαλήψεις</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkhn">ἀνάγκην</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="kratei%3Dn">κρατεῖν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ntitattome%2Fnwn">ἀντιταττομένων</w>, <w lemma="e%29peida%5Cn">ἐπειδὰν</w> <w lemma="a%29pelpi%2Fsantes">ἀπελπίσαντες</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="zh%3Dn">ζῆν</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fwsin">ἴωσιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhn">μάχην</w>.
Having made these preparations he rode along the lines and addressed his troops in a few words suitable to the occasion.
"Bear in mind," he said, "your past battles and fight like brave men worthy of yourselves and your country. Keep it before your eyes that if you overcome your enemies not only will you be unquestioned masters of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Africa&groupId=300&placeId=294">Africa</a>, but you will gain for yourselves and your country the undisputed command and sovereignty of the rest of the world.
But if the result of the battle be otherwise, those of you who have fallen bravely in the fight will lie for ever shrouded in the glory of dying thus for their country,
while those who save themselves by flight will spend the remainder of their lives in misery and disgrace. For no place in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Africa&groupId=300&placeId=294">Africa</a> will be able to afford you safety, and if you fall into the hands of the Carthaginians it is plain enough to anyone who gives due thought to it what fate awaits you.
May none of you, I pray, live to experience that fate. Now that Fortune offers us a choice of the most glorious of prizes, how utterly craven, in short how foolish shall we be, if we reject the greatest of goods and choose the greatest of evils from mere love of life. Go, therefore, to meet the foe with two objects before you, emperor victory or death.
For men animated by such a spirit must always overcome their adversaries, since they go into battle ready to throw their lives away."