Polybius, Histories

Translation

Book 15 - Chapter 20

<head lang="la">II. Res Macedoniae Et Graeciae</head><w lemma="%2Atou%3Dto">Τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fseie">θαυμάσειε</w>, <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w> <w lemma="zw%3Dn">ζῶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="prosedei%3Dto">προσεδεῖτο</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="e%29pikouri%2Fas">ἐπικουρίας</w>,

<w lemma="e%28%2Ftoimoi">ἕτοιμοι</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn">βοηθεῖν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnos">ἐκεῖνος</w> <w lemma="meth%2Fllace">μετήλλαξε</w> <w lemma="katalipw%5Cn">καταλιπὼν</w> <w lemma="paidi%2Fon">παιδίον</w> <w lemma="nh%2Fpion">νήπιον</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3D%7C">ᾧ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsin">φύσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29mfoi%3Dn">ἀμφοῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fballe">ἐπέβαλλε</w> <w lemma="sussw%2F%7Czein">συσσῴζειν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fan">βασιλείαν</w>, <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="parakale%2Fsantes">παρακαλέσαντες</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flous">ἀλλήλους</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Frmhsan">ὥρμησαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="dielo%2Fmenoi">διελόμενοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="paido%5Cs">παιδὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29panele%2Fsqai">ἐπανελέσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29poleleimme%2Fnon">ἀπολελειμμένον</w>,

<w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="tu%2Frannoi">τύραννοι</w>, <w lemma="braxei%3Dan">βραχεῖαν</w> <w lemma="dh%2F">δή</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="proballo%2Fmenoi">προβαλλόμενοι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ai%29sxu%2Fnhs">αἰσχύνης</w> <w lemma="pro%2Ffasin">πρόφασιν</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29ne%2Fdhn">ἀνέδην</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qhriwdw%3Ds">θηριωδῶς</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="prosoflei%3Dn">προσοφλεῖν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="lego%2Fmenon">λεγόμενον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%29xqu%2Fwn">ἰχθύων</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="fasin">φασιν</w> <w lemma="o%28mofu%2Flois">ὁμοφύλοις</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dsi">οὖσι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="mei%2Fonos">μείονος</w> <w lemma="a%29pw%2Fleian">ἀπώλειαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="mei%2Fzoni">μείζονι</w> <w lemma="trofh%5Cn">τροφὴν</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w>.

<w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29mble%2Fyas">ἐμβλέψας</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ka%2Ftoptron">κάτοπτρον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="sunqh%2Fkhn">συνθήκην</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="au%29to%2Fpths">αὐτόπτης</w> <w lemma="do%2Fceie">δόξειε</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="qeou%5Cs">θεοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29sebei%2Fas">ἀσεβείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpous">ἀνθρώπους</w> <w lemma="w%29mo%2Fthtos">ὠμότητος</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="u%28perballou%2Fshs">ὑπερβαλλούσης</w> <w lemma="pleoneci%2Fas">πλεονεξίας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fwn">βασιλέων</w>;

<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxh%7C">τύχῃ</w> <w lemma="memya%2Fmenos">μεμψάμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrwpei%2Fwn">ἀνθρωπείων</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="a%29ntikatallagei%2Fh">ἀντικαταλλαγείη</w>, <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnois">ἐκείνοις</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fqhke">ἐπέθηκε</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%28rmo%2Fzousan">ἁρμόζουσαν</w> <w lemma="di%2Fkhn">δίκην</w>, <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pigenome%2Fnois">ἐπιγενομένοις</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fqhke">ἐξέθηκε</w> <w lemma="ka%2Flliston">κάλλιστον</w> <w lemma="u%28po%2Fdeigma">ὑπόδειγμα</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29pano%2Frqwsin">ἐπανόρθωσιν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fwn">βασιλέων</w> <w lemma="paradeigmatismo%2Fn">παραδειγματισμόν</w>;

<w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="paraspondou%2Fntwn">παρασπονδούντων</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flous">ἀλλήλους</w>, <w lemma="diaspwme%2Fnwn">διασπωμένων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="paido%5Cs">παιδὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%2Fn">ἀρχήν</w>, <w lemma="e%29pisth%2Fsasa">ἐπιστήσασα</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w>, <w lemma="a%28kei%3Dnoi">ἁκεῖνοι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pe%2Flas">πέλας</w> <w lemma="e%29bouleu%2Fsanto">ἐβουλεύσαντο</w> <w lemma="parano%2Fmws">παρανόμως</w>, <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnwn">ἐκείνων</w> <w lemma="dikai%2Fws">δικαίως</w> <w lemma="e%29ku%2Frwse">ἐκύρωσε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaqhko%2Fntws">καθηκόντως</w>.

<w lemma="parauti%2Fka">παραυτίκα</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fteroi">ἑκάτεροι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fplwn">ὅπλων</w> <w lemma="h%28tthqe%2Fntes">ἡττηθέντες</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="e%29kwlu%2Fqhsan">ἐκωλύθησαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29llotri%2Fwn">ἀλλοτρίων</w> <w lemma="e%29piqumi%2Fas">ἐπιθυμίας</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sugkleisqe%2Fntes">συγκλεισθέντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="fo%2Frous">φόρους</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Fmeinan">ὑπέμειναν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="prostatto%2Fmenon">προσταττόμενον</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w>.

<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="teleutai%3Don">τελευταῖον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnu">πάνυ</w> <w lemma="braxei%3D">βραχεῖ</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnw%7C">χρόνῳ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%2Fou">Πτολεμαίου</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fan">βασιλείαν</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxh">τύχη</w> <w lemma="diw%2Frqwse">διώρθωσε</w>, <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="dunastei%2Fas">δυναστείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="diado%2Fxous">διαδόχους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frdhn">ἄρδην</w> <w lemma="a%29nasta%2Ftous">ἀναστάτους</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fhse">ἐποίησε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="panwle%2Fqrous">πανωλέθρους</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mikrou%3D">μικροῦ</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="perie%2Fbale">περιέβαλε</w> <w lemma="sumptw%2Fmasi">συμπτώμασι</w>. —

<head>II. Affairs of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a> and Greece</head><head>Conduct of Philip and Antiochus regarding Egypt</head>It is very surprising that as long as Ptolemy in his lifetime could dispense with the help of Philip and Antiochus, they were very ready to assist him,

but when he died leaving an infant son whom it was their natural duty to maintain in possession of his realm, then encouraging each other they hastened to divide the child's kingdom between themselves and be the ruin of the unhappy orphan.

Nor did they, as tyrants do, take the pains to provide themselves with some paltry pretext for the shameful deed, but at once acted in a fashion so unscrupulous and brutal that they well deserved to have applied to them the saying about the food of fishes, that though they are all of the same tribe the destruction of the smaller ones is food and life to the larger.

Who fancying that he sees reflected in it the image of all impiety towards God and all savagery towards men, as well as of the unbounded covetousness of these two kings?

But at the same time who among those who reasonably find fault with Fortune for her conduct of affairs, will not be reconciled to her when he learns how she afterwards made them pay the due penalty, and how she exhibited to their successors as a warning for their edification the exemplary chastisement she inflicted on these princes?

For even while year were still breaking their faith to each other and tearing to shreds the boy's kingdom she raised up against them the Romans, and very justly and properly visited them with the very evils which they had been contrary to all law designing to bring upon others.

For both of these were very soon vanquished in battle, and they were not only prevented from lusting after the property of others but were compelled to submit and to pay tribute and obey the behests of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>.

And, fin, in a very short time Fortune re-established the kingdom of Ptolemy, while as for their dynasties and successors she in one case brought utter destruction upon them and in the other calamities very nearly as grave.

Walbank Commentary

Overview

15.20.0 - 15.24.0

Philip and Cius: the enslavement of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thasos&groupId=1020&placeId=1794">Thasos</a> In 202 Philip opened his campaign in the Aegean area by forcing <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Lysimacheia&groupId=719&placeId=1320">Lysimacheia</a> and Calchedon to join the Macedonian alliance (23. 8–9), annexing Perinthus (xviii. 2. 4, 44. 4), which enjoyed sympolity with <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Byzantium&groupId=415&placeId=767">Byzantium</a> (cf. De Sanctis, iv. 1. 7; Magie, JRS, 1939, 36–37), and was otherwise independent (Holleaux, tudes, iv. 318 n. 1), and attacking Cius. These events will belong to the campaigning season of this year, but cannot be dated more closely. P. seems to draw on a Rhodian source, who may be Zeno (cf. Ullrich, 36). <milestone unit="page" n="474">[474]</milestone>

Specifics

15.20.1 - 15.20.1

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">αὐτὸς ὁ Πτολεμαῖος</w>:</emph> Ptolemy IV Philopator. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἕτοιμοι βοηθεῖν ἦσαν</w>:</emph> presumably against the rebels; cf. xiv. 12. 4 n. Both offers were evidently declined: cf. Holleaux, CAH, viii. 148 = tudes, v. 331.

15.20.2 - 15.20.2

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">παρακαλέσαντες ἀλλήλους</w>:</emph> P. makes both kings equally responsible: see above, 20 n. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐπανελέσθαι τὸν ἀπολελειμμένον</w>:</emph> 'to destroy the orphan', i.e. Ptolemy V Epiphanes, the <w lang="el-GR">παιδίον νήπιον</w>. According to Iustinus (xxx. 2. 6) Epiphanes was 5 when his father died, and according to Hieronymus, in Daniel. 11. 13 (= Porphyry, FGH, 260 F 45), only 4; the former figure seems the more reliable if Epiphanes was born on 9 October 210 (cf. OGIS, 90, l. 46; Smyly, P. Gurob, no. 12; cf. Walbank, JEA, 1936, 21–22) and Philopator died in summer 204 (cf. xiv. 11–12 n.).

15.20.3 - 15.20.3

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">καθάπερ οἱ τύραννοι</w>:</emph> in making their conduct even worse than that of tyrants, P. says the worst of Philip and Antiochus that he can imagine; cf. ii. 59. 6 n., v. 11. 6, viii. 35. 6, xxi. 22. 8 for dicta on tyranny; von Scala, 44 n. 1. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">προσοφλεῖ?ν κτλ</w>.:</emph> 'to deserve to be said to live . . .'. <milestone unit="page" n="473">[473]</milestone> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸν λεγό?μενον τῶν ἰχθύων βίον</w>:</emph> cf. Corp. paroem. graec. ii. 596 n. 79; and below xxxiv. 2. 14, 2. 16 for the phenomenon. Wunderer, i. 14, compares the reference in xvi. 24. 4 to Philip living the 'life of a wolf', and thinks both phrases go back to the same historian, whom P. used as a source. This need not be so. Whether P. is thinking of Hesiod's account of the order of Zeus <w lang="el-GR">ἴχθυσι μὲν καὶ θηρσὶ καὶ οἰωνοῖς πετεηνοῖςἔσθειν ἀλλήλους, ἐ?πεὶ οὐ δίκη ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτοῖς</w> <emph rend="italics">\?\</emph> <w lang="el-GR">ἀνθρώποισι δ᾽ ἔδωκε δίκην, ἣ πολλὸν ἀρίστηγίγνεται</w> (Works and Days, 277–80) we cannot say; Stier, 95, quotes the passage. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τῷ μείζονι τροφὴν . . . καὶ βίον</w>:</emph> Wunderer, iii. 75, quotes the German proverb: 'des einen Tod ist dem andren sein Brot'.

15.20.5 - 15.20.5

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">εἰκότως τῇ τύχῃ μεμψάμενος</w>:</emph> for her capricious behaviour; cf. Vol. I, p. 18 n. 6. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀντικαταλλαγείη</w>:</emph> 'became reconciled with her'; on this word see Welles, p. 313 s.v. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸν τῶν . . . βασιλέων παραδειγματισμόν</w>:</emph> 'the exemplary chastisement she inflicted on these princes'.

15.20.6 - 15.20.6

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐπιστήσασα Ῥωμαίους</w>:</emph> usually translated 'raising the Romans up against them'; but there is no parallel for this. Hence Passerini (Athen. 1936, 182 n. 1) suggests with good reason that the sense is the more usual one of 'drawing the attention of the Romans' to them.

15.20.7 - 15.20.7

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">συγκλεισθέντες εἰς φόρους</w>:</emph> 'compelled to pay tribute'; cf. xxi. 11. 9. P. refers to the settlements after the Second Macedonian War (cf. xviii. 44. 2) and after <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Magnesia&groupId=729&placeId=1336">Magnesia</a> (cf. xxi. 43).

15.20.8 - 15.20.8

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοὺς μὲν ἄρδην ἀναστάτους ἐποίησε</w>:</emph> the overthrow and dethronement of Philip's successor Perseus after <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pydna&groupId=919&placeId=1647">Pydna</a> (cf. xxix. 21 for P.'s reflections on this). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοὺς δὲ μικροῦ δεῖν . . . συμπτώμασι</w>:</emph> for the humiliating of Antiochus Epiphanes cf. xxix. 27 (and especially §§ 11–13, on the saving of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a> and the expulsion of Antiochus at the hands of Tyche).

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