Polybius, Histories

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Book 15 - Chapter 24

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<w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2Afi%2Flippos">Φίλιππος</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fploun">ἀνάπλουν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteron">ἕτερον</w> <w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28te%2Frw%7C">ἑτέρῳ</w> <w lemma="paraspo%2Fndhma">παρασπόνδημα</w> <w lemma="metaxeirizo%2Fmenos">μεταχειριζόμενος</w> <w lemma="prose%2Fsxe">προσέσχε</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fson">μέσον</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fras">ἡμέρας</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Aqasi%2Fwn">Θασίων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="fili%2Fan">φιλίαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dsan">οὖσαν</w> <w lemma="e%29chndrapodi%2Fsato">ἐξηνδραποδίσατο</w>. —
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Aqa%2Fsioi">Θάσιοι</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dpon">εἶπον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Amhtro%2Fdwron">Μητρόδωρον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Afili%2Fppou">Φιλίππου</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="paradou%3Dnai">παραδοῦναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="diathrh%2Fsoi">διατηρήσοι</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29frourh%2Ftous">ἀφρουρήτους</w>, <w lemma="a%29forologh%2Ftous">ἀφορολογήτους</w>, <w lemma="a%29nepistaqmeu%2Ftous">ἀνεπισταθμεύτους</w>, <w lemma="no%2Fmois">νόμοις</w> <w lemma="xrh%3Dsqai">χρῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fois">ἰδίοις</w>. — <w lemma="%2Asugxwrei%3Dn">Συγχωρεῖν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fa">βασιλέα</w> <w lemma="%2Aqasi%2Fous">Θασίους</w> <w lemma="a%29frourh%2Ftous">ἀφρουρήτους</w>,
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<w lemma="a%29forologh%2Ftous">ἀφορολογήτους</w>, <w lemma="a%29nepistaqmeu%2Ftous">ἀνεπισταθμεύτους</w>, <w lemma="no%2Fmois">νόμοις</w> <w lemma="xrh%3Dsqai">χρῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fois">ἰδίοις</w>. <w lemma="e%29pishmhname%2Fnwn">ἐπισημηναμένων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="kraugh%3Ds">κραυγῆς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="r%28hqe%2Fnta">ῥηθέντα</w> <w lemma="parh%2Fgagon">παρήγαγον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Afi%2Flippon">Φίλιππον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w>. —
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fisws">Ἴσως</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="basilei%3Ds">βασιλεῖς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftas">πρώτας</w> <w lemma="a%29rxa%5Cs">ἀρχὰς</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="protei%2Fnousi">προτείνουσι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29leuqeri%2Fas">ἐλευθερίας</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fnoma">ὄνομα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fi%2Flous">φίλους</w> <w lemma="prosagoreu%2Fousi">προσαγορεύουσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxous">συμμάχους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="koinwnh%2Fsantas">κοινωνήσαντας</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdwn">ἐλπίδων</w>, <w lemma="kaqiko%2Fmenoi">καθικόμενοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcewn">πράξεων</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="po%2Fdas">πόδας</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="summaxikw%3Ds">συμμαχικῶς</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="despotikw%3Ds">δεσποτικῶς</w> <w lemma="xrw%3Dntai">χρῶνται</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pisteu%2Fsasi:">πιστεύσασι·</w>
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kalou%3D">καλοῦ</w> <w lemma="diayeu%2Fdontai">διαψεύδονται</w>, <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="parauta%5C">παραυτὰ</w> <w lemma="sumfe%2Frontos">συμφέροντος</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fpan">ἐπίπαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29potugxa%2Fnousi:">ἀποτυγχάνουσι·</w>
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29piballo%2Fmenon">ἐπιβαλλόμενον</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fstois">μεγίστοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="perilamba%2Fnonta">περιλαμβάνοντα</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fsi">ἐλπίσι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="oi%29koume%2Fnhn">οἰκουμένην</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w> <w lemma="a%29kmh%5Cn">ἀκμὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29kerai%2Fous">ἀκεραίους</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxonta">ἔχοντα</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibola%5Cs">ἐπιβολὰς</w> <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29laxi%2Fstois">ἐλαχίστοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftois">πρώτοις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28popipto%2Fntwn">ὑποπιπτόντων</w> <w lemma="e%29pikhru%2Fttein">ἐπικηρύττειν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpasi">ἅπασι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29qesi%2Fan">ἀθεσίαν</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29bebaio%2Fthta">ἀβεβαιότητα</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="do%2Fceien">δόξειεν</w> <w lemma="a%29lo%2Fgiston">ἀλόγιστον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="maniko%2Fn">μανικόν</w>;
<head>Conduct of Philip</head>Philip on his return voyage, committing one act of treachery after another, put in at about midday to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thasos&groupId=1020&placeId=1794">Thasos</a>, and though that city was friendly took it and enslaved the inhabitants . . . .
The Thasians told Metrodorus, Philip's general, that they would surrender the city if he would let them remain without a garrison, exempt from tribute, with no soldiers quartered on them and governed by their own laws . . . .
The reply was that Philip accede to this request upon which all present applauded and admitted Philip into the city . . . .
Perhaps it may be said of all kings that at the beginnings of their reigns they talk of freedom as of a gift they offer to all and style all those who are thus loyal adherents their friends and allies, but as soon as they have established their authority they at once begin to treat those who placed trust in them not as allies but as servants.
Therefore they are disappointed of any credit for noble conduct, though as a rule they do not miss their immediate interest.
But who would not qualify as perfectly irrational and insane the conduct of a prince, who, engaging in vast enterprises and aspiring to universal dominion, with his chances of success in all his projects still unimpaired, yet in matters of no moment, in the very first matters he was called upon to deal with, proclaimed to all his fickleness and faithlessness?