Polybius, Histories
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Book 15 - Chapter 24a

1
<head lang="la">III. Res Aegypti</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="e%29pei%5C">ἐπεὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkaston">ἕκαστον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ftos">ἔτος</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="kata%2Fllhla">κατάλληλα</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnas">γενομένας</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="oi%29koume%2Fnhn">οἰκουμένην</w> <w lemma="e%29chgou%2Fmeqa">ἐξηγούμεθα</w>, <w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkai%3Do%2Fn">ἀναγκαῖόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29ni%2Fwn">ἐνίων</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="e%29kfe%2Frein">ἐκφέρειν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w>, <w lemma="e%29peida%5Cn">ἐπειδὰν</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteros">πρότερος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpos">τόπος</w> <w lemma="u%28pope%2Fsh%7C">ὑποπέσῃ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhs">ὅλης</w> <w lemma="u%28poqe%2Fsews">ὑποθέσεως</w> <w lemma="merismo%5Cn">μερισμὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="dihgh%2Fsews">διηγήσεως</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffodon">ἔφοδον</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="sunte%2Fleian">συντέλειαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcews">πράξεως</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%5Cn">ἐπιβολὴν</w> <w lemma="perie%2Fxontos">περιέχοντος</w>. —
<head>III. Affairs of Egypt</head>As I give a narrative of the successive events that happened in each part of the world in each year, it is evident that in some cases the end must be told before the beginning, in those case I mean where according to the general scheme of my work and the order imposed on my narrative the locality which was the scene of the final catastrophe occupies an earlier place than that which witnessed the initial stages . . . .

Walbank Commentary

Overview
15.20.0 - 15.24.0
<p rend="Plain Text">Philip and Cius: the enslavement of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thasos&groupId=1020&placeId=1794">Thasos</a></p> <p rend="Plain Text"> 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> </p>
15.24.4 - 15.24.6
<p rend="Plain Text"> Criticism of Philip: P. believes in Philip's imperialist ambition <milestone unit="page" n="479">[479]</milestone> and his criticism is based on this belief. His point is that whereas all kings by exploiting the slogan of liberation and then enslaving those who trust them lose their reputation, but at least gain their ends, Philip by revealing his duplicity at the outset shows himself to be a pure madman. The absence of any moral criterion here is noteworthy. </p>
15.24.0 - 15.36.0
<p rend="Plain Text">Affairs of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a>: the accession of Ptolemy V Epiphanes and the downfall of Agathocles</p> <p rend="Plain Text">That P. used Ptolemy of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a> as a source is possible but beyond proof; see xiv. 11. 2 n.</p>
15.24.0 - 15.24.0
<p rend="Plain Text">Chronology: see above, p. 23. Maas (AIPhO, 1949, 443–6) has demonstrated that this passage should follow 25. 19. For comments by P. elsewhere on his chronological system and deviations from it cf. xiv. 12, xxxii. 11. 2–4. For a reference back to the present passage and to 25. 19 see xxviii. 16. 10–11. K. Abel, Hermes, 1967, 81–84, rejects Maas's proposal to place this extract after xv. 25. 19, which he thinks refers back to it <w lang="el-GR">(ὡς ἐδηλώσαμεν)</w>; he would therefore put it among res Graeciae et Macedoniae of this year. See against this Walbank, Polybius, 111 n. 75.</p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐπεὶ πάσας</w>:</emph> Maas, loc. cit., suggests <w lang="el-GR">ἐπεὶ</w> 〈<w lang="el-GR">γὰρ</w>〉 <w lang="el-GR">πάσας ; ὅτι</w> is, of course, from the excerptor of M. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὰς κατάλληλα πράξεις</w>:</emph> cf. xxviii. 16. 11, <w lang="el-GR">τὰς καταλλήλους πράξεις</w>: 'contemporary events' (not 'successive events', as Paton). See iii. 32. 5 n. on the meaning of <w lang="el-GR">κατάλληλος</w>. </p>
Specifics
15.24.1 - 15.24.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὴν τῶν Θασίων πόλιν</w>:</emph> probably situated on the north coast of the island at the modern town of Limenas; cf. von Hiller, RE, '<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thasos&groupId=1020&placeId=1794">Thasos</a> (1)', col. 1310. At the time of Philip's attack <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thasos&groupId=1020&placeId=1794">Thasos</a> was independent; Beloch (iv. 2. 347) quotes no evidence to support his assertion that it was Ptolemaic (cf. De Sanctis, iv. 1. 7 n. 20). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">καὶ ταύτην . . . ἐξηνδραποδίσατο</w>:</emph> an abbreviation by the epitomator. </p>
15.24.2 - 15.24.2
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Μητρόδωρον</w>:</emph> known only from fg. 7, which suggests that he later fell foul of the king. He could be the <w lang="el-GR">Μητρόδωρος? Στρά?τωνος</w> <emph rend="bold" /> <w lang="el-GR">Μακέδων</w> who was given proxeny at Miletus in 228/7 (Rehm, Milet, i. 3. 221 n. 99; cf. Hiller von Gaertringen, RE, '<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Miletos&groupId=768&placeId=1390">Miletos</a>', col. 1607); but the name is quite common. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀφρουρήτους κτλ</w>.:</emph> cf. iv. 25. 6 n., xv. 18. 2 n. (with references); for </p> <p rend="Plain Text"><w lang="el-GR">ἀνεπιστάθμευτος</w> cf. Welles, no. 70, l. 13 <w lang="el-GR">(ἀνεπίσταθμον)</w>, pp. 313 and 335 <w lang="el-GR">(ἐπισταθμεύω)</w>. The billeting of troops was one of the most resented features of occupation; see the evidence collected by Launey, ii. 695–715 (and especially 697 n. 5).</p>
15.24.3 - 15.24.3
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">συγχωρεῖν τὸν βασιλέα Κτλ</w>.:</emph> probably the oratio obliqua is to be explained (as Schweighaeuser suggests) as being the words of Metrodorus' answer. </p>
15.24.4 - 15.24.4
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">καθικόμενοι . . . τῶν πράξεων</w>:</emph> 'having gained their ends'. </p>
15.24.5 - 15.24.5
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοῦ μὲν καλοῦ . . . τοῦ δὲ παραυτὰ συμφέροντος</w>:</emph> cf. xxi. 32 c 2, <w lang="el-GR">τό τε καλὸν φεύγει τὴν τοῦ παραυτίκα λυσιτελοῦς φύσιν καὶ τὸ λυσίτελες τὴν τοῦ καλοῦ</w>. </p>
15.24.6 - 15.24.6
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">περιλαμβάνοντα ταῖς ἐλπίσι τὴν οἰκουμένην</w>:</emph> this is P.'s picture </p> <p rend="Plain Text">of Philip and the Antigonids; cf. v. 102. 1 n.</p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πάσας ἀκμὴν ἀκεραίους . . . τὰς ἐπιβολάς</w>:</emph> 'his chances of success in all his projects unimpaired' (Paton). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐν τοῖς ἐλαχίστοις καὶ πρώτοις τῶν ὑποπιπτόντων</w>:</emph> to P. Philip's annexations of this year (which may have included <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Lemnos&groupId=676&placeId=1237">Lemnos</a>; cf. xviii. 44. 4 n. on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Myrina&groupId=781&placeId=1416">Myrina</a>) are the first step in a programme of unlimited expansion, and it is against this interpretation that he judges him; cf. xvi. 10. 1, where he regards his failure to sail on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alexandria&groupId=1063&placeId=1868">Alexandria</a> as a further proof of madness. </p>
15.24.0 - 15.24.0
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐπεὶ</w></emph> 〈 <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">γὰρ</w></emph> 〉 <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πάσας . . . περιέχοντος</w>:</emph> see ad loc. for commentary on this passage which, as it is there argued, should start here. </p>
Addenda & corrigenda
15.24.6 - 15.24.6
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold">24. 6. <w lang="el-GR">ἐν τοῖς ἐλαχίστοις κτλ</w>.:</emph> in l. 5 of the note, for '<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a>' read '<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alexandria&groupId=1063&placeId=1868">Alexandria</a>'. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold">24 a:</emph> K. Abel, Hermes, 1967, 81–84, rejects Maas's proposal to place this extract after xv. 25. 19, which he thinks refers back to it <w lang="el-GR">(ὡς ἐδηλώσαμεν)</w>; he would therefore put it among res Graeciae et Macedoniae of this year. See against this Walbank, Polybius, 111 n. 75. </p>

Commentary