Polybius, Histories

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Book 15 - Chapter 28

1
<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Amoirage%2Fnhn">Μοιραγένην</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Ffaton">ἄφατον</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="para%2Flogon">παράλογον</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%3Dnon">συμβαῖνον</w>.
2
<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="diatetame%2Fnoi">διατεταμένοι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fstigas">μάστιγας</w> <w lemma="pare%2Fstasan">παρέστασαν</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="podw%3Dn">ποδῶν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkas">ἀνάγκας</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Frgana">ὄργανα</w> <w lemma="dieskeu%2Fazon:">διεσκεύαζον·</w>
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<w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Anikostra%2Ftou">Νικοστράτου</w> <w lemma="paraxwrh%2Fsantos">παραχωρήσαντος</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fstasan">ἕστασαν</w> <w lemma="a%29xanei%3Ds">ἀχανεῖς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w>, <w lemma="e%29mble%2Fpontes">ἐμβλέποντες</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flois">ἀλλήλοις</w>, <w lemma="prosdokw%3Dntes">προσδοκῶντες</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%2F">ἀεί</w> <w lemma="pote">ποτε</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnon">προειρημένον</w> <w lemma="a%29naka%2Fmyein">ἀνακάμψειν</w>.
4
<w lemma="xro%2Fnou">χρόνου</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ginome%2Fnou">γινομένου</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="braxu%5C">βραχὺ</w> <w lemma="die%2Frreon">διέρρεον</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="parestw%3Dtes">παρεστῶτες</w>, <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Amoirage%2Fnhs">Μοιραγένης</w> <w lemma="a%29pelei%2Ffqh">ἀπελείφθη</w>. <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="dielqw%5Cn">διελθὼν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29lh%5Cn">αὐλὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nelpi%2Fstws">ἀνελπίστως</w> <w lemma="pare%2Fpese">παρέπεσε</w> <w lemma="gumno%5Cs">γυμνὸς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fs">εἴς</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="skhnh%5Cn">σκηνὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnwn">Μακεδόνων</w>, <w lemma="su%2Fneggus">σύνεγγυς</w> <w lemma="keime%2Fnhn">κειμένην</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="au%29lh%3Ds">αὐλῆς</w>.
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<w lemma="katalabw%5Cn">καταλαβὼν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhn">τύχην</w> <w lemma="a%29ristw%3Dntas">ἀριστῶντας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunhqroisme%2Fnous">συνηθροισμένους</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Flege">ἔλεγε</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="au%28to%5Cn">αὑτὸν</w> <w lemma="sumbebhko%2Fta">συμβεβηκότα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="para%2Flogon">παράλογον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="swthri%2Fas">σωτηρίας</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="h%29pi%2Fstoun">ἠπίστουν</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="o%28rw%3Dntes">ὁρῶντες</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="gumno%5Cn">γυμνὸν</w> <w lemma="h%29nagka%2Fzonto">ἠναγκάζοντο</w> <w lemma="pisteu%2Fein">πιστεύειν</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="peripetei%2Fas">περιπετείας</w> <w lemma="o%28%2F">ὅ</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="%2Amoirage%2Fnhs">Μοιραγένης</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="dakru%2Fwn">δακρύων</w> <w lemma="e%29dei%3Dto">ἐδεῖτο</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnwn">Μακεδόνων</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="sunepilabe%2Fsqai">συνεπιλαβέσθαι</w> <w lemma="swthri%2Fas">σωτηρίας</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sfw%3Dn">σφῶν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn:">αὐτῶν·</w>
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<w lemma="pro%2Fdhlon">πρόδηλον</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fleqron">ὄλεθρον</w>, <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="suna%2Fywntai">συνάψωνται</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kairou%3D">καιροῦ</w>, <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="a%29kma%2Fzei">ἀκμάζει</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pollw%3Dn">πολλῶν</w> <w lemma="mi%3Dsos">μῖσος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Ds">πᾶς</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Ftoimo%2Fs">ἕτοιμός</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29agaqokle%2Fous">Ἀγαθοκλέους</w> <w lemma="timwri%2Fan">τιμωρίαν</w>.
9
<w lemma="a%29kma%2Fzein">ἀκμάζειν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="ma%2F">μά</w>
It is difficult to describe the strange situation in which Moeragenes found himself.
For some of the executioners stood there with the scourges almost raised to strike him and others were getting the instruments of torture ready before his eyes;
but when Nicostratus departed all remained in mute astonishment, looking at each other, and each moment expecting Nicostratus to return;
but after a little time had elapsed they gradually dispersed, and Moergenes was left by himself. After that he was able, much to his surprise, to traverse the palace, and naked as he was rushed into a tent belonging to the Macedonian troops not far from the palace.
Finding them by chance assembled there at breakfast he told his story and the extraordinary manner in which he had been delivered.
They were disposed to discredit it, but afterwards seeing him naked they were compelled to believe him.
Availing himself of this complete change of circumstances, Moeragenes begged the Macedonians with tears not only to help him to save himself, but to save the king also and chiefly themselves.
He urged upon them that their destruction was inevitable if they did not avail themselves of the present opportunity, when the hatred of the populace was at its height and everyone was ready to take vengeance on Agathocles.
This was just the time, he said, when the feeling was most thoroughly aroused and it only wanted someone to begin.