Polybius, Histories

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Book 15 - Chapter 34

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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w>. <w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29gnow%3D">ἀγνοῶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="teratei%2Fas">τερατείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diaskeua%2Fs">διασκευάς</w>, <w lemma="ai%28%3Ds">αἷς</w> <w lemma="ke%2Fxrhntai">κέχρηνται</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fkplhcin">ἔκπληξιν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29kouo%2Fntwn">ἀκουόντων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fnioi">ἔνιοι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="gegrafo%2Ftwn">γεγραφότων</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="tau%2Ftas">ταύτας</w>, <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pimetrou%3Dnta">ἐπιμετροῦντα</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="diatiqe%2Fmenoi">διατιθέμενοι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fxontos">συνέχοντος</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmata">πράγματα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kuri%2Fou">κυρίου</w>,
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<w lemma="tine%5Cs">τινὲς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhn">τύχην</w> <w lemma="a%29nafe%2Frontes">ἀναφέροντες</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Fta">γεγονότα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tiqe%2Fntes">τιθέντες</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fyin">ὄψιν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="a%29be%2Fbaion">ἀβέβαιον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dusfu%2Flakton">δυσφύλακτον</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="para%2Fdocon">παράδοξον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="sumbebhko%2Ftwn">συμβεβηκότων</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgontes">ἄγοντες</w>, <w lemma="peirw%2Fmenoi">πειρώμενοι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Fsin">γεγονόσιν</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fas">αἰτίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="piqano%2Fthtas">πιθανότητας</w> <w lemma="u%28pota%2Fttein">ὑποτάττειν</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fgwge">ἔγωγε</w> <w lemma="proeqe%2Fmhn">προεθέμην</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftw%7C">τούτῳ</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fsasqai">χρήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="xeirismw%3D%7C">χειρισμῷ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="polemikh%5Cn">πολεμικὴν</w> <w lemma="to%2Flman">τόλμαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fshmon">ἐπίσημον</w> <w lemma="gegone%2Fnai">γεγονέναι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29agaqokle%2Fa">Ἀγαθοκλέα</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="xei">χει</w>
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<w lemma="rismo%5Cn">ρισμὸν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="e%29pituxh%3D">ἐπιτυχῆ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="zhlwto%5Cn">ζηλωτὸν</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="teleutai%3Don">τελευταῖον</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29likh%5Cn">αὐλικὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29gxi%2Fnoian">ἀγχίνοιαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kakopragmosu%2Fnhn">κακοπραγμοσύνην</w> <w lemma="diafe%2Frousan">διαφέρουσαν</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="%2Aswsi%2Fbios">Σωσίβιος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fous">πλείους</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteroi">ἕτεροι</w> <w lemma="katebi%2Fwsan">κατεβίωσαν</w>, <w lemma="basilei%3Ds">βασιλεῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fwn">βασιλέων</w> <w lemma="metaxeirizo%2Fmenoi">μεταχειριζόμενοι</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fa">ἐναντία</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="sumbebhke%2Fnai">συμβεβηκέναι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnon">προειρημένον</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndra">ἄνδρα</w>.
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<w lemma="proagwgh%3Ds">προαγωγῆς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ftuxe">ἔτυχε</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fcou">παραδόξου</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Afilopa%2Ftoros">Φιλοπάτορος</w> <w lemma="a%29dunami%2Fan">ἀδυναμίαν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basileu%2Fein:">βασιλεύειν·</w>
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<w lemma="tuxw%5Cn">τυχὼν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paralabw%5Cn">παραλαβὼν</w> <w lemma="eu%29fue%2Fstaton">εὐφυέστατον</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnou">ἐκείνου</w> <w lemma="qa%2Fnaton">θάνατον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sunthrh%3Dsai">συντηρῆσαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29cousi%2Fan">ἐξουσίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmata">πράγματα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="zh%3Dn">ζῆν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fbale">ἀπέβαλε</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="a%29nandri%2Fan">ἀνανδρίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cqumi%2Fan">ῥᾳθυμίαν</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="katagnwsqei%2Fs">καταγνωσθείς</w>.
I am not unaware that some authors in describing these events have introduced the sensational element and worked up their material with the object of making the whole more striking to their readers, largely transgressing the bounds of what is essential to give coherence to their narrative.
Some of them attribute all to Fortune, and lay stress on her instability and on men's incapacity of evading her, while others take count of the strangeness of all that happened, attempting to assign reasons or probable causes to everything.
It was, however, not my own object to treat these matters in that manner, inasmuch as Agathocles displayed neither courage in war nor conspicuous ability,
nor was he fortunate and exemplary in his management of affairs, nor, finally, had he that acuteness and mischievous address which serve a courtier's ends and which made Sosibius and several others so successful until the end of their lives in their management of king after king. On the contrary it was quite different with Agathocles.
Owing to Philopator's incapacity as a ruler he attained an exceptionally high position;
and in this position finding himself after that king's death most favourably circumstanced to maintain his power, he lost both his control and his life through his own cowardice and indolence, becoming an object of universal reprobation in quite a short time.