Polybius, Histories

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Book 16 - Chapter 31

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<w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxesqai">μάχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="gennai%2Fws">γενναίως</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtoi">οὗτοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29panh%3Dlqon">ἐπανῆλθον</w>. <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29abudhnoi%5C">Ἀβυδηνοὶ</w> <w lemma="puqo%2Fmenoi">πυθόμενοι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="lego%2Fmena">λεγόμενα</w>, <w lemma="sunelqo%2Fntes">συνελθόντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%29kklhsi%2Fan">ἐκκλησίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29bouleu%2Fonto">ἐβουλεύοντο</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29nestw%2Ftwn">ἐνεστώτων</w> <w lemma="a%29ponohqe%2Fntes">ἀπονοηθέντες</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmais">γνώμαις</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29%2Fdocen">ἔδοξεν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="dou%2Flous">δούλους</w> <w lemma="e%29leuqerou%3Dn">ἐλευθεροῦν</w>, <w lemma="i%28%2Fna">ἵνα</w> <w lemma="sunagwnista%5Cs">συναγωνιστὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxoien">ἔχοιεν</w> <w lemma="a%29profasi%2Fstous">ἀπροφασίστους</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fpeita">ἔπειτα</w> <w lemma="sunaqroi%3Dsai">συναθροῖσαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="gunai%3Dkas">γυναῖκας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29arte%2Fmidos">Ἀρτέμιδος</w> <w lemma="i%28ero%5Cn">ἱερὸν</w> <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fsas">ἁπάσας</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="te%2Fkna">τέκνα</w> <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="trofoi%3Ds">τροφοῖς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gumna%2Fsion">γυμνάσιον</w>,
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<w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frguron">ἄργυρον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xruso%5Cn">χρυσὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29gora%5Cn">ἀγορὰν</w> <w lemma="sunagagei%3Dn">συναγαγεῖν</w>, <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="i%28matismo%5Cn">ἱματισμὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29cio%2Flogon">ἀξιόλογον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tetrh%2Frh">τετρήρη</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodi%2Fwn">Ῥοδίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="trih%2Frh">τριήρη</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akuzikhnw%3Dn">Κυζικηνῶν</w>.
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<w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="proqe%2Fmenoi">προθέμενοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcantes">πράξαντες</w> <w lemma="o%28moqumado%5Cn">ὁμοθυμαδὸν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="do%2Fgma">δόγμα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="sunhqroi%2Fsqhsan">συνηθροίσθησαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29kklhsi%2Fan">ἐκκλησίαν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="proexeiri%2Fsanto">προεχειρίσαντο</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="presbute%2Frwn">πρεσβυτέρων</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="pisteuome%2Fnwn">πιστευομένων</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="swmatikh%5Cn">σωματικὴν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="e%29xo%2Fntwn">ἐχόντων</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnasqai">δύνασθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kriqe%5Cn">κριθὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pitelei%3Dn">ἐπιτελεῖν</w>,
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="e%29cw%2Frkisan">ἐξώρκισαν</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fon">ἐναντίον</w> <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fntwn">ἁπάντων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="politw%3Dn">πολιτῶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3D">ἦ</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fn">μήν</w>, <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdwsi">ἴδωσι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="diatei%2Fxisma">διατείχισμα</w> <w lemma="katalambano%2Fmenon">καταλαμβανόμενον</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29xqrw%3Dn">ἐχθρῶν</w>, <w lemma="katasfa%2Fcein">κατασφάξειν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="te%2Fkna">τέκνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="gunai%3Dkas">γυναῖκας</w>, <w lemma="e%29mprh%2Fsein">ἐμπρήσειν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnas">προειρημένας</w> <w lemma="nau%3Ds">ναῦς</w>, <w lemma="r%28i%2Fyein">ῥίψειν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29ra%5Cs">ἀρὰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frguron">ἄργυρον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xruso%5Cn">χρυσὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w>.
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<w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="parasthsa%2Fmenoi">παραστησάμενοι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%28ere%2Fas">ἱερέας</w> <w lemma="w%29%2Fmnuon">ὤμνυον</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="krath%2Fsein">κρατήσειν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29xqrw%3Dn">ἐχθρῶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="teleuth%2Fsein">τελευτήσειν</w> <w lemma="maxo%2Fmenoi">μαχόμενοι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdos">πατρίδος</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="sfagiasa%2Fmenoi">σφαγιασάμενοι</w> <w lemma="kata%2Fras">κατάρας</w> <w lemma="h%29na%2Fgkasan">ἠνάγκασαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29mpu%2Frwn">ἐμπύρων</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%28ere%2Fas">ἱερέας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="i%28erei%2Fas">ἱερείας</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w>.
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<w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pikurw%2Fsantes">ἐπικυρώσαντες</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29ntimetalleu%2Fein">ἀντιμεταλλεύειν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsthsan">ἀπέστησαν</w>, <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmhn">γνώμην</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fsthsan">κατέστησαν</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fst%27">ὥστ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29peida%5Cn">ἐπειδὰν</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fsh%7C">πέσῃ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="diatei%2Fxisma">διατείχισμα</w>, <w lemma="to%2Ft%27">τότ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="ptw%2Fmatos">πτώματος</w> <w lemma="diama%2Fxesqai">διαμάχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diapoqnh%2Fskein">διαποθνήσκειν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="biazome%2Fnous">βιαζομένους</w>.
and the people of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Abydus&groupId=268&placeId=523">Abydus</a>, when they heard the answer, summoned a public assembly and discussed the situation in a despairing mood.
They decided first of all to liberate the slaves, that they might have no pretext for refusing to assist them in the defence, in the next place to assemble all the women in the temple of Artemis and the children with their nurses in the gymnasium, and finally to collect all their gold and silver in the market-place and place all valuable articles of dress in the Rhodian quadrireme and the trireme of the Cyzicenians.
Having resolved on this they unanimously put their decree into execution, and then calling another assembly they nominated fifty of the older and most trusted citizens, men who possessed sufficient bodily strength to carry out their decision,
and made them swear in the presence of all the citizens that whenever they saw the inner wall in the possession of the enemy they would kill all the women and children, set fire to the ships I mentioned, and throw the gold and silver into the sea with curses.
After this, calling the priests before them they all swore either to conquer the foe or die fighting for their country.
Last of all they slew some victims and obliged the priests and priestesses to pronounce over the burning entrails curses on those who neglected to prince what they had sworn.
Having thus made sure of everything they stopped countermining against the enemy and came to the decision that as soon as the cross wall fell they would fight on its ruins and resist the assailants to the death.