Polybius, Histories

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Book 18 - Chapter 35

1
<w lemma="%2A%29egw%5C">Ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29nwte%2Frw">ἀνωτέρω</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnous">χρόνους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="koinh%5Cn">κοινὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="poiou%2Fmenos">ποιούμενος</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Ffasin">ἀπόφασιν</w> <w lemma="e%29qa%2Frrhsa">ἐθάρρησα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcaien">πράξαιεν</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dton">τοιοῦτον</w>, <w lemma="le%2Fgw">λέγω</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="diaponti%2Fois">διαποντίοις</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29gxeirh%3Dsai">ἐγχειρῆσαι</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmois">πολέμοις</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fwn">ἰδίων</w> <w lemma="e%29qw%3Dn">ἐθῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fmwn">νομίμων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmenon">ἔμενον</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="kairoi%3Ds">καιροῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="tolmh%2Fsaimi">τολμήσαιμι</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn:">εἰπεῖν·</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fntoi">μέντοι</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="pleio%2Fnwn">πλειόνων</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmh%7C">Ῥώμῃ</w> <w lemma="qarrh%2Fsaim%27">θαρρήσαιμ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="a%29pofh%2Fnasqai">ἀποφήνασθαι</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnantai">δύνανται</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin">πίστιν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftw%7C">τούτῳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frei">μέρει</w> <w lemma="diafula%2Fttein">διαφυλάττειν</w>.
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<w lemma="marturi%2Fas">μαρτυρίας</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="o%28mologou%2Fmena">ὁμολογούμενα</w> <w lemma="du%2F%27">δύ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%29no%2Fmata">ὀνόματα</w> ?<w lemma=""></w>* <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="dokei%3Dn">δοκεῖν</w> <w lemma="a%29du%2Fnata">ἀδύνατα</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgein">λέγειν</w>.
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<w lemma="%2Aleu%2Fkios">Λεύκιος</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29mi%2Flios">Αἰμίλιος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Aperse%2Fa">Περσέα</w> <w lemma="nikh%2Fsas">νικήσας</w>, <w lemma="ku%2Frios">κύριος</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenos">γενόμενος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnwn">Μακεδόνων</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fas">βασιλείας</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllhs">ἄλλης</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="kataskeuh%3Ds">κατασκευῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xorhgi%2Fas">χορηγίας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="eu%28re%2Fqh">εὑρέθη</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="qhsauroi%3Ds">θησαυροῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29rguri%2Fou">ἀργυρίου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xrusi%2Fou">χρυσίου</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28cakisxili%2Fwn">ἑξακισχιλίων</w> <w lemma="tala%2Fntwn">ταλάντων</w>,
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<w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="e%29pequ%2Fmhse">ἐπεθύμησε</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="tino%2Fs">τινός</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29to%2Fpths">αὐτόπτης</w> <w lemma="h%29boulh%2Fqh">ἠβουλήθη</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28te%2Frwn">ἑτέρων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xeirismo%5Cn">χειρισμὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29poih%2Fsato">ἐποιήσατο</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w>, <w lemma="kai%2Ftoi">καίτοι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdion">ἴδιον</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="peritteu%2Fwn">περιττεύων</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="xorhgi%2Fa%7C">χορηγίᾳ</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fon">ἐναντίον</w> <w lemma="e%29llei%2Fpwn">ἐλλείπων</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w>.
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<w lemma="metalla%2Fcantos">μεταλλάξαντος</w> <w lemma="gou%3Dn">γοῦν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="kato%2Fpin">κατόπιν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmou">πολέμου</w>, <w lemma="boulhqe%2Fntes">βουληθέντες</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsin">φύσιν</w> <w lemma="ui%28oi%5C">υἱοὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Apo%2Fplios">Πόπλιος</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwn">Σκιπίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Ako%2Fintos">Κόιντος</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Fcimos">Μάξιμος</w> <w lemma="a%29podou%3Dnai">ἀποδοῦναι</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="gunaiki%5C">γυναικὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="fernh%2Fn">φερνήν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29%2Fkosi">εἴκοσι</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fnte">πέντε</w>, <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="e%29dusxrhsth%2Fqhsan">ἐδυσχρηστήθησαν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="e%29dunh%2Fqhsan">ἐδυνήθησαν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29ndouxi%2Fan">ἐνδουχίαν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fdonto">ἀπέδοντο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmata">σώματα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="tina%5Cs">τινὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kth%2Fsewn">κτήσεων</w>.
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<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tisin">τισιν</w> <w lemma="a%29pi%2Fstw%7C">ἀπίστῳ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="lego%2Fmenon">λεγόμενον</w> <w lemma="e%29oike%2Fnai">ἐοικέναι</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcei">δόξει</w>, <w lemma="r%28a%2F%7Cdion">ῥᾴδιον</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="labei%3Dn">λαβεῖν</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin:">πίστιν·</w>
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<w lemma="pollw%3Dn">πολλῶν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29mfisbhtoume%2Fnwn">ἀμφισβητουμένων</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flous">ἀλλήλους</w> <w lemma="a%29ntiparagwga%2Fs">ἀντιπαραγωγάς</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhme%2Fnon">εἰρημένον</w> <w lemma="u%28f%27">ὑφ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28mw%3Dn">ἡμῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28mologou%2Fmenon">ὁμολογούμενον</w> <w lemma="eu%28rh%2Fsei">εὑρήσει</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsin">πᾶσιν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="zhtw%3Dn">ζητῶν</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Apo%2Fplios">Πόπλιος</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwn">Σκιπίων</w>, <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsin">φύσιν</w> <w lemma="ui%28o%2Fs">υἱός</w>, <w lemma="%2Apopli%2Fou">Ποπλίου</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flou">μεγάλου</w> <w lemma="klhqe%2Fntos">κληθέντος</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qe%2Fsin">θέσιν</w> <w lemma="ui%28wno%2Fs">υἱωνός</w>, <w lemma="ku%2Frios">κύριος</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenos">γενόμενος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnos">Καρχηδόνος</w>, <w lemma="h%28%2Ftis">ἥτις</w> <w lemma="e%29do%2Fkei">ἐδόκει</w> <w lemma="poluxrhmonesta%2Fth">πολυχρημονεστάτη</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="oi%29koume%2Fnhn">οἰκουμένην</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="po%2Flewn">πόλεων</w>, <w lemma="a%28plw%3Ds">ἁπλῶς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnhs">ἐκείνης</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdion">ἴδιον</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="meth%2Fgagen">μετήγαγεν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29%2Ft%27">οὔτ᾽</w> <w lemma="w%29nhsa%2Fmenos">ὠνησάμενος</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Ft%27">οὔτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllw%7C">ἄλλῳ</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpw%7C">τρόπῳ</w> <w lemma="kthsa%2Fmenos">κτησάμενος</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fn">οὐδέν</w>,
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<w lemma="kai%2Fper">καίπερ</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flws">ὅλως</w> <w lemma="eu%29porou%2Fmenos">εὐπορούμενος</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Ftrios">μέτριος</w> <w lemma="w%29%5Cn">ὢν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Fparcin">ὕπαρξιν</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Dos">Ῥωμαῖος</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnos">Καρχηδόνος</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsxeto">ἀπέσχετο</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fhs">Λιβύης</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pimixqh%3Dnai">ἐπιμιχθῆναι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdion">ἴδιον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fase">εἴασε</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w>.
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<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="ta%29ndro%5Cs">τἀνδρὸς</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="zhtw%3Dn">ζητῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29lhqinw%3Ds">ἀληθινῶς</w> <w lemma="a%29namfisbh%2Fthton">ἀναμφισβήτητον</w> <w lemma="eu%28rh%2Fsei">εὑρήσει</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w>.
If I were dealing with earlier times, I would have confidently asserted about all the Romans in general, that no one of them would do such a thing; I speak of the years before they undertook wars across the sea and during which they preserved their own principles and practices.
At the present time, however, I would not venture to assert this of all, but I could with perfect confidence say of many particular men in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> that in this matter they can maintain their faith.
That I may not appear to be stating what is impossible, I will cite as evidence the names of two men regarding whom none will dispute my assertion.
The first is Lucius Aemilius Paullus, the conqueror of Perseus. For when he became master of the palace of the Macedonian kings, in which, apart from the splendid furniture and other riches, more than six thousand talents of gold and silver were fortified in the treasury alone,
not only did he not covet any of his treasure, but did not even wish to look upon it, and disposed of it all by the hands of others, and this although his private fortune was by no means ample, but on the contrary rather meagre.
At least when he died not long after the war, and his sons by birth, Publius Scipio and Quintus Fabius Maximus, wished to give back to his wife her dowry of twenty-five talents they found such difficulty in raising the sum that they could not possibly have done it had they and sold the household goods, the slaves, and some real property in addition.
If what I say seems incredible to anyone he can easily assure himself of its truth.
For though many facts and especially those concerning this matter are subjects of dispute at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> owing to their political dissensions, still on inquiry you will find that the statement I have just made is acknowledged to be true by all.
Again, take the case of Publius Scipio, known as the great. When he became master of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>, which was considered the wealthiest city in the world, he took absolutely nothing from it to add to his own fortune, either by purchase or by any other means of acquisition, and this although he was not particularly well off, but only moderately so for a Roman.
And not only did he keep his hands off the treasure in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> itself, but if did not allow any of that from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Africa&groupId=300&placeId=294">Africa</a> to be mixed up with his private fortune.
In the case of this man again anyone who really inquires will find that no one disputes the reputation he enjoyed at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> in this respect.