Polybius, Histories

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Book 18 - Chapter 55

1
<w lemma="a%29pe%2Flusen">ἀπέλυσεν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28parxo%2Fntwn">ὑπαρχόντων</w>. <w lemma="%2Asko%2Fpa">Σκόπα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="zw%3Dntos">ζῶντος</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fshmos">ἐπίσημος</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="filarguri%2Fa">φιλαργυρία</w> — <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="dh%2F">δή</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllous">ἄλλους</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpous">ἀνθρώπους</w> <w lemma="u%28pere%2Fqeto">ὑπερέθετο</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pleoneci%2Fan">πλεονεξίαν</w> — <w lemma="a%29poqano%2Fntos">ἀποθανόντος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="e%29genh%2Fqh">ἐγενήθη</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="plh%2Fqous">πλήθους</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="xrusi%2Fou">χρυσίου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kataskeuh%3Ds">κατασκευῆς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="eu%28rhme%2Fnhs">εὑρημένης</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w>.
2
<w lemma="labw%5Cn">λαβὼν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="sunergo%5Cn">συνεργὸν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29grio%2Fthta">ἀγριότητα</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Axarimo%2Frtou">Χαριμόρτου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fqhn">μέθην</w>, <w lemma="a%29%2Frdhn">ἄρδην</w> <w lemma="e%29cetoixwru%2Fxhse">ἐξετοιχωρύχησε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fan">βασιλείαν</w>.
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%29epeidh%5C">Ἐπειδὴ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlou%5Cs">Αἰτωλοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fqento">ἔθεντο</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29lh%2Fn">αὐλήν</w>, <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="e%29gi%2Fnonto">ἐγίνοντο</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anaklhth%2Fria">Ἀνακλητήρια</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w>, <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fpw">οὐδέπω</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="h%28liki%2Fas">ἡλικίας</w> <w lemma="katepeigou%2Fshs">κατεπειγούσης</w>, <w lemma="nomi%2Fzontes">νομίζοντες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="lh%2Fyesqai%2F">λήψεσθαί</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmata">πράγματα</w> <w lemma="kata%2Fstasin">κατάστασιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="be%2Fltion">βέλτιον</w> <w lemma="prokoph%3Ds">προκοπῆς</w>, <w lemma="do%2Fcantos">δόξαντος</w> <w lemma="au%29tokra%2Ftoros">αὐτοκράτορος</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="gegone%2Fnai">γεγονέναι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w>.
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<w lemma="xrhsa%2Fmenoi">χρησάμενοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="paraskeuai%3Ds">παρασκευαῖς</w> <w lemma="megalomerw%3Ds">μεγαλομερῶς</w>, <w lemma="e%29pete%2Floun">ἐπετέλουν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pra%3Dcin">πρᾶξιν</w> <w lemma="a%29ci%2Fws">ἀξίως</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fas">βασιλείας</w> <w lemma="prosxh%2Fmatos">προσχήματος</w>, <w lemma="plei%3Dsta">πλεῖστα</w> <w lemma="%2Apolukra%2Ftous">Πολυκράτους</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dntos">δοκοῦντος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%5Cn">ἐπιβολὴν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="sunhrghke%2Fnai">συνηργηκέναι</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnos">προειρημένος</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%5Cr">ἀνὴρ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pate%2Fra">πατέρα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="ne%2Fos">νέος</w> <w lemma="w%29%5Cn">ὢν</w> <w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29do%2Fkei">ἐδόκει</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29lh%5Cn">αὐλὴν</w> <w lemma="deutereu%2Fein">δευτερεύειν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin">πίστιν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w>, <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29nestw%3Dta">ἐνεστῶτα</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fa">βασιλέα</w>.
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<w lemma="pisteuqei%5Cs">πιστευθεὶς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aku%2Fprou">Κύπρου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fth%7C">ταύτῃ</w> <w lemma="proso%2Fdwn">προσόδων</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="kairoi%3Ds">καιροῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pisfale%2Fsi">ἐπισφαλέσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="poiki%2Flois">ποικίλοις</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="diefu%2Flace">διεφύλαξε</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="paidi%5C">παιδὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="nh%3Dson">νῆσον</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="i%28kano%5Cn">ἱκανὸν</w> <w lemma="h%28%2Fqroise">ἥθροισε</w> <w lemma="xrhma%2Ftwn">χρημάτων</w>, <w lemma="a%28%5C">ἃ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="paragego%2Fnei">παραγεγόνει</w> <w lemma="komi%2Fzwn">κομίζων</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="basilei%3D">βασιλεῖ</w>, <w lemma="paradedwkw%5Cs">παραδεδωκὼς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aku%2Fprou">Κύπρου</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%2Fw%7C">Πτολεμαίῳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="%2Amegalopoli%2Fth%7C">Μεγαλοπολίτῃ</w>.
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<w lemma="tuxw%5Cn">τυχὼν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flhs">μεγάλης</w> <w lemma="a%29podoxh%3Ds">ἀποδοχῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="periousi%2Fas">περιουσίας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnois">χρόνοις</w>, <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="probainou%2Fshs">προβαινούσης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="h%28liki%2Fas">ἡλικίας</w> <w lemma="o%28losxerw%3Ds">ὁλοσχερῶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="a%29se%2Flgeian">ἀσέλγειαν</w> <w lemma="e%29cw%2Fkeile">ἐξώκειλε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="a%29surh%3D">ἀσυρῆ</w>.
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<w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fan">παραπλησίαν</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftw%7C">τούτῳ</w> <w lemma="fh%2Fmhn">φήμην</w> <w lemma="e%29klhrono%2Fmhsen">ἐκληρονόμησεν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="gh%2Frws">γήρως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aghsa%2Frxou">Ἀγησάρχου</w>.
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<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flqwmen">ἔλθωμεν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="o%29knh%2Fsomen">ὀκνήσομεν</w> <w lemma="diasafei%3Dn">διασαφεῖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="parakolouqh%2Fsanta">παρακολουθήσαντα</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29cousi%2Fais">ἐξουσίαις</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29preph%3D">ἀπρεπῆ</w>.
The avarice of Scopas had been notorious even when he was alive — for his rapacity much excelled that of any other man — but by his death it became more so owing to the quantity of money and precious objects found in his house.
For, aided by the savagery and drunken violence of Charimortus he had utterly stripped the palace like a burglar.
After the officials of the court had set to rights the matter of the Aetolians, they at once began to occupy themselves with the celebration of the king's Proclamation (Anacleteria). Although his age was not such as to make it pressing, they thought that it would contribute to the settlement of affairs and be the beginning of a change for the better if the king were thought to be now invested with full authority.
Having made preparations on a generous scale they carried out the ceremony in a manner worthy of His Majesty's dignity, Polycrates, as it appears, having taken the greatest share in furthering this scheme of theirs.
This man had while still young, during the reign of the king's father, been considered second to none at court in loyalty and energy, and so he continued to be under the present king.
For, being entrusted with the government of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyprus&groupId=119&placeId=356">Cyprus</a> and its revenue in hazardous and complicated circumstances, he had not only preserved the island for the boy but had collected a considerable sum of money, and had now come to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alexandria&groupId=1063&placeId=1868">Alexandria</a> to bring this money to the king, having handed over the government of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyprus&groupId=119&placeId=356">Cyprus</a> to Ptolemaeus of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a>.
Having, owing to this, been very well received and having amassed a large fortune in the years which followed, he afterwards, as he grew older, entirely wrecked his good name by the licentiousness and depravity of his life.
A very similar reputation was acquired in his old age by Ptolemy, son of Agesarchus.
When I reach that period I will have no hesitation in exposing the disgraceful circumstances attendant on their power.