Polybius, Histories

Layout
Translation

Book 2 - Chapter 15

1
<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="muri%2Fwn">μυρίων</w> <w lemma="stadi%2Fwn">σταδίων</w>. <w lemma="peri%2F">περί</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29reth%3Ds">ἀρετῆς</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="r%28a%2F%7Cdion">ῥᾴδιον</w>. <w lemma="si%2Ftou">σίτου</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tosau%2Fthn">τοσαύτην</w> <w lemma="a%29fqoni%2Fan">ἀφθονίαν</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fst%27">ὥστ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w> <w lemma="kairoi%3Ds">καιροῖς</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="tetta%2Frwn">τεττάρων</w> <w lemma="o%29bolw%3Dn">ὀβολῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="purw%3Dn">πυρῶν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeliko%5Cn">Σικελικὸν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fdimnon">μέδιμνον</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kriqw%3Dn">κριθῶν</w> <w lemma="duei%3Dn">δυεῖν</w>, <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%29%2Fnou">οἴνου</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="metrhth%5Cn">μετρητὴν</w> <w lemma="i%29so%2Fkriqon">ἰσόκριθον</w>.
2
<w lemma="e%29lu%2Fmou">ἐλύμου</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ke%2Fgxrou">κέγχρου</w> <w lemma="tele%2Fws">τελέως</w> <w lemma="u%28perba%2Fllousa">ὑπερβάλλουσα</w> <w lemma="dayi%2Fleia">δαψίλεια</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai">γίνεται</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w>. <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="bala%2Fnwn">βαλάνων</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gino%2Fmenon">γινόμενον</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="dia%2Fsthma">διάστημα</w> <w lemma="drumw%3Dn">δρυμῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fois">πεδίοις</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="tekmh%2Fraito:">τεκμήραιτο·</w>
3
<w lemma="plei%2Fstwn">πλείστων</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="u%28i+kw%3Dn">ὑϊκῶν</w> <w lemma="i%28erei%2Fwn">ἱερείων</w> <w lemma="koptome%2Fnwn">κοπτομένων</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fa%7C">Ἰταλίᾳ</w> <w lemma="dia%2F">διά</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fous">ἰδίους</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fous">βίους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="strato%2Fpeda">στρατόπεδα</w> <w lemma="paraqe%2Fseis">παραθέσεις</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28losxeresta%2Fthn">ὁλοσχερεστάτην</w> <w lemma="xorhgi%2Fan">χορηγίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fwn">πεδίων</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w>.
4
<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="eu%29wni%2Fas">εὐωνίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dayilei%2Fas">δαψιλείας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="trofh%5Cn">τροφὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nhko%2Fntwn">ἀνηκόντων</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29kribe%2Fstata">ἀκριβέστατα</w> <w lemma="katanoh%2Fseien:">κατανοήσειεν·</w>
5
<w lemma="poiou%3Dntai">ποιοῦνται</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="katalu%2Fseis">καταλύσεις</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="diodeu%2Fontes">διοδεύοντες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pandokei%2Fois">πανδοκείοις</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="sumfwnou%3Dntes">συμφωνοῦντες</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="e%29pithdei%2Fwn">ἐπιτηδείων</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29rwtw%3Dntes">ἐρωτῶντες</w> <w lemma="po%2Fsou">πόσου</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndra">ἄνδρα</w> <w lemma="de%2Fxetai">δέχεται</w>.
6
<w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="pari%2Fentai">παρίενται</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="katalu%2Ftas">καταλύτας</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="pandokei%3Ds">πανδοκεῖς</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="i%28kana%5C">ἱκανὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnt%27">πάντ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein">ἔχειν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fan">χρείαν</w>, <w lemma="h%28miassari%2Fou:">ἡμιασσαρίου·</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="te%2Ftarton">τέταρτον</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="o%29bolou%3D:">ὀβολοῦ·</w> <w lemma="spani%2Fws">σπανίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dq%27">τοῦθ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28perbai%2Fnousi">ὑπερβαίνουσι</w>.
7
<w lemma="to%2F">τό</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ka%2Fllos">κάλλος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="swma%2Ftwn">σωμάτων</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmois">πολέμοις</w> <w lemma="to%2Flman">τόλμαν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcewn">πράξεων</w> <w lemma="safw%3Ds">σαφῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fstai">ἔσται</w> <w lemma="katamaqei%3Dn">καταμαθεῖν</w>. <w lemma="%2Atw%3Dn">Τῶν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Falpewn">Ἄλπεων</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Fras">ἑκατέρας</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pleura%3Ds">πλευρᾶς</w>,
8
<w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodano%5Cn">Ῥοδανὸν</w> <w lemma="potamo%5Cn">ποταμὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fna">προειρημένα</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fa">πεδία</w> <w lemma="neuou%2Fshs">νευούσης</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="bounw%2Fdeis">βουνώδεις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gew%2Fdeis">γεώδεις</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="katoikou%3Dsi">κατοικοῦσι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodano%5Cn">Ῥοδανὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frktous">ἄρκτους</w> <w lemma="e%29stramme%2Fnous">ἐστραμμένους</w> <w lemma="%2Agala%2Ftai">Γαλάται</w> <w lemma="%2Atransalpi%3Dnoi">Τρανσαλπῖνοι</w> <w lemma="prosagoreuo%2Fmenoi">προσαγορευόμενοι</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fa">πεδία</w> <w lemma="%2Atauri%2Fskoi">Ταυρίσκοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fagwnes">Ἄγωνες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnh">γένη</w> <w lemma="barba%2Frwn">βαρβάρων</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Ftera">ἕτερα</w>.
9
<w lemma="%2Atransalpi%3Dnoi%2F">Τρανσαλπῖνοί</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnous">γένους</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpou">τόπου</w> <w lemma="diafora%5Cn">διαφορὰν</w> <w lemma="prosagoreu%2Fontai:">προσαγορεύονται·</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tra%5Cns">τρὰνς</w> <w lemma="e%29cermhneuo%2Fmeno%2Fn">ἐξερμηνευόμενόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fran">πέραν</w>, <w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fkeina">ἐπέκεινα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Falpewn">Ἄλπεων</w> <w lemma="%2Atransalpi%2Fnous">Τρανσαλπίνους</w> <w lemma="kalou%3Dsi">καλοῦσι</w>.
10
<w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fkra">ἄκρα</w> <w lemma="dia%2F">διά</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="traxu%2Fthta">τραχύτητα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi">ἐπι</w>
Its fertility is not easy to describe. It produces such an abundance of corn, that often in my time the price of wheat was four obols per Sicilian medimnus<note place="end" resp="tr" id="note2"><emph rend="bold">medimnus:</emph>About 5 Roman modii or 10 gallons. The metretes of wine was about 9 gallons.</note>and that of barley two obols, a metretes of wine costing the same as the medimnus of barley.
Panic and millet are produced in enormous quantities, while the amount of acorns grown in the woods dispersed over the plain can be estimated from the fact that,
while the number of swine slaughtered in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a> for private consumption as well as to feed the army is very large, almost the whole of them are supplied by this plain.
The cheapness and abundance of all articles of food will be most clearly understood from the following fact.
Travellers in this country who put up in inns, do not bargain for each separate article they require, but ask what is the charge per diem for one person.
The innkeepers, as a rule, agree to receive guests, providing them with enough of all they require for half an as per diem, i.e. the fourth part of an obol, the charge being very seldom higher.
As for the numbers of the inhabitants, their stature and beauty and their courage in war, the facts of their history will speak.
The hilly ground with sufficient soil on both slopes of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a>, that on the north towards the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhone&groupId=933&placeId=1667">Rhone</a> and that towards the plain I have been describing, is inhabited in the former case by the Transalpine Gauls and in the latter by the Taurisci, Agones and several other barbarous tribes.
Transalpine is not a national name but a local one, trans meaning "beyond," and those beyond the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a> being so called.
The summits of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a> are quite uninhabitable owing to their ruggedness and the quantity of snow which always covers them.