Polybius, Histories

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Book 2 - Chapter 39

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<w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fan">Ἰταλίαν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Amega%2Flhn">Μεγάλην</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ella%2Fda">Ἑλλάδα</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="prosagoreuome%2Fnhn">προσαγορευομένην</w> <w lemma="e%29neprh%2Fsqh">ἐνεπρήσθη</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fdria">συνέδρια</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Apuqagorei%2Fwn">Πυθαγορείων</w>,
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<w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnou">γενομένου</w> <w lemma="kinh%2Fmatos">κινήματος</w> <w lemma="o%28losxerou%3Ds">ὁλοσχεροῦς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fper">ὅπερ</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Fs">εἰκός</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftwn">πρώτων</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fsths">ἑκάστης</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftw">οὕτω</w> <w lemma="paralo%2Fgws">παραλόγως</w> <w lemma="diafqare%2Fntwn">διαφθαρέντων</w>,
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<w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnous">ἐκείνους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellhnika%5Cs">Ἑλληνικὰς</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="a%29naplhsqh%3Dnai">ἀναπλησθῆναι</w> <w lemma="fo%2Fnou">φόνου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sta%2Fsews">στάσεως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pantodaph%3Ds">παντοδαπῆς</w> <w lemma="taraxh%3Ds">ταραχῆς</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="kairoi%3Ds">καιροῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fstwn">πλείστων</w> <w lemma="merw%3Dn">μερῶν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ella%2Fdos">Ἑλλάδος</w> <w lemma="presbeuo%2Fntwn">πρεσβευόντων</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="dialu%2Fseis">διαλύσεις</w>, <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstei">πίστει</w> <w lemma="sunexrh%2Fsanto">συνεχρήσαντο</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="paro%2Fntwn">παρόντων</w> <w lemma="kakw%3Dn">κακῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29cagwgh%2Fn">ἐξαγωγήν</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29pede%2Fcanto">ἀπεδέξαντο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ai%28%2Fresin">αἵρεσιν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meta%2F">μετά</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnous">χρόνους</w> <w lemma="o%28losxerw%3Ds">ὁλοσχερῶς</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Frmhsan">ὥρμησαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mimhtai%5C">μιμηταὶ</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w>.
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<w lemma="parakale%2Fsantes">παρακαλέσαντες</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumfronh%2Fsantes">συμφρονήσαντες</w> <w lemma="%2Akrotwnia%3Dtai">Κροτωνιᾶται</w>, <w lemma="%2Asubari%3Dtai">Συβαρῖται</w>, <w lemma="%2Akaulwnia%3Dtai">Καυλωνιᾶται</w>, <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fdeican">ἀπέδειξαν</w> <w lemma="%2Adio%5Cs">Διὸς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28omari%2Fou">Ὁμαρίου</w> <w lemma="koino%5Cn">κοινὸν</w> <w lemma="i%28ero%5Cn">ἱερὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="w%28%3D%7C">ᾧ</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fs">τάς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="suno%2Fdous">συνόδους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="diabou%2Flia">διαβούλια</w> <w lemma="sunete%2Floun">συνετέλουν</w>, <w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29qismou%5Cs">ἐθισμοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmous">νόμους</w> <w lemma="e%29klabo%2Fntes">ἐκλαβόντες</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29peba%2Flonto">ἐπεβάλοντο</w> <w lemma="xrh%3Dsqai">χρῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dioikei%3Dn">διοικεῖν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fan">πολιτείαν</w>. <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Adionusi%2Fou">Διονυσίου</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fou">Συρακοσίου</w> <w lemma="dunastei%2Fas">δυναστείας</w>,
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<w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="perioikou%2Fntwn">περιοικούντων</w> <w lemma="barba%2Frwn">βαρβάρων</w> <w lemma="e%29pikratei%2Fas">ἐπικρατείας</w> <w lemma="e%29mpodisqe%2Fntes">ἐμποδισθέντες</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="e%28kousi%2Fws">ἑκουσίως</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkhn">ἀνάγκην</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsthsan">ἀπέστησαν</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="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fwn">Λακεδαιμονίων</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fcws">παραδόξως</w> <w lemma="ptaisa%2Fntwn">πταισάντων</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Aleu%2Fktrois">Λεύκτροις</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhn">μάχην</w>, <w lemma="%2Aqhbai%2Fwn">Θηβαίων</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29nelpi%2Fstws">ἀνελπίστως</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipoihsame%2Fnwn">ἀντιποιησαμένων</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellh%2Fnwn">Ἑλλήνων</w> <w lemma="h%28gemoni%2Fas">ἡγεμονίας</w>, <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="a%29krisi%2Fa">ἀκρισία</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhnas">Ἕλληνας</w>, <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnous">προειρημένους</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="sugxwrou%2Fntwn">συγχωρούντων</w> <w lemma="h%28tth%3Dsqai">ἡττῆσθαι</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="pisteuo%2Fntwn">πιστευόντων</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="nenikh%2Fkasin">νενικήκασιν</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%2F">ἀλλά</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29mfisbhtoume%2Fnwn">ἀμφισβητουμένων</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Ftreyan">ἐπέτρεψαν</w> <w lemma="%2Aqhbai%3Doi">Θηβαῖοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimo%2Fnioi">Λακεδαιμόνιοι</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnois">μόνοις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellh%2Fnwn">Ἑλλήνων</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="a%29poble%2Fyantes">ἀποβλέψαντες</w> —
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<w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29laxi%2Fsthn">ἐλαχίστην</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellh%2Fnwn">Ἑλλήνων</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxon">εἶχον</w> — <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Don">πλεῖον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin">πίστιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhn">ὅλην</w> <w lemma="kaloka%29gaqi%2Fan">καλοκἀγαθίαν</w>. <w lemma="o%28mologoume%2Fnws">ὁμολογουμένως</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxon">εἶχον</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w>.
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Ato%2Fte">Τότε</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="yilw%3Ds">ψιλῶς</w> <w lemma="au%29ta%5C">αὐτὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="proai%2Fresin">προαίρεσιν</w> <w lemma="u%28ph%3Drxe">ὑπῆρχε</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds:">αὐτοῖς·</w> <w lemma="a%29pote%2Flesma">ἀποτέλεσμα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="pra%3Dcis">πρᾶξις</w> <w lemma="a%29cio%2Flogos">ἀξιόλογος</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29%2Fchsin">αὔξησιν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fwn">ἰδίων</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%2Fkousa">ἀνήκουσα</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29gi%2Fneto">ἐγίνετο</w>,
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<w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnasqai">δύνασθαι</w> <w lemma="fu%3Dnai">φῦναι</w> <w lemma="prosta%2Fthn">προστάτην</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fcion">ἄξιον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fsews">προαιρέσεως</w>, <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28podei%2Fcanta">ὑποδείξαντα</w> <w lemma="pote%5C">ποτὲ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fwn">Λακεδαιμονίων</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29piskotei%3Dsqai">ἐπισκοτεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kwlu%2Fesqai">κωλύεσθαι</w>, <w lemma="pote%5C">ποτὲ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w>
When, in the district of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a>, then known as Greater Hellas,<note place="end" resp="tr" id="note6"><emph rend="bold">Greater Hellas:</emph>"<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Magna Graecia&groupId=728&placeId=1334">Magna Graecia</a>" in Latin. When the name was first given, Hellas cannot have meant the whole of Greece.</note>the club-houses of the Pythagoreans were burnt down,
there ensued, as was natural, a general revolutionary movement, the leading citizens of each city having then unexpectedly perished, and in all the Greek towns of the district murder, sedition, and every kind of disturbance were rife.
Embassies arrived from most parts of Greece offering their services as peacemakers,
but it was the Achaeans on whom these cities placed most reliance and to whom they committed the task of putting an end to their present troubles.
And it was not only at this period that they showed their approval of Achaean political principles; but a short time afterwards, they resolved to model their own constitution exactly on that of the League.
The Crotonians, Sybarites and Caulonians, having called a conference and formed a league, first of all established a common temple and holy place of Zeus Amarius<note place="end" resp="tr" id="note7"><emph rend="bold">a common temple and holy place:</emph>Such as the Achaean League had.</note>in which to hold their meetings and debates, and next, adopting the customs and laws of the Achaeans, decided to conduct their government according to them.
It was only indeed the tyranny of Dionysius of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a> and their subjection to the barbarian tribes around them which defeated this purpose and forced them to abandon these institutions, much against their will.
Again, subsequently, when the Lacedaemonians were unexpectedly defeated at Leuctra, and the Thebans, as unexpectedly, claimed the hegemony of Greece, great uncertainty prevailed in the whole country and especially among these two peoples, the Lacedaemonians not acknowledging their defeat, and the Thebans not wholly believing in their victory.
They, however, referred the points in dispute to the Achaeans alone among all the Greeks,
not taking their power into consideration, for they were then almost the weakest state in Greece, but in view of their trustworthiness and high character in every respect. For indeed this opinion of them was at that time, as is generally acknowledged, held by all.
to now, these principles of government had merely existed amongst them, but had resulted in no practical steps worthy of mention for the increase of the Achaean power,
since the country seemed unable to produce a statesman worthy of those principles, anyone who showed a tendency to act so being thrown into the dark and hampered either by the Lacedaemonian power or still more by that of Macedon.