Polybius, Histories

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Book 2 - Chapter 40

1
<w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnwn">Μακεδόνων</w>. <w lemma="e%29pei%5C">ἐπεὶ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="pote">ποτε</w> <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="kairw%3D%7C">καιρῷ</w> <w lemma="prosta%2Ftas">προστάτας</w> <w lemma="a%29cio%2Fxrews">ἀξιόχρεως</w> <w lemma="eu%28%3Dren">εὗρεν</w>, <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%28th%3Ds">αὑτῆς</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fhse">ἐποίησε</w> <w lemma="fanera%2Fn">φανεράν</w>, <w lemma="e%29pitelesame%2Fnh">ἐπιτελεσαμένη</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ka%2Flliston">κάλλιστον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frgon">ἔργον</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Apeloponnhsi%2Fwn">Πελοποννησίων</w> <w lemma="o%28mo%2Fnoian">ὁμόνοιαν</w>.
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<w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="a%29rxhgo%5Cn">ἀρχηγὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaqhgemo%2Fna">καθηγεμόνα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhs">ὅλης</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%3Ds">ἐπιβολῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Faraton">Ἄρατον</w> <w lemma="nomiste%2Fon">νομιστέον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikuw%2Fnion">Σικυώνιον</w>, <w lemma="a%29gwnisth%5Cn">ἀγωνιστὴν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="telesiourgo%5Cn">τελεσιουργὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcews">πράξεως</w> <w lemma="%2Afilopoi%2Fmena">Φιλοποίμενα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Amegalopoli%2Fthn">Μεγαλοπολίτην</w>, <w lemma="bebaiwth%5Cn">βεβαιωτὴν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnimon">μόνιμον</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="poso%5Cn">ποσὸν</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="%2Aluko%2Frtan">Λυκόρταν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="tau%29ta%5C">ταὐτὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftw%7C">τούτῳ</w> <w lemma="proelome%2Fnous">προελομένους</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w>.
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<w lemma="ti%2Fna">τίνα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstois">ἑκάστοις</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="praxqe%2Fnta">πραχθέντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="poi%2Fous">ποίους</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="peiraso%2Fmeqa">πειρασόμεθα</w> <w lemma="dhlou%3Dn">δηλοῦν</w>, <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fpon">πρέπον</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="grafh%3D%7C">γραφῇ</w> <w lemma="poiou%2Fmenoi">ποιούμενοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fstasin">ἐπίστασιν</w>.
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<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fntoi">μέντοι</w> <w lemma="g%27">γ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ara%2Ftw%7C">Ἀράτῳ</w> <w lemma="diw%7Ckhme%2Fnwn">διῳκημένων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pikefalaiou%2Fmenoi">ἐπικεφαλαιούμενοι</w> <w lemma="mnhsqhso%2Fmeqa">μνησθησόμεθα</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="li%2Fan">λίαν</w> <w lemma="a%29lhqinou%5Cs">ἀληθινοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="safei%3Ds">σαφεῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnon">ἐκεῖνον</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fwn">ἰδίων</w> <w lemma="suntetaxe%2Fnai">συντεταχέναι</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcewn">πράξεων</w> <w lemma="u%28pomnhmatismou%2Fs">ὑπομνηματισμούς</w>,
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<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllois">ἄλλοις</w> <w lemma="a%29kribeste%2Fran">ἀκριβεστέραν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="diastolh%3Ds">διαστολῆς</w> <w lemma="poihso%2Fmeqa">ποιησόμεθα</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29ch%2Fghsin">ἐξήγησιν</w>. <w lemma="u%28polamba%2Fnw">ὑπολαμβάνω</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="r%28a%2F%7Csthn">ῥᾴστην</w> <w lemma="e%29moi%2F">ἐμοί</w> <w lemma="t%27">τ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="dih%2Fghsin">διήγησιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29ntugxa%2Fnousin">ἐντυγχάνουσιν</w> <w lemma="eu%29parakolou%2Fqhton">εὐπαρακολούθητον</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fqhsin">μάθησιν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="poihsai%2Fmeqa">ποιησαίμεθα</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fstasin">ἐπίστασιν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kairw%3Dn">καιρῶν</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="dialuqe%2Fntos">διαλυθέντος</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fqnous">ἔθνους</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedoni%2Fas">Μακεδονίας</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fwn">βασιλέων</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5C">ἀρχὴ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29ge%2Fneto">ἐγένετο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fnneusis">σύννευσις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flewn">πόλεων</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flas">ἀλλήλας</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29f%27">ἀφ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="au%29cano%2Fmenon">αὐξανόμενον</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sunexe%5Cs">συνεχὲς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fqnos">ἔθνος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dlqe">ἦλθε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="sunte%2Fleian">συντέλειαν</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w>, <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="a%29rti%2Fws">ἀρτίως</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dpon">εἶπον</w>.
When, however, in due time, they found statesmen capable of enforcing them, their power at once became manifest, and the League achieved the splendid result of uniting all the Peloponnesian states.
Aratus of Sicyon should be regarded as the initiator and conceiver of the project; it was Philopoemen of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a> who promoted and finally realized it, while Lycortas<note place="end" resp="tr" id="note8"><emph rend="bold">Lycortas:</emph>The father of Polybius.</note>and his party were those who assured the permanency, for a time at least, of this union.
I will attempt to indicate how and at what date each of the three contributed to the result, without transgressing the limits I have set to this part of my work.
Aratus' government, however, will be dealt with here and in future quite summarily, as he published a truthful and clearly written memoir of his own career;
but the achievements of the two others will be narrated in greater detail and at more length. I think it will be easiest for myself to set forth the narrative and for my readers to follow it if I begin from the period when, after the dissolution of the Achaean League by the kings of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a>, the cities began again to approach each other with a view to its renewal.
Henceforward the League continued to grow until it reached in my own time the state of completion I have just been describing.