Polybius, Histories

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Book 2 - Chapter 46

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<w lemma="%2Aqewrw%3Dn">Θεωρῶν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlou%5Cs">Αἰτωλοὺς</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnos">προειρημένος</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%5Cr">ἀνὴρ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="ai%29sxunome%2Fnous">αἰσχυνομένους</w> <w lemma="a%29nalabei%3Dn">ἀναλαβεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="fanerou%3D">φανεροῦ</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="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="prosfa%2Ftous">προσφάτους</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="eu%29ergesi%2Fas">εὐεργεσίας</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmhtriako%5Cn">Δημητριακὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%2Fs">αὐτούς</w>,
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<w lemma="sumbouleuome%2Fnous">συμβουλευομένους</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fois">Λακεδαιμονίοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fqonou%3Dntas">φθονοῦντας</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="%2Akleome%2Fnous">Κλεομένους</w> <w lemma="pepracikophko%2Ftos">πεπραξικοπηκότος</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parh%7Crhme%2Fnou">παρῃρημένου</w> <w lemma="%2Atege%2Fan">Τεγέαν</w>, <w lemma="%2Amanti%2Fneian">Μαντίνειαν</w>, <w lemma="%2A%29orxomeno%2Fn">Ὀρχομενόν</w>, <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twloi%3Ds">Αἰτωλοῖς</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="summaxi%2Fdas">συμμαχίδας</w> <w lemma="u%28parxou%2Fsas">ὑπαρχούσας</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumpoliteuome%2Fnas">συμπολιτευομένας</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w>, <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="a%29ganaktou%3Dntas">ἀγανακτοῦντας</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="bebaiou%3Dntas">βεβαιοῦντας</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="para%2Flhyin">παράληψιν</w>,
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29dikou%2Fntwn">ἀδικούντων</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsan">πᾶσαν</w> <w lemma="i%28kanh%5Cn">ἱκανὴν</w> <w lemma="poioume%2Fnous">ποιουμένους</w> <w lemma="pro%2Ffasin">πρόφασιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="polemei%3Dn">πολεμεῖν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pleoneci%2Fan">πλεονεξίαν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="sunorw%3Dn">συνορῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28kousi%2Fws">ἑκουσίως</w> <w lemma="paraspondoume%2Fnous">παρασπονδουμένους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fstas">μεγίστας</w> <w lemma="a%29pollu%2Fntas">ἀπολλύντας</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="e%29qelonth%5Cn">ἐθελοντὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="w%28%3D%7C">ᾧ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="i%29dei%3Dn">ἰδεῖν</w> <w lemma="a%29cio%2Fxrewn">ἀξιόχρεων</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenon">γενόμενον</w> <w lemma="a%29ntagwnisth%5Cn">ἀνταγωνιστὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Akleome%2Fnh">Κλεομένη</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w>,
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<w lemma="e%29%2Fgnw">ἔγνω</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="ble%2Fpwn">βλέπων</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dto%2Fs">οὗτός</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="proestw%3Dtes">προεστῶτες</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="politeu%2Fmatos">πολιτεύματος</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmou">πολέμου</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fna">μηδένα</w> <w lemma="kata%2Frxein">κατάρχειν</w>, <w lemma="e%29ni%2Fstasqai">ἐνίστασθαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fwn">Λακεδαιμονίων</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolai%3Ds">ἐπιβολαῖς</w>.
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="dialh%2Fyewn:">διαλήψεων·</w> <w lemma="qewrou%3Dntes">θεωροῦντες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnous">χρόνους</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Akleome%2Fnh">Κλεομένη</w> <w lemma="qrase%2Fws">θρασέως</w> <w lemma="e%29poikodomou%3Dnta">ἐποικοδομοῦντα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kalou%2Fmenon">καλούμενον</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aqh%2Fnaion">Ἀθήναιον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Amegalopolitw%3Dn">Μεγαλοπολιτῶν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fra%7C">χώρᾳ</w>, <w lemma="pro%2Fdhlon">πρόδηλον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pikro%5Cn">πικρὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29nadeiknu%2Fnta">ἀναδεικνύντα</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmion">πολέμιον</w> <w lemma="e%28auto%2Fn">ἑαυτόν</w>,
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<w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="sunaqroi%2Fsantes">συναθροίσαντες</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiou%5Cs">Ἀχαιοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fkrinan">ἔκριναν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="boulh%3Ds">βουλῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29nalamba%2Fnein">ἀναλαμβάνειν</w> <w lemma="fanerw%3Ds">φανερῶς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fous">Λακεδαιμονίους</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fxqeian">ἀπέχθειαν</w>.
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%28o">Ὁ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="%2Akleomeniko%5Cs">Κλεομενικὸς</w> <w lemma="prosagoreuqei%5Cs">προσαγορευθεὶς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemos">πόλεμος</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flabe">ἔλαβε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w>
Aratus saw that the Aetolians were ashamed of openly declaring war on them, as it was so very recently that the Achaeans had helped them in their war against Demetrius,
but that they were so much of one mind with the Lacedaemonians and so jealous of the Achaeans that when Cleomenes broke faith with them and possessed himself of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tegea&groupId=1011&placeId=1780">Tegea</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>, and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Orchomenus&groupId=814&placeId=1470">Orchomenus</a>, cities which were not only allies of the Aetolians, but at the time members of their league, they not only showed no resentment, but actually set their seal to his occupation.
He saw too that they, who on previous occasions, owing to their lust of aggrandizement, found any pretext adequate for making war on those who had done them no wrong, now allowed themselves to be treacherously attacked and to suffer the loss of some of their largest cities simply in order to see Cleomenes become a really formidable antagonist of the Achaeans.
Aratus, therefore, and all the leading men of the Achaean League decided not to take the initiative in going to war with anyone, but to resist Spartan aggression.
This at least was their first resolve; but when shortly afterwards Cleomenes boldly began to fortify against them the so‑called Athenaeum in the territory of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a>, and to show himself their avowed and bitter enemy,
they called the Council of the League together and decided on open war with <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a>.
This was the date at which the war known as the Cleomenic war began; and such was its origin.