Polybius, Histories

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Book 2 - Chapter 60

1
<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="progo%2Fnwn">προγόνων</w> <w lemma="a%29sebh%2Fmata:">ἀσεβήματα·</w> <w lemma="makro%5Cn">μακρὸν</w> <w lemma="ga%2Fr">γάρ</w>. <w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2F">εἴ</w> <w lemma="tini">τινι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fwn">ὁμοίων</w> <w lemma="perie%2Fpese">περιέπεσε</w> <w lemma="deino%5Cn">δεινὸν</w> <w lemma="h%28ghte%2Fon">ἡγητέον</w>, <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="deino%2Fteron">δεινότερον</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="mhdeno%5Cs">μηδενὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="pei%3Dran">πεῖραν</w> <w lemma="labw%5Cn">λαβὼν</w> <w lemma="a%29qw%3D%7Cos">ἀθῷος</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fqanen">ἀπέθανεν</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29antigo%2Fnw%7C">Ἀντιγόνῳ</w> <w lemma="prosapte%2Fon">προσαπτέον</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ara%2Ftw%7C">Ἀράτῳ</w> <w lemma="paranomi%2Fan">παρανομίαν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="labo%2Fntes">λαβόντες</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="u%28poxei%2Frion">ὑποχείριον</w> <w lemma="tu%2Frannon">τύραννον</w> <w lemma="streblw%2Fsantes">στρεβλώσαντες</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fkteinan">ἀπέκτειναν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fn">ὅν</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fnhn">εἰρήνην</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29nelou%3Dsi">ἀνελοῦσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="timwrhsame%2Fnois">τιμωρησαμένοις</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpainos">ἔπαινος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="timh%5C">τιμὴ</w> <w lemma="sunechkolou%2Fqei">συνεξηκολούθει</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%29rqw%3Ds">ὀρθῶς</w> <w lemma="logizome%2Fnois">λογιζομένοις</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiou%5Cs">Ἀχαιοὺς</w> <w lemma="parespo%2Fndhsen">παρεσπόνδησεν</w>, <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="paqei%3Dn">παθεῖν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fcios">ἄξιος</w>;
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<w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnos">ἐκεῖνος</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fqeto">ἀπέθετο</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="turanni%2Fda">τυραννίδα</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnois">χρόνοις</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="polloi%3Ds">πολλοῖς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w>, <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kairw%3Dn">καιρῶν</w> <w lemma="sugkleio%2Fmenos">συγκλειόμενος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmhtri%2Fou">Δημητρίου</w> <w lemma="qa%2Fnaton">θάνατον</w>, <w lemma="a%29nelpi%2Fstws">ἀνελπίστως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29sfalei%2Fas">ἀσφαλείας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ftuxe">ἔτυχε</w> <w lemma="peristalei%5Cs">περισταλεὶς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="pra%7Co%2Fthtos">πρᾳότητος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaloka%29gaqi%2Fas:">καλοκἀγαθίας·</w>
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<w lemma="oi%28%2Ftines">οἵτινες</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="turanni%2Fdos">τυραννίδος</w> <w lemma="a%29sebhma%2Ftwn">ἀσεβημάτων</w> <w lemma="a%29zh%2Fmion">ἀζήμιον</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fhsan">ἐποίησαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="proslabo%2Fntes">προσλαβόντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fan">πολιτείαν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fsthn">μεγίστην</w> <w lemma="timh%5Cn">τιμὴν</w> <w lemma="perie%2Fqesan">περιέθεσαν</w>, <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fna">ἡγεμόνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="katasth%2Fsantes">καταστήσαντες</w> <w lemma="sfw%3Dn">σφῶν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pilaqo%2Fmenos">ἐπιλαθόμενος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="filanqrw%2Fpwn">φιλανθρώπων</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="po%2Fdas">πόδας</w>, <w lemma="e%29pei%5C">ἐπεὶ</w> <w lemma="mikro%5Cn">μικρὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pikudeste%2Fras">ἐπικυδεστέρας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsxe">ἔσχε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdas">ἐλπίδας</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllontos">μέλλοντος</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Akleome%2Fnei">Κλεομένει</w>, <w lemma="th%2Fn">τήν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fda">πατρίδα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%3D">ἑαυτοῦ</w> <w lemma="proai%2Fresin">προαίρεσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29pospa%2Fsas">ἀποσπάσας</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkaiota%2Ftois">ἀναγκαιοτάτοις</w> <w lemma="kairoi%3Ds">καιροῖς</w> <w lemma="prose%2Fneime">προσένειμε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29xqroi%3Ds">ἐχθροῖς</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="u%28poxei%2Frion">ὑποχείριον</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenon">γενόμενον</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Akegxreai%3Ds">Κεγχρεαῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdei">ἔδει</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="nu%2Fkta">νύκτα</w> <w lemma="streblou%2Fmenon">στρεβλούμενον</w> <w lemma="a%29poqanei%3Dn">ἀποθανεῖν</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="%2Afu%2Flarxo%2Fs">Φύλαρχός</w> <w lemma="fhsin">φησιν</w>, <w lemma="periago%2Fmenon">περιαγόμενον</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Apelopo%2Fnnhson">Πελοπόννησον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="timwri%2Fas">τιμωρίας</w> <w lemma="paradeigmatizo%2Fmenon">παραδειγματιζόμενον</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="e%29klipei%3Dn">ἐκλιπεῖν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="zh%3Dn">ζῆν</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dtos">τοιοῦτος</w> <w lemma="w%29%5Cn">ὢν</w> <w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ftuxe">ἔτυχε</w> <w lemma="deinou%3D">δεινοῦ</w> <w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="katapontisqh%3Dnai">καταποντισθῆναι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akegxreai%3Ds">Κεγχρεαῖς</w> <w lemma="tetagme%2Fnwn">τεταγμένων</w>.
We must not therefore think it shocking if he met with treatment similar to what he had inflicted: it would have been much more so had he died in peace, without experiencing any such.
Nor should we charge Antigonus and Aratus with criminal conduct, if having captured him in war they had tortured and put to death a tyrant, any man who killed and punished whom even in the time of peace would have been applauded and honoured by all right-thinking people.
When I add that in addition to all his other offences he broke his faith with the Achaeans, what fate shall we say was too bad for him?
Not many years previously he had laid down his tyranny, finding himself in an embarrassed position owing to the death of Demetrius, and quite contrary to his expectation suffered no harm, being protected by the Achaeans,
who showed themselves most lenient and generous; for not only did they inflict no punishment on him for the crimes he had committed during his tyranny, but receiving him with the highest dignity, making him their Strategus and Commander-in-chief.
But instantly dismissing from his mind all these benefits, the moment it seemed to him that his prospects would be somewhat more brilliant if he sided with Cleomenes, he broke away from the Achaeans, transferring from them to the enemy at a most critical time his personal support and that of his country.
Surely when they got him into their hands, he should not have been racked to death at night in Cenchreae, as Phylarchus says, but should have been led round the whole Peloponnesus and tortured as a spectacle for the public until dead.
Yet notwithstanding his abominable character, all the harm he suffered was to be drowned in the sea by the officers in command at Cenchreae.