Polybius, Histories

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Book 2 - Chapter 62

1
<w lemma="%2Aou%29">Οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="fhsin">φησιν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Amega%2Flhs">Μεγάλης</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="lafu%2Frwn">λαφύρων</w> <w lemma="e%28cakisxi%2Flia">ἑξακισχίλια</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fois">Λακεδαιμονίοις</w> <w lemma="pesei%3Dn">πεσεῖν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="disxi%2Flia">δισχίλια</w> <w lemma="%2Akleome%2Fnei">Κλεομένει</w> <w lemma="doqh%3Dnai">δοθῆναι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29qismou%2Fs">ἐθισμούς</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fseien">θαυμάσειεν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29peiri%2Fan">ἀπειρίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgnoian">ἄγνοιαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="koinh%3Ds">κοινῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29nnoi%2Fas">ἐννοίας</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellhnikw%3Dn">Ἑλληνικῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="xorhgi%2Fas">χορηγίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w>; <w lemma="h%28%5Cn">ἣν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%28storiogra%2Ffois">ἱστοριογράφοις</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgw">λέγω</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnous">ἐκείνους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnous">χρόνους</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%2F">ὑπό</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedoni%2Fa%7C">Μακεδονίᾳ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fwn">βασιλέων</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sunexei%2Fas">συνεχείας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flous">ἀλλήλους</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmwn">πολέμων</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frdhn">ἄρδην</w> <w lemma="kate%2Ffqarto">κατέφθαρτο</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Apeloponnhsi%2Fwn">Πελοποννησίων</w>,
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<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</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="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="e%28%5Cn">ἓν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%29to%5C">ταὐτὸ</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgontes">λέγοντες</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fsthn">μεγίστην</w> <w lemma="karpou%3Dsqai">καρποῦσθαι</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dsin">δοκοῦσιν</w> <w lemma="eu%29daimoni%2Fan">εὐδαιμονίαν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="%2Apeloponnh%2Fsou">Πελοποννήσου</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fplwn">ἐπίπλων</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="swma%2Ftwn">σωμάτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Do%2Fn">οἷόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="sunaxqh%3Dnai">συναχθῆναι</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dto">τοσοῦτο</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="xrhma%2Ftwn">χρημάτων</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="ei%29kh%3D%7C">εἰκῇ</w>, <w lemma="lo%2Fgw%7C">λόγῳ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tini">τινι</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="a%29pofaino%2Fmeqa">ἀποφαινόμεθα</w>, <w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w>.
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<w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aqhnai%2Fwn">Ἀθηναίων</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="i%28sto%2Frhke">ἱστόρηκε</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Aqhbai%2Fwn">Θηβαίων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fous">Λακεδαιμονίους</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Fbainon">ἐνέβαινον</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="muri%2Fous">μυρίους</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fpempon">ἐξέπεμπον</w> <w lemma="stratiw%2Ftas">στρατιώτας</w>, <w lemma="e%28kato%5Cn">ἑκατὸν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29plh%2Froun">ἐπλήρουν</w> <w lemma="trih%2Freis">τριήρεις</w>,
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<w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fnantes">κρίναντες</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29ci%2Fas">ἀξίας</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="ei%29sfora%5Cs">εἰσφορὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29timh%2Fsanto">ἐτιμήσαντο</w> <w lemma="th%2Fn">τήν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29attikh%5Cn">Ἀττικὴν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpasan">ἅπασαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="oi%29ki%2Fas">οἰκίας</w>, <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="loiph%5Cn">λοιπὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29si%2Fan:">οὐσίαν·</w> <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fmpan">σύμπαν</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fmhma">τίμημα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29ci%2Fas">ἀξίας</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Flipe">ἐνέλιπε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28cakisxili%2Fwn">ἑξακισχιλίων</w> <w lemma="diakosi%2Fois">διακοσίοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="tala%2Fntois">ταλάντοις</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29peoiko%5Cs">ἀπεοικὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="fanei%2Fh">φανείη</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Apeloponnhsi%2Fwn">Πελοποννησίων</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frti">ἄρτι</w> <w lemma="r%28hqe%5Cn">ῥηθὲν</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29mou%3D">ἐμοῦ</w>.
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<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnous">ἐκείνους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Amega%2Flhs">Μεγάλης</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="u%28perbolikw%3Ds">ὑπερβολικῶς</w> <w lemma="a%29pofaino%2Fmenos">ἀποφαινόμενος</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="tolmh%2Fseien">τολμήσειεν</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="triakosi%2Fwn">τριακοσίων</w>,
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<w lemma="e%29peidh%2Fper">ἐπειδήπερ</w> <w lemma="o%28mologou%2Fmeno%2Fn">ὁμολογούμενόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29leuqe%2Frwn">ἐλευθέρων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="doulikw%3Dn">δουλικῶν</w> <w lemma="swma%2Ftwn">σωμάτων</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dsta">πλεῖστα</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="diafugei%3Dn">διαφυγεῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Amessh%2Fnhn">Μεσσήνην</w>. <w lemma="me%2Fgiston">μέγιστον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="tekmh%2Frion:">τεκμήριον·</w>
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<w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntes">ὄντες</w> <w lemma="deu%2Fteroi">δεύτεροι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29arka%2Fdwn">Ἀρκάδων</w> <w lemma="%2Amantinei%3Ds">Μαντινεῖς</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="periousi%2Fan">περιουσίαν</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dto%2Fs">οὗτός</w> <w lemma="fhsin">φησιν</w>, <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fas">πολιορκίας</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fsews">παραδόσεως</w> <w lemma="a%28lo%2Fntes">ἁλόντες</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="diafugei%3Dn">διαφυγεῖν</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fna">μηδένα</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="diaklaph%3Dnai">διακλαπῆναι</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cdi%2Fws">ῥᾳδίως</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fn">μηδέν</w>,
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<w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="la%2Ffuron">λάφυρον</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fhsan">ἐποίησαν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="swma%2Ftwn">σωμάτων</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="triako%2Fsia">τριακόσια</w>.
Further he tells us that from the booty of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a> six thousand talents fell to the Lacedaemonians, of which two thousand were given to Cleomenes according to usage.
Now in this statement one marvels first at his lack of practical experience and of that general notion of the wealth and power of Greece so essential to a historian.
For, not speaking of those times, when the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a> had been utterly ruined by the Macedonian kings and still more by continued intestinal wars,
but in our own times, when all are in complete unison and enjoy, it is thought, very great prosperity, I assert that a sale of all the goods and chattels, apart from slaves, in the whole <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a> would not bring in such a sum.
That I do not make this assertion lightly but after due estimate will be evident from the following consideration.
Who has not read that when the Athenians, in conjunction with the Thebans, entered on the war against the Lacedaemonians, sending out a force of ten thousand men and manning a hundred triremes,
they decided to meet the war expenses by a property-tax and made a valuation for this purpose of the whole of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Attica&groupId=383&placeId=721">Attica</a> including the houses and other property.
This estimate, however, fell short of 6000 talents by 250, from which it would seem that my assertion about the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a> at the present day is not far wide of the mark.
But as regards the times of which we are dealing, no one, even if he were exaggerating, would venture to say that more than three hundred talents could be got out of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a>,
since it is an acknowledged fact that most of the free population and the slaves had escaped to Messene. But the best proof of what I have to say is the following:
<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>, both in wealth and power, was second to no city in Arcadia, as Phylarchus himself says, and it surrendered after a siege, so that it was not easy for anyone to escape or for anything to be stolen,
but yet the value of the whole booty together with slaves amounted at this very period to but three hundred talents.