Polybius, Histories

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Book 2 - Chapter 66

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<w lemma="proxei%2Frws">προχείρως</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fgnw">ἀπέγνω</w>, <w lemma="stratopedeu%2Fsas">στρατοπεδεύσας</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="braxei%3D">βραχεῖ</w> <w lemma="diasth%2Fmati">διαστήματι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="labw%5Cn">λαβὼν</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fblhma">πρόβλημα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Agorgu%2Flon">Γοργύλον</w> <w lemma="kalou%2Fmenon">καλούμενον</w> <w lemma="potamo%2Fn">ποταμόν</w>, <w lemma="tina%5Cs">τινὰς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fras">ἡμέρας</w> <w lemma="e%29pime%2Fnwn">ἐπιμένων</w> <w lemma="suneqew%2Frei">συνεθεώρει</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fs">τάς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="i%29dio%2Fthtas">ἰδιότητας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmewn">δυνάμεων</w> <w lemma="diafora%2Fs">διαφοράς</w>,
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<w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prodeiknu%2Fwn">προδεικνύων</w> <w lemma="tina%5Cs">τινὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibola%5Cs">ἐπιβολὰς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllon">μέλλον</w> <w lemma="e%29cekalei%3Dto">ἐξεκαλεῖτο</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fwn">ὑπεναντίων</w> <w lemma="e%29pinoi%2Fas">ἐπινοίας</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmenos">δυνάμενος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="labei%3Dn">λαβεῖν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29rgo%5Cn">ἀργὸν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fcoplon">ἔξοπλον</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="e%28toi%2Fmws">ἑτοίμως</w> <w lemma="a%29ntikinei%3Dsqai">ἀντικινεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Akleome%2Fnh">Κλεομένη</w>,
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<w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fths">τοιαύτης</w> <w lemma="e%29pinoi%2Fas">ἐπινοίας</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsth">ἀπέστη</w>, <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="o%28molo%2Fgou">ὁμολόγου</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhs">μάχης</w> <w lemma="a%29mfo%2Fteroi">ἀμφότεροι</w> <w lemma="proe%2Fqento">προέθεντο</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fnein">κρίνειν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis:">πράξεις·</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnu">πάνυ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="eu%29fuei%3Ds">εὐφυεῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fous">παραπλησίους</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fnas">ἡγεμόνας</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxh">τύχη</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbale">συνέβαλε</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w>.
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<w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29%2Fan">Εὔαν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29nte%2Ftace">ἀντέταξε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnwn">Μακεδόνων</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="xalka%2Fspidas">χαλκάσπιδας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29illuriou%2Fs">Ἰλλυριούς</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="spei%2Fras">σπείρας</w> <w lemma="e%29nalla%5Cc">ἐναλλὰξ</w> <w lemma="tetagme%2Fnous">τεταγμένους</w>, <w lemma="%2A%29ale%2Fcandron">Ἀλέξανδρον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29akmh%2Ftou">Ἀκμήτου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmh%2Ftrion">Δημήτριον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Afa%2Frion">Φάριον</w> <w lemma="e%29pisth%2Fsas">ἐπιστήσας</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29akarna%3Dnas">Ἀκαρνᾶνας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29hpeirw%2Ftas">Ἠπειρώτας</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fbale:">ἐπέβαλε·</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kato%2Fpin">κατόπιν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="disxi%2Flioi">δισχίλιοι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w>, <w lemma="e%29fedrei%2Fas">ἐφεδρείας</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnontes">λαμβάνοντες</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fcin">τάξιν</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aoi%29nou%3Dnta">Οἰνοῦντα</w> <w lemma="potamo%5Cn">ποταμὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29nte%2Fqhke">ἀντέθηκε</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="i%28ppikw%3D%7C">ἱππικῷ</w>, <w lemma="susth%2Fsas">συστήσας</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ale%2Fcandron">Ἀλέξανδρον</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fna">ἡγεμόνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumparaqei%5Cs">συμπαραθεὶς</w> <w lemma="pezou%5Cs">πεζοὺς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axai+kw%3Dn">Ἀχαϊκῶν</w> <w lemma="xili%2Fous">χιλίους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Amegalopoli%2Ftas">Μεγαλοπολίτας</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsous">ἴσους</w>.
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<w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frous">μισθοφόρους</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnas">Μακεδόνας</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Folumpon">Ὄλυμπον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Akleome%2Fnh">Κλεομένη</w> <w lemma="die%2Fgnw">διέγνω</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhn">μάχην</w>.
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<w lemma="prota%2Fcas">προτάξας</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frous">μισθοφόρους</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fsthse">ἐπέστησε</w> <w lemma="difalaggi%2Fan">διφαλαγγίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pa%2Fllhlon">ἐπάλληλον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnwn:">Μακεδόνων·</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fei">ἐποίει</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="steno%2Fthta">στενότητα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w>.
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<w lemma="su%2Fnqhma">σύνθημα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29illurioi%3Ds">Ἰλλυριοῖς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="lo%2Ffon">λόφον</w> <w lemma="prosbolh%3Ds">προσβολῆς</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdwsin">ἴδωσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29rqei%3Dsan">ἀρθεῖσαν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Folumpon">Ὄλυμπον</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="sindo%2Fna">σινδόνα</w> — <w lemma="proshrthme%2Fnoi">προσηρτημένοι</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtoi">οὗτοι</w> <w lemma="nukto%5Cs">νυκτὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="%2Agorgu%2Flw%7C">Γοργύλῳ</w> <w lemma="potamw%3D%7C">ποταμῷ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3D%7C">αὐτῇ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Ffou">λόφου</w> <w lemma="r%28i%2Fzh%7C">ῥίζῃ</w> —
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<w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Amegalopoli%2Ftais">Μεγαλοπολίταις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%28ppeu%3Dsi">ἱππεῦσι</w> <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fws">παραπλησίως</w>, <w lemma="e%29peida%5Cn">ἐπειδὰν</w> <w lemma="foiniki%5Cs">φοινικὶς</w> <w lemma="e%29carqh%3D%7C">ἐξαρθῇ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w>.
Antigonus therefore decided to make no hasty attempt to force the position and come to blows with the enemy, but encamped at a short distance with the river <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gorgylus&groupId=608&placeId=1122">Gorgylus</a> on his front, and for several days remained there noting the peculiar features of the country and the character of the forces,
while at the same time, by threatening certain movements, he attempted to make the enemy show his hand.
But being unable to find any weak or unprotected spot, since Cleomenes always checked him at once by a counter-movement,
he abandoned this project, and finally the kings agreed to try issues in a battle: for they were very gifted and evenly-matched, these two generals whom Fortune had brought face to face.
To confront those on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Euas&groupId=583&placeId=1090">Euas</a> Antigonus drew up the brazen-shielded Macedonians and the Illyrians in alternate lines, placing them under the command of Alexander son of Acmetus, and Demetrius of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pharos&groupId=879&placeId=1586">Pharos</a>.
Behind these stood the Acarnanians and Cretans, and in the rear as a reserve were two thousand Achaeans.
His cavalry he opposed to that of the enemy by the river <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Oenous&groupId=804&placeId=1453">Oenous</a> under the command of Alexander and supported by a thousand Achaean and as many Megalopolitan infantry.
He himself in person decided to attack Cleomenes on Olympus with the mercenaries and the rest of the Macedonians.
Putting the mercenaries in front, he drew up the Macedonians behind them in two phalanxes with no interval between, the narrowness of the space rendering this necessary.
It was arranged that the Illyrians were to begin their assault on the hill upon seeing a flag of linen waved from the neighbourhood of Olympus, for in the night they had succeeded in taking up a position close under the hill in the bed of the river <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gorgylus&groupId=608&placeId=1122">Gorgylus</a>.
The signal for the Megalopolitans and cavalry was to be a scarlet flag waved by the king.