Polybius, Histories

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Book 2 - Chapter 7

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<w lemma="ma%2Ftwn">μάτων</w>. <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpous">ἀνθρώπους</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntas">ὄντας</w> <w lemma="paralo%2Fgws">παραλόγως</w> <w lemma="peripesei%3Dn">περιπεσεῖν</w> <w lemma="tini">τινι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="deinw%3Dn">δεινῶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="paqo%2Fntwn">παθόντων</w>, <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhs">τύχης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="praca%2Fntwn">πραξάντων</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fgklhma">ἔγκλημα</w>,
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29kri%2Ftws">ἀκρίτως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="profanw%3Ds">προφανῶς</w> <w lemma="peribalei%3Dn">περιβαλεῖν</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%5Cs">αὑτοὺς</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fstais">μεγίσταις</w> <w lemma="sumforai%3Ds">συμφοραῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28mologou%2Fmeno%2Fn">ὁμολογούμενόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pasxo%2Fntwn">πασχόντων</w> <w lemma="a%28ma%2Frthma">ἁμάρτημα</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhs">τύχης</w> <w lemma="ptai%2Fousin">πταίουσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fleos">ἔλεος</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fpetai">ἕπεται</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmhs">συγγνώμης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29pikouri%2Fa">ἐπικουρία</w>, <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29bouli%2Fan">ἀβουλίαν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fneidos">ὄνειδος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29piti%2Fmhsis">ἐπιτίμησις</w> <w lemma="sunecakolouqei%3D">συνεξακολουθεῖ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="eu%29%3D">εὖ</w> <w lemma="fronou%3Dsin">φρονοῦσιν</w>.
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<w lemma="a%28%5C">ἃ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellh%2Fnwn">Ἑλλήνων</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29hpeirw%2Ftais">Ἠπειρώταις</w> <w lemma="a%29phnth%2Fqh">ἀπηντήθη</w>.
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<w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="koinh%5Cn">κοινὴν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Agalatw%3Dn">Γαλατῶν</w> <w lemma="fh%2Fmhn">φήμην</w> <w lemma="u%28pido%2Fmenos">ὑπιδόμενος</w> <w lemma="eu%29labhqei%2Fh">εὐλαβηθείη</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="e%29gxeiri%2Fsai">ἐγχειρίσαι</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="eu%29dai%2Fmona">εὐδαίμονα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="polla%5Cs">πολλὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29forma%5Cs">ἀφορμὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxousan">ἔχουσαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="paraspo%2Fndhsin">παρασπόνδησιν</w>;
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<w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29fula%2Fcato">ἐφυλάξατο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="susth%2Fmatos">συστήματος</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnou">ἐκείνου</w> <w lemma="proai%2Fresin">προαίρεσιν</w>; <w lemma="oi%28%2F">οἵ</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fpeson">ἐξέπεσον</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fas">ἰδίας</w>, <w lemma="sundramo%2Fntwn">συνδραμόντων</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28moeqnw%3Dn">ὁμοεθνῶν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="paraspondh%3Dsai">παρασπονδῆσαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fous">οἰκείους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="suggenei%3Ds:">συγγενεῖς·</w>
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<w lemma="u%28podecame%2Fnwn">ὑποδεξαμένων</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="katepei%2Fgesqai">κατεπείγεσθαι</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmw%7C">πολέμῳ</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnhs">γενομένης</w> <w lemma="tino%5Cs">τινὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29ntirrh%2Fsews">ἀντιρρήσεως</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="stratiw%2Ftais">στρατιώταις</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="strathgou%5Cs">στρατηγοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="o%29ywni%2Fwn">ὀψωνίων</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29peba%2Flonto">ἐπεβάλοντο</w> <w lemma="diarpa%2Fzein">διαρπάζειν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29akraganti%2Fnwn">Ἀκραγαντίνων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w>, <w lemma="fulakh%3Ds">φυλακῆς</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="ei%29saxqe%2Fntes">εἰσαχθέντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="au%29th%2Fn">αὐτήν</w>, <w lemma="o%29%2Fntes">ὄντες</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fous">πλείους</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="trisxili%2Fwn:">τρισχιλίων·</w>
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<w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="pareisagago%2Fntwn">παρεισαγαγόντων</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Feruka">Ἔρυκα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fas">χρείας</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fneken">ἕνεκεν</w>, <w lemma="poliorkou%2Fntwn">πολιορκούντων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w>, <w lemma="e%29pexei%2Frhsan">ἐπεχείρησαν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="sumpoliorkoume%2Fnous">συμπολιορκουμένους</w> <w lemma="prodou%3Dnai:">προδοῦναι·</w>
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<w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcews">πράξεως</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="a%29potuxo%2Fntes">ἀποτυχόντες</w> <w lemma="hu%29tomo%2Flhsan">ηὐτομόλησαν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fous:">πολεμίους·</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="pisteuqe%2Fntes">πιστευθέντες</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29su%2Flhsan">ἐσύλησαν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29afrodi%2Fths">Ἀφροδίτης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29eruki%2Fnhs">Ἐρυκίνης</w> <w lemma="i%28ero%2Fn">ἱερόν</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="safw%3Ds">σαφῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29pegnwko%2Ftes">ἐπεγνωκότες</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29se%2Fbeian">ἀσέβειαν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="dialu%2Fsasqai">διαλύσασθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29poih%2Fsanto">ἐποιήσαντο</w> <w lemma="prourgiai%2Fteron">προυργιαίτερον</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="paropli%2Fsantas">παροπλίσαντας</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29mbalei%3Dn">ἐμβαλεῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ploi%3Da">πλοῖα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fas">Ἰταλίας</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="e%29cori%2Fstous">ἐξορίστους</w> <w lemma="katasth%3Dsai">καταστῆσαι</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29hpeirw%3Dtai">Ἠπειρῶται</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="dhmokrati%2Fas">δημοκρατίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmwn">νόμων</w> <w lemma="fu%2Flakas">φύλακας</w> <w lemma="poihsa%2Fmenoi">ποιησάμενοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="eu%29daimonesta%2Fthn">εὐδαιμονεστάτην</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29gxeiri%2Fsantes">ἐγχειρίσαντες</w>, <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="fanei%2Fhsan">φανείησαν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%5C">αὐτοὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="sumptwma%2Ftwn">συμπτωμάτων</w> <w lemma="au%28toi%3Ds">αὑτοῖς</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Ftioi">αἴτιοι</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Ftes">γεγονότες</w>;
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Aperi%5C">Περὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29hpeirwtw%3Dn">Ἠπειρωτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoi%2Fas">ἀγνοίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fpote">μηδέποτε</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="eu%29%3D">εὖ</w> <w lemma="fronou%3Dntas">φρονοῦντας</w> <w lemma="i%29sxurote%2Fran">ἰσχυροτέραν</w> <w lemma="ei%29sa%2Fgesqai">εἰσάγεσθαι</w> <w lemma="fulakh%5Cn">φυλακὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllws">ἄλλως</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="barba%2Frwn">βαρβάρων</w>, <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w>
For we are but men, and to meet with some unexpected blow is not the sufferer's fault, but that of Fortune and those who inflict it on him;
but when we involve ourselves by sheer lack of judgement and with our eyes open in the depth of misfortune, everyone acknowledges that we have none to blame but ourselves.
It is for this reason that those whom Fortune leads astray meet with pity, pardon and help, but if their failures are due to their own indiscretion, all right-thinking men blame and reproach them.
And in this case the Greeks would have been amply justified in their censure of the Epirots.
To begin with would not anyone who is aware of the general reputation of the Gauls, think twice before entrusting to them a wealthy city, the betrayal of which was easy and profitable?
In the second place who would not have been cautious in the case of a company with such a bad name? First of all they had been expelled from their own country by a general movement of their fellow-countrymen owing to their having betrayed their own friends and kinsmen.
Again, when the Carthaginians, hard pressed by the war, received them, they first availed themselves of a dispute about pay between the soldiers and the generals to pillage the city of Agrigentum of which they formed the garrison, being then above three thousand strong.
Afterwards, when the Carthaginians sent them on the same service to Eryx, then besieged by the Romans, they attempted to betray the city and those who were suffering siege in their company,
and when this plan fell through, they deserted to the Romans. The Romans entrusted them with the guard of the temple of Venus Erycina, which again they pillaged.
Therefore, no sooner was the war with <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> over, than the Romans, having clear evidence of their infamous character, took the very first opportunity of disarming them, putting them on board ship and banishing them from the whole of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a>.
These were the men whom the Epirots employed to guard their most flourishing city. How then can they be acquitted of the charge of causing their own misfortunes?
I thought it necessary to speak at some length on this subject in order to show how foolish the Epirots were, and that no people, if wise, should ever admit a garrison stronger than their own forces, especially if composed of barbarians.