Polybius, Histories

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Book 23 - Chapter 15

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<w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="kalo%5Cn">καλὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="fqei%2Frein">φθείρειν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="karpou%5Cs">καρποὺς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fwn:">ὑπεναντίων·</w> <w lemma="fhsi%5C">φησὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbios">Πολύβιος</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fpote">οὐδέποτε</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="sunti%2Fqemai">συντίθεμαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmhn">γνώμην</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="diatiqeme%2Fnois">διατιθεμένοις</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%29rgh%5Cn">ὀργὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="o%28mofu%2Flous">ὁμοφύλους</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29petei%2Fous">ἐπετείους</w> <w lemma="karpou%5Cs">καρποὺς</w> <w lemma="parairei%3Dsqai">παραιρεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%2Fndra">δένδρα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kataskeua%2Fsmata">κατασκευάσματα</w> <w lemma="diafqei%2Frein">διαφθείρειν</w>, <w lemma="mhde%5C">μηδὲ</w> <w lemma="metamelei%2Fas">μεταμελείας</w> <w lemma="katalei%2Fpontas">καταλείποντας</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29lla%2F">ἀλλά</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dsi">δοκοῦσι</w> <w lemma="megalei%2Fws">μεγαλείως</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoei%3Dn">ἀγνοεῖν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fttontes:">πράττοντες·</w>
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<w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="u%28polamba%2Fnousi">ὑπολαμβάνουσι</w> <w lemma="kataplh%2Fttesqai">καταπλήττεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fous">πολεμίους</w> <w lemma="lumaino%2Fmenoi">λυμαινόμενοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parairou%2Fmenoi">παραιρούμενοι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="paro%2Fn">παρόν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllon">μέλλον</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdas">ἐλπίδας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkai%2Fwn">ἀναγκαίων</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="a%29poqhriou%3Dntes">ἀποθηριοῦντες</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpous">ἀνθρώπους</w> <w lemma="a%29meta%2Fqeton">ἀμετάθετον</w> <w lemma="poiou%3Dsi">ποιοῦσι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%5Cs">αὑτοὺς</w> <w lemma="o%29rgh%5Cn">ὀργὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpac">ἅπαξ</w> <w lemma="e%29camarto%2Fntwn">ἐξαμαρτόντων</w>. —
I never can share the sentiment of those who exercise their vengeance on those of their own race to such an extent that they not only deprive the enemy of the year's harvest, but destroy trees and agricultural apparatus, leaving no room for redress.
On the contrary in my opinion those who act thus make a very serious mistake.
For the more they think to terrorise the enemy by spoiling their country and depriving them not only of all present but of all future hope of procuring the means of existence, the more they make the men savage, and to avenge a single offence inspire an ineradicable hatred of themselves.