Polybius, Histories
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Book 24 - Chapter 2

1
<head lang="la">II. Res Graeciae</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Apelopo%2Fnnhson">Πελοπόννησον</w> <w lemma="paragenome%2Fnwn">παραγενομένων</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmhs">Ῥώμης</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedai%2Fmonos">Λακεδαίμονος</w> <w lemma="fuga%2Fdwn">φυγάδων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="komizo%2Fntwn">κομιζόντων</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sugklh%2Ftou">συγκλήτου</w> <w lemma="gra%2Fmmata">γράμματα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="pronohqh%3Dnai">προνοηθῆναι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Fdou">καθόδου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="swthri%2Fas">σωτηρίας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fan">οἰκείαν</w>,
2
<w lemma="e%29%2Fdoce">ἔδοξε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28perqe%2Fsqai">ὑπερθέσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="diabou%2Flion">διαβούλιον</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flqwsi">ἔλθωσι</w> <w lemma="presbeutai%2F">πρεσβευταί</w>.
3
<w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="fuga%2Fsin">φυγάσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29pokriqe%2Fntes">ἀποκριθέντες</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fqento">συνέθεντο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Amesshni%2Fous">Μεσσηνίους</w> <w lemma="sth%2Flhn">στήλην</w>, <w lemma="sugxwrh%2Fsantes">συγχωρήσαντες</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllois">ἄλλοις</w> <w lemma="filanqrw%2Fpois">φιλανθρώποις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="triw%3Dn">τριῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29tw%3Dn">ἐτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29te%2Fleian">ἀτέλειαν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w> <w lemma="katafqora%5Cn">καταφθορὰν</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Dtton">ἧττον</w> <w lemma="bla%2Fyai">βλάψαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiou%5Cs">Ἀχαιοὺς</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="%2Amesshni%2Fous">Μεσσηνίους</w>.
4
<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Abi%2Fppon">Βίππον</w> <w lemma="paragenome%2Fnwn">παραγενομένων</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmhs">Ῥώμης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diasafou%2Fntwn">διασαφούντων</w> <w lemma="grafh%3Dnai">γραφῆναι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="gra%2Fmmata">γράμματα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="fuga%2Fdwn">φυγάδων</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sugklh%2Ftou">συγκλήτου</w> <w lemma="spoudh%2Fn">σπουδήν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="fuga%2Fdwn">φυγάδων</w> <w lemma="filotimi%2Fan">φιλοτιμίαν</w>,
5
<w lemma="e%29%2Fdoce">ἔδοξε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w> <w lemma="me%2Fnein">μένειν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pokeime%2Fnwn">ὑποκειμένων</w>. —
<head>II. Affairs of Greece</head>In the Peloponnesus when the Lacedaemonian exiles arrived bearing a letter from the senate to the Achaeans asking them to take measures for their safe return to their country,
the Achaeans decided to adjourn the debate until the arrival of their own envoys.
After giving the exiles this answer, they drew up an inscription to be engraved on the stone recording their agreement with the Messenians, and granting them among other favours a three years' exemption from taxes, so that the devastation of the Messenian territory injured the Achaeans no less than Messenians.
Upon Bippus and the envoys returning from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> and reporting that the letter on the subject of the exiles had been written not owing to the senate\'s interest in them, but owing to their importunity,
the Achaeans decided to take no step.

Walbank Commentary

Overview
24.2.1 - 24.3.1
<p rend="Plain Text">Affairs in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Achaea&groupId=272&placeId=533">Achaea</a> and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Crete&groupId=505&placeId=949">Crete</a> (181)</p> <p rend="Plain Text">On the placing of these two chapters in res Graeciae of this year see p. 17; their location is not entirely certain.</p>
Specifics
24.2.2 - 24.2.2
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἔδοξε τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς</w>:</emph> clearly at a meeting; and since Messenian affairs were also discussed, it was a synodos (a syncletos being confined to the topic it was summoned to discuss; cf. Livy, xxxi. 25. 9; Aymard, ACA, 207 n. 2; Larsen, 179). </p>
24.2.3 - 24.2.3
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">συνέθεντο τὴν . . . στήλην</w>:</emph> 'they drew up the inscription recording the Messenian agreement for engraving on the stone'; cf. xxiii. 18. 2, on the Spartan agreement. This would also no doubt be set up at the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Homarion&groupId=635&placeId=1166">Homarion</a>. On the return of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Messenia&groupId=760&placeId=1380">Messenia</a> to the federation (182) see xxiii. 16. 12–17. 1. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τριῶν ἐτῶν ἀτέλειαν</w>:</emph> 'three years' exemption from (federal) taxes'. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὥστε. . . μηδὲν ἧττον βλάψαι τοὺς Ἀχαιούς</w>:</emph> cf. xxiii. 15. 1–3 n. </p>
24.2.4 - 24.2.4
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">διὰ τὴν τῶν φυγάδων φιλοτιμίαν</w>:</emph> 'owing to the importunity of the exiles'; perhaps an exaggeration or a misrepresentation (so Errington, 199–200). But Bippus may have gained indirect information on the Senate's attitude. </p>
24.2.5 - 24.2.5
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἔδοξε τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς</w>:</emph> it has been assumed (cf. Aymard, AC A, 342 n. 3; Larsen, 179) that this was a fresh meeting, separately convened to hear Bippus' report; but such a meeting would be a syncletos, and hearing reports from envoys was not one of the reasons for which a syncletos might properly be summoned (cf. xxii. 10. 12 n., 12. 6). In fact P. does not say that the synodos had adjourned (for <w lang="el-GR">ὑπερθέσθαι τὸ διαβούλιον</w> (§ 2) may mean simply 'to postpone the discussion' until a later point in the meeting). If Bippus was known to be close on the heels of Cletis and Diactorius, the exiles' representatives, it would be a natural decision to wait a day or two until he could be present. <milestone unit="page" n="255">[255]</milestone> </p>

Commentary