Polybius, Histories
Layout
Translation

Bibliography

(0)
No bibliography content available

Archaeology

Places

Book 24 - Chapter 6

1
<head lang="la">II. Res Graeciae</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%2Fs">βασιλεύς</w>, <w lemma="boulo%2Fmenos">βουλόμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29mple%2Fkesqai">ἐμπλέκεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fqnei">ἔθνει</w>, <w lemma="diepe%2Fmyato">διεπέμψατο</w> <w lemma="presbeuth%2Fn">πρεσβευτήν</w>, <w lemma="e%29paggello%2Fmenos">ἐπαγγελλόμενος</w> <w lemma="dekanai+%2Fan">δεκαναΐαν</w> <w lemma="dw%2Fsein">δώσειν</w> <w lemma="e%29ntelh%3D">ἐντελῆ</w> <w lemma="penthkonthrikw%3Dn">πεντηκοντηρικῶν</w> <w lemma="ploi%2Fwn">πλοίων</w>.
2
<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%5C">Ἀχαιοὶ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="dokei%3Dn">δοκεῖν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="dwrea%5Cn">δωρεὰν</w> <w lemma="a%29ci%2Fan">ἀξίαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="xa%2Fritos">χάριτος</w> <w lemma="a%29sme%2Fnws">ἀσμένως</w> <w lemma="a%29pede%2Fcanto">ἀπεδέξαντο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29paggeli%2Fan">ἐπαγγελίαν</w>. [<w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="dapa%2Fnh">δαπάνη</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="lei%2Fpein">λείπειν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%2Fka">δέκα</w> <w lemma="tala%2Fntwn">ταλάντων</w>].
3
<w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="bouleusa%2Fmenoi">βουλευσάμενοι</w> <w lemma="proexeiri%2Fsanto">προεχειρίσαντο</w> <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="%2Aluko%2Frtan">Λυκόρταν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbion">Πολύβιον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Faraton">Ἄρατον</w>, <w lemma="ui%28o%5Cn">υἱὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ara%2Ftou">Ἀράτου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Asikuwni%2Fou">Σικυωνίου</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="eu%29xaristh%2Fsontas">εὐχαριστήσοντας</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="basilei%3D">βασιλεῖ</w> <w lemma="peri%2F">περί</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fplwn">ὅπλων</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsteile">ἀπέστειλε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fsmatos">νομίσματος</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="paralhyome%2Fnous">παραληψομένους</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="ploi%3Da">πλοῖα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fnoian">πρόνοιαν</w> <w lemma="poihsome%2Fnous">ποιησομένους</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29pokomidh%3Ds">ἀποκομιδῆς</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w>.
4
<w lemma="kate%2Fsthsan">κατέστησαν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Aluko%2Frtan">Λυκόρταν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%2Fn">καιρόν</w>, <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="e%29poiei%3Dto">ἐποιεῖτο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nane%2Fwsin">ἀνανέωσιν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="summaxi%2Fas">συμμαχίας</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w>, <w lemma="strathgou%3Dnta">στρατηγοῦντα</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="sunergh%3Dsai">συνεργῆσαι</w> <w lemma="filoti%2Fmws">φιλοτίμως</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w>,
5
<w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbion">Πολύβιον</w>, <w lemma="new%2Fteron">νεώτερον</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fnta">ὄντα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmous">νόμους</w> <w lemma="h%28liki%2Fas">ἡλικίας</w>, <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%2Fn">τήν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="summaxi%2Fan">συμμαχίαν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pate%2Fra">πατέρα</w> <w lemma="presbeu%2Fsanta">πρεσβεύσαντα</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Don">Πτολεμαῖον</w> <w lemma="a%29nanew%2Fsasqai">ἀνανεώσασθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="dwrea%5Cn">δωρεὰν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fplwn">ὅπλων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fsmatos">νομίσματος</w> <w lemma="a%29gagei%3Dn">ἀγαγεῖν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w>,
6
<w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fws">παραπλησίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Faraton">Ἄρατον</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="progonika%5Cs">προγονικὰς</w> <w lemma="susta%2Fseis">συστάσεις</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fan">βασιλείαν</w>.
7
<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="presbei%2Fan">πρεσβείαν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="e%29celqei%3Dn">ἐξελθεῖν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="metalla%2Fcai">μεταλλάξαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Don">Πτολεμαῖον</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w>. —
<head>IV. Affairs of Greece</head><head>Ptolemy and the Achaeans</head>At the same period King Ptolemy, wishing to ingratiate himself with the Achaean League, sent an envoy promising to give them a full squadron of quinqueremes.
The Achaeans, chiefly because they thought the gift one for which real thanks were due, gladly accepted it, for the cost was not much less than ten talents.
Having decided on this, they appointed as envoys Lycortas, Polybius, and Aratus, son of the great Aratus of Sicyon, to thank the king for the arms and coined money he had previously sent, and to receive the ships and look after their dispatch.
They appointed Lycortas because, at the time when Ptolemy renewed the alliance, he had been strategus, and had done his best to consult the king's interests,
and Polybius, who had not attained the legal age for such a post, because his father had gone on an embassy to Ptolemy to renew the alliance, and to bring back the gift of arms and money.
Aratus was chosen owing to his father's relations with the king.
This embassy, however, never came off, owing to the death of Ptolemy which occurred about this time.

Walbank Commentary

Overview
24.6.1 - 24.6.7
<p rend="Plain Text">Ptolemy and the Achaean Confederation (180)</p> <p rend="Plain Text">This excerpt from de legat. gent. belongs to res Graeciae of Ol. 149, 4 = 181/0, and refers to spring 180: see p. 17.</p>
Specifics
24.6.1 - 24.6.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Πτολεμαῖος</w>:</emph> Ptolemy V Epiphanes; on his recent relations with <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Achaea&groupId=272&placeId=533">Achaea</a> see xxii. 1. 6–7, 3. 5–9, 7. 1–2, 9. 1–12 (186/5). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">δεκαναΐαν . . . ἐντελῆ πεντηκοντηρικῶν πλοίων</w>:</emph> 'a full squadron of ten pentekontors'; on these ships cf. i. 20. 14 n.; Casson, Ships, 124; Miltner, RE, 'Pentekontoros', cols. 529–31. Larsen, GFS, 461 n. 2 calls them 'fifty-oared lemboi'; Paton by some aberration translates 'quinqueremes'. Miltner would read <w lang="el-GR">πεντηκοντορικῶν</w>. </p>
24.6.2 - 24.6.2
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">οὐ πολὺ λείπειν τῶν δέκα ταλάντων</w>:</emph> a Euboic or Attic talent weighed 26.196 kg.; they were silver. See xxi. 43. 19 n. </p>
24.6.3 - 24.6.3
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Ἄρατον, υἱὸν Ἀράτου τοῦ Σικυωνίου</w>:</emph> cf. 8. 8; he was the son of the younger Aratus (ii. 51. 5 n.) and grandson of the great man (though P.'s wording might suggest that he was his sonas indeed Paton renders the sentence). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τῶν ὅπλων . . . καὶ τοῦ νομίσματος</w>:</emph> 6,000 bronze panoplies for peltasts and 200 talents' weight of coined bronze. Lycortas brought this gift back in 185 (xxii. 9. 3). The delay in sending ambassadors to convey formal thanks was due to the confusion caused by Aristaenus' intervention (xxii. 9. 5–12). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πρόνοιαν . . . περὶ τῆς ἀποκομιδῆς αὐτῶν</w>:</emph> it is not clear whether the 500 rowers and officers were to be sent to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a> by the Achaeans </p> <p rend="Plain Text">or whether Egyptian crews would bring them over.</p>
24.6.4 - 24.6.4
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸν καιρόν, καθ</w>f <w lang="el-GR">ὃν ἐποιεῖτο . . . ὁ Πτολεμαῖος</w>:</emph> the renewal had been rejected during Aristaenus' generalship of 186/5 (xxii. 9. 5–12): in which strategia of Lycortas was it renewed? He was general in 185/4, for the residual months of 183/2 after Philopoemen's death, and probably in 182/1. Aymard, tudes, 41, thinks it unlikely that Lycortas brought it up again as early as 185/4, and since his suffect generalship was far too busy for such matters, Aymard puts the ratification in 182/1, which he therefore assigns to Lycortas. This <milestone unit="page" n="258">[258]</milestone> seems probable, for although the argument against 185/4 is not compelling and it is by no means certain that Lycortas was general in 182/1 (Errington, 263), it is hard to imagine why, if the renewal was in 185/4, the Achaeans waited until 180 to thank Ptolemy for his gifts (see § 3 n.). </p>
24.6.5 - 24.6.5
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Πολύβιον, νεώτερον ὄντα τῆς . . . ἡλικίας</w>:</emph> what the age laid down for holding such a post was, we do not know. The assembly seems to have been open to men of military age (see appendix following book xxix, pp 407–8); but the age for embassies will have been higher and was probably over 30 at least (since membership of the boule is likely to have been open only to men of that age: below, pp. 408–12). Unfortunately P.'s date of birth is not certain, though a date shortly before 200 seems likely (Vol. I, p. 1 n. 1; see below, p. 768, addendum to iii. 39. 8). P. served on another public commission about this time, to regulate the boundaries between Messene and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a> (cf. xxiii. 17. 2 n.). Perhaps no conclusions are to be drawn from the election of Aratus as general when he was 26 (ii. 43. 3; cf. Walbank, Aratos, 175). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸν πατέρα πρεσβεύσαντα πρὸς Πτολεμαῖον</w>:</emph> see § 3 n.; xxii. 3. 6, 9. 2–3 (for the gifts). </p>
24.6.6 - 24.6.6
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">διὰ τὰς προγονικὰς? συστάσεις πρὸς τὴν βασιλείαν</w>:</emph> these go back to Cleinias, father of the great Aratus, and this young man's greatgrandfather; cf. Plut. Arat. 4. 2–3. For Aratus' subsidies from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a> see Plut. Arat. 11. 2 (?), 12. 1–13. 4, 15. 1–3; Walbank, Aratos, 38–39, 160. </p>
24.6.7 - 24.6.7
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">διὰ τὸ μεταλλάξαι τὸν Πτολεμαῖον</w>:</emph> at a date between c. 20 February and 6 October 180; see p. 17 for the evidence. </p>

Commentary