Polybius, Histories

Translation

Book 28 - Chapter 12

<head lang="la">III. Res Graeciae</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Aperse%2Fws">Περσέως</w> <w lemma="boulome%2Fnou">βουλομένου</w> <w lemma="h%28%2Fcein">ἥξειν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aqettali%2Fan">Θετταλίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="lh%2Fyesqai">λήψεσθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fla">ὅλα</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fsin">κρίσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fdoce">ἔδοξε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Farxwna">Ἄρχωνα</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="a%29pologei%3Dsqai">ἀπολογεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="u%28ponoi%2Fas">ὑπονοίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diabola%2Fs">διαβολάς</w>.

<w lemma="ei%29sh%2Fnegkan">εἰσήνεγκαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiou%5Cs">Ἀχαιοὺς</w> <w lemma="do%2Fgma">δόγμα</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="pandhmei%5C">πανδημεὶ</w> <w lemma="poihsame%2Fnous">ποιησαμένους</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fcodon">ἔξοδον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Aqettali%2Fan">Θετταλίαν</w> <w lemma="koinwnh%3Dsai">κοινωνῆσαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="o%28losxerw%3Ds">ὁλοσχερῶς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w>.

<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="kurwqe%2Fntos">κυρωθέντος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdoce">ἔδοξε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Farxwna">Ἄρχωνα</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="sunagwgh%5Cn">συναγωγὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="strateu%2Fmatos">στρατεύματος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fcodon">ἔξοδον</w> <w lemma="paraskeua%2Fs">παρασκευάς</w>, <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Fpaton">ὕπατον</w> <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fmpein">πέμπειν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Aqettali%2Fan">Θετταλίαν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="dedogme%2Fna">δεδογμένα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w> <w lemma="diasafh%2Fsontas">διασαφήσοντας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peusome%2Fnous">πευσομένους</w> <w lemma="po%2Fte">πότε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pou%3D">ποῦ</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="summignu%2Fein">συμμιγνύειν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="strato%2Fpedon">στρατόπεδον</w>.

<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fsthsan">κατέστησαν</w> <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="paraxrh%3Dma">παραχρῆμα</w> <w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbion">Πολύβιον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllous">ἄλλους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29netei%2Flanto">ἐνετείλαντο</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="%2Apolubi%2Fw%7C">Πολυβίῳ</w> <w lemma="filoti%2Fmws">φιλοτίμως</w>, <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cs">στρατηγὸς</w> <w lemma="eu%29dokh%3D%7C">εὐδοκῇ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="parousi%2Fa%7C">παρουσίᾳ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="stratope%2Fdou">στρατοπέδου</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="sumpresbeuta%5Cs">συμπρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fmpein">πέμπειν</w> <w lemma="diasafh%2Fsontas">διασαφήσοντας</w>, <w lemma="i%28%2Fna">ἵνα</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="kaqusterw%3Dsi">καθυστερῶσι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kairw%3Dn">καιρῶν</w>,

<w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="fronti%2Fzein">φροντίζειν</w> <w lemma="i%28%2Fna">ἵνα</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="stra%2Fteuma">στράτευμα</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flesin">πόλεσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29gora%5Cs">ἀγορὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxh%7C">ἔχῃ</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="poreu%2Fhtai">πορεύηται</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29llei%2Fph%7C">ἐλλείπῃ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pithdei%2Fwn">ἐπιτηδείων</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="stratiw%2Ftas">στρατιώτας</w>.

<w lemma="tau%2Ftas">ταύτας</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxontes">ἔχοντες</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnoi">προειρημένοι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29ntola%5Cs">ἐντολὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29cw%2Frmhsan:">ἐξώρμησαν·</w>

<w lemma="kate%2Fsthsan">κατέστησαν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fattalon">Ἄτταλον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Athlo%2Fkriton">Τηλόκριτον</w>, <w lemma="a%29pokomi%2Fzontas">ἀποκομίζοντας</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="do%2Fgma">δόγμα</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29pokatasta%2Fsews">ἀποκαταστάσεως</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29me%2Fnous">Εὐμένους</w> <w lemma="timw%3Dn">τιμῶν</w>.

<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%2Fou">Πτολεμαίου</w> <w lemma="prospeso%2Fntos">προσπεσόντος</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fgonen">γέγονεν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="nomizo%2Fmena">νομιζόμενα</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="basileu%3Dsin">βασιλεῦσιν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="h%28liki%2Fan">ἡλικίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flqwsin">ἔλθωσιν</w>,

<w lemma="a%29naklhth%2Fria">ἀνακλητήρια</w>, <w lemma="nomi%2Fsantes">νομίσαντες</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="kaqh%2Fkein">καθήκειν</w> <w lemma="e%29pishmh%2Fnasqai">ἐπισημήνασθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Fs">γεγονός</w>, <w lemma="e%29yhfi%2Fsanto">ἐψηφίσαντο</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fmpein">πέμπειν</w> <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29nanewsome%2Fnous">ἀνανεωσομένους</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="prou+pa%2Frxonta">προϋπάρχοντα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fqnei">ἔθνει</w> <w lemma="fila%2Fnqrwpa">φιλάνθρωπα</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fan">βασιλείαν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parauti%2Fka">παραυτίκα</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fsthsan">κατέστησαν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29alki%2Fqon">Ἀλκίθον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Apasia%2Fdan">Πασιάδαν</w>.

<head>III. Affairs of Greece</head><head>Embassy of Polybius to the Consul</head>When Perseus had made up his mind to enter <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thessaly&groupId=1028&placeId=1816">Thessaly</a> with his army, and every one expected a decisive engagement, Archon resolved to rebut the suspicions and accusations of the Romans by positive action this time.

He therefore introduced in the Achaean Assembly a decree enjoining that they should march to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thessaly&groupId=1028&placeId=1816">Thessaly</a> in full force and unreservedly join the Romans.

The decree having been passed, they further decreed that Archon should occupy himself with the collection of their forces and the preparations for the expedition, and they decided to send envoys to the consul in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thessaly&groupId=1028&placeId=1816">Thessaly</a> conveying the purpose of their decree and asking when and where their army should join him.

As envoys they at once appointed Polybius and others, and strictly enjoined Polybius, if the consul approved of the advent of the army, to send back his colleagues at once to inform them, so that they should not be behindhand;

and meanwhile to look to it that the army might find markets in all the towns it passed through and that the men should be in no want of provisions.

The envoys hereupon left with those instructions.

They also appointed Telocritus as their envoy to Attalus bearing the decree about the restitution of the honours of Eumenes;

and when it reached their ears at the same time that the Anacleteria, the festival usually celebrated upon kings coming of age, had been celebrated in honour of King Ptolemy, thinking that they ought to notice the event,

they voted to send envoys to him to renew the friendly relations which had existed between the League and the kingdom of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a>, and at once nominated Alcithus and Pasiadas.

Walbank Commentary

Overview

28.12.1 - 28.13.14

Decisions at an Achaean meeting; P.'s embassyfrom the Achaeans to Q. Marcius Philippus This excerpt from de legat. gent. deals with the Achaean role in summer 169, and evidently followed the account of the campaigns; this can be explained by the importance of the Achaean embassy to P. who led it. There is no corresponding section in Livy. See p. 26.

Specifics

28.12.1 - 28.12.1

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὅτι τοῦ Περσέως . . . ἐκ τῶν κατὰ λόγον</w>:</emph> the awkward phras- ing is the excerptor's; see Schweighaeuser ad loc. One may scarcely base conclusions about Perseus' intentions on these words; cf. Niese, iii. 146 n. 3; Meloni, Perseo, 293 n. 3. According to Livy, xliv. 2. 9 (following P.), Perseus' reaction to the consul's approach was not to plan any descent into <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thessaly&groupId=1028&placeId=1816">Thessaly</a>, but 'omnes saltus insidere praesidiis' (see 10. 1–2 n.). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἄρχωνα</w>:</emph> the Achaean general, 170/69; cf. 6. 9 n., 7. 6. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">δι᾿ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων . . . πάλιν</w>:</emph> 'by positive action this time' (Paton); for earlier Roman suspicions of him see 3. 7 n.

28.12.2 - 28.12.2

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">εἰσὴνεγκαν . . . εἰς τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς δόγμα</w>:</emph> this was a regular synodos, since several matters were discussed; cf. Larsen, 183; GFS, 228. On the date, hardly earlier than March 169, see the note on the early stages of the Sixth Syrian War (1. 1–9 n.; pp. 321–2). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πανδημεὶ . . . κοινωνῆσαι . . . τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις</w>:</emph> the Achaeans were committed to collaborating with <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> (as a matter of expediency) (7. 1), and this offer was part of that policy; but its object was to create the impression of loyalty, not to incur danger and expense unnecessarily. If the offer was rejected, so much the better; it would still have been made. In fact an Achaean levy en masse was not a particularly attractive adjunct to a Roman army. P. found Marcius absorbed in the dangerous operation of crossing the slopes of Olympus; that he delayed initiating diplomatic exchanges until <milestone unit="page" n="344">[344]</milestone> this was done (13. 2–3) is quite explicable without the assumption of secret instructions from Archon (Pdech, LEC, 1969, 257) though naturally P. realized the advantage of making the offer when the consul had just scored a military success. It was genuine inasmuch as it would have been fulfilled, had that been required; but the Achaeans naturally preferred to see it rejected, and P. may have had this in mind in postponing the interview. Achaean policy was prudent; but the difficulties were great and, as P. admits, not wholly surmounted, as far as Centho's demands were concerned (cf. 13. 13–14). See further De Sanctis, iv. 1. 300, 307; Meloni, Perseo, 313 n. 3; Briscoe, JRS, 1964, 70; Errington, 211; Lehmann, 203–4; Deininger, 181–2.

28.12.7 - 28.12.7

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Τηλόκριτον</w>:</emph> unknown. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸ . . . περὶ τῆς ἀποκαταστάσεως τῶν Εὐμένους τιμῶν</w>:</emph> cf. 7. 14. The original decree involved the magistrates in a survey of the honours in question, to ascertain which were appropriate and legal; they presumably reported back to this synodos. This procedural delay will explain why the embassy was sent only now to Attalus (who had originally raised the matter: xxvii. 18. 1–3, xxviii. 7. 1).

28.12.8 - 28.12.8

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">γέγονεν . . . τὰ νομιζόμενα . . . ἀνακλητήρια</w>:</emph> on this see xviii. 53–55 n., 55. 3 n.; Otto, 6. Ptolemer, 44–45. The anacleteria have nothing to do with the <w lang="el-GR">πρωτοκλίσια</w> mentioned in 2 Macc. iv. 21 (on this see Otto, 6. Ptolemer, 15–18; above, 1. 1–9 n. on the early stages of the Sixth Syrian War, p. 417). The anacleteria celebration is that of Ptolemy VI; against the view that it is that of his brother Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II see Niese, iii. 169 n. 4. The date is early in 169, probably January, since the Achaean synodos is in March; see on this, and on the political background of the festival, 1. 1–9 n., pp. 322–4.

28.12.9 - 28.12.9

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐψηφίσαντο πέμπειν πρεσβευτάς</w>:</emph> clearly Antiochus IV's attack had not yet occurred when the Egyptian envoys left <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alexandria&groupId=1063&placeId=1868">Alexandria</a> (see above, p. 321). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀνανεωσομένους τὰ προϋπάρχοντα . . . φιλάνθρωπα</w>:</emph> cf. xxiv. 5. 7 n., and for <w lang="el-GR">τὰ φιλάνθρωπα</w> on inscriptions, xii. 5. 3 n. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Ἀλκίθον καὶ Πασιάδαν</w>:</emph> Alcithus, son of Xenophon, was from Aegium (19. 3); on his father see xviii. 1. 4 n. Pasiadas is not otherwise known.

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