Polybius, Histories

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Book 29 - Chapter 26

1
<w lemma="%2A%29epilaqo%2Fmenos">Ἐπιλαθόμενος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="gegramme%2Fnwn">γεγραμμένων</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anti%2Foxos">Ἀντίοχος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhme%2Fnwn">εἰρημένων</w> <w lemma="e%29ch%2Frtue">ἐξήρτυε</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%2Fou">Πτολεμαίου</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="li%2Fan">λίαν</w> <w lemma="a%29lhqe%5Cs">ἀληθὲς</w> <w lemma="fai%2Fnesqai">φαίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="r%28hqe%5Cn">ῥηθὲν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Asimwni%2Fdou">Σιμωνίδου</w> "<w lemma="xalepo%5Cn">χαλεπὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29sqlo%5Cn">ἐσθλὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmmenai">ἔμμεναι</w>.
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" <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein">ἔχειν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%28rma%5Cs">ὁρμὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kala%5C">καλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fxri">μέχρι</w> <w lemma="tino%5Cs">τινὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipoih%2Fsasqai">ἀντιποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="eu%29mare%2Fs">εὐμαρές</w>, <w lemma="o%28mali%2Fsai">ὁμαλίσαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsan">πᾶσαν</w> <w lemma="peri%2Fstasin">περίστασιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fmonon">ἐπίμονον</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmh%7C">γνώμῃ</w>, <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kalou%3D">καλοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dikai%2Fou">δικαίου</w> <w lemma="prourgiai%2Fteron">προυργιαίτερον</w> <w lemma="tiqe%2Fmenon">τιθέμενον</w>, <w lemma="dusxere%2Fs">δυσχερές</w>. —
Forgetful of all he had written and spoken Antiochus was making preparations for war with Ptolemy, so that what Simonides said seems to be very true: "It is hard to be good."
It is indeed easy to be disposed to act honourably and to strive to do so up to a certain point, but to be consistent and under every circumstance to be steadfast in our purpose, esteeming nothing to be of higher importance than justice and honour, is difficult.