Polybius, Histories

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Book 3 - Chapter 90

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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xeirw%3Dn">χειρῶν</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w>. <w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnous">χρόνους</w> <w lemma="a%29ntiparh%3Dgen">ἀντιπαρῆγεν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="eu%29kai%2Frous">εὐκαίρους</w> <w lemma="prokatela%2Fmbane">προκατελάμβανε</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29mpeiri%2Fan">ἐμπειρίαν</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="nw%2Ftou">νώτου</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="xorhgi%2Fas">χορηγίας</w> <w lemma="a%29fqo%2Fnous">ἀφθόνους</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fpote">οὐδέποτε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="stratiw%2Ftas">στρατιώτας</w> <w lemma="h%29fi%2Fei">ἠφίει</w> <w lemma="pronomeu%2Fein">προνομεύειν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="xwri%2Fzesqai">χωρίζεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kaqa%2Fpac">καθάπαξ</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frakos">χάρακος</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fqrous">ἅθρους</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunestramme%2Fnous">συνεστραμμένους</w> <w lemma="thrw%3Dn">τηρῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29fh%2Fdreue">ἐφήδρευε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kairoi%3Ds">καιροῖς</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pollou%5Cs">πολλοὺς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="a%29pospwme%2Fnous">ἀποσπωμένους</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fas">ἰδίας</w> <w lemma="parembolh%3Ds">παρεμβολῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pronoma%5Cs">προνομὰς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="katafronei%3Dn">καταφρονεῖν</w> <w lemma="u%28poxeiri%2Fous">ὑποχειρίους</w> <w lemma="e%29la%2Fmbane">ἐλάμβανε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kate%2Ffqeire">κατέφθειρε</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftw%7C">τοιούτῳ</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpw%7C">τρόπῳ</w>.
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<w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fei">ἐποίει</w>, <w lemma="boulo%2Fmenos">βουλόμενος</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29f%27">ἀφ᾽</w> <w lemma="w%28risme%2Fnou">ὡρισμένου</w> <w lemma="plh%2Fqous">πλήθους</w> <w lemma="e%29lattou%3Dn">ἐλαττοῦν</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fous">ὑπεναντίους</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fwn">ἰδίων</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmewn">δυνάμεων</w> <w lemma="yuxa%5Cs">ψυχὰς</w> <w lemma="prohtthme%2Fnas">προηττημένας</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flois">ὅλοις</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="proterhma%2Ftwn">προτερημάτων</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="braxu%5C">βραχὺ</w> <w lemma="swmatopoiei%3Dn">σωματοποιεῖν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prosanalamba%2Fnein">προσαναλαμβάνειν</w>.
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<w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="o%28losxerh%3D">ὁλοσχερῆ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fsin">κρίσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="o%28molo%2Fgou">ὁμολόγου</w> <w lemma="sugkatabai%2Fnein">συγκαταβαίνειν</w> <w lemma="ou%29damw%3Ds">οὐδαμῶς</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Do%2Fs">οἷός</w> <w lemma="t%27">τ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Frkw%7C">Μάρκῳ</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="suna%2Frxonti">συνάρχοντι</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fresken">ἤρεσκεν</w>. <w lemma="su%2Fmyhfon">σύμψηφον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fxlois">ὄχλοις</w> <w lemma="poiw%3Dn">ποιῶν</w> <w lemma="au%28to%5Cn">αὑτὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Afa%2Fbion">Φάβιον</w> <w lemma="katela%2Flei">κατελάλει</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="a%29gennw%3Ds">ἀγεννῶς</w> <w lemma="xrw%2Fmenon">χρώμενον</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasin">πράγμασιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nwqrw%3Ds">νωθρῶς</w>, <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fqumos">πρόθυμος</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="paraba%2Fllesqai">παραβάλλεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diakinduneu%2Fein">διακινδυνεύειν</w>.
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Aoi%28">Οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnioi">Καρχηδόνιοι</w> <w lemma="katafqei%2Frantes">καταφθείραντες</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnous">προειρημένους</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="u%28pere%2Fbalon">ὑπερέβαλον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29apenni%3Dnon">Ἀπεννῖνον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%2Frantes">κατάραντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Asauni%3Dtin">Σαυνῖτιν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29%3Dsan">οὖσαν</w> <w lemma="eu%29dai%2Fmona">εὐδαίμονα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pollw%3Dn">πολλῶν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnwn">χρόνων</w> <w lemma="a%29pole%2Fmhton">ἀπολέμητον</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fth%7C">τοιαύτῃ</w> <w lemma="periousi%2Fa%7C">περιουσίᾳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pithdei%2Fwn">ἐπιτηδείων</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="xrwme%2Fnous">χρωμένους</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="katafqei%2Frontas">καταφθείροντας</w> <w lemma="a%29nu%2Fein">ἀνύειν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnasqai">δύνασθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="lei%2Fas">λείας</w>. <w lemma="kate%2Fdramon">κατέδραμον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aou%29enoantanh%2Fn">Οὐενοαντανήν</w>,
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<w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="a%29poiki%2Fan">ἀποικίαν</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxousan:">ὑπάρχουσαν·</w> <w lemma="ei%28%3Dlon">εἷλον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="%2Aou%29enousi%2Fan">Οὐενουσίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29tei%2Fxiston">ἀτείχιστον</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dsan">οὖσαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pollh%3Ds">πολλῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pantodaph%3Ds">παντοδαπῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29poskeuh%3Ds">ἀποσκευῆς</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fmousan">γέμουσαν</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="kato%2Fpin">κατόπιν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%28%2Fponto">εἵποντο</w> <w lemma="sunexw%3Ds">συνεχῶς</w>, <w lemma="mia%3Ds">μιᾶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="duei%3Dn">δυεῖν</w> <w lemma="h%28merw%3Dn">ἡμερῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28do%5Cn">ὁδὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fxontes">ἀπέχοντες</w>, <w lemma="e%29ggi%2Fzein">ἐγγίζειν</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumple%2Fkesqai">συμπλέκεσθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Doi%2F">οἷοί</w> <w lemma="t%27">τ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="o%28rw%3Dn">ὁρῶν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Afa%2Fbion">Φάβιον</w> <w lemma="fugomaxou%3Dnta">φυγομαχοῦντα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="prodh%2Flws">προδήλως</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flois">ὅλοις</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29kxwrou%3Dnta">ἐκχωροῦντα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pai%2Fqrwn">ὑπαίθρων</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Frmhse">ὥρμησε</w> <w lemma="tolmhrw%3Ds">τολμηρῶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akapu%2Fhn">Καπύην</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fa">πεδία</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="prosagoreuo%2Fmenon">προσαγορευόμενον</w> <w lemma="%2Afa%2Flernon">Φάλερνον</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w>,
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<w lemma="pepeisme%2Fnos">πεπεισμένος</w> <w lemma="duei%3Dn">δυεῖν</w> <w lemma="qa%2Fteron">θάτερον</w>, <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxesqai">μάχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fous">πολεμίους</w> <w lemma="a%29nagka%2Fsein">ἀναγκάσειν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsein">ποιήσειν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="kratei%3D">κρατεῖ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraxwrou%3Dsi">παραχωροῦσι</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pai%2Fqrwn">ὑπαίθρων</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnou">γενομένου</w> <w lemma="kataplagei%2Fsas">καταπλαγείσας</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Flpize">ἤλπιζε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%2Fsein">ὁρμήσειν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Fstasin">ἀπόστασιν</w>.
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<w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="dusi%5C">δυσὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxais">μάχαις</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="leleimme%2Fnwn">λελειμμένων</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29demi%2Fa">οὐδεμία</w> <w lemma="po%2Flis">πόλις</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsth">ἀπέστη</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fan">Ἰταλίαν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="dieth%2Froun">διετήρουν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin">πίστιν</w>, <w lemma="kai%2Fper">καίπερ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fniai">ἔνιαι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsxousai">πάσχουσαι</w> <w lemma="kakw%3Ds">κακῶς</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parashmh%2Fnait%27">παρασημήναιτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="kata%2Fplhcin">κατάπληξιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kataci%2Fwsin">καταξίωσιν</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxois">συμμάχοις</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="politeu%2Fmatos">πολιτεύματος</w>.
He, therefore, during the period which followed continued to move parallel to the enemy, always occupying in advance the positions which his knowledge of the country told him were the most advantageous.
Having always a plentiful store of provisions in his rear he never allowed his soldiers to forage or to straggle from the camp on any pretext, but keeping them continually massed together watched for such opportunities as time and place afforded. In this manner he continued to take or kill numbers of the enemy, who despising him had strayed far from their own camp in foraging. He acted so in order, on the one hand, to keep on reducing the strictly limited numbers of the enemy, and, on the other, with the view of gradually strengthening and restoring by partial successes the spirits of his own troops, broken as they were by the general reverses. He was, however, not at all disposed to respond to the enemy's challenge and meet him in a set battle. But all this much displeased his colleague Marcus, who, echoing the popular verdict, ran down Fabius to all for his craven and slow conduct of the campaign, while he himself was most eager to risk a battle.
The Carthaginians, after ravaging the country I mentioned, crossed the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Apennines&groupId=343&placeId=664">Apennines</a> and descended into the territory of the Samnites, which was very fertile and had not for long been visited by war, so that they had such abundance of provisions that they could not succeed either in using or in destroying all their booty. They also overran the territory of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Beneventum&groupId=398&placeId=742">Beneventum</a>, a Roman colony, and took the city of Telesia, which was unwalled and full of all manner of property. The Romans continued to hang on their rear at a distance of one or two days\' march, refusing to approach nearer and engage the enemy. Hannibal, consequently, seeing that Fabius, while obviously wishing to avoid battle, had no intention of withdrawing altogether from the open country, made a bold dash at Falernum in the plain of Capua, counting with certainty on one of two alternatives: either he would compel the enemy to fight or make it plain to everybody that he was winning and that the Romans were abandoning the country to him. Upon this happening he hoped that the towns would be much impressed and hasten to throw off their allegiance to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>. For up to now, although the Romans had been beaten in two battles, not a single Italian city had revolted to the Carthaginians, but all remained loyal, although some suffered much. From which one may estimate the awe and respect that the allies felt for the Roman state.