Polybius, Histories

Layout
Translation

Book 31 - Chapter 10

1
<head lang="la">B. Olymp. 154, 2. I. Res Italiae</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="meri%2Fsai">μερίσαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%2Fous">Πτολεμαίους</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fan">βασιλείαν</w> <w lemma="parege%2Fneto">παρεγένετο</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="new%2Fteros">νεώτερος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmhn">Ῥώμην</w>, <w lemma="a%29qetei%3Dn">ἀθετεῖν</w> <w lemma="boulo%2Fmenos">βουλόμενος</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Fta">γεγονότα</w> <w lemma="merismo%5Cn">μερισμὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29delfo%2Fn">ἀδελφόν</w>,
2
<w lemma="fa%2Fskwn">φάσκων</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="e%28kw%2Fn">ἑκών</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkhn">ἀνάγκην</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="kairw%3D%7C">καιρῷ</w> <w lemma="perilhfqei%5Cs">περιληφθεὶς</w> <w lemma="pepoihke%2Fnai">πεποιηκέναι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="prostatto%2Fmenon">προσταττόμενον</w>.
3
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pareka%2Flei">παρεκάλει</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="su%2Fgklhton">σύγκλητον</w> <w lemma="meri%2Fsai">μερίσαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aku%2Fpron">Κύπρον</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3D%7C:">αὑτῷ·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnou">γενομένου</w> <w lemma="katadeeste%2Fran">καταδεεστέραν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fcein">ἕξειν</w> <w lemma="meri%2Fda">μερίδα</w> <w lemma="ta%29delfou%3D">τἀδελφοῦ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="polu%2F">πολύ</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="%2Akanolh%2Fion">Κανολήιον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Ako%2Finton">Κόιντον</w> <w lemma="a%29pomarturou%2Fntwn">ἀπομαρτυρούντων</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Ame%2Fnullon">Μένυλλον</w>, <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="presbute%2Frou">πρεσβυτέρου</w> <w lemma="paragegono%2Fsi">παραγεγονόσι</w> <w lemma="presbeutai%3Ds">πρεσβευταῖς</w>, <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Akurh%2Fnhn">Κυρήνην</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="new%2Fteros">νεώτερος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pneu%3Dma">πνεῦμα</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxoi:">ἔχοι·</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fxlwn">ὄχλων</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29llotrio%2Fthta">ἀλλοτριότητα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="proskoph%2Fn:">προσκοπήν·</w>
5
<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fda">ἐλπίδα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fcws">παραδόξως</w> <w lemma="dedome%2Fnwn">δεδομένων</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Akurh%2Fnhn">Κυρήνην</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="a%29sme%2Fnws">ἀσμένως</w> <w lemma="de%2Fcaito">δέξαιτο</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sfagi%2Fwn">σφαγίων</w> <w lemma="tmhqe%2Fntwn">τμηθέντων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="la%2Fboi">λάβοι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Frkous">ὅρκους</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%29delfou%3D">τἀδελφοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="doi%2Fh">δοίη</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou:">τούτου·</w>
6
<w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%2Fou">Πτολεμαίου</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="a%29ntile%2Fgontos">ἀντιλέγοντος</w>, <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fgklhtos">σύγκλητος</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="o%28rw%3Dsa">ὁρῶσα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="merismo%5Cn">μερισμὸν</w> ?<w lemma=""></w>* <w lemma="gegono%2Fta">γεγονότα</w> <w lemma="tele%2Fws">τελέως</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="boulome%2Fnh">βουλομένη</w> <w lemma="dielei%3Dn">διελεῖν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fan">βασιλείαν</w> <w lemma="pragmatikw%3Ds">πραγματικῶς</w>, <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fwn">αἰτίων</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnwn">γενομένων</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="diaire%2Fsews">διαιρέσεως</w>, <w lemma="sugkate%2Fqeto">συγκατέθετο</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="newte%2Frou">νεωτέρου</w> <w lemma="parakaloume%2Fnois">παρακαλουμένοις</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="sfete%2Frw%7C">σφετέρῳ</w> <w lemma="sumfe%2Fronti">συμφέροντι</w>.
7
<w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnos">γένος</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5C">ἐστὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="diabouli%2Fwn">διαβουλίων</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pe%2Flas">πέλας</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoi%2Fas">ἀγνοίας</w> <w lemma="au%29%2Fcousi">αὔξουσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kataskeua%2Fzontai">κατασκευάζονται</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="pragmatikw%3Ds">πραγματικῶς</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="xarizo%2Fmenoi">χαριζόμενοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dntes">δοκοῦντες</w> <w lemma="eu%29ergetei%3Dn">εὐεργετεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%28marta%2Fnontas">ἁμαρτάνοντας</w>.
8
<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaqorw%3Dntes">καθορῶντες</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29gu%2Fptw%7C">Αἰγύπτῳ</w> <w lemma="dunastei%2Fas">δυναστείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dedio%2Ftes">δεδιότες</w>, <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="pote">ποτε</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxh%7C">τύχῃ</w> <w lemma="prosta%2Ftou">προστάτου</w>, <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="mei%3Dzon">μεῖζον</w> <w lemma="fronh%2Fsh%7C">φρονήσῃ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kaqh%2Fkontos">καθήκοντος</w>,
9
<w lemma="kate%2Fsthsan">κατέστησαν</w> <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="%2Ati%2Fton">Τίτον</w> <w lemma="%2Atorkoua%3Dton">Τορκουᾶτον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Agna%2Fion">Γνάιον</w> <w lemma="%2Amero%2Flan">Μερόλαν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kata%2Fcontas">κατάξοντας</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aku%2Fpron">Κύπρον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Don">Πτολεμαῖον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="teleiw%2Fsontas">τελειώσοντας</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnwn">ἐκείνων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fqesin">πρόθεσιν</w>.
10
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraxrh%3Dma">παραχρῆμα</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="e%29cape%2Fsteilan">ἐξαπέστειλαν</w>, <w lemma="do%2Fntes">δόντες</w> <w lemma="e%29ntola%5Cs">ἐντολὰς</w> <w lemma="dialu%3Dsai">διαλῦσαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29delfou%5Cs">ἀδελφοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kataskeua%2Fsai">κατασκευάσαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="newte%2Frw%7C">νεωτέρῳ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aku%2Fpron">Κύπρον</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmou">πολέμου</w>. —
<head>IV. Affairs of Italy</head><head>The Rival Ptolemies</head>After the two Ptolemies had partitioned the kingdom the younger brother arrived in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>, wishing to annul the terms of the partition between himself and his brother,
saying that he had done what he was ordered not of his own free will, but forced to consent by the pressure of circumstances.
He begged the senate to assign <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyprus&groupId=119&placeId=356">Cyprus</a> to him, for even with this addition his share would be much inferior to his brother\'s.
Canuleius and Quintus testified in favour of Menyllus the envoy of the elder brother, saying that the younger brother owed both <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyrene&groupId=521&placeId=985">Cyrene</a> and his life to their own action, so great was the hostility and aversion with which the populace regarded him.
When, therefore, contrary to his expectations and hopes the sovereignty of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyrene&groupId=521&placeId=985">Cyrene</a> had been given to him, he had been only too glad to accept it and had exchanged oaths with his brother as to this over victims solemnly immolated.
All this was denied by the younger Ptolemy, and the senate, seeing that the division had been quite unfair and wishing to make an effective partition of the kingdom due to themselves, accede to the request of the younger brother, which coincided with their own interests.
For many decisions of the Romans are now of this kind: availing themselves of the mistakes of others they effectively increase and build up their own power, at the same time doing a favour and appearing to confer a benefit on the offenders.
So, seeing as they did the size of the Egyptian kingdom, and fearing lest if it once fell into the hands of a ruler capable of protecting it, he might have too high an idea of himself,
they appointed Titus Torquatus and Gnaeus Merula as legates to accompany Ptolemy to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyprus&groupId=119&placeId=356">Cyprus</a> and carry out the purpose of that king and their own.
They dispatched them at once with orders to reconcile the brothers and establish the younger brother in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyprus&groupId=119&placeId=356">Cyprus</a> without war.