Polybius, Histories

Translation

Book 31 - Chapter 22

<head lang="la">D. Olymp. 154, 4. I. Res Italiae</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgiston">μέγιστον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ka%2Flliston">κάλλιστον</w> <w lemma="shmei%3Don">σημεῖον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aleuki%2Fou">Λευκίου</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29mili%2Fou">Αἰμιλίου</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fsews">προαιρέσεως</w> <w lemma="metalla%2Fcantos">μεταλλάξαντος</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="e%29ge%2Fneto">ἐγένετο</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsin">πᾶσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fkdhlon:">ἔκδηλον·</w>

<w lemma="oi%28%3Dos">οἷος</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpos">τρόπος</w> <w lemma="zw%3Dntos">ζῶντος</w> [<w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w>] <w lemma="e%29doca%2Fzeto">ἐδοξάζετο</w>, <w lemma="toiou%3Dtos">τοιοῦτος</w> <w lemma="eu%28re%2Fqh">εὑρέθη</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="metalla%2Fcantos">μεταλλάξαντος</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgiston">μέγιστον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fpoi">εἴποι</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w> <w lemma="tekmh%2Frion">τεκμήριον</w> <w lemma="a%29reth%3Ds">ἀρετῆς</w>.

<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dston">πλεῖστον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28to%5Cn">αὑτὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibhri%2Fas">Ἰβηρίας</w> <w lemma="xruso%5Cn">χρυσὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmhn">Ῥώμην</w> <w lemma="metenhnoxw%2Fs">μετενηνοχώς</w>, <w lemma="megi%2Fstwn">μεγίστων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="qhsaurw%3Dn">θησαυρῶν</w> <w lemma="ku%2Frios">κύριος</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenos">γενόμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedoni%2Fa%7C">Μακεδονίᾳ</w>, <w lemma="plei%2Fsths">πλείστης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fna">προειρημένα</w> <w lemma="teteuxw%5Cs">τετευχὼς</w> <w lemma="e%29cousi%2Fas">ἐξουσίας</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fleipe">ἀπέλειπε</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdion">ἴδιον</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> *

? <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnasqai">δύνασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="fernh%5Cn">φερνὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="gunaiki%5C">γυναικὶ</w> <w lemma="dialu%3Dsai">διαλῦσαι</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsan">πᾶσαν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fplwn">ἐπίπλων</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29ggei%2Fwn">ἐγγείων</w> <w lemma="tina%5Cs">τινὰς</w> <w lemma="prosape%2Fdonto">προσαπέδοντο</w> <w lemma="kth%2Fsewn">κτήσεων</w>. <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="h%28mei%3Ds">ἡμεῖς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fkamen">εἰρήκαμεν</w>.

<w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fpoi">εἴποι</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="katalelu%2Fsqai">καταλελύσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="qaumazome%2Fnwn">θαυμαζομένων</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhsi">Ἕλλησι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn:">ἀνδρῶν·</w>

<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="didome%2Fnwn">διδομένων</w> <w lemma="xrhma%2Ftwn">χρημάτων</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dido%2Fntos">διδόντος</w> <w lemma="sumfe%2Fronti">συμφέροντι</w>, <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fxesqai">ἀπέχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="qaumasto%2Fn">θαυμαστόν</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgetai">λέγεται</w> <w lemma="gegone%2Fnai">γεγονέναι</w> <w lemma="peri%2F">περί</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aqhnai%3Don">Ἀθηναῖον</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aristei%2Fdhn">Ἀριστείδην</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aqhbai%3Don">Θηβαῖον</w> <w lemma="%2A%29epaminw%2Fndan">Ἐπαμινώνδαν</w>,

<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ku%2Frion">κύριον</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenon">γενόμενον</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fshs">ἁπάσης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fas">βασιλείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="labo%2Fnta">λαβόντα</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29cousi%2Fan">ἐξουσίαν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="bou%2Fletai">βούλεται</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fsasqai">χρήσασθαι</w>, <w lemma="mhdeno%5Cs">μηδενὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29piqumh%3Dsai">ἐπιθυμῆσαι</w> <w lemma="po%2Fsw%7C">πόσῳ</w> <w lemma="qaumasto%2Ftero%2Fn">θαυμαστότερόν</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w>;

<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29pi%2Fstw%7C">ἀπίστῳ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="lego%2Fmenon">λεγόμενον</w> <w lemma="e%29oike%2Fnai">ἐοικέναι</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcei">δόξει</w> <w lemma="tisi%2Fn">τισίν</w>, <w lemma="e%29kei%3Dno">ἐκεῖνο</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnein">λαμβάνειν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="nw%3D%7C">νῷ</w>, <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="safw%3Ds">σαφῶς</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffwn">γράφων</w> <w lemma="h%29%2F%7Cdei">ᾔδει</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="a%29nalhyome%2Fnous">ἀναληψομένους</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="xei%3Dras">χεῖρας</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="bubli%2Fa">βυβλία</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pifanesta%2Ftas">ἐπιφανεστάτας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fstas">πλείστας</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="perie%2Fxesqai:">περιέχεσθαι·</w>

<w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Ft%27">οὔτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoei%3Dsqai">ἀγνοεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="dunato%5Cn">δυνατὸν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmhs">συγγνώμης</w> <w lemma="teu%2Fcesqai">τεύξεσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="yeudolo%2Fgon">ψευδολόγον</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Fs">εἰκός</w>,

<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="ou%29dei%5Cs">οὐδεὶς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%28kw%5Cn">ἑκὼν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fdhlon">πρόδηλον</w> <w lemma="a%29pisti%2Fan">ἀπιστίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="katafro%2Fnhsin">καταφρόνησιν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdwken">ἔδωκεν</w> <w lemma="au%28to%2Fn">αὑτόν</w>.

<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="mnhmoneue%2Fsqw">μνημονευέσθω</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhn">ὅλην</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pragmatei%2Fan">πραγματείαν</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="para%2Fdocon">παράδοξον</w> <w lemma="dokw%3Dmen">δοκῶμεν</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgein">λέγειν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w>.

<head>IX. Affairs of Italy</head><head>Aemilius Paullus and Scipio</head>The most striking and splendid proof of the integrity of Lucius Aemilius became manifest to all after his death;

for the same high reputation which he had possessed during his life continued when he had departed from it; and this we may say is the best proof there can be of virtue.

The man, I say, who had brought to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Spain&groupId=983&placeId=1735">Spain</a> more gold than any of his contemporaries, who had had at his disposal the vast treasure of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a>, and had been at perfect liberty to use all this money as he chose,

died so poor that his sons could not pay his wife the whole of her jointure out of the personality, and without selling some of the real property. Of this I have spoken in detail above.

We may say that the reputation of those most admired in this respect by the ancient Greeks has been put into shadow.

For it is an admirable thing to refuse to touch money offered in the interest of the giver, as Aristeides of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Athens&groupId=379&placeId=715">Athens</a> and Epaminondas of Thebes are said to have done,

how much more admirable is it for one who had a whole kingdom at his sole disposal, and had liberty to do what he wished with it, to covet none of it?

If this appears incredible to anyone, I beg him to consider that the present writer is perfectly aware that this work will be perused by Romans above all people, containing as it does an account of their most splendid achievements,

and that it is impossible either that they should be ignorant of the facts or disposed to pardon any departure from truth.

So that no one would willingly expose himself thus to certain disbelief and contempt.

And this should be borne in mind through this whole work, whenever I seem to make any startling statements about Romans.

Walbank Commentary

Overview

31.22.1 - 31.30.4

On Aemilius Paullus and Scipio Aemilianus This long digression (cf. 30. 4) from exc. de uirt. et uit. and de sent. (25. 5) belongs to res Italiae of Ol. 154, 4 = 161/0, and was probably introduced in connection with Aemilius Paullus' death (in 160); see pp. 36–37. It is likely to have been written after Scipio's death in 129 <milestone unit="page" n="492">[492]</milestone> (cf. xviii. 35 n.) and inserted in this book at this convenient point. xviii. 36. 1, which foreshadows it, will also be a later insertion (cf. xviii. 35 n.); see 22. 4 n. On the contents see Diod. xxxi. 26. 1–27. 8. On the several problems of inheritance raised here see G. Boyer, RIDA, 1950 ( = Mlanges de Visscher, iii), 171–87, 'Le droit successoral romain dans les uvres de Polybe'.

Specifics

31.22.1 - 31.22.1

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Λευκίου Αἰμιλίου</w>:</emph> L. Aemilius Paullus, the victor of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pydna&groupId=919&placeId=1647">Pydna</a>; cf. xviii. 35. 4 n., xxix. 1. 1, and passim. Bttner-Wobst detects the excerptor's hand (because of hiatus). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">μεταλλάξαντος τὸν βίον</w>:</emph> cf. Livy, ep. 46, 'L. Aemilius Paulus, qui Persen vicisset, mortuus. cuius tanta abstinentia fuit, ut, cum ex Hispania et ex <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a> immensas opes rettulisset, uix ex auctione eius redactum sit, unde uxori eius dos solueretur.' This evidently goes back to P. On the date, 160, see pp. 36–37. For an account of his death see Plut. Aem. 39.

31.22.3 - 31.22.3

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πλεῖστον . . . τῶν καθ</w>f <w lang="el-GR">αὑτὸν ἐξ Ἰβηρίας χρσὸν . . . μετενηνοχώς</w> :</emph> cf. Diod. xxxi. 26. 1; Livy, ep. 46. Aemilius was praetor in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Spain&groupId=983&placeId=1735">Spain</a> in 191/0, with the insignia and imperium of a proconsul (Plut. Aem. 4. 1; Livy, xxxv. 24. 6, xxxvii. 2. 11), and after a defeat in Bastetanis in 190 (Livy, xxxvii. 46. 7–8; Oros. iv. 20. 23) he himself defeated the Lusitanians and overthrew 250 towns (Livy, xxxvii. 57. 5–6; Plut. Aem. 4; above, xxix. 17. 1 n.). A bronze tablet found east of Cdiz, and evidently set up during his command (ILS, 15) refers to him as inpeirator: 'L. Aimilius L.f. inpeirator decreiuit, utei quei Hastensium seruei in turri Lascutana habitarent, leibeirei essent; agrum oppidumqu., quod ea tempestate posedisent, item posidere habereque iousit, dum poplus senatusque Romanus uellet. Act. in castreis a.d. XII k. febr.' For his elogium cf. ILS, 57. Despite the gold he brought back, the Spaniards chose him as their patronus in bringing a charge for extortion in 171 (Livy, xliii. 2. 5). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">μεγίστων . . . θησαυρῶν . . . ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ</w>:</emph> cf. xviii. 35. 4 n.; Diod. xxxi. 26. 1.

31.22.4 - 31.22.4

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοσοῦτον ἀπέλειπε τὸν ἴδιον βίον κτλ</w>.:</emph> cf. Diod. xxxi. 26. 1, <w lang="el-GR">τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχετο τοῦ σφετερίσασθαί τι τῶν χρημάτων ὥστε μετὰ τὴν τελευτὴν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς δοθέντας εἰς ὑοθεσίαν διαδξαμένους τὴν κληρονομίαν ἐκ πάντων τῶν ἐπίπλων μὴ δύνασθαι τῇ γυναικὶ τὴν φερνὴν κτλ</w>. P.'s text clearly contains a lacuna, and it is not certain that <w lang="el-GR">τοσοῦτον . . . τὸν ἴδιον βίον</w> represents what P. wrote better than the words of Diodorus. The lacuna is too long to be restored; but Diodorus must be giving the sense. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὴν φερνὴν . . . διαλῦσαι . . . ἐκ τῶν ἐπίπλων</w>:</emph> '. . . could not repay his wife the whole of her dowry out of his liquid assets'; cf. Diod. xxxi. 26. 1 (quoted above); Dio, xx. fg. 67, <w lang="el-GR">ὥστε χαλεπῶς τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ? τὴν προῖκα τελευτήσαντος ἀποδοθῆναι</w>; Zon. ix. 24. <w lang="el-GR">τὰ ἔπιπλα</w> are, strictly, <milestone unit="page" n="493">[493]</milestone> 'movables', which can be sold for cash and no doubt include cash (see 27. 5 n.). The name of Aemilius' second wife, whom he married after divorcing Papiria, the mother of Scipio Aemilianus and Q. Fabius Maximus Aemilianus, is not recorded (cf. Plut. Aem. 5. 3, <w lang="el-GR">ἑτέραν ἠγάγετο)</w>; see 28. 2 n. On the difficulties encountered in repaying Aemilius' widow her dowry of 25 talents see xviii. 35. 6 n.; and for Scipio Aemilianus' obligations over the dowries of his adoptive father's sisters see 27. 1–16. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">εἰ μὴ τῶν ἐγγείω . . . κτήσεων</w>:</emph> 'without disposing of some of the real estate'; cf. vi. 45. 3 for <w lang="el-GR">ἔγγειοι κτήσεις</w>, a phrase also found in inscriptions (cf. Syll. 593 l. 9). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτων</w>:</emph> cf. xviii. 35. 6 (which also mentions the sale of household goods and slaves as well as land), 36. 1. But the phrase <w lang="el-GR">ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτων</w> more naturally signifies 'in the previous book', and taken in conjunction with 23. 1 suggests that somewhere in book xxx P. repeated the promise to discuss the restraint and generosity of Aemilius Paullus and Scipio Aemilianus (cf. 23. 1 n.). This may have been in the context of events after <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pydna&groupId=919&placeId=1647">Pydna</a> and of Aemilius' Greek tour (xxx. 10); but it could equally well have arisen where P. described the beginnings of his acquaintance with Scipio Aemilianus, which probably (but not certainly) were in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> (cf. 23. 4 n.).

31.22.6 - 31.22.6

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">διδομένων χρημάτων ἐπὶ τῷ τοῦ διδόντος συμφέροντι</w>:</emph> 'money offered with a view to benefiting the giver', i.e. a bribe. On the prevalence of bribery in Greece of P.'s time see xviii. 34. 7; for financial dishonesty, vi. 56. 13–15. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Ἀριστείδην</w>:</emph> cf. ix. 23. 6. Aristeides' incorruptibility (despite the accusation of bribery recorded by Craterus, FGH, 342 F 12 = Plut. Arist. 26. 1–2), his moderation, and his poverty were traditional from Herodotus' time (Herod. viii. 79. 1, 95) and that of his contemporary, Timocreon of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a> (in Plut. Them. 21. 4); see Plato, Meno, 94 A; Gorg. 526 A–B; Andoc. iv. 11; Aeschin. ii. 23, iii. 181; Arist. Rhet. ii. 23. 1398 a 9 ff.; Diod. xi. 47. 2, xxvi. 1. 1; Judeich, RE, 'Aristeides (1)', cols. 883–4. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Ἐπαμεινώνδαν</w>:</emph> often mentioned by P. He was traditionally poor (cf. Plut. Pelop. 3. 5; Mor. 579 E, 583 C–F, 584 A–B, 585 D; Paus. ix. 13. 1) and incorruptible (Plut. Mor. 583 F; Apophth. 13, 14, 21 (Mor. 193 B, 194 A); Arist. et Cat. comp. 4. 4; Nep. Epam. 4; Aelian, Var. hist. v. 5, xi. 9). See Swoboda, RE, 'Epaminondas', cols. 2676–7.

31.22.8 - 31.22.8

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">μάλιστα Ῥωμαίους . . . τὰ βυβλία ταῦτα</w>:</emph> von Scala, 290 (cf. Pdech, Mthode, 566) concludes that P. is referring to his later books and that since Greeks were increasingly alienated by these, P. was aiming rather at a Roman audience. More probably <w lang="el-GR">τὰ βυβλία ταῦτα</w> are P.'s Histories generally, and the Romans are mentioned simply as a guarantee of the truth of his account of Aemilius' incorruptibility (hard though his Greek audience would find it to believe <milestone unit="page" n="494">[494]</milestone> this!). See Walbank, Polybius, 4 n. 18; and for a similar concern to establish his own credentials, below 30. 2 n. P. does of course also envisage Roman readers; cf. iii. 21. 9, vi. 11. 3.

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