Polybius, Histories

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Book 31 - Chapter 27

1
<w lemma="%2Ameta%5C">Μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwnos">Σκιπίωνος</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flou">μεγάλου</w> <w lemma="qugatra%2Fsin">θυγατράσιν</w>, <w lemma="a%29delfai%3Ds">ἀδελφαῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qe%2Fsin">θέσιν</w> <w lemma="patro%2Fs">πατρός</w>, ?<w lemma=""></w>* <w lemma="labo%2Fntos">λαβόντος</w>, <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdei">ἔδει</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%2Fseian">ἡμίσειαν</w> <w lemma="a%29podou%3Dnai">ἀποδοῦναι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="fernh%3Ds">φερνῆς</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="path%5Cr">πατὴρ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fqeto">συνέθετο</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Fra%7C">ἑκατέρᾳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="qugate%2Frwn">θυγατέρων</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="dw%2Fsein">δώσειν</w>,
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<w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="h%28%2Fmisu">ἥμισυ</w> <w lemma="paraxrh%3Dma">παραχρῆμα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29ndra%2Fsin">ἀνδράσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdwken">ἔδωκεν</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fthr">μήτηρ</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28%2Fmisu">ἥμισυ</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fleipen">κατέλειπεν</w> <w lemma="a%29poqnh%2Fskousa">ἀποθνήσκουσα</w> <w lemma="prosofeilo%2Fmenon">προσοφειλόμενον</w>,
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<w lemma="o%28%2Fqen">ὅθεν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdei">ἔδει</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwna">Σκιπίωνα</w> <w lemma="dialu%2Fein">διαλύειν</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="xre%2Fos">χρέος</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="patro%5Cs">πατρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29delfai%3Ds">ἀδελφαῖς</w>.
5
<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmous">νόμους</w> <w lemma="de%2Fon">δέον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="trisi%5Cn">τρισὶν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ftesin">ἔτεσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29podou%3Dnai">ἀποδοῦναι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="prosofeilo%2Fmena">προσοφειλόμενα</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fmata">χρήματα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="fernh%3Ds">φερνῆς</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="gunaici%2F">γυναιξί</w>, <w lemma="prodoqe%2Fntwn">προδοθέντων</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftwn">πρώτων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fplwn">ἐπίπλων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="de%2Fka">δέκα</w> <w lemma="mh%3Dnas">μῆνας</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnois">ἐκείνοις</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fqos">ἔθος</w>,
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<w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwn">Σκιπίων</w> <w lemma="sune%2Ftace">συνέταξε</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="trapezi%2Fth%7C">τραπεζίτῃ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fkosi">εἴκοσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fnte">πέντε</w> <w lemma="tala%2Fntwn">ταλάντων</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Fra%7C">ἑκατέρᾳ</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsasqai">ποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29ntapo%2Fdosin">ἀνταπόδοσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="de%2Fka">δέκα</w> <w lemma="mhsi%2F">μησί</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Ateberi%2Fou">Τεβερίου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Anasika%3D">Νασικᾶ</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwnos">Σκιπίωνος</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtoi">οὗτοι</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndres">ἄνδρες</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="gunaikw%3Dn">γυναικῶν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="dielqei%3Dn">διελθεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%2Fka">δέκα</w> <w lemma="mh%3Dnas">μῆνας</w> <w lemma="prosporeuome%2Fnwn">προσπορευομένων</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="trapezi%2Fthn">τραπεζίτην</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="punqanome%2Fnwn">πυνθανομένων</w>, <w lemma="ei%29%2F">εἴ</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="sunete%2Ftakto">συνετέτακτο</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwn">Σκιπίων</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="xrhma%2Ftwn">χρημάτων</w>, <w lemma="ka%29kei%2Fnou">κἀκείνου</w> <w lemma="keleu%2Fontos">κελεύοντος</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="komi%2Fzesqai">κομίζεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="poiou%3Dntos">ποιοῦντος</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="diagrafh%5Cn">διαγραφὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Frw%7C">ἑκατέρῳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fkosi">εἴκοσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fnte">πέντε</w> <w lemma="tala%2Fntwn">ταλάντων</w>, <w lemma="a%29gnoei%3Dn">ἀγνοεῖν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffasan:">ἔφασαν·</w>
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<w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%5Cs">αὑτοὺς</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="paro%2Fn">παρόν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tri%2Fton">τρίτον</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="komi%2Fzesqai">κομίζεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmous">νόμους</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="fa%2Fskontos">φάσκοντος</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="suntetaxe%2Fnai">συντεταχέναι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwna">Σκιπίωνα</w>, <w lemma="diapisth%2Fsantes">διαπιστήσαντες</w> <w lemma="proh%3Dgon">προῆγον</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="neani%2Fskon">νεανίσκον</w>, <w lemma="dieilhfo%2Ftes">διειληφότες</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnon">ἐκεῖνον</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoei%3Dn">ἀγνοεῖν</w>. <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpasxon">ἔπασχον</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29lo%2Fgws:">ἀλόγως·</w>
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="doi%2Fh">δοίη</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmh%7C">Ῥώμῃ</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="triw%3Dn">τριῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29tw%3Dn">ἐτῶν</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanton">τάλαντον</w> <w lemma="e%28%5Cn">ἓν</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tetagme%2Fnhs">τεταγμένης</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fras:">ἡμέρας·</w>
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<w lemma="toiau%2Fth">τοιαύτη</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="thlikau%2Fth">τηλικαύτη</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29kri%2Fbeia">ἀκρίβεια</w>. <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="dia%2Fforon">διάφορον</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="lusite%2Fleia">λυσιτέλεια</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="prosporeuqe%2Fntwn">προσπορευθέντων</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="punqanome%2Fnwn">πυνθανομένων</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="trapezi%2Fth%7C">τραπεζίτῃ</w> <w lemma="sunte%2Ftaxe">συντέταχε</w>, <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29po%2Fntos">εἰπόντος</w> <w lemma="a%29podou%3Dnai">ἀποδοῦναι</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="xrh%3Dma">χρῆμα</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29delfai%3Ds">ἀδελφαῖς</w>, <w lemma="a%29gnoei%3Dn">ἀγνοεῖν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffasan">ἔφασαν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="khdemoniko%5Cn">κηδεμονικὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29mfani%2Fzontes:">ἐμφανίζοντες·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29cei%3Dnai">ἐξεῖναι</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmous">νόμους</w> <w lemma="xrh%3Dsqai">χρῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="diafo%2Frois">διαφόροις</w> <w lemma="i%28kano%5Cn">ἱκανὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwn">Σκιπίων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffhsen">ἔφησεν</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoei%3Dn">ἀγνοεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fn">οὐδέν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29llotri%2Fous">ἀλλοτρίους</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmwn">νόμων</w> <w lemma="a%29kri%2Fbeian">ἀκρίβειαν</w> <w lemma="threi%3Dn">τηρεῖν</w>, <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="suggene%2Fsi">συγγενέσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fi%2Flois">φίλοις</w> <w lemma="a%28plw%3Ds">ἁπλῶς</w> <w lemma="xrh%3Dsqai">χρῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gennai%2Fws">γενναίως</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="paralamba%2Fnein">παραλαμβάνειν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29ke%2Fleue">ἐκέλευε</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="xrh%3Dma">χρῆμα</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="trapezi%2Ftou">τραπεζίτου</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Atebe%2Frion">Τεβέριον</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dt%27">ταῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29kou%2Fsantes">ἀκούσαντες</w> <w lemma="e%29panh%3Dgon">ἐπανῆγον</w> <w lemma="siwpw%3Dntes">σιωπῶντες</w>, <w lemma="katapeplhgme%2Fnoi">καταπεπληγμένοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwnos">Σκιπίωνος</w> <w lemma="megaloyuxi%2Fan">μεγαλοψυχίαν</w>, <w lemma="kategnwko%2Ftes">κατεγνωκότες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="mikrologi%2Fas">μικρολογίας</w>, <w lemma="kai%2Fper">καίπερ</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntes">ὄντες</w> <w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="deu%2Fteroi">δεύτεροι</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w>.
In the next place he had to pay the daughters of the great Scipio, the sisters of his adoptive father, the half of their portion.
Their father had agreed to give each of his daughters fifty talents,
and their mother had paid the half of this to their husbands at once on their marriage, but left the other half owing on her death.
Thus Scipio had to pay this debt to his father's sisters.
According to Roman law the part of the dowry still due had to be paid to the ladies in three years, the personal property being first handed over within ten months according to Roman usage.
But Scipio at once ordered his banker to pay each of them in ten months the whole twenty-five talents.
When the ten months had elapsed, and Tiberius Gracchus and Scipio Nasica, who were the husbands of the ladies, applied to the banker and asked him if he had received any orders from Scipio about the money, and when the banker asked them to receive the sum and made out for each of them a transfer of twenty-five talents, they said he was mistaken;
for according to law they should not at once receive the whole sum, but only a third of it.
But when he told them that these were Scipio's orders, they could not believe it, but went on to call on the young man, under the impression that he was in error.
And this was quite natural on their part; for not only would no one in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> pay fifty talents three years before it was due, but no one would pay one talent before the appointed day;
so universal and so extreme is their exactitude about money as well as their desire to profit by every moment of time.
However, when they called on Scipio and asked him what orders he had given the banker, and he told them he had ordered him to pay the whole sum to his sisters, they said he was mistaken,
since he had the legal right to use the sum for a considerable time yet.
Scipio answered that he was quite aware of that, but that while as regards strangers he insisted on the letter of the law, he behaved as far as he could in an informal and liberal way to his relatives and friends.
He therefore begged them to accept the whole sum from the banker.
Tiberius and Nasica on hearing this went away without replying, astounded at Scipio\'s magnanimity and abashed at their own meanness, although they were second to none in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>.