Polybius, Histories

Layout
Translation

Book 38 - Chapter 18

1
<w lemma="%2A%28%2Foqen">Ὅθεν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftois">τοιούτοις</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntos">ὄντος</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="diabouli%2Fou">διαβουλίου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="a%29ko%2Flouqon">ἀκόλουθον</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fbh">ἐξέβη</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="doca%2Fntwn">δοξάντων</w>.
2
<w lemma="parauti%2Fka">παραυτίκα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fkleisan">συνέκλεισαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29andrwni%2Fdan">Ἀνδρωνίδαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Ala%2Fgion">Λάγιον</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28postra%2Fthgon">ὑποστράτηγον</w> <w lemma="%2Aswsikra%2Fthn">Σωσικράτην</w>, <w lemma="e%29pene%2Fgkantes">ἐπενέγκαντες</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fan">αἰτίαν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="prostath%2Fsai">προστατήσαι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="diabouli%2Fou">διαβουλίου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunapofh%2Fnaito">συναποφήναιτο</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fmpein">πέμπειν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Akaiki%2Flion">Καικίλιον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sullh%2Fbdhn">συλλήβδην</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fh">εἴη</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kakw%3Dn">κακῶν</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Ftios:">αἴτιος·</w>
3
<w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pau%2Frion">ἐπαύριον</w> <w lemma="kaqi%2Fsantes">καθίσαντες</w> <w lemma="dikasta%5Cs">δικαστὰς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Aswsikra%2Ftous">Σωσικράτους</w> <w lemma="katedi%2Fkasan">κατεδίκασαν</w> <w lemma="qa%2Fnaton">θάνατον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dh%2Fsantes">δήσαντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="streblou%3Dntes">στρεβλοῦντες</w> <w lemma="prosekarte%2Froun">προσεκαρτέρουν</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="die%2Ffqeiran">διέφθειραν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fnqrwpon">ἄνθρωπον</w>, <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29po%2Fnta">εἰπόντα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnois">ἐκείνοις</w> <w lemma="prosdokwme%2Fnwn">προσδοκωμένων</w>.
4
<w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Ala%2Fgion">Λάγιον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29andrwni%2Fdan">Ἀνδρωνίδαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Farxippon">Ἄρχιππον</w> <w lemma="a%29fh%3Dkan">ἀφῆκαν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="plh%2Fqous">πλήθους</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fstasin">ἐπίστασιν</w> <w lemma="paragenome%2Fnou">παραγενομένου</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aswsikra%2Fth">Σωσικράτη</w> <w lemma="paranomi%2Fan">παρανομίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Adiai%2Fou">Διαίου</w> <w lemma="labo%2Fntos">λαβόντος</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29andrwni%2Fdou">Ἀνδρωνίδου</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanton">τάλαντον</w>, <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29arxi%2Fppou">Ἀρχίππου</w> <w lemma="tettara%2Fkonta">τετταράκοντα</w> <w lemma="mna%3Ds">μνᾶς</w>.
5
<w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="ska%2Fmmatos">σκάμματος</w> <w lemma="w%29%2Fn">ὤν</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="lego%2Fmenon">λεγόμενον</w>, <w lemma="e%29du%2Fnato">ἐδύνατο</w> <w lemma="lh%3Dcai">λῆξαι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</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%29naisxunti%2Fas">ἀναισχυντίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paranomi%2Fas">παρανομίας</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnos">προειρημένος</w>.
6
<w lemma="paraplh%2Fsia">παραπλήσια</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fprace">ἔπραξε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="braxei%3D">βραχεῖ</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnw%7C">χρόνῳ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Afili%3Dnon">Φιλῖνον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Akori%2Fnqion:">Κορίνθιον·</w> <w lemma="proqei%5Cs">προθεὶς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fan">αἰτίαν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="diape%2Fmpetai">διαπέμπεται</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Amenalki%2Fdan">Μεναλκίδαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="fronei%3D">φρονεῖ</w>, <w lemma="to%2Fn">τόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="%2Afili%3Dnon">Φιλῖνον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="ui%28ou%5Cs">υἱοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="mastigw%3Dn">μαστιγῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="streblw%3Dn">στρεβλῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="suno%2Fyei">συνόψει</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flwn">ἀλλήλων</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flhce">ἔληξε</w> <w lemma="pri%5Cn">πρὶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="die%2Ffqeire">διέφθειρε</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="meira%2Fkia">μειράκια</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Afili%3Dnon">Φιλῖνον</w>.
7
<w lemma="toiau%2Fths">τοιαύτης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29noi%2Fas">ἀνοίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29krisi%2Fas">ἀκρισίας</w> <w lemma="sumbainou%2Fshs">συμβαινούσης</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="oi%28%2Fan">οἵαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="barba%2Frois">βαρβάροις</w> <w lemma="eu%28%2Froi">εὕροι</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cdi%2Fws">ῥᾳδίως</w>, <w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="e%29pizhth%2Fseie">ἐπιζητήσειε</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frdhn">ἄρδην</w> <w lemma="a%29pw%2Flonto">ἀπώλοντο</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w>.
8
<w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fpoimi">εἴποιμι</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="kaqaperanei%5C">καθαπερανεὶ</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxh">τύχη</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29nterei%3Dsai">ἀντερεῖσαι</w> <w lemma="panou%3Drgos">πανοῦργος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="texnikh%5C">τεχνικὴ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fnoian">ἄνοιαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mani%2Fan">μανίαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="h%28goume%2Fnwn">ἡγουμένων</w>, <w lemma="h%28%2Ftis">ἥτις</w> <w lemma="e%29cwqoume%2Fnh">ἐξωθουμένη</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnth%7C">πάντῃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntws">πάντως</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoi%2Fas">ἀγνοίας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proestw%2Ftwn">προεστώτων</w>, <w lemma="boulome%2Fnh">βουλομένη</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> <w lemma="sw%2F%7Czein">σῴζειν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiou%2Fs">Ἀχαιούς</w>, <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kataleipo%2Fmenon">καταλειπόμενον</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dlqen">ἦλθεν</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fsper">ὥσπερ</w> <w lemma="a%29gaqo%5Cs">ἀγαθὸς</w> <w lemma="palaisth%2Fs">παλαιστής</w>.
9
<w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="sfh%3Dlai">σφῆλαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cdi%2Fws">ῥᾳδίως</w> <w lemma="h%28tth%3Dsai">ἡττῆσαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhnas:">Ἕλληνας·</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fper">ὅπερ</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fhse">ἐποίησε</w>.
10
<w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="o%29rgh%5Cn">ὀργὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qumo%5Cn">θυμὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29kkauqh%3Dnai">ἐκκαυθῆναι</w> <w lemma="porrwte%2Frw">πορρωτέρω</w>, <w lemma="mhd%27">μηδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29lqei%3Dn">ἐλθεῖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fhs">Λιβύης</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmeis">δυνάμεις</w>, <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="proestw%3Dtas">προεστῶτας</w>, <w lemma="o%29%2Fntas">ὄντας</w> <w lemma="oi%28%2Fous">οἵους</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dpon">εἶπον</w>, <w lemma="e%29pilabome%2Fnous">ἐπιλαβομένους</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="proterh%2Fmatos">προτερήματος</w>, <w lemma="a%29podei%2Fcasqai">ἀποδείξασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29se%2Fbeian">ἀσέβειαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="o%28mofu%2Flous">ὁμοφύλους</w>.
11
<w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%5Cs">εἰκὸς</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="pra%3Dcai">πρᾶξαι</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fwn">ἰδίων</w>, <w lemma="e%29pilabome%2Fnous">ἐπιλαβομένους</w> <w lemma="a%29formh%3Ds">ἀφορμῆς</w> <w lemma="tinos">τινος</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="proterh%2Fmatos">προτερήματος</w>, <w lemma="dh%3Dlo%2Fn">δῆλόν</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w>.
12
<w lemma="a%28%2Fpantes">ἅπαντες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="paroimi%2Fan">παροιμίαν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="sto%2Fmatos">στόματος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsxon">ἔσχον</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> "<w lemma="%2Aei%29">Εἰ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="a%29pwlo%2Fmeqa">ἀπωλόμεθα</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29sw%2Fqhmen">ἐσώθημεν</w>."
Such being the members of the council, the result of their deliberations was in accord with their characters.
Not only did they at once imprison Andronidas and Lagius, but the under-strategus Sosicrates as well, alleging that he had presided over the previous council, and had taken part in the decision to send to Caecilius, and was in fact the main cause of all the evil.
On the following day they appointed a tribunal and condemned Sosicrates to death, and binding him on the rack continued the torture until he died under it without making any such avowal as they expected.
As for Lagius and Andronidas and Archippus, they released them, partly because the attention of the people had been aroused by the flagrant injustice of their treatment of Sosicrates, and partly because Diaeus received a talent from Andronidas and forty minae from Archippus;
for Diaeus could not even when he was at bay, as the saying is, abstain from such shameless and illegal exactions.
He had a short time previously behaved in a very similar manner to Philinus of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a>. For accusing him of communicating with Menalcidas and of being a partisan of the Romans, he continued to flog and rack Philinus himself and his sons before each others\' eyes until both the father and the boys gave up the ghost.
One is inclined to ask oneself, in view of the fact that all were guilty of such folly and demoralization as it would not be easy to find among barbarians, how it came to pass that the whole nation was not utterly destroyed.
For my part I should say that some sort of resourceful and ingenious fortune counteracted the folly and insanity of the leading statesmen — a power which, though the leaders in their folly took every means and every opportunity to expel her, yet had resolved to leave nothing undone to save <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Achaea&groupId=272&placeId=533">Achaea</a>, and like a skilful wrestler adopted the sole device left to her,
and that was to bring about the speedy discomfiture and easy defeat of the Greeks, as she in fact did.
For owing to this the indignation and wrath of the Romans were not still further aroused, nor did the forces come from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Africa&groupId=300&placeId=294">Africa</a>, nor were the leading statesmen, whose characters were such as I said and who only wanted a pretext, able to reveal fully their guilty intentions to their countrymen.
For it is evident from the analogy of their previous conduct, such as I have described it, how they would probably have acted against their own people if they had had any opportunity or achieved any success.
Everybody in fact kept repeating the proverb, "Had we not perished so soon we would never have been saved."