Polybius, Histories

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Book 4 - Chapter 14

1
<w lemma="li%2Fppou">λίππου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w>. <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="meta%2F">μετά</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fras">ἡμέρας</w> <w lemma="a%28qroisqe%5Cn">ἁθροισθὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="kaqh%2Fkousan">καθήκουσαν</w> <w lemma="su%2Fnodon">σύνοδον</w>, <w lemma="pikrw%3Ds">πικρῶς</w> <w lemma="die%2Fkeito">διέκειτο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="koinh%3D%7C">κοινῇ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Faraton">Ἄρατον</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="o%28mologoume%2Fnws">ὁμολογουμένως</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Ftion">αἴτιον</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Fta">γεγονότα</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnou">προειρημένου</w> <w lemma="sumptw%2Fmatos">συμπτώματος</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipoliteuome%2Fnwn">ἀντιπολιτευομένων</w> <w lemma="kathgorou%2Fntwn">κατηγορούντων</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fero%2Fntwn">φερόντων</w> <w lemma="a%29pologismou%5Cs">ἀπολογισμοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29nargei%3Ds">ἐναργεῖς</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="h%29gana%2Fktei">ἠγανάκτει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parwcu%2Fneto">παρωξύνετο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29do%2Fkei">ἐδόκει</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="a%28ma%2Frthma">ἁμάρτημα</w> <w lemma="profane%5Cs">προφανὲς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fpw">μηδέπω</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="kaqhkou%2Fshs">καθηκούσης</w> <w lemma="prolabo%2Fnta">προλαβόντα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29llo%2Ftrion">ἀλλότριον</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29nade%2Fxesqai">ἀναδέχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Ftas">τοιαύτας</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="ai%28%3Ds">αἷς</w> <w lemma="sunh%2F%7Cdei">συνῄδει</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3D%7C">αὑτῷ</w> <w lemma="diesfalme%2Fnw%7C:">διεσφαλμένῳ·</w>
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<w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mei%3Dzon">μεῖζον</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="diafei%3Dnai">διαφεῖναι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiou%5Cs">Ἀχαιοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29kmh%5Cn">ἀκμὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fsw%7C">μέσῳ</w> <w lemma="%2Apeloponnh%2Fsou">Πελοποννήσου</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlw%3Dn">Αἰτωλῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28parxo%2Fntwn">ὑπαρχόντων</w>, <w lemma="a%29%2Fllws">ἄλλως</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prodieilhfo%2Fta">προδιειληφότα</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="speu%2Fdousin">σπεύδουσιν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Asko%2Fpan">Σκόπαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Adwri%2Fmaxon">Δωρίμαχον</w> <w lemma="kinei%3Dn">κινεῖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kaqestw%3Dta">καθεστῶτα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="suntara%2Fcai">συνταράξαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon:">πόλεμον·</w>
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<w lemma="tri%2Fton">τρίτον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sumbalei%3Dn">συμβαλεῖν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fois">ὑπεναντίοις</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftw">οὕτω</w> <w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%29li%2Fgwn">ὀλίγων</w> <w lemma="mhdemia%3Ds">μηδεμιᾶς</w> <w lemma="katepeigou%2Fshs">κατεπειγούσης</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkhs">ἀνάγκης</w>, <w lemma="duna%2Fmenon">δυνάμενον</w> <w lemma="a%29sfalw%3Ds">ἀσφαλῶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="parakeime%2Fnas">παρακειμένας</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="a%29poxwrh%3Dsai">ἀποχωρῆσαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunagagei%3Dn">συναγαγεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiou%5Cs">Ἀχαιοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="sumbalei%3Dn">συμβαλεῖν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntws">πάντως</w> <w lemma="h%28gei%3Dto">ἡγεῖτο</w> <w lemma="sumfe%2Frein:">συμφέρειν·</w>
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<w lemma="teleutai%3Don">τελευταῖον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgiston">μέγιστον</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="proqe%2Fmenon">προθέμενον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumbalei%3Dn">συμβαλεῖν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="ei%29kh%3D%7C">εἰκῇ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="a%29sko%2Fpws">ἀσκόπως</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fsasqai">χρήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasin">πράγμασιν</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="pare%2Fnta">παρέντα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fa">πεδία</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28plitw%3Dn">ὁπλιτῶν</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fan">χρείαν</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="eu%29zw%2Fnwn">εὐζώνων</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="parwrei%2Fais">παρωρείαις</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlou%5Cs">Αἰτωλοὺς</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsasqai">ποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunon">κίνδυνον</w>, <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="prourgiai%2Fteron">προυργιαίτερον</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%29keio%2Fteron">οἰκειότερον</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="proelqo%2Fnta">προελθόντα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Faraton">Ἄρατον</w> <w lemma="a%29namnh%3Dsai">ἀναμνῆσαι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="propepoliteume%2Fnwn">προπεπολιτευμένων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pepragme%2Fnwn">πεπραγμένων</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3D%7C">αὑτῷ</w>, <w lemma="fe%2Frein">φέρειν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29pologismou%5Cs">ἀπολογισμοὺς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29gkaloume%2Fnwn">ἐγκαλουμένων</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fgonen">γέγονεν</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Ftios">αἴτιος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="sumbebhko%2Ftwn">συμβεβηκότων</w>, <w lemma="ai%29tei%3Dsqai">αἰτεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmhn">συγγνώμην</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="parew%2Frake">παρεώρακε</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenon">γενόμενον</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunon">κίνδυνον</w>, <w lemma="oi%29%2Fesqai">οἴεσθαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="skopei%3Dsqai">σκοπεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmata">πράγματα</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="pikrw%3Ds">πικρῶς</w>,
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<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrwpi%2Fnws">ἀνθρωπίνως</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="megaloyu%2Fxws">μεγαλοψύχως</w> <w lemma="metemelh%2Fqh">μετεμελήθη</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="sunepitiqeme%2Fnois">συνεπιτιθεμένοις</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipoliteuome%2Fnwn">ἀντιπολιτευομένων</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="dusaresth%3Dsai">δυσαρεστῆσαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="bouleu%2Fesqai">βουλεύεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ara%2Ftou">Ἀράτου</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmhn">γνώμην</w>. <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="prote%2Fran">προτέραν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpesen">ἔπεσεν</w> <w lemma="o%29lumpia%2Fda">ὀλυμπιάδα</w>,
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<w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tettarakosth%5Cn">τετταρακοστὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%28kato%2Fn">ἑκατόν</w>.
A few days afterwards the Achaean Federal Assembly held its regular general meeting, at which both the whole body and the individual members showed themselves very bitterly disposed towards Aratus as having indisputably cause the late disaster, and so when his political opponents accused him, producing clear proofs of his culpability, the assembly became still more exasperated and embittered against him. For the general opinion was that he had manifestly erred in the first place in usurping his predecessor\'s office before the time in order to undertake the sort of enterprise in which to his own knowledge he had often failed. His second and graver error lay in his having disbanded the Achaeans while the Aetolians were still in the very heart of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a>, especially as he had been previously aware that Scopas and Dorimachus were doing their best to disturb the existing settlement and stir up war. Thirdly, he had engaged the enemy with such a small force, when there was no urgent necessity to do so, as he neither have retired safely to the towns close at hand and reassembled the Achaean forces before giving battle.
But his fourth and greatest error was, that when he had decided to fight he managed matters so casually and inconsiderately, that neglecting to avail himself of the plain and make a proper use of his hoplites, he elected to fight on the hill, with only his light-armed troops, against Aetolians to whom nothing is more advantageous and familiar than such conditions. Nevertheless, when Aratus rose, and after reminding them of his conduct of affairs and achievements in the past, defended himself against the accusations, maintaining that he was not responsible for what occurred; and when he asked their pardon if he had possibly been guilty of any oversight in the battle, and said he thought that in general it was better to view facts in no spirit of bitterness, but with human charity: he produced such a rapid and generous revulsion of feeling in the Assembly, that they remained for long displeased with those of his political opponents who had joined in the attack on him, and as to the immediate future adopted Aratus' opinion in every matter.
This took place in the previous Olympiad; what follows falls in the 140th.