Polybius, Histories

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Book 4 - Chapter 30

1
<w lemma="%2A%28o">Ὁ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="%2Afi%2Flippos">Φίλιππος</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="die%2Ftriben">διέτριβεν</w>. <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29capostale%2Fntes">ἐξαποσταλέντες</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fsbeis">πρέσβεις</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxous">συμμάχους</w>, <w lemma="a%29fiko%2Fmenoi">ἀφικόμενοι</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29akarnani%2Fan">Ἀκαρνανίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29netu%2Fgxanon">ἐνετύγχανον</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29akarna%3Dnes">Ἀκαρνᾶνες</w> <w lemma="to%2F">τό</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="do%2Fgma">δόγμα</w> <w lemma="gnhsi%2Fws">γνησίως</w> <w lemma="sunepeku%2Frwsan">συνεπεκύρωσαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="e%29ch%2Fnegkan">ἐξήνεγκαν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twloi%3Ds:">Αἰτωλοῖς·</w> <w lemma="kai%2Fper">καίπερ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tisin">τισιν</w> <w lemma="e%28te%2Frois">ἑτέροις</w>, <w lemma="di%2Fkaion">δίκαιον</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmhn">συγγνώμην</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein">ἔχειν</w>, <w lemma="u%28pertiqeme%2Fnois">ὑπερτιθεμένοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="katame%2Fllousi">καταμέλλουσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="dedio%2Fsi">δεδιόσι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29stugeito%2Fnwn">ἀστυγειτόνων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>,
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="parakei%3Dsqai">παρακεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="suntermonou%3Dntas">συντερμονοῦντας</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlw%3Dn">Αἰτωλῶν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fra%7C">χώρᾳ</w>, <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="eu%29xeirw%2Ftous">εὐχειρώτους</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgiston">μέγιστον</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mikroi%3Ds">μικροῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmprosqen">ἔμπροσθεν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnois">χρόνοις</w> <w lemma="pei%3Dran">πεῖραν</w> <w lemma="ei%29lhfe%2Fnai">εἰληφέναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="deinota%2Ftwn">δεινοτάτων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlou%5Cs">Αἰτωλοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fxqeian">ἀπέχθειαν</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29lla%2F">ἀλλά</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dsin">δοκοῦσιν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="gnh%2Fsioi">γνήσιοι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</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="ou%29de%2Fpote">οὐδέποτε</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fonos">πλείονος</w> <w lemma="ou%29qe%5Cn">οὐθὲν</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kaqh%2Fkontos:">καθήκοντος·</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fper">ὅπερ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29akarna%3Dnes">Ἀκαρνᾶνες</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fstois">πλείστοις</w> <w lemma="kairoi%3Ds">καιροῖς</w> <w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellh%2Fnwn">Ἑλλήνων</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Dtton">ἧττον</w> <w lemma="eu%28ri%2Fskontai">εὑρίσκονται</w> <w lemma="diatethrhko%2Ftes">διατετηρηκότες</w>, <w lemma="kai%2Fper">καίπερ</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="mikra%3Ds">μικρᾶς</w> <w lemma="o%28rmw%2Fmenoi">ὁρμώμενοι</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="o%29knhte%2Fon">ὀκνητέον</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="perista%2Fseis">περιστάσεις</w> <w lemma="koinwnei%3Dn">κοινωνεῖν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w>, <w lemma="speuste%2Fon">σπευστέον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tisin">τισιν</w> <w lemma="e%28te%2Frois">ἑτέροις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellh%2Fnwn:">Ἑλλήνων·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fa%7C">ἰδίᾳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="koinh%3D%7C">κοινῇ</w> <w lemma="sta%2Fsimon">στάσιμον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxousi%2F">ἔχουσί</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fileleu%2Fqeron">φιλελεύθερον</w>.
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<w lemma="%2A%29hpeirw%3Dtai">Ἠπειρῶται</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="paraqe%2Fsews">παραθέσεως</w> <w lemma="diakou%2Fsantes">διακούσαντες</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fsbewn">πρέσβεων</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="do%2Fgma">δόγμα</w> <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fws">παραπλησίως</w> <w lemma="e%29peku%2Frwsan">ἐπεκύρωσαν</w>, <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="e%29kfe%2Frein">ἐκφέρειν</w> <w lemma="e%29yhfi%2Fsanto">ἐψηφίσαντο</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twloi%3Ds">Αἰτωλοῖς</w>, <w lemma="e%29peida%5Cn">ἐπειδὰν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Afi%2Flippos">Φίλιππος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29cene%2Fgkh%7C">ἐξενέγκῃ</w>.
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<w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlw%3Dn">Αἰτωλῶν</w> <w lemma="presbeutai%3Ds">πρεσβευταῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29pekri%2Fqhsan">ἀπεκρίθησαν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="de%2Fdoktai">δέδοκται</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29hpeirw%2Ftais">Ἠπειρώταις</w> <w lemma="diathrei%3Dn">διατηρεῖν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fnhn">εἰρήνην</w>, <w lemma="a%29gennw%3Ds">ἀγεννῶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="poiki%2Flws">ποικίλως</w> <w lemma="xrw%2Fmenoi">χρώμενοι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasin">πράγμασιν</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29pesta%2Flhsan">ἀπεστάλησαν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fa">βασιλέα</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Don">Πτολεμαῖον</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fsbeis">πρέσβεις</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="parakale%2Fsontes">παρακαλέσοντες</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fmata">χρήματα</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fmpein">πέμπειν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twloi%3Ds">Αἰτωλοῖς</w> <w lemma="mh%2Ft%27">μήτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllo">ἄλλο</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="xorhgei%3Dn">χορηγεῖν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Afili%2Fppou">Φιλίππου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w>
Philip, then, was thus occupied. Meanwhile the envoys sent to the allies proceeded first to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Acarnania&groupId=270&placeId=527">Acarnania</a> and communicated with the people.
The Acarnanians acted with perfect straightforwardness, confirming the decree and agreeing to make war on the Aetolians from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Acarnania&groupId=270&placeId=527">Acarnania</a> although they, if any people, might have been excused for deferring and hesitating and generally for dreading a war with a neighbouring state,
and this for three reasons: the first being the immediate neighbourhood of Aetolia, the next and more important, their military weakness when isolated, but the gravest of all, the terrible suffering they had recently undergone owing to their hostility to the Aetolians.
But really straight and honourable men, both in public and private, value, I think, no considerations above their duty, and this principle the Acarnanians are found to have mentioned on most occasions more firmly than any other people in Greece, although their resources were but slender.
No one, then, should hesitate to seek the alliance of this people in a crisis; rather it should be embraced with more eagerness than that of any other Greek people; for both in public and in private they are characterized by steadfastness and love of liberty.
The Epirots, on the contrary, after receiving the envoys, while they also confirmed the decree and voted to make war on the Aetolians as soon as King Philip himself took the field, in their reply to the Aetolian embassy stated that they had passed a resolution to maintain peace with them, thus playing a part as ignoble as it was double-faced.
Envoys were also sent to King Ptolemy requesting him neither to send funds to the Aetolians, nor to furnish them with any other supplies for use against Philip and the allies.