Polybius, Histories

Layout
Translation

Book 4 - Chapter 31

1
<w lemma="summa%2Fxwn">συμμάχων</w>. <w lemma="%2Amessh%2Fnioi">Μεσσήνιοι</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemos">πόλεμος</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flabe">ἔλαβε</w>, <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="paragenome%2Fnois">παραγενομένοις</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29pekri%2Fqhsan">ἀπεκρίθησαν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Afigalei%2Fas">Φιγαλείας</w> <w lemma="keime%2Fnhs">κειμένης</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Frois">ὅροις</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tattome%2Fnhs">ταττομένης</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlou%5Cs">Αἰτωλοὺς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29pide%2Fcainto">ἐπιδέξαιντο</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>, <w lemma="pri%5Cn">πρὶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="a%29p%27">ἀπ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlw%3Dn">Αἰτωλῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29pospasqh%3Dnai">ἀποσπασθῆναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w>.
2
<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29pofa%2Fsews">ἀποφάσεως</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="kati%2Fsxusan">κατίσχυσαν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29damw%3Ds">οὐδαμῶς</w> <w lemma="eu%29dokou%2Fntwn">εὐδοκούντων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pollw%3Dn">πολλῶν</w>, <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlw%3Dn">Αἰτωλῶν</w> <w lemma="dedio%2Ftes">δεδιότες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="to%2Flman">τόλμαν</w> <w lemma="e%29foreu%2Fontes">ἐφορεύοντες</w> <w lemma="%2Aoi%29%3Dnis">Οἶνις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Ani%2Fkippos">Νίκιππος</w> <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tines">τινες</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteroi">ἕτεροι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29ligarxikw%3Dn">ὀλιγαρχικῶν</w>, <w lemma="a%29gnoou%3Dntes">ἀγνοοῦντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="parapai%2Fontes">παραπαίοντες</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%2Fontos">δέοντος</w> <w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29mh%5Cn">ἐμὴν</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmhn">γνώμην</w>.
3
<w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="fobero%5Cn">φοβερὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai%2F">εἶναί</w> <w lemma="fhmi">φημι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftw">οὕτω</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="fobero%5Cn">φοβερὸν</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pome%2Fnein">ὑπομένειν</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="prosde%2Fcasqai">προσδέξασθαι</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>.
4
<w lemma="e%29pei%5C">ἐπεὶ</w> <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qrasu%2Fnomen">θρασύνομεν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="i%29shgori%2Fan">ἰσηγορίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parrhsi%2Fan">παρρησίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29leuqeri%2Fas">ἐλευθερίας</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fnoma">ὄνομα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fstai">ἔσται</w> <w lemma="prourgiai%2Fteron">προυργιαίτερον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fnhs">εἰρήνης</w>;
5
<w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="%2Aqhbai%2Fous">Θηβαίους</w> <w lemma="e%29painou%3Dmen">ἐπαινοῦμεν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Amhdika%2F">Μηδικά</w>, <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ella%2Fdos">Ἑλλάδος</w> <w lemma="a%29posta%2Fntes">ἀποστάντες</w> <w lemma="kindu%2Fnwn">κινδύνων</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Apersw%3Dn">Περσῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%28%2Flonto">εἵλοντο</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="fo%2Fbon">φόβον</w>, <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Api%2Fndaron">Πίνδαρον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="sunapofhna%2Fmenon">συναποφηνάμενον</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgein">ἄγειν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="h%28suxi%2Fan">ἡσυχίαν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dnde">τῶνδε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="poihma%2Ftwn">ποιημάτων</w>,
6
<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="koino%2Fn">κοινόν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29stw%3Dn">ἀστῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="eu%29di%2Fa%7C">εὐδίᾳ</w> <w lemma="tiqei%5Cs">τιθεὶς</w> <w lemma="e%29reunasa%2Ftw">ἐρευνασάτω</w> <w lemma="megala%2Fnoros">μεγαλάνορος</w> <w lemma="h%28suxi%2Fas">ἡσυχίας</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="faidro%5Cn">φαιδρὸν</w> <w lemma="fa%2Fos">φάος</w>. <w lemma="do%2Fcas">δόξας</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="parauti%2Fka">παραυτίκα</w> <w lemma="piqanw%3Ds">πιθανῶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhke%2Fnai">εἰρηκέναι</w>,
7
<w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="ai%29sxi%2Fsthn">αἰσχίστην</w> <w lemma="eu%28re%2Fqh">εὑρέθη</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="blaberwta%2Fthn">βλαβερωτάτην</w> <w lemma="pepoihme%2Fnos">πεποιημένος</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Ffasin:">ἀπόφασιν·</w>
8
<w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fnh">εἰρήνη</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dikai%2Fou">δικαίου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fpontos">πρέποντος</w> <w lemma="ka%2Fllisto%2Fn">κάλλιστόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="kth%3Dma">κτῆμα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="lusitele%2Fstaton">λυσιτελέστατον</w>, <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kaki%2Fas">κακίας</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="deili%2Fas">δειλίας</w> <w lemma="e%29poneidi%2Fstou">ἐπονειδίστου</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Fsxiston">αἴσχιστον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="blaberw%2Ftaton">βλαβερώτατον</w>.
The Messenians, on whose account the war began, replied to the envoys sent to them, that seeing that Phigalea lay on their borders and was subject to the Aetolians, they would not undertake the war until this city had been detached from the Aetolians.
This resolution was by no means generally approved, but was forced through by the ephors Oenia and Nicippus and certain other members of the oligarchical party, who in my opinion were much mistaken and took a course which was far from being correct.
That war is a terrible thing I agree, but it is not so terrible that we should submit to anything in order to avoid it.
For why do we all vaunt our civic equality and liberty of speech and all that we mean by the word freedom, if nothing is more advantageous than peace?
We do not indeed praise the Thebans because at the time of the Persian invasion they deserted Greece in the hour of peril and took the side of the Persians from fear, nor do we praise Pindar for confirming them in their resolution to remain inactive by the verses
For though at the time this advice seemed plausible it was not long before the decision he recommended proved to be the source of the deepest disaster and disgrace.
Peace indeed, with justice and honour is the fairest and most profitable of possessions, but when joined with baseness and disgraceful cowardice, nothing is more infamous and hurtful.