Polybius, Histories

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Book 4 - Chapter 54

1
<w lemma="ne%2Fwn">νέων</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29nexei%2Frisan">ἐνεχείρισαν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Aknwsi%2Fois">Κνωσίοις</w>. <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Alutti%2Fwn">Λυττίων</w> <w lemma="e%29cwdeuko%2Ftwn">ἐξωδευκότων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fan">πολεμίαν</w> <w lemma="pandhmei%2F">πανδημεί</w>, <w lemma="sunnoh%2Fsantes">συννοήσαντες</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Aknw%2Fsioi">Κνώσιοι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gegono%5Cs">γεγονὸς</w> <w lemma="katalamba%2Fnontai">καταλαμβάνονται</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Alu%2Ftton">Λύττον</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Frhmon">ἔρημον</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dsan">οὖσαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="bohqhso%2Fntwn:">βοηθησόντων·</w>
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="te%2Fkna">τέκνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="gunai%3Dkas">γυναῖκας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Aknwso%5Cn">Κνωσὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fpemyan">ἀπέπεμψαν</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29mprh%2Fsantes">ἐμπρήσαντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kataska%2Fyantes">κατασκάψαντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="lwbhsa%2Fmenoi">λωβησάμενοι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> <w lemma="e%29panh%3Dlqon">ἐπανῆλθον</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Alu%2Fttioi">Λύττιοι</w> <w lemma="parageno%2Fmenoi">παραγενόμενοι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29codei%2Fas">ἐξοδείας</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunqeasa%2Fmenoi">συνθεασάμενοι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sumbebhko%2Fs">συμβεβηκός</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="peripaqei%3Ds">περιπαθεῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29ge%2Fnonto">ἐγένοντο</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="yuxai%3Ds">ψυχαῖς</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="mhd%27">μηδ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29selqei%3Dn">εἰσελθεῖν</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fna">μηδένα</w> <w lemma="tolmh%3Dsai">τολμῆσαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="paro%2Fntwn">παρόντων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fda:">πατρίδα·</w>
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<w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="periporeuqe%2Fntes">περιπορευθέντες</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="ku%2Fklw%7C">κύκλῳ</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="a%29noimw%2Fcantes">ἀνοιμώξαντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="katolofura%2Fmenoi">κατολοφυράμενοι</w> <w lemma="th%2Fn">τήν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdos">πατρίδος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhn">τύχην</w>, <w lemma="au%29%3Dqis">αὖθις</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29nastrofh%3Ds">ἀναστροφῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29panh%3Dlqon">ἐπανῆλθον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Alappai%2Fwn">Λαππαίων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w>.
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<w lemma="filanqrw%2Fpws">φιλανθρώπως</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="proqumi%2Fas">προθυμίας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Alappai%2Fwn">Λαππαίων</w> <w lemma="u%28podecame%2Fnwn">ὑποδεξαμένων</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtoi">οὗτοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29nti%5C">ἀντὶ</w> <w lemma="politw%3Dn">πολιτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Flides">ἀπόλιδες</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fra%7C">ἡμέρᾳ</w> <w lemma="mia%3D%7C">μιᾷ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ce%2Fnoi">ξένοι</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Ftes">γεγονότες</w> <w lemma="e%29pole%2Fmoun">ἐπολέμουν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Aknwsi%2Fous">Κνωσίους</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxois">συμμάχοις</w>.
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<w lemma="%2Alu%2Fttos">Λύττος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fwn">Λακεδαιμονίων</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fpoikos">ἄποικος</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dsa">οὖσα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="suggenh%2Fs">συγγενής</w>, <w lemma="a%29rxaiota%2Fth">ἀρχαιοτάτη</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Akrh%2Fthn">Κρήτην</w> <w lemma="po%2Flewn">πόλεων</w>, <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28mologoume%2Fnws">ὁμολογουμένως</w> <w lemma="a%29ri%2Fstous">ἀρίστους</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="tre%2Ffousa">τρέφουσα</w> <w lemma="%2Akrhtaie%2Fwn">Κρηταιέων</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frdhn">ἄρδην</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paralo%2Fgws">παραλόγως</w> <w lemma="a%29nhrpa%2Fsqh">ἀνηρπάσθη</w>.
At about the same time the Lyttians having left with their whole force for an expedition into the enemy\'s country, the Cnossians getting word of it seized on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Lyttus&groupId=721&placeId=1323">Lyttus</a> which was left without defenders,
and having sent off the women and children to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cnossus&groupId=482&placeId=904">Cnossus</a>, and burnt, demolished, and in every way they could wrecked the town, returned home.
When the Lyttians came back to their city from the expedition and saw what had happened, they were so much affected that none of them had the heart even to enter his native town, but one and all after marching round it and many times bewailing and lamenting the fate of their country and themselves, turned their backs on it and retired to Lappa.
The Lappaeans received them with the utmost kindness and cordiality; and thus having become in one day cityless aliens instead of citizens they went on fighting against <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cnossus&groupId=482&placeId=904">Cnossus</a> with the other allies.
Thus was <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Lyttus&groupId=721&placeId=1323">Lyttus</a>, a colony of the Spartans and allied to them by blood, the most ancient city in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Crete&groupId=505&placeId=949">Crete</a>, and ever, as all acknowledged, the breeding-place of her bravest men, utterly and unexpectedly made away with.