Polybius, Histories

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Book 4 - Chapter 56

1
<w lemma="%2Ata%5C">Τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Akrh%2Fthn">Κρήτην</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn:">ἦν·</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Amiqrida%2Fths">Μιθριδάτης</w> <w lemma="e%29ch%2Fnegke">ἐξήνεγκε</w> <w lemma="%2Asinwpeu%3Dsi">Σινωπεῦσι</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>, <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5C">ἀρχὴ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Ffasis">πρόφασις</w> <w lemma="e%29ge%2Fneto">ἐγένετο</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="a%29xqei%2Fshs">ἀχθείσης</w> <w lemma="a%29tuxi%2Fas">ἀτυχίας</w> <w lemma="%2Asinwpeu%3Dsin">Σινωπεῦσιν</w>.
2
<w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="presbeusa%2Fntwn">πρεσβευσάντων</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodi%2Fous">Ῥοδίους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parakalou%2Fntwn">παρακαλούντων</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn">βοηθεῖν</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fdoce">ἔδοξε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodi%2Fois">Ῥοδίοις</w> <w lemma="proxeiri%2Fsasqai">προχειρίσασθαι</w> <w lemma="trei%3Ds">τρεῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dou%3Dnai">δοῦναι</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="draxmw%3Dn">δραχμῶν</w> <w lemma="dekate%2Fttaras">δεκατέτταρας</w> <w lemma="muria%2Fdas">μυριάδας</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="labo%2Fntas">λαβόντας</w> <w lemma="paraskeua%2Fsai">παρασκευάσαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fan">χρείαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pith%2Fdeia">ἐπιτήδεια</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Asinwpeu%3Dsin">Σινωπεῦσιν</w>.
3
<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="katastaqe%2Fntes">κατασταθέντες</w> <w lemma="h%28toi%2Fmasan">ἡτοίμασαν</w> <w lemma="oi%29%2Fnou">οἴνου</w> <w lemma="kera%2Fmia">κεράμια</w> <w lemma="mu%2Fria">μύρια</w>, <w lemma="trixo%5Cs">τριχὸς</w> <w lemma="ei%29rgasme%2Fnhs">εἰργασμένης</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="triako%2Fsia">τριακόσια</w>, <w lemma="neu%2Frwn">νεύρων</w> <w lemma="ei%29rgasme%2Fnwn">εἰργασμένων</w> <w lemma="e%28kato%5Cn">ἑκατὸν</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w>, <w lemma="panopli%2Fas">πανοπλίας</w> <w lemma="xili%2Fas">χιλίας</w>, <w lemma="xrusou%3Ds">χρυσοῦς</w> <w lemma="e%29pish%2Fmous">ἐπισήμους</w> <w lemma="trisxili%2Fous">τρισχιλίους</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="liqofo%2Frous">λιθοφόρους</w> <w lemma="te%2Fttaras">τέτταρας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29fe%2Ftas">ἀφέτας</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w>.
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<w lemma="a%28%5C">ἃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="labo%2Fntes">λαβόντες</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Asinwpe%2Fwn">Σινωπέων</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fsbeis">πρέσβεις</w> <w lemma="e%29panh%3Dlqon">ἐπανῆλθον</w>. <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Asinwpei%3Ds">Σινωπεῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="a%29gwni%2Fa%7C">ἀγωνίᾳ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="poliorkei%3Dn">πολιορκεῖν</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Amiqrida%2Fths">Μιθριδάτης</w> <w lemma="e%29gxeirh%2Fsh%7C">ἐγχειρήσῃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="gh%3Dn">γῆν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan:">θάλατταν·</w> <w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="paraskeua%5Cs">παρασκευὰς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="e%29poiou%3Dnto">ἐποιοῦντο</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w>.
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<w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Asinw%2Fph">Σινώπη</w> <w lemma="kei%3Dtai">κεῖται</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="decioi%3Ds">δεξιοῖς</w> <w lemma="me%2Fresi">μέρεσι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Apo%2Fntou">Πόντου</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Afa%3Dsin">Φᾶσιν</w> <w lemma="plou%3Dn">πλοῦν</w>, <w lemma="oi%29kei%3Dtai">οἰκεῖται</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2F">ἐπί</w> <w lemma="tinos">τινος</w> <w lemma="xerronh%2Fsou">χερρονήσου</w> <w lemma="proteinou%2Fshs">προτεινούσης</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Flagos">πέλαγος</w>, <w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="au%29xe%2Fna">αὐχένα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="suna%2Fptonta">συνάπτοντα</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asi%2Fan">Ἀσίαν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fs">ὅς</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Don">πλεῖον</w> <w lemma="duei%3Dn">δυεῖν</w> <w lemma="stadi%2Fwn">σταδίων</w>, <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flis">πόλις</w> <w lemma="e%29pikeime%2Fnh">ἐπικειμένη</w> <w lemma="diaklei%2Fei">διακλείει</w> <w lemma="kuri%2Fws:">κυρίως·</w>
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xerronh%2Fsou">χερρονήσου</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fkeitai">πρόκειται</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Flagos">πέλαγος</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fpedon">ἐπίπεδον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paneue%2Ffodon">πανευέφοδον</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w>, <w lemma="ku%2Fklw%7C">κύκλῳ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="qala%2Ftths">θαλάττης</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Ftomon">ἀπότομον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dusproso%2Frmiston">δυσπροσόρμιστον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pantelw%3Ds">παντελῶς</w> <w lemma="o%29li%2Fgas">ὀλίγας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxon">ἔχον</w> <w lemma="prosba%2Fseis">προσβάσεις</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="a%29gwniw%3Dntes">ἀγωνιῶντες</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Asinwpei%3Ds">Σινωπεῖς</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fpote">μήποτε</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asi%2Fas">Ἀσίας</w> <w lemma="pleura%5Cn">πλευρὰν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Amiqrida%2Fths">Μιθριδάτης</w> <w lemma="susthsa%2Fmenos">συστησάμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frga">ἔργα</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fnanti">ἀπέναντι</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="poihsa%2Fmenos">ποιησάμενος</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Fbasin">ἀπόβασιν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="o%28malou%5Cs">ὁμαλοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28perkeime%2Fnous">ὑπερκειμένους</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w>, <w lemma="e%29gxeirh%2Fsh%7C">ἐγχειρήσῃ</w> <w lemma="poliorkei%3Dn">πολιορκεῖν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%2Fs">αὐτούς</w>,
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<w lemma="e%29peba%2Flonto">ἐπεβάλοντο</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xerronh%2Fsou">χερρονήσου</w> <w lemma="ku%2Fklw%7C">κύκλῳ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="nhsi%2Fzon">νησίζον</w> <w lemma="o%29xurou%3Dn">ὀχυροῦν</w>, <w lemma="a%29postaurou%3Dntes">ἀποσταυροῦντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="perixarakou%3Dntes">περιχαρακοῦντες</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="qala%2Ftths">θαλάττης</w> <w lemma="prosba%2Fseis">προσβάσεις</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="be%2Flh">βέλη</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="stratiw%2Ftas">στρατιώτας</w> <w lemma="tiqe%2Fntes">τιθέντες</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="eu%29kai%2Frous">εὐκαίρους</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn:">τόπων·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="polu%2F">πολύ</w>, <w lemma="tele%2Fws">τελέως</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="eu%29katakra%2Fthton">εὐκατακράτητον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="me%2Ftrion">μέτριον</w>.
Such was the state of affairs in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Crete&groupId=505&placeId=949">Crete</a>. At the same period Mithridates too went to war with <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sinope&groupId=978&placeId=1730">Sinope</a>, and this proved as it were the beginning and first occasion of the misfortunes which finally befell this city.
The Sinopeans sent an embassy to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a> begging for assistance towards this war and the Rhodians passed a decree to appoint three commissioners and to place in their hands a sum of 140,000 drachmae on receiving which they were to supply the requirements of the Sinopeans.
The commissioners got ready ten thousand jars of wine, three hundred talents of prepared hair, a hundred talents of prepared bow-string, a thousand complete suits of armour, three thousand gold pieces, and four catapults with their artillerymen,
on receiving which the Sinopean envoys returned home. These things were sent because the Sinopeans were in great dread of Mithridates undertaking the siege of the city by land and sea, and they therefore were making all their preparations with this view.
<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sinope&groupId=978&placeId=1730">Sinope</a> lies on the southern shore of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pontus&groupId=910&placeId=1634">Pontus</a> on the route to the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Phasis&groupId=882&placeId=1590">Phasis</a> and is situated on a peninsula running out to the open sea. The neck of this peninsula connecting it with Asia is not more than two stades in width and is absolutely closed by the city which is situated upon it;
the rest of the peninsula runs out to the open sea and is flat and affords an easy approach to the town, but on its sea face it is very seep, difficult to anchor off, and with very few approaches from the sea.The Sinopeans were fearful lest Mithridates should lay siege to them by throwing up works on the side of the city next Asia, while at the same time effecting a disembarkation on the opposite side and occupying the flat ground overlooking the city;
and consequently they busied themselves with strengthening all round that part of the peninsula which was washed by the sea, blocking up the approaches from the sea by means of stakes and stockades and placing soldiers and stores of missiles at suitable spots, the whole peninsula being of no great size but quite easily defensible by a moderate force.