Polybius, Histories

Layout
Translation

Book 4 - Chapter 60

1
<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Adumai%3Doi">Δυμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Afaraiei%3Ds">Φαραιεῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Atritaiei%3Ds">Τριταιεῖς</w>, <w lemma="h%29lattwme%2Fnoi">ἠλαττωμένοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="boh%2Fqeian">βοήθειαν</w>, <w lemma="dedio%2Ftes">δεδιότες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllon">μέλλον</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="frouri%2Fou">φρουρίου</w> <w lemma="katalh%2Fyews">καταλήψεως</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpempon">ἔπεμπον</w> <w lemma="a%29gge%2Flous">ἀγγέλους</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w>, <w lemma="dhlou%3Dntes">δηλοῦντες</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Fta">γεγονότα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="deo%2Fmenoi">δεόμενοι</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn:">βοηθεῖν·</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29cape%2Fstellon">ἐξαπέστελλον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ciw%2Fsontas">ἀξιώσοντας</w>.
2
<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Faratos">Ἄρατος</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ceniko%5Cn">ξενικὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29du%2Fnato">ἐδύνατο</w> <w lemma="susth%2Fsasqai">συστήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Akleomeniko%5Cn">Κλεομενικὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="e%29lleloipe%2Fnai">ἐλλελοιπέναι</w> <w lemma="tina%5C">τινὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29ywni%2Fwn">ὀψωνίων</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiou%5Cs">Ἀχαιοὺς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frois">μισθοφόροις</w>, <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolai%3Ds">ἐπιβολαῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sullh%2Fbdhn">συλλήβδην</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmou">πολέμου</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasin">πράγμασιν</w> <w lemma="a%29to%2Flmws">ἀτόλμως</w> <w lemma="e%29xrh%3Dto">ἐχρῆτο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nwqrw%3Ds">νωθρῶς</w>.
3
<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2F">ὅ</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="%2Alukou%3Drgos">Λυκοῦργος</w> <w lemma="ei%28%3Dle">εἷλε</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Amegalopolitw%3Dn">Μεγαλοπολιτῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aqh%2Fnaion">Ἀθήναιον</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2F">ὅ</w> <w lemma="t%27">τ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29ripi%2Fdas">Εὐριπίδας</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhme%2Fnois">εἰρημένοις</w> <w lemma="%2Ago%2Frtunan">Γόρτυναν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Atelfousi%2Fas">Τελφουσίας</w>.
4
<w lemma="oi%28%2F">οἵ</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="%2Adumai%3Doi">Δυμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Afaraiei%3Ds">Φαραιεῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Atritaiei%3Ds">Τριταιεῖς</w>, <w lemma="duselpisth%2Fsantes">δυσελπιστήσαντες</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="strathgou%3D">στρατηγοῦ</w> <w lemma="bohqei%2Fais">βοηθείαις</w>, <w lemma="sunefro%2Fnhsan">συνεφρόνησαν</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flois">ἀλλήλοις</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="koina%5Cs">κοινὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29sfora%5Cs">εἰσφορὰς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="telei%3Dn">τελεῖν</w>,
5
<w lemma="i%29di%2Fa%7C">ἰδίᾳ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="susth%2Fsasqai">συστήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frous">μισθοφόρους</w>, <w lemma="pezou%5Cs">πεζοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="triakosi%2Fous">τριακοσίους</w>, <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="a%29sfali%2Fzesqai">ἀσφαλίζεσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w>.
6
<w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcantes">πράξαντες</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%5Cs">αὑτοὺς</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="e%29ndexome%2Fnws">ἐνδεχομένως</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdocan">ἔδοξαν</w> <w lemma="bebouleu%3Dsqai">βεβουλεῦσθαι</w>, <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="koinw%3Dn">κοινῶν</w> <w lemma="ta%29nanti%2Fa:">τἀναντία·</w> <w lemma="ponhra%3Ds">πονηρᾶς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29fo%2Fdou">ἐφόδου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="profa%2Fsews">προφάσεως</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="boulome%2Fnois">βουλομένοις</w> <w lemma="dialu%2Fein">διαλύειν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fqnos">ἔθνος</w> <w lemma="e%29do%2Fkoun">ἐδόκουν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxhgoi%5C">ἀρχηγοὶ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaqhgemo%2Fnes">καθηγεμόνες</w> <w lemma="gegone%2Fnai">γεγονέναι</w>.
7
<w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcews">πράξεως</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dston">πλεῖστον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fas">αἰτίας</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29nafe%2Froi">ἀναφέροι</w> <w lemma="dikai%2Fws">δικαίως</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="o%29ligwrou%3Dnta">ὀλιγωροῦντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="katame%2Fllonta">καταμέλλοντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="proi+e%2Fmenon">προϊέμενον</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="deome%2Fnous">δεομένους</w>.
8
<w lemma="pa%3Ds">πᾶς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="kinduneu%2Fwn">κινδυνεύων</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tinos">τινος</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdos">ἐλπίδος</w> <w lemma="a%29nte%2Fxhtai">ἀντέχηται</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fwn">οἰκείων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxwn">συμμάχων</w>, <w lemma="prosane%2Fxein">προσανέχειν</w> <w lemma="filei%3D">φιλεῖ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Ftais:">ταύταις·</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dusxrhstw%3Dn">δυσχρηστῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29pognw%3D%7C">ἀπογνῷ</w>, <w lemma="to%2Ft%27">τότ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn">βοηθεῖν</w> <w lemma="a%29nagka%2Fzeq%27">ἀναγκάζεθ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3D%7C">αὑτῷ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w>.
9
<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Atritaieu%3Dsi">Τριταιεῦσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Afaraieu%3Dsi">Φαραιεῦσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Adumai%2Fois">Δυμαίοις</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fa%7C">ἰδίᾳ</w> <w lemma="sunesth%2Fsanto">συνεστήσαντο</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frous">μισθοφόρους</w>, <w lemma="katame%2Fllontos">καταμέλλοντος</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fnos">ἡγεμόνος</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29gklhte%2Fon:">ἐγκλητέον·</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="koino%5Cn">κοινὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29sfora%5Cs">εἰσφορὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29pei%3Dpan">ἀπεῖπαν</w>, <w lemma="memyimoirhte%2Fon">μεμψιμοιρητέον</w>.
10
<w lemma="e%29xrh%3Dn">ἐχρῆν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fan">χρείαν</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="paralipei%3Dn">παραλιπεῖν</w>, <w lemma="eu%29kairou%3Dnta%2Fs">εὐκαιροῦντάς</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="duname%2Fnous">δυναμένους</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="koinh%5Cn">κοινὴν</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fan">πολιτείαν</w> <w lemma="di%2Fkaia">δίκαια</w> <w lemma="sunthrei%3Dn">συντηρεῖν</w>, <w lemma="a%29%2Fllws">ἄλλως</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="komidh%3Ds">κομιδῆς</w> <w lemma="u%28parxou%2Fshs">ὑπαρχούσης</w> <w lemma="a%29diaptw%2Ftou">ἀδιαπτώτου</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="koinou%5Cs">κοινοὺς</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmous">νόμους</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgiston">μέγιστον</w>, <w lemma="gegono%2Ftas">γεγονότας</w> <w lemma="a%29rxhgou%5Cs">ἀρχηγοὺς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="susth%2Fmatos">συστήματος</w>.
The Dymaeans, Pharaeans, and Tritaeans, thus worsted in their attack on the invaders and afraid of what might happen owing to the occupation of the fort, at first dispatched messengers to the strategus of the Achaeans informing him of what had occurred and begging for help, and subsequently sent a formal embassy with the same request.
Aratus could not get a foreign force together, as after the Cleomenic War the Achaeans had not paid their mercenaries in full, and in general he exhibited a great lack of daring and energy in his plans and his whole conduct of the war.
So that Lycurgus took the Athenaeum in the territory of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a>, and Euripidas, in addition to his previous successes, captured Gortyna in the territory of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Telphusa&groupId=1013&placeId=1783">Telphusa</a>.
Hereupon the peoples of Dyme, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pharae&groupId=878&placeId=1582">Pharae</a>, and Tritaea, despairing of help from the strategus, came to an agreement with each other to refuse to pay their contributions to the Achaean League and to collect a private mercenary force of three hundred foot and fifty horse with which to secure the safety of their lands.
In acting thus they were thought to have taken a proper course as regards their own affairs, but the reverse of this as regards the League; for they thus became the initiators and establishers of an evil precedent and pretext of which anyone who wished to dissolve the League could avail himself.
It is true that the greater part of the blame for this action of theirs rested on the Strategus, guilty as he was of habitual negligence, delay, and inattention to requests.
For everyone in the hour of danger, as long as he keeps up any hope of assistance from his allies and friends, reposes his confidence on this, but when he abandons it in his distress he is forced to do all in his power to help himself.
We should therefore not find fault with the Tritaeans, Pharaeans and Dymaeans for hiring a private force when the Head of their confederacy delayed to take action, but they must be blamed for refusing to pay their contribution to the League.
While duly considering their own interests, especially as they could well afford to do so, they should have observed their engagements to the League; especially as according to the common laws they were perfectly assured of recovery; and above all considering they were the actual founders of the Confederacy.