Polybius, Histories

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Book 5 - Chapter 110

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<w lemma="%2A%29apollwni%2Fas">Ἀπολλωνίας</w>. <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="suneggi%2Fzontos">συνεγγίζοντος</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aw%3D%7Con">Ἀῷον</w> <w lemma="potamo%5Cn">ποταμὸν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="r%28ei%3D">ῥεῖ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29apollwniatw%3Dn">Ἀπολλωνιατῶν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w>, <w lemma="e%29mpi%2Fptei">ἐμπίπτει</w> <w lemma="paniko%5Cn">πανικὸν</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsion">παραπλήσιον</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ginome%2Fnois">γινομένοις</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pezikw%3Dn">πεζικῶν</w> <w lemma="stratope%2Fdwn">στρατοπέδων</w>.
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<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ou%29ragi%2Fas">οὐραγίας</w> <w lemma="pleo%2Fntwn">πλεόντων</w> <w lemma="tine%5Cs">τινὲς</w> <w lemma="le%2Fmboi">λέμβοι</w>, <w lemma="kaqormisqe%2Fntes">καθορμισθέντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="nh%3Dson">νῆσον</w>, <w lemma="h%28%5C">ἣ</w> <w lemma="kalei%3Dtai">καλεῖται</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Asa%2Fswn">Σάσων</w>, <w lemma="kei%3Dtai">κεῖται</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29sbolh%5Cn">εἰσβολὴν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29io%2Fnion">Ἰόνιον</w> <w lemma="po%2Fron">πόρον</w>, <w lemma="h%28%3Dkon">ἧκον</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="nu%2Fkta">νύκτα</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Afi%2Flippon">Φίλιππον</w>, <w lemma="fa%2Fskontes">φάσκοντες</w> <w lemma="sunwrmhke%2Fnai">συνωρμηκέναι</w> <w lemma="tina%5Cs">τινὰς</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="ple%2Fontas">πλέοντας</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="porqmou%3D">πορθμοῦ</w>,
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<w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29pagge%2Fllein">ἀπαγγέλλειν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="katalei%2Fpoien">καταλείποιεν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rhgi%2Fw%7C">Ῥηγίῳ</w> <w lemma="penth%2Freis">πεντήρεις</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai+ka%5Cs">Ῥωμαϊκὰς</w> <w lemma="pleou%2Fsas">πλεούσας</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29apollwni%2Fas">Ἀπολλωνίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Askerdilai+%2Fdan">Σκερδιλαΐδαν</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Afi%2Flippos">Φίλιππος</w>, <w lemma="u%28polabw%5Cn">ὑπολαβὼν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fpw">οὔπω</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="sto%2Flon">στόλον</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="parei%3Dnai">παρεῖναι</w>, <w lemma="peri%2Ffobos">περίφοβος</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenos">γενόμενος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="a%29naspa%2Fsas">ἀνασπάσας</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29gku%2Fras">ἀγκύρας</w> <w lemma="au%29%3Dtis">αὖτις</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%29pi%2Fsw">τοὐπίσω</w> <w lemma="parh%2Fggeile">παρήγγειλε</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dn">πλεῖν</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29deni%5C">οὐδενὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ko%2Fsmw%7C">κόσμῳ</w> <w lemma="poihsa%2Fmenos">ποιησάμενος</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nazugh%5Cn">ἀναζυγὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fploun">ἀνάπλουν</w> <w lemma="deuterai%3Dos">δευτεραῖος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Akefallhni%2Fan">Κεφαλληνίαν</w> <w lemma="kath%3Dre">κατῆρε</w>, <w lemma="sunexw%3Ds">συνεχῶς</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fran">ἡμέραν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nu%2Fkta">νύκτα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="plou%3Dn">πλοῦν</w> <w lemma="poiou%2Fmenos">ποιούμενος</w>.
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<w lemma="braxu%5C">βραχὺ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="qarrh%2Fsas">θαρρήσας</w> <w lemma="e%29ntau%3Dqa">ἐνταῦθα</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fmeine">κατέμεινε</w>, <w lemma="poiw%3Dn">ποιῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmfasin">ἔμφασιν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2F">ἐπί</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Apeloponnh%2Fsw%7C">Πελοποννήσῳ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcewn">πράξεων</w> <w lemma="e%29pestrofw%2Fs">ἐπεστροφώς</w>.
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<w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="yeudw%3Ds">ψευδῶς</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flon">ὅλον</w> <w lemma="fo%2Fbon">φόβον</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="au%29to%2Fn">αὐτόν</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="%2Askerdilai+%2Fdas">Σκερδιλαΐδας</w>, <w lemma="a%29kou%2Fwn">ἀκούων</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="xeimw%3Dna">χειμῶνα</w> <w lemma="le%2Fmbous">λέμβους</w> <w lemma="nauphgei%3Dsqai">ναυπηγεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Afi%2Flippon">Φίλιππον</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fous">πλείους</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prosdokw%3Dn">προσδοκῶν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w> <w lemma="parousi%2Fan">παρουσίαν</w>, <w lemma="diepe%2Fmpeto">διεπέμπετο</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="diasafw%3Dn">διασαφῶν</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parakalw%3Dn">παρακαλῶν</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn">βοηθεῖν</w>,
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="dekanai+%2Fan">δεκαναΐαν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Alilu%2Fbaion">Λιλύβαιον</w> <w lemma="e%29cape%2Fsteilan">ἐξαπέστειλαν</w> <w lemma="sto%2Flou">στόλου</w>, <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rh%2Fgion">Ῥήγιον</w> <w lemma="o%29fqei%3Dsan:">ὀφθεῖσαν·</w>
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<w lemma="h%28%5Cn">ἣν</w> <w lemma="%2Afi%2Flippos">Φίλιππος</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="ptohqei%5Cs">πτοηθεὶς</w> <w lemma="a%29lo%2Fgws">ἀλόγως</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffuge">ἔφυγε</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29illuri%2Fda">Ἰλλυρίδα</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcewn">πράξεων</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flist%27">μάλιστ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="kaqi%2Fketo">καθίκετο</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsais">πάσαις</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pinoi%2Fais">ἐπινοίαις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraskeuai%3Ds">παρασκευαῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fban">Ἀννίβαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aka%2Fnnan">Κάνναν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhn">μάχην</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="ploi%2Fwn">πλοίων</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="e%29gkrath%5Cs">ἐγκρατὴς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29gego%2Fnei">ἐγεγόνει</w>.
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<w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="diataraxqei%5Cs">διαταραχθεὶς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="prosaggeli%2Fas">προσαγγελίας</w> <w lemma="a%29blabh%3D">ἀβλαβῆ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="eu%29sxh%2Fmona">εὐσχήμονα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29poih%2Fsato">ἐποιήσατο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29naxw%2Frhsin">ἀναχώρησιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedoni%2Fan">Μακεδονίαν</w>.
Just as he was approaching the mouth of the river Aoüs, which runs past <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Apollonia&groupId=1066&placeId=1873">Apollonia</a>, his fleet was seized by a panic such as sometimes overtakes land forces.
For some of the galleys in the rear, which had anchored off an island called <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sason&groupId=949&placeId=1687">Sason</a> lying at the entrance to the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Ionian Sea&groupId=650&placeId=1190">Ionian Sea</a>, came in the night and informed Philip that some vessels which had crossed from the Sicilian Strait had anchored in the same roadstead
and announced to them that they had left at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhegium&groupId=927&placeId=1659">Rhegium</a> some Roman quinqueremes which were on their voyage to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Apollonia&groupId=1066&placeId=1873">Apollonia</a> to join Scerdilaïdas.
Philip, in the belief that the Roman fleet would be upon him in less than no time, was seized by fear, and at once weighed anchor and gave orders to sail back.
Quitting his anchorage and making the return voyage in thorough disorder he reached <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cephallenia&groupId=450&placeId=838">Cephallenia</a> on the second day, travelling continuously by day and night.
Plucking up a little courage he remained there pretending that he had returned to undertake some operations in the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a>.
As it turned out, the whole had been a false alarm.
For Scerdilaïdas, hearing that Philip had been building a considerable number of galleys in the winter and expecting him to arrive by sea, sent to inform the Romans and beg for help, upon which the Romans sent a squadron of ten ships from their fleet at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Lilybaeum&groupId=690&placeId=1261">Lilybaeum</a>, these being the ships that had been sighted off <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhegium&groupId=927&placeId=1659">Rhegium</a>.
Had Philip not taken alarm so absurdly and fled before this squadron,
now was the opportunity for him to make himself master of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Illyria&groupId=647&placeId=1186">Illyria</a>, the whole attention and all the resources of the Romans being concentrated on Hannibal and the situation after the battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cannae&groupId=430&placeId=797">Cannae</a>; and most probably the ships would have fallen into his hands also.
But as it was the news upset him so much, that he made his way back to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a> without suffering any loss indeed but that of prestige.