Polybius, Histories

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Book 5 - Chapter 33

1
<w lemma="%2Akai%2Ftoi">Καίτοι</w> <w lemma="g%27">γ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29gnow%3D">ἀγνοῶ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fous">πλείους</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteroi">ἕτεροι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="suggrafe%2Fwn">συγγραφέων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29moi%5C">ἐμοὶ</w> <w lemma="proei%3Dntai">προεῖνται</w> <w lemma="fwnh%2Fn">φωνήν</w>, <w lemma="fa%2Fskontes">φάσκοντες</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffein">γράφειν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fsthn">μεγίστην</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="progegono%2Ftwn">προγεγονότων</w> <w lemma="e%29pibeblh%3Dsqai">ἐπιβεβλῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="pragmatei%2Fan:">πραγματείαν·</w>
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<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="e%29gw%2F">ἐγώ</w>, <w lemma="paraithsa%2Fmenos">παραιτησάμενος</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Feforon">Ἔφορον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="e%29pibeblhme%2Fnon">ἐπιβεβλημένον</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffein">γράφειν</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgein">λέγειν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="mnhmoneu%2Fein">μνημονεύειν</w> <w lemma="tino%5Cs">τινὸς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%29no%2Fmatos">ὀνόματος</w> <w lemma="parh%2Fsw">παρήσω</w>,
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<w lemma="me%2Fxri">μέχρι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="mnhsqh%2Fsomai">μνησθήσομαι</w>, <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w> <w lemma="tines">τινες</w> <w lemma="grafo%2Fntwn">γραφόντων</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fan">ἱστορίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="trisi%5Cn">τρισὶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="te%2Fttarsin">τέτταρσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29chghsa%2Fmenoi">ἐξηγησάμενοι</w> <w lemma="seli%2Fsin">σελίσιν</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="fasi%5C">φασὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffein">γράφειν</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%2Ftoi">καίτοι</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dstai">πλεῖσται</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgistai">μέγισται</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="peri%2F">περί</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibhri%2Fan">Ἰβηρίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fhn">Λιβύην</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fan">Σικελίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fan">Ἰταλίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29petele%2Fsqhsan">ἐπετελέσθησαν</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w>, <w lemma="e%29pifane%2Fstatos">ἐπιφανέστατος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="poluxroniw%2Ftatos">πολυχρονιώτατος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fban">Ἀννίβαν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemos">πόλεμος</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fgone">γέγονε</w> <w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fan">Σικελίαν</w>, <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29nagka%2Fsqhmen">ἠναγκάσθημεν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29poble%2Fpein">ἀποβλέπειν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w>, <w lemma="dedio%2Ftes">δεδιότες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="sunte%2Fleian">συντέλειαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29pobhsome%2Fnwn">ἀποβησομένων</w>, <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="a%29dah%5Cs">ἀδαὴς</w> <w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="oi%29%3Dden">οἶδεν</w>;
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<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fnioi">ἔνιοι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragmateuome%2Fnwn">πραγματευομένων</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="xronografi%2Fais">χρονογραφίαις</w> <w lemma="u%28pomnhmatizo%2Fmenoi">ὑπομνηματιζόμενοι</w> <w lemma="politikw%3Ds">πολιτικῶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="toi%2Fxous">τοίχους</w>, <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dto">τοσοῦτο</w> <w lemma="mnhsqe%2Fntes">μνησθέντες</w>, <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w> <w lemma="fasi%5C">φασὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ella%2Fda">Ἑλλάδα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ba%2Frbaron">βάρβαρον</w> <w lemma="perieilhfe%2Fnai">περιειληφέναι</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Ftion">αἴτιον</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgw%7C">λόγῳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fstwn">μεγίστων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frgwn">ἔργων</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipoih%2Fsasqai">ἀντιποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="telei%2Fws">τελείως</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5C">ἐστὶ</w> <w lemma="r%28a%2F%7Cdion">ῥᾴδιον</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasin">πράγμασιν</w> <w lemma="e%29fike%2Fsqai">ἐφικέσθαι</w> <w lemma="tino%5Cs">τινὸς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Dn">καλῶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="eu%29mare%2Fs">εὐμαρές</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fsw%7C">μέσῳ</w> <w lemma="kei%3Dtai">κεῖται</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="koino%5Cn">κοινὸν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpos">ἔπος</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="tolma%3Dn">τολμᾶν</w> <w lemma="duname%2Fnois">δυναμένοις</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxei">ὑπάρχει</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="li%2Fan">λίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5C">ἐστὶ</w> <w lemma="spa%2Fnion">σπάνιον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="spani%2Fois">σπανίοις</w> <w lemma="sunece%2Fdrame">συνεξέδραμε</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w>.
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<w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="proh%2Fxqhn">προήχθην</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29lazonei%2Fas">ἀλαζονείας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28perhfanou%2Fntwn">ὑπερηφανούντων</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%5Cs">ἑαυτοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fas">ἰδίας</w> <w lemma="pragmatei%2Fas:">πραγματείας·</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pa%2Fneimi">ἐπάνειμι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29mautou%3D">ἐμαυτοῦ</w> <w lemma="proqe%2Fsews">προθέσεως</w>.
I am not indeed unaware that several other writers make the same boast as myself, that they write general history and have undertaken a vaster task than any predecessor.
Now, while paying all due deference to Ephorus, the first and only writer who really undertook a general history, I will avoid criticizing at length or mentioning by name any of the others, and will simply say this much, that certain writers of history in my own times after giving an account of the war between <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> in three or four pages, maintain that they write universal history.
Yet no one is so ignorant as not to know that many actions of the highest importance were accomplished then in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Spain&groupId=983&placeId=1735">Spain</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Africa&groupId=300&placeId=294">Africa</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a>, and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a>, that the war with Hannibal was the most celebrated and longest of wars if we except that for <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a>, and that we in Greece were all obliged to fix our eyes on it, dreading the results that would follow.
But some of those who treat of it, after giving a slighter sketch of it even than those worthy citizens who jot down occasional memoranda of events on the walls of their houses, claim to have comprised in their work all events in Greece and abroad.
This depends on the fact that it is a very simple matter to engage by words in the greatest undertakings, but by no means easy to attain actual excellence in anything.
Promise therefore is open to anyone and the common property of all, one may say, who have nothing beyond a little audacity, while performance is rare and falls to few in this life.
I have been led into making these remarks by the arrogance of those authors who extol themselves and their own writings, and I will now return to the subject I proposed to deal with.