Polybius, Histories

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Book 5 - Chapter 45

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<w lemma="kurieu%2Fwn">κυριεύων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w>, <w lemma="basilikh%5Cn">βασιλικὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29xou%2Fshs">ἐχούσης</w> <w lemma="peri%2Fstasin">περίστασιν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flai">πάλαι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="fobero%5Cs">φοβερὸς</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dpa">εἶπα</w>, <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="u%28peroxh%5Cn">ὑπεροχὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="dunastei%2Fas:">δυναστείας·</w>
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<w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="strathgw%3Dn">στρατηγῶν</w> <w lemma="dokou%2Fntwn">δοκούντων</w> <w lemma="parakexwrhke%2Fnai">παρακεχωρηκέναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pai%2Fqrwn">ὑπαίθρων</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fwn">ἰδίων</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmewn">δυνάμεων</w> <w lemma="e%29phrme%2Fnwn">ἐπηρμένων</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28rmai%3Ds">ὁρμαῖς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="proxwrei%3Dn">προχωρεῖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftas">πρώτας</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdas">ἐλπίδας</w>, <w lemma="tele%2Fws">τελέως</w> <w lemma="e%29do%2Fkei">ἐδόκει</w> <w lemma="fobero%5Cs">φοβερὸς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="a%29nupo%2Fstatos">ἀνυπόστατος</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asi%2Fan">Ἀσίαν</w> <w lemma="katoikou%3Dsi">κατοικοῦσι</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="e%29peba%2Fleto">ἐπεβάλετο</w> <w lemma="diaba%5Cs">διαβὰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Ati%2Fgrin">Τίγριν</w> <w lemma="poliorkei%3Dn">πολιορκεῖν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aseleu%2Fkeian:">Σελεύκειαν·</w>
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<w lemma="kwluqei%2Fshs">κωλυθείσης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="diaba%2Fsews">διαβάσεως</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Azeu%2Fcidos">Ζεύξιδος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="katalabe%2Fsqai">καταλαβέσθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pota%2Fmia">ποτάμια</w> <w lemma="ploi%3Da">πλοῖα</w>, <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> <w lemma="a%29naxwrh%2Fsas">ἀναχωρήσας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="%2Akthsifw%3Dnti">Κτησιφῶντι</w> <w lemma="legome%2Fnh%7C">λεγομένῃ</w> <w lemma="stratopedei%2Fan">στρατοπεδείαν</w> <w lemma="pareskeu%2Faze">παρεσκεύαζε</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmesi">δυνάμεσι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="paraxeimasi%2Fan">παραχειμασίαν</w>.
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%28o">Ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29kou%2Fsas">ἀκούσας</w> <w lemma="th%2Fn">τήν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Amo%2Flwnos">Μόλωνος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffodon">ἔφοδον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fwn">ἰδίων</w> <w lemma="strathgw%3Dn">στρατηγῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29naxw%2Frhsin">ἀναχώρησιν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Ftoimos">ἕτοιμος</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Amo%2Flwna">Μόλωνα</w> <w lemma="strateu%2Fein">στρατεύειν</w>, <w lemma="a%29posta%5Cs">ἀποστὰς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Don">Πτολεμαῖον</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%3Ds">ὁρμῆς</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="proi+%2Fesqai">προΐεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%2Fs:">καιρούς·</w>
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<w lemma="%2A%28ermei%2Fas">Ἑρμείας</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w>, <w lemma="thrw%3Dn">τηρῶν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fqesin">πρόθεσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Amo%2Flwna">Μόλωνα</w> <w lemma="%2Acenoi%2Ftan">Ξενοίταν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaio%5Cn">Ἀχαιὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fpemye">ἐξέπεμψε</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29tokra%2Ftora">αὐτοκράτορα</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w>, <w lemma="fh%2Fsas">φήσας</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29posta%2Ftas">ἀποστάτας</w> <w lemma="strathgoi%3Ds">στρατηγοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemei%3Dn">πολεμεῖν</w>, <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="basilei%3Ds">βασιλεῖς</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fa">βασιλέα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibola%5Cs">ἐπιβολὰς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w> <w lemma="a%29gw%3Dnas">ἀγῶνας</w>,
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<w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="h%28liki%2Fan">ἡλικίαν</w> <w lemma="u%28poxei%2Frion">ὑποχείριον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="neani%2Fskon">νεανίσκον</w> <w lemma="proh%3Dge">προῆγε</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunh%2Fqroize">συνήθροιζε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmeis">δυνάμεις</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29apa%2Fmeian:">Ἀπάμειαν·</w> <w lemma="e%29nteu%3Dqen">ἐντεῦθεν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29nazeu%2Fcas">ἀναζεύξας</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Dke">ἧκε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Alaodi%2Fkeian">Λαοδίκειαν</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29f%27">ἀφ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="poihsa%2Fmenos">ποιησάμενος</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%5Cn">ὁρμὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="stratia%3Ds">στρατιᾶς</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dielqw%5Cn">διελθὼν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frhmon">ἔρημον</w>, <w lemma="e%29ne%2Fbalen">ἐνέβαλεν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29lw%3Dna">αὐλῶνα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="prosagoreuo%2Fmenon">προσαγορευόμενον</w> <w lemma="%2Amarsu%2Fan">Μαρσύαν</w>,
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<w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="kei%3Dtai">κεῖται</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="metacu%5C">μεταξὺ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Ali%2Fbanon">Λίβανον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29antili%2Fbanon">Ἀντιλίβανον</w> <w lemma="parwrei%2Fas">παρωρείας</w>, <w lemma="suna%2Fgetai">συνάγεται</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="steno%5Cn">στενὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="o%29rw%3Dn">ὀρῶν</w>.
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<w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w>, <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="stenw%2Ftato%2Fs">στενώτατός</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w>, <w lemma="diei%2Frgesqai">διείργεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tena%2Fgesi">τενάγεσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w>
Molon therefore being master of the country, which might rank as a kingdom, was already, as I said sufficiently formidable owing to his superior power;
but now that the royal generals, as it seemed, had retired from the field before him, and that his own troops were in high spirits, owing to their expectation of success having been so far fulfilled, he seemed absolutely terrible and irresistible to all the inhabitants of Asia.
He first of all, therefore, formed the project of crossing the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tigris&groupId=255&placeId=510">Tigris</a> and laying siege to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Seleucia&groupId=233&placeId=484">Seleucia</a>,
but on being prevented from crossing by Zeuxis who had seized the river boats, he withdrew to his camp at Ctesiphon and made preparations for quartering his troops there during the winter.
The king, on hearing of Molon's advanced and the retreat of his own generals, was himself prepared to abandon the campaign against Ptolemy and take the field against Molon, thus not letting slip the time for action;
but Hermeias, adhering to his original design, sent Xenoetas the Achaean against Molon with an army to take the chief command; saying that to fight against rebels was the business of generals but that against kings the king himself should plan the operations and command in the decisive battles.
As he had the young king wholly subject to his influence, he set out and began to assemble his forces at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Apamea&groupId=340&placeId=660">Apamea</a>, from which he proceeded to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Laodicea&groupId=664&placeId=1215">Laodicea</a>.
From this town the king took the offensive with his whole army and crossing the desert entered the defile known as <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Marsyas&groupId=738&placeId=1350">Marsyas</a>,
which lies between the chains of Libanus and Antilibanus and affords a narrow passage between the two.
Just where it is narrowest it is broken by marshes and lakes from which the perfumed reed is cut,