Polybius, Histories

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Book 5 - Chapter 81

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<w lemma="%2Akata%5C">Κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="%2Aqeo%2Fdotos">Θεόδοτος</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlikh%3D%7C">Αἰτωλικῇ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fndrw%7C">ἀνάνδρῳ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29peba%2Fleto">ἐπεβάλετο</w> <w lemma="to%2Flmh%7C">τόλμῃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcei">πράξει</w>.
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<w lemma="suneidw%5Cs">συνειδὼς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="progegenhme%2Fnhs">προγεγενημένης</w> <w lemma="sumbiw%2Fsews">συμβιώσεως</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="ai%28%2Fresin">αἵρεσιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="di%2Faitan">δίαιταν</w> <w lemma="poi%2Fa">ποία</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29sporeu%2Fetai">εἰσπορεύεται</w> <w lemma="tri%2Ftos">τρίτος</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenos">γενόμενος</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28wqinh%5Cn">ἑωθινὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="xa%2Fraka">χάρακα</w>.
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<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fyin">ὄψιν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgnwstos">ἄγνωστος</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sko%2Ftos">σκότος</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29sqh%3Dta">ἐσθῆτα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllhn">ἄλλην</w> <w lemma="perikoph%5Cn">περικοπὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nepish%2Fmantos">ἀνεπισήμαντος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="poiki%2Flhn">ποικίλην</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="ka%29kei%2Fnwn">κἀκείνων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29stoxasme%2Fnos">ἐστοχασμένος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Frais">ἡμέραις</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="skhnh%3Ds">σκηνῆς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pantelw%3Ds">παντελῶς</w> <w lemma="su%2Fneggus">σύνεγγυς</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29krobolismou%2Fs">ἀκροβολισμούς</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Frmhse">ὥρμησε</w> <w lemma="qrase%2Fws">θρασέως</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29th%2Fn">αὐτήν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftous">πρώτους</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="dielqw%5Cn">διελθὼν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flaqe">ἔλαθε</w>,
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<w lemma="parapesw%5Cn">παραπεσὼν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="skhnh%2Fn">σκηνήν</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="xrhmati%2Fzein">χρηματίζειν</w> <w lemma="ei%29w%2Fqei">εἰώθει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="deipnei%3Dn">δειπνεῖν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%2Fs">βασιλεύς</w>, <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w> <w lemma="e%29reunh%2Fsas">ἐρευνήσας</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Ftuxe">ἀπέτυχε</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Don">Πτολεμαῖον</w> <w lemma="e%29kto%5Cs">ἐκτὸς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pifanou%3Ds">ἐπιφανοῦς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xrhmatistikh%3Ds">χρηματιστικῆς</w> <w lemma="skhnh%3Ds">σκηνῆς</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fpausin">ἀνάπαυσιν</w>,
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<w lemma="du%2Fo">δύο</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="koimwme%2Fnwn">κοιμωμένων</w> <w lemma="traumati%2Fsas">τραυματίσας</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="i%29atro%5Cn">ἰατρὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="%2A%29andre%2Fan">Ἀνδρέαν</w> <w lemma="a%29poktei%2Fnas">ἀποκτείνας</w>, <w lemma="a%29nexw%2Frhse">ἀνεχώρησε</w> <w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29sfalei%2Fas">ἀσφαλείας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%3D">ἑαυτοῦ</w> <w lemma="parembolh%2Fn">παρεμβολήν</w>, <w lemma="braxe%2Fa">βραχέα</w> <w lemma="qorubhqei%5Cs">θορυβηθεὶς</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frakos">χάρακος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fkptwsin">ἔκπτωσιν</w>,
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<w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%2Flmh%7C">τόλμῃ</w> <w lemma="suntetelekw%5Cs">συντετελεκὼς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fqesin">πρόθεσιν</w>, <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pronoi%2Fa%7C">προνοίᾳ</w> <w lemma="diesfalme%2Fnos">διεσφαλμένος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29chtake%2Fnai">ἐξητακέναι</w> <w lemma="pou%3D">ποῦ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fpausin">ἀνάπαυσιν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w> <w lemma="ei%29w%2Fqei">εἰώθει</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w>.
During this time Theodotus made a daring attempt, which, though characteristic of an Aetolian, showed no lack of courage.
As from his former intimacy with Ptolemy he was familiar with his tastes and habits, he entered the camp at early dawn with two others.
It was too dark for his face to be recognized, and there was nothing to attract attention in his dress and general appearance, as their army also was mixed.
He had noticed on previous days the position of the king's tent, as the skirmishes had come up quite near to the camp, and making boldly for it, he passed all the first guards without being noticed and,
bursting into the tent in which the king used to dine and transact business, searched everywhere. He failed indeed to find the king, who was in the habit of retiring to rest outside the principal and official tent,
but after wounding two of those who slept there and killing the king's physician Andreas, he returned in safety to his own camp, although slightly molested as he was leaving that of the enemy,
and thus as far as daring went accomplished his enterprise, but was foiled only by his lack of foresight in omitting to ascertain exactly where the king was in the habit of sleeping.