Polybius, Histories

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Book 5 - Chapter 90

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<w lemma="paraplh%2Fsia">παραπλήσια</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="%2Aprousi%2Fas">Προυσίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Amiqrida%2Fths">Μιθριδάτης</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asi%2Fan">Ἀσίαν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntes">ὄντες</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fstai">δυνάσται</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w>, <w lemma="le%2Fgw">λέγω</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Alusani%2Fan">Λυσανίαν</w>, <w lemma="%2A%29olu%2Fmpixon">Ὀλύμπιχον</w>, <w lemma="%2Alimnai%3Don">Λιμναῖον</w>.
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<w lemma="ta%2Fs">τάς</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="sunepilambanome%2Fnas">συνεπιλαμβανομένας</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29cariqmh%2Fsaito">ἐξαριθμήσαιτο</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cdi%2Fws">ῥᾳδίως</w> <w lemma="ou%29dei%2Fs:">οὐδείς·</w>
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<w lemma="w%28%2Fsq%27">ὥσθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w> <w lemma="e%29mble%2Fyh%7C">ἐμβλέψῃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%2Fn">ἀρχήν</w>, <w lemma="a%29f%27">ἀφ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="sunw%7Cki%2Fsqai">συνῳκίσθαι</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="li%2Fan">λίαν</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fzein">θαυμάζειν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="braxei%3D">βραχεῖ</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnw%7C">χρόνῳ</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flhn">μεγάλην</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fdosin">ἐπίδοσιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Flhfe">εἴληφε</w> <w lemma="peri%2F">περί</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fous">βίους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="koina%5C">κοινὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews:">πόλεως·</w>
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<w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="eu%29kairi%2Fan">εὐκαιρίαν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpou">τόπου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fcwqen">ἔξωθεν</w> <w lemma="e%29pifora%5Cn">ἐπιφορὰν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumplh%2Frwsin">συμπλήρωσιν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="eu%29daimoni%2Fas">εὐδαιμονίας</w>, <w lemma="mhke%2Fti">μηκέτι</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fzein">θαυμάζειν</w>, <w lemma="mikrou%3D">μικροῦ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29llei%2Fpein">ἐλλείπειν</w> <w lemma="dokei%3Dn">δοκεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kaqh%2Fkontos">καθήκοντος</w>.
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Atau%3Dta">Ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fsqw">εἰρήσθω</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodi%2Fwn">Ῥοδίων</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="koina%5C">κοινὰ</w> <w lemma="prostasi%2Fas">προστασίας</w> — <w lemma="e%29pai%2Fnou">ἐπαίνου</w> <w lemma="ga%2Fr">γάρ</w> <w lemma="ei%29sin">εἰσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fcioi">ἄξιοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="zh%2Flou">ζήλου</w> — <w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fwn">βασιλέων</w> <w lemma="mikrodosi%2Fas">μικροδοσίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29qnw%3Dn">ἐθνῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flewn">πόλεων</w> <w lemma="mikrolhyi%2Fas">μικροληψίας</w>,
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<w lemma="i%28%2Fna">ἵνα</w> <w lemma="mhq%27">μηθ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="basilei%3Ds">βασιλεῖς</w> <w lemma="te%2Fttara">τέτταρα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fnte">πέντε</w> <w lemma="proi+e%2Fmenoi">προϊέμενοι</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="dokw%3Dsi%2F">δοκῶσί</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fga">μέγα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="zhtw%3Dsi">ζητῶσι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="eu%29%2Fnoian">εὔνοιαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="timh%5Cn">τιμὴν</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellh%2Fnwn">Ἑλλήνων</w>, <w lemma="h%28%5Cn">ἣν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basilei%3Ds">βασιλεῖς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxon">εἶχον</w>,
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<w lemma="ai%28%2F">αἵ</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnousai">λαμβάνουσαι</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="o%29fqalmw%3Dn">ὀφθαλμῶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="dwrew%3Dn">δωρεῶν</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="lanqa%2Fnwsin">λανθάνωσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="mikroi%3Ds">μικροῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="tuxou%3Dsi">τυχοῦσι</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fstas">μεγίστας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kalli%2Fstas">καλλίστας</w> <w lemma="proi+e%2Fmenai">προϊέμεναι</w> <w lemma="tima%2Fs">τιμάς</w>,
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<w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="peirw%3Dntai">πειρῶνται</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29ci%2Fan">ἀξίαν</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstois">ἑκάστοις</w> <w lemma="threi%3Dn">τηρεῖν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3D%7C">ᾧ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dston">πλεῖστον</w> <w lemma="diafe%2Frousin">διαφέρουσιν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhnes">Ἕλληνες</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpwn">ἀνθρώπων</w>.
Similar gifts were made by Prusias and Mithridates as well as by the other Asiatic princelets of the time, Lysanias, Olympichus, and Limnaeus.
As for towns which contributed, each according to its means, it would be difficult to enumerate them.
So that when one looks at the comparatively recent date of the foundation of the city of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a> and its small beginnings one is very much surprised at the rapid increase of public and private wealth which has taken place in so short a time;
but when one considers its advantageous position and the large influx from abroad of all required to supplement its own resources, one is no longer surprised, but thinks that the wealth of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a> fall short rather of what it should be.
I have said so much on this subject to illustrate in the first place the dignity with which the Rhodians conduct their public affairs — for in this respect they are worthy of all praise and imitation — and secondly the stinginess of the kings of the present day and the meanness of our states and cities, so that a king who gives away four or five talents may not fancy he has done anything very great and expect the same honour and the same affection from the Greeks that former kings enjoyed;
and secondly in order that cities, taking into consideration the value of the gifts formerly bestowed on them, may not now forget themselves so far as to lavish their greatest and most splendid distinctions for the sake of a few mean and paltry benefits,
but may endeavour to maintain the principle of estimating everything at its true value — a principle peculiarly distinctive of the Greek nation.