Polybius, Histories

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Book 6 - Chapter 10

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<w lemma="%2Anu%3Dn">Νῦν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="braxu%5C">βραχὺ</w> <w lemma="poihso%2Fmeqa">ποιησόμεθα</w> <w lemma="mnh%2Fmhn">μνήμην</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Alukou%2Frgou">Λυκούργου</w> <w lemma="nomoqesi%2Fas:">νομοθεσίας·</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29noi%2Fkeios">ἀνοίκειος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgos">λόγος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proqe%2Fsews">προθέσεως</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnos">ἐκεῖνος</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkasta">ἕκαστα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="sunnoh%2Fsas">συννοήσας</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkai%2Fws">ἀναγκαίως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fusikw%3Ds">φυσικῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29pitelou%2Fmena">ἐπιτελούμενα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sullogisa%2Fmenos">συλλογισάμενος</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Ddos">εἶδος</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w> <w lemma="a%28plou%3Dn">ἁπλοῦν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="mi%2Fan">μίαν</w> <w lemma="sunesthko%5Cs">συνεστηκὸς</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pisfale%5Cs">ἐπισφαλὲς</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai">γίνεται</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fan">οἰκείαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsei">φύσει</w> <w lemma="parepome%2Fnhn">παρεπομένην</w> <w lemma="e%29ktre%2Fpesqai">ἐκτρέπεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kaki%2Fan:">κακίαν·</w>
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<w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="sidh%2Frw%7C">σιδήρῳ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="i%29o%2Fs">ἰός</w>, <w lemma="cu%2Flois">ξύλοις</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="qri%3Dpes">θρῖπες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="terhdo%2Fnes">τερηδόνες</w> <w lemma="sumfuei%3Ds">συμφυεῖς</w> <w lemma="ei%29si">εἰσι</w> <w lemma="lu%3Dmai">λῦμαι</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w>, <w lemma="ka%29%5Cn">κἂν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fcwqen">ἔξωθεν</w> <w lemma="diafu%2Fgwsi">διαφύγωσι</w> <w lemma="bla%2Fbas">βλάβας</w>, <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="fqei%2Frontai">φθείρονται</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="suggenome%2Fnwn">συγγενομένων</w>,
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<w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="politeiw%3Dn">πολιτειῶν</w> <w lemma="suggenna%3Dtai">συγγεννᾶται</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsin">φύσιν</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fsth%7C">ἑκάστῃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pare%2Fpetai%2F">παρέπεταί</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="kaki%2Fa">κακία</w>, <w lemma="basilei%2Fa%7C">βασιλείᾳ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="monarxiko%5Cs">μοναρχικὸς</w> <w lemma="lego%2Fmenos">λεγόμενος</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpos">τρόπος</w>, <w lemma="a%29ristokrati%2Fa%7C">ἀριστοκρατίᾳ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="o%29ligarxi%2Fas">ὀλιγαρχίας</w>,
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<w lemma="dhmokrati%2Fa%7C">δημοκρατίᾳ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="qhriw%2Fdhs">θηριώδης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xeirokratiko%2Fs">χειροκρατικός</w>, <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Do%2Fn">οἷόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fna">προειρημένα</w> <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnw%7C">χρόνῳ</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="metasta%2Fseis">μεταστάσεις</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frti">ἄρτι</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w>.
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<w lemma="a%28%5C">ἃ</w> <w lemma="proi+do%2Fmenos">προϊδόμενος</w> <w lemma="%2Alukou%3Drgos">Λυκοῦργος</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="a%28plh%3Dn">ἁπλῆν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="monoeidh%3D">μονοειδῆ</w> <w lemma="sunesth%2Fsato">συνεστήσατο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fan">πολιτείαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w> <w lemma="o%28mou%3D">ὁμοῦ</w> <w lemma="sunh%2Fqroize">συνήθροιζε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29reta%5Cs">ἀρετὰς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="i%29dio%2Fthtas">ἰδιότητας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ri%2Fstwn">ἀρίστων</w> <w lemma="politeuma%2Ftwn">πολιτευμάτων</w>,
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<w lemma="i%28%2Fna">ἵνα</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="au%29cano%2Fmenon">αὐξανόμενον</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%2Fon">δέον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="sumfuei%3Ds">συμφυεῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29ktre%2Fphtai">ἐκτρέπηται</w> <w lemma="kaki%2Fas">κακίας</w>, <w lemma="a%29ntispwme%2Fnhs">ἀντισπωμένης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstou">ἑκάστου</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flwn">ἀλλήλων</w> <w lemma="mhdamou%3D">μηδαμοῦ</w> <w lemma="neu%2Fh%7C">νεύῃ</w> <w lemma="mhd%27">μηδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="katarre%2Fph%7C">καταρρέπῃ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29sorropou%3Dn">ἰσορροποῦν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="zugostatou%2Fmenon">ζυγοστατούμενον</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="diame%2Fnh%7C">διαμένῃ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29ntiploi%2Fas">ἀντιπλοίας</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="poli%2Fteuma">πολίτευμα</w>,
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<w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fas">βασιλείας</w> <w lemma="kwluome%2Fnhs">κωλυομένης</w> <w lemma="u%28perhfanei%3Dn">ὑπερηφανεῖν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dh%2Fmou">δήμου</w> <w lemma="fo%2Fbon">φόβον</w>, <w lemma="dedome%2Fnhs">δεδομένης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftw%7C">τούτῳ</w> <w lemma="meri%2Fdos">μερίδος</w> <w lemma="i%28kanh%3Ds">ἱκανῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fa%7C">πολιτείᾳ</w>,
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<w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dh%2Fmou">δήμου</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="qarrou%3Dntos">θαρροῦντος</w> <w lemma="katafronei%3Dn">καταφρονεῖν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fwn">βασιλέων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="gero%2Fntwn">γερόντων</w> <w lemma="fo%2Fbon">φόβον</w>, <w lemma="oi%28%5C">οἳ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29klogh%5Cn">ἐκλογὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29risti%2Fndhn">ἀριστίνδην</w> <w lemma="kekrime%2Fnoi">κεκριμένοι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmellon">ἔμελλον</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="dikai%2Fw%7C">δικαίῳ</w> <w lemma="prosne%2Fmein">προσνέμειν</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%2Fs">ἑαυτούς</w>,
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<w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29lattoume%2Fnwn">ἐλαττουμένων</w> <w lemma="meri%2Fda">μερίδα</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fqesin">ἔθεσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29mme%2Fnein">ἐμμένειν</w>, <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="mei%2Fzw">μείζω</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="barute%2Fran">βαρυτέραν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="gero%2Fntwn">γερόντων</w> <w lemma="proskli%2Fsei">προσκλίσει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="r%28oph%3D%7C">ῥοπῇ</w>.
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<w lemma="toigarou%3Dn">τοιγαροῦν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="susthsa%2Fmenos">συστησάμενος</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dston">πλεῖστον</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="h%28mei%3Ds">ἡμεῖς</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsmen">ἴσμεν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w> <w lemma="diefu%2Flace">διεφύλαξε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fois">Λακεδαιμονίοις</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29leuqeri%2Fan">ἐλευθερίαν</w>.
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%29ekei%3Dnos">Ἐκεῖνος</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgw%7C">λόγῳ</w> <w lemma="tini%5C">τινὶ</w> <w lemma="proi+do%2Fmenos">προϊδόμενος</w> <w lemma="po%2Fqen">πόθεν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkasta">ἕκαστα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="pe%2Ffuke">πέφυκε</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnein">συμβαίνειν</w>, <w lemma="a%29blabw%3Ds">ἀβλαβῶς</w> <w lemma="sunesth%2Fsato">συνεστήσατο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnhn">προειρημένην</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fan:">πολιτείαν·</w>
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<w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="tau%29to%5C">ταὐτὸ</w> <w lemma="pepoi%2Fhntai">πεποίηνται</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdi">πατρίδι</w> <w lemma="katasta%2Fsews">καταστάσεως</w>,
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgou">λόγου</w>, <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pollw%3Dn">πολλῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29gw%2Fnwn">ἀγώνων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w>, <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="peripetei%2Fais">περιπετείαις</w> <w lemma="e%29pignw%2Fsews">ἐπιγνώσεως</w> <w lemma="ai%28rou%2Fmenoi">αἱρούμενοι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="be%2Fltion">βέλτιον</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dlqon">ἦλθον</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%29to%5C">ταὐτὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Alukou%2Frgw%7C">Λυκούργῳ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w>, <w lemma="ka%2Flliston">κάλλιστον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fsthma">σύστημα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w> <w lemma="politeiw%3Dn">πολιτειῶν</w>. [<foreign lang="la">Cod. Urb. fol. 60 Exc. ant. p. 174.</foreign>]
At present I will give a brief account of the legislation of Lycurgus, a matter not alien to my present purpose.
Lycurgus had perfectly well understood that all the above changes take place necessarily and naturally, and had taken into consideration that every variety of constitution which is simple and formed on principle is precarious, as it is soon perverted into the corrupt form which is proper to it and naturally follows on it.
For just as rust in the case of iron and wood-worms and ship-worms in the case of timber are inbred pests, and these substances, even though they escape all external injury, fall a prey to the evils engendered in them, so each constitution has a vice engendered in it and inseparable from it. In kingship it is despotism, in aristocracy oligarchy,
and in democracy the savage rule of violence; and it is impossible, as I said above, that each of these should not in course of time change into this vicious form.
Lycurgus, then, foreseeing this, did not make his constitution simple and uniform, but united in it all the good and distinctive features of the best governments, so that none of the principles should grow unduly and be perverted into its allied evil, but that, the force of each being neutralized by that of the others, neither of them should prevail and outbalance another, but that the constitution should remain for long in a state of equilibrium like a well-trimmed boat, kingship being guarded from arrogance by the fear of the commons, who were given a sufficient share in the government, and the commons on the other hand not venturing to treat the kings with contempt from fear of the elders, who being selected from the best citizens would be sure all of them to be always on the side of justice;
so that that part of the state which was weakest owing to its subservience to traditional custom, acquired power and weight by the support and influence of the elders.
The consequence was that by drawing up his constitution thus he preserved liberty at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a> for a longer period than is recorded elsewhere.
Lycurgus then, foreseeing, by a process of reasoning, whence and how events naturally happen, constructed his constitution untaught by adversity,
but the Romans while they have arrived at the same final result as regards their form of government,
have not reached it by any process of reasoning, but by the discipline of many struggles and troubles, and always choosing the best by the light of the experience gained in disaster have thus reached the same result as Lycurgus, that is to say, the best of all existing constitutions.