Polybius, Histories

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Book 7 - Chapter 14

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<w lemma="%2Aai%29twlou%5Cs">Αἰτωλοὺς</w> <w lemma="diaporei%3Dn">διαπορεῖν</w>. <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="o%28mologoume%2Fnwn">ὁμολογουμένων</w> <w lemma="eu%29mare%5Cs">εὐμαρὲς</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="sullogi%2Fsasqai">συλλογίσασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="diafora%5Cn">διαφορὰν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Frou">ἑκατέρου</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fsews">προαιρέσεως</w>.
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<w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="%2Afi%2Flippos">Φίλιππος</w> <w lemma="peisqei%5Cs">πεισθεὶς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ara%2Ftw%7C">Ἀράτῳ</w> <w lemma="diefu%2Flace">διεφύλαξε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Amesshni%2Fous">Μεσσηνίους</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin">πίστιν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fkran">ἄκραν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flw%7C">μεγάλῳ</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="lego%2Fmenon">λεγόμενον</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Flkei">ἕλκει</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="progegono%2Fti">προγεγονότι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="sfaga%5Cs">σφαγὰς</w> <w lemma="mikro%5Cn">μικρὸν</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fama">ἴαμα</w> <w lemma="prose%2Fqhken">προσέθηκεν</w>,
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<w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlou%5Cs">Αἰτωλοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmhtri%2Fw%7C">Δημητρίῳ</w> <w lemma="katakolouqh%2Fsas">κατακολουθήσας</w> <w lemma="h%29se%2Fbei">ἠσέβει</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="qeou%2Fs">θεούς</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kaqierwme%2Fna">καθιερωμένα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29naqhma%2Ftwn">ἀναθημάτων</w> <w lemma="diafqei%2Frwn">διαφθείρων</w>, <w lemma="h%28ma%2Frtane">ἡμάρτανε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpous">ἀνθρώπους</w>, <w lemma="u%28perbai%2Fnwn">ὑπερβαίνων</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmou">πολέμου</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmous">νόμους</w>, <w lemma="h%29sto%2Fxei">ἠστόχει</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sfete%2Fras">σφετέρας</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fsews">προαιρέσεως</w>, <w lemma="a%29parai%2Fthton">ἀπαραίτητον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pikro%5Cn">πικρὸν</w> <w lemma="e%28auto%5Cn">ἑαυτὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29podeiknu%2Fwn">ἀποδεικνύων</w> <w lemma="e%29xqro%5Cn">ἐχθρὸν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="diaferome%2Fnois">διαφερομένοις</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgos">λόγος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Akrh%2Fthn:">Κρήτην·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnwn">ἐκείνων</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ara%2Ftw%7C">Ἀράτῳ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kaqhgemo%2Fni">καθηγεμόνι</w> <w lemma="xrhsa%2Fmenos">χρησάμενος</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w>, <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="a%29dikh%2Fsas">ἀδικήσας</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="luph%2Fsas">λυπήσας</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fna">οὐδένα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="nh%3Dson">νῆσον</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fpantas">ἅπαντας</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxe">εἶχε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akrhtaiei%3Ds">Κρηταιεῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28poxeiri%2Fous">ὑποχειρίους</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fpantas">ἅπαντας</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhnas">Ἕλληνας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%28to%5Cn">αὑτὸν</w> <w lemma="eu%29%2Fnoian">εὔνοιαν</w> <w lemma="e%29ph%2Fgeto">ἐπήγετο</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="semno%2Fthta">σεμνότητα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fsews">προαιρέσεως</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%28%2Ftw">οὕτω</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pakolouqh%2Fsas">ἐπακολουθήσας</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmhtri%2Fw%7C">Δημητρίῳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parai%2Ftios">παραίτιος</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenos">γενόμενος</w> <w lemma="%2Amesshni%2Fois">Μεσσηνίοις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frti">ἄρτι</w> <w lemma="r%28hqe%2Fntwn">ῥηθέντων</w> <w lemma="a%29tuxhma%2Ftwn">ἀτυχημάτων</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxois">συμμάχοις</w> <w lemma="eu%29%2Fnoian">εὔνοιαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllois">ἄλλοις</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhsin">Ἕλλησιν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fbale">ἀπέβαλε</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin">πίστιν</w>.
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<w lemma="thlikau%2Fthn">τηλικαύτην</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ne%2Fois">νέοις</w> <w lemma="basileu%3Dsi">βασιλεῦσι</w> <w lemma="r%28oph%5Cn">ῥοπὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxei">ἔχει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29tuxi%2Fan">ἀτυχίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29pano%2Frqwsin">ἐπανόρθωσιν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="parepome%2Fnwn">παρεπομένων</w> <w lemma="fi%2Flwn">φίλων</w> <w lemma="e%29klogh%5C">ἐκλογὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fsis">κρίσις</w>, <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fous">πλείους</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="oi%29%3Dd%27">οἶδ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fpws">ὅπως</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cqumou%3Dntes">ῥᾳθυμοῦντες</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29laxi%2Fsthn">ἐλαχίστην</w> <w lemma="poiou%3Dntai">ποιοῦνται</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fnoian">πρόνοιαν</w>. [<foreign lang="la">Exc. Peir. p. 17 et inde a 327, 20</foreign><w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flhn">μεγάλην</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ne%2Fois">νέοις</w> <w lemma="b">β</w>. <foreign lang="la">Vat. p. 373 M. 26, 24 H.</foreign>]
If we once accept this, it is easy to make up our minds about the extent to which their principles differed.
For just as Philip on this occasion took the advice of Aratus and kept his faith to the Messenians regarding their citadel, and as the saying is, did a little to heal the terrible wound inflicted by his massacres,
so in Aetolia by following the advice of Demetrius he was not only guilty of impiety to the gods by destroying the offerings consecrated to them, but he sinned against men by transgressing the laws of war, and spoilt his own projects by showing himself the implacable and cruel foe of his adversaries. The same holds for his conduct in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Crete&groupId=505&placeId=949">Crete</a>.
There, too, as long as he was guided by Aratus in his general policy, not only was he not guilty of injustice to any of the islanders, but he did not give the least offence to any; so that he had all the Cretans at his service, and by the strictness of his principles attracted the affection of all the Greeks.
Again by letting himself be guided by Demetrius and inflicting on the Messenians the disasters I described above, he lost both the affection of his allies and the confidence of the other Greeks.
Of such decisive importance for young kings, as leading either to misfortune or to the firm establishment of their kingdom, is the judicious choice of the friends who attend on them, a matter to which most of them, with a sort of indifference, devote no care at all. . . .