Polybius, Histories

Translation

Book 7 - Chapter 15

<head lang="la">VII. Res Asiae</head><w lemma="%2Aperi%5C">Περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2Asa%2Frdeis">Σάρδεις</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fpaustoi">ἄπαυστοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunexei%3Ds">συνεχεῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29krobolismoi%5C">ἀκροβολισμοὶ</w> <w lemma="suni%2Fstanto">συνίσταντο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunoi">κίνδυνοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nu%2Fktwr">νύκτωρ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meq%27">μεθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fran">ἡμέραν</w>, <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnos">γένος</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Fdras">ἐνέδρας</w>, <w lemma="a%29ntene%2Fdras">ἀντενέδρας</w>, <w lemma="e%29piqe%2Fsews">ἐπιθέσεως</w> <w lemma="e%29ceurisko%2Fntwn">ἐξευρισκόντων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="stratiwtw%3Dn">στρατιωτῶν</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flwn:">ἀλλήλων·</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffein">γράφειν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="a%29nwfele%5Cs">ἀνωφελὲς</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="makro%5Cn">μακρὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fh">εἴη</w> <w lemma="tele%2Fws">τελέως</w>.

<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fras">πέρας</w>, <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fas">πολιορκίας</w> <w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ftos">ἔτος</w> <w lemma="e%29nestw%2Fshs">ἐνεστώσης</w>, <w lemma="%2Alago%2Fras">Λαγόρας</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Akrh%2Fs">Κρής</w>, <w lemma="tribh%5Cn">τριβὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemikoi%3Ds">πολεμικοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%28kanh%2Fn">ἱκανήν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunewrakw%5Cs">συνεωρακὼς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="o%29xurwta%2Ftas">ὀχυρωτάτας</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="r%28a%3D%7Csta">ῥᾷστα</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w> <w lemma="u%28poxeiri%2Fous">ὑποχειρίους</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%29ligwri%2Fan">ὀλιγωρίαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29noikou%2Fntwn">ἐνοικούντων</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="pisteu%2Fsantes">πιστεύσαντες</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="o%29xuro%2Fthsi">ὀχυρότησι</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="fusikai%3Ds">φυσικαῖς</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="xeiropoih%2Ftois">χειροποιήτοις</w> <w lemma="a%29fulaktw%3Dsi">ἀφυλακτῶσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cqumw%3Dsi">ῥᾳθυμῶσι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="para%2Fpan">παράπαν</w>,

<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pegnwkw%5Cs">ἐπεγνωκὼς</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%28lw%2Fseis">ἁλώσεις</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="o%29xurwta%2Ftous">ὀχυρωτάτους</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dntas">δοκοῦντας</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fwn">ἐναντίων</w> <w lemma="a%29phlpi%2Fsqai">ἀπηλπίσθαι</w>,

<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="qewrw%3Dn">θεωρῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="prou+pa%2Frxousan">προϋπάρχουσαν</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Asa%2Frdewn">Σάρδεων</w> <w lemma="o%29xuro%2Fthtos">ὀχυρότητος</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpantas">ἅπαντας</w> <w lemma="a%29pegnwko%2Ftas">ἀπεγνωκότας</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fths">τοιαύτης</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcews">πράξεως</w> <w lemma="kurieu%2Fsein">κυριεύσειν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w>, <w lemma="mi%2Fan">μίαν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxontas">ἔχοντας</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fda">ἐλπίδα</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29ndei%2Fas">ἐνδείας</w> <w lemma="krath%2Fsein">κρατήσειν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w>,

<w lemma="tosou%2Ftw%7C">τοσούτῳ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="prosei%3Dxe">προσεῖχε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w> <w lemma="h%29reu%2Fna">ἠρεύνα</w>, <w lemma="speu%2Fdwn">σπεύδων</w> <w lemma="a%29formh%3Ds">ἀφορμῆς</w> <w lemma="tinos">τινος</w> <w lemma="e%29pilabe%2Fsqai">ἐπιλαβέσθαι</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fths">τοιαύτης</w>.

<w lemma="sunqewrh%2Fsas">συνθεωρήσας</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kalou%2Fmenon">καλούμενον</w> <w lemma="%2Apri%2Fona">Πρίονα</w> <w lemma="tei%3Dxos">τεῖχος</w> <w lemma="a%29fulaktou%2Fmenon">ἀφυλακτούμενον</w> — <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtos">οὗτος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpos">τόπος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="suna%2Fptwn">συνάπτων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fkran">ἄκραν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> — <w lemma="e%29gi%2Fneto">ἐγίνετο</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fda">ἐλπίδα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fnoian">ἐπίνοιαν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w>.

<w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="fulatto%2Fntwn">φυλαττόντων</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cqumi%2Fan">ῥᾳθυμίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftou">τοιούτου</w> <w lemma="tino%5Cs">τινὸς</w> <w lemma="shmei%2Fou">σημείου</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="qewrh%3Dsai">θεωρῆσαι</w>.

<w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpou">τόπου</w> <w lemma="krhmnw%2Fdous">κρημνώδους</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxontos">ὑπάρχοντος</w> <w lemma="diafero%2Fntws">διαφερόντως</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fa%2Fraggos">φάραγγος</w> <w lemma="u%28pokeime%2Fnhs">ὑποκειμένης</w>, <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="h%28%5Cn">ἣν</w> <w lemma="r%28iptei%3Dsqai">ῥιπτεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbaine">συνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="nekrou%5Cs">νεκροὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%28%2Fppwn">ἵππων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pozugi%2Fwn">ὑποζυγίων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29poqnhsko%2Fntwn">ἀποθνησκόντων</w> <w lemma="koili%2Fas">κοιλίας</w>, <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="ai%29ei%5C">αἰεὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="gupw%3Dn">γυπῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="o%29rne%2Fwn">ὀρνέων</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="h%28qroi%2Fzeto">ἡθροίζετο</w>.

<w lemma="sunqewrh%2Fsas">συνθεωρήσας</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnos">προειρημένος</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%2Fr">ἀνήρ</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="plhrwqei%2Fh">πληρωθείη</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="zw%3D%7Ca">ζῷα</w>, <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29napau%2Fseis">ἀναπαύσεις</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="krhmnw%3Dn">κρημνῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tei%2Fxous">τείχους</w> <w lemma="poiou%2Fmena">ποιούμενα</w> <w lemma="sunexw%3Ds">συνεχῶς</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fgnw">ἔγνω</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkhn">ἀνάγκην</w> <w lemma="a%29fulaktei%3Dtai">ἀφυλακτεῖται</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tei%3Dxos">τεῖχος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai">γίνεται</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dston">πλεῖστον</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frhmon">ἔρημον</w>.

<w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pimelw%3Ds">ἐπιμελῶς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="nu%2Fkta">νύκτα</w> <w lemma="prosporeuo%2Fmenos">προσπορευόμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29ch%2Ftaze">ἐξήταζε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="prosba%2Fseis">προσβάσεις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qe%2Fseis">θέσεις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="klima%2Fkwn">κλιμάκων</w>.

<w lemma="eu%28ri%2Fskwn">εὑρίσκων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fna">ἕνα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="krhmnw%3Dn">κρημνῶν</w> <w lemma="dunath%5Cn">δυνατὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dsan">οὖσαν</w>, <w lemma="prosfe%2Frei">προσφέρει</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w>

<head>IV. Affairs of Asia</head><head>Antiochus and Achaeus</head>Round <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sardis&groupId=948&placeId=1686">Sardis</a> there was a constant succession of skirmishes and battles both by night and day, the soldiers devising against each other every species of ambush, counter-ambush, and attack: to describe which in detail would not only be useless, but would be altogether tedious.

At least after the siege had lasted more than one year, Lagoras the Cretan intervene. He had considerable military experience, and had observed that as a rule the strongest cities are those which most easily fall into the hands of the enemy owing to the negligence of their inhabitants when, relying on the natural and artificial strength of a place, they omit to keep guard and become generally remiss.

He had also noticed that these very cities are usually captured at their very strongest points where the enemy are supposed to regard attack as hopeless.

At present he saw that owing to the prevailing notion of the extreme strength of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sardis&groupId=948&placeId=1686">Sardis</a>, every one despaired of taking it by any such coup de main, and that their only hope was to subdue it by famine;

and this made him pay all the more attention to the matter and seek out every possible means in his eagerness to get hold of some such favourable opportunity.

Observing that the wall along the so‑called <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Saw&groupId=951&placeId=1689">Saw</a> — which connects the citadel with the town — was unguarded, he began to entertain schemes and hopes of availing himself of this.

He had discovered the remissness of the guard here from the following circumstance.

The place is exceedingly precipitous and beneath it there is a ravine into which they used to throw the corpses from the city and the entrails of the horses and mules that died, so that a quantity of vultures and other birds used to collect here.

Lagoras, then, seeing that when the birds had eaten their fill they used constantly to rest on the cliffs and on the wall, knew for a certainty that the wall was not guarded and was usually deserted.

He now proceeded to visit the ground at night and note carefully at what places ladders could be brought up and placed against the wall.

Having found that this was possible at a crt part of the cliff, he approached the king on the subject.

Walbank Commentary

Overview

7.14.0 - 7.18.0

Antiochus' capture of Sardes This, the culminating action in the crushing of Achaeus' revolt, will have occurred in spring 214 (above, p. 3). P.'s source is unknown; Ullrich, 30–31, argued from the emphasis on Nicomachus in viii. 15. 9 that P. used a Rhodian source (Zeno?) for his account of the campaign against Achaeus. For another possibility see viii. 15–34 n.

Specifics

7.15.1 - 7.15.1

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὰς Σάρδεις</w>:</emph> Sardes, the Lydian capital, where Croesus had his palace (Strabo, xiii. 625 f.) lay on the extreme northern slope of a spur of Mt. Tmolus, on the right bank of the Pactolus and overlooking the fertile Hermus plain. It stood 10 km. from the junction between the Pactolus and the Hermus, and its ruins are known as Sart. Cf. Brchner, RE, 'Sardeis', cols. 2476–7; H. C. Butler, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sardis&groupId=948&placeId=1686">Sardis</a>: vol. i. 1, The Excavations, 1910–14 (Leiden, 1922), 15–36 (with map at volume end) for a vivid account of its situation.

7.15.2 - 7.15.2

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">δεύτερον ἔτος</w>:</emph> the siege probably began rather more than twelve months before its capture in 214, and so early in 215 (see above, p. 3). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Λαγόρας ὁ Κρής</w>:</emph> a deserter from Ptolemy IV; cf. v. 61. 9; van Effenterre, 295. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὰς ὀχυρωτάτας πόλεις . . . γίνεσθαι . . . ὑποχειρίους</w>:</emph> a principle discussed in Onesander (42. 15–16) and illustrated by Cyrus' capture of Sardes itself in 546 (Herod. i. 84; Xen. Cyrop. vii. 2. 1–4).

7.15.6 - 7.15.6

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸ κατὰ τὸν καλούμενον Πρίονα τεῖχος</w>:</emph> cf. i. 85. 7; evidently so called because of its sharp profile, like that along the top of the acropolis today. At this time, as in the sixth century, when Cyrus besieged Sardes, the citadel was connected with the lower city by a narrow saddle on the south side, facing Mt. Tmolus. But, shaken by the great earthquake of A.D. 17 (Tac. Ann. ii. 47; Pliny, Nat. hist. ii. 200; Strabo, xii. 578; Anth. Pal. ix. 423) and no doubt by subsequent shocks and erosion, the clay foundations of the acropolis have collapsed and slipped down the hillside on the north-west, leaving only a knife-edge: see the photograph in Butler, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sardis&groupId=948&placeId=1686">Sardis</a>: volume i. 1, 19. The ancient acropolis and its links with the town, and all the ancient walls, have completely disappeared.

7.15.8 - 7.15.8

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοῦ τόπου κρημνώδους ὑπάρχοντος διαφερόντως</w>:</emph> probably near the point which the Lydians left unguarded in 546, because they thought it impregnable (Herod. i. 84. 3, <w lang="el-GR">ἀπότομός τε γάρ ἐστι ταύτῃ ἡ ἀκρόπολις καὶ ἄμαχος. . . . ἔστι δὲ πρὸς τοῦ Τμώλου τετραμμένον τῆς πόλιος)</w>. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὰς . . . κοιλίας</w>:</emph> the bodies having presumably been eaten; cf. § 4, <w lang="el-GR">τῆς ἐνδείας</w>.

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