Polybius, Histories

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Book 7 - Chapter 17

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<w lemma="%2A%28etoi%2Fmwn">Ἑτοίμων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnwn">γενομένων</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="krufqh%3Dnai">κρυφθῆναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="selh%2Fnhn">σελήνην</w> <w lemma="la%2Fqra%7C">λάθρᾳ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="krhmnou%5Cs">κρημνοὺς</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Alago%2Fran">Λαγόραν</w> <w lemma="a%29fiko%2Fmenoi">ἀφικόμενοι</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="klima%2Fkwn">κλιμάκων</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Fsteilan">ὑπέστειλαν</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%5Cs">ἑαυτοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%2F">ὑπό</w> <w lemma="tina">τινα</w> <w lemma="propeptwkui%3Dan">προπεπτωκυῖαν</w> <w lemma="o%29fru%2Fn">ὀφρύν</w>. <w lemma="e%29pigenome%2Fnhs">ἐπιγενομένης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fras">ἡμέρας</w>,
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="fula%2Fkwn">φυλάκων</w> <w lemma="a%29poluome%2Fnwn">ἀπολυομένων</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpou">τόπου</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w>, <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29qismo%5Cn">ἐθισμὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29fedrei%2Fas">ἐφεδρείας</w> <w lemma="e%29kpe%2Fmpontos">ἐκπέμποντος</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pollou%5Cs">πολλοὺς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="i%28ppo%2Fdromon">ἱππόδρομον</w> <w lemma="e%29cagago%2Fntos">ἐξαγαγόντος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parata%2Fttontos">παρατάττοντος</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="a%29nu%2Fpopton">ἀνύποπτον</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenon">γενόμενον</w>.
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<w lemma="prosteqeisw%3Dn">προστεθεισῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="duei%3Dn">δυεῖν</w> <w lemma="klima%2Fkwn">κλιμάκων</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Adionusi%2Fou">Διονυσίου</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Alago%2Fra">Λαγόρα</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="poreuome%2Fnwn">πορευομένων</w>, <w lemma="e%29gi%2Fneto">ἐγίνετο</w> <w lemma="taraxh%5C">ταραχὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fnhma">κίνημα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="strato%2Fpedon">στρατόπεδον</w>.
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<w lemma="sune%2Fbaine">συνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaio%5Cn">Ἀχαιὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fkras">ἄκρας</w> <w lemma="a%29dh%2Flous">ἀδήλους</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="prosbai%2Fnontas">προσβαίνοντας</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="propeptwkui%2Fas">προπεπτωκυίας</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="krhmno%5Cn">κρημνὸν</w> <w lemma="o%29fru%2Fos:">ὀφρύος·</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="stratope%2Fdou">στρατοπέδου</w> <w lemma="su%2Fnoptos">σύνοπτος</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="to%2Flma">τόλμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nabaino%2Fntwn">ἀναβαινόντων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraballome%2Fnwn">παραβαλλομένων</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29kpeplhgme%2Fnoi">ἐκπεπληγμένοι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="para%2Fdocon">παράδοξον</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="proorw%2Fmenoi">προορώμενοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dedio%2Ftes">δεδιότες</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sumbhso%2Fmenon">συμβησόμενον</w>, <w lemma="a%29xanei%3Ds">ἀχανεῖς</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="perixarei%3Ds">περιχαρεῖς</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntes">ὄντες</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Fstasan">ἕστασαν</w>. <w lemma="o%28%2Fqen">ὅθεν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%2Fs">βασιλεύς</w>,
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<w lemma="qewrw%3Dn">θεωρῶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhn">ὅλην</w> <w lemma="parembolh%5Cn">παρεμβολὴν</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fnhma">κίνημα</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="boulo%2Fmenos">βουλόμενος</w> <w lemma="a%29pospa%3Dn">ἀποσπᾶν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="prokeime%2Fnou">προκειμένου</w> <w lemma="tou%2Fs">τούς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</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="proh%3Dge">προῆγε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prose%2Fbale">προσέβαλε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Ftera">θάτερα</w> <w lemma="pu%2Flas">πύλας</w> <w lemma="keime%2Fnas">κειμένας</w>, <w lemma="%2Apersi%2Fdas">Περσίδας</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="prosagoreuome%2Fnas">προσαγορευομένας</w>. <w lemma="%2A%29axaio%5Cs">Ἀχαιὸς</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w>,
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<w lemma="sunqewrw%3Dn">συνθεωρῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fkras">ἄκρας</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fous">ὑπεναντίους</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fnhma">κίνημα</w> <w lemma="parhllagme%2Fnon">παρηλλαγμένον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sunhqei%2Fas">συνηθείας</w>, <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="dihporei%3Dto">διηπορεῖτο</w> <w lemma="dusxrhstou%2Fmenos">δυσχρηστούμενος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunnoh%3Dsai">συννοῆσαι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gino%2Fmenon">γινόμενον</w> <w lemma="ou%29damw%3Ds">οὐδαμῶς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmenos">δυνάμενος</w>.
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<w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="e%29cape%2Fsteile">ἐξαπέστειλε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29panth%2Fsontas">ἀπαντήσοντας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pu%2Flhn:">πύλην·</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="stenh%3Ds">στενῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="krhmnw%2Fdous">κρημνώδους</w> <w lemma="poioume%2Fnwn">ποιουμένων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="kata%2Fbasin">κατάβασιν</w> <w lemma="bradei%3Dan">βραδεῖαν</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbaine">συνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pikouri%2Fan">ἐπικουρίαν</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="tetagme%2Fnos">τεταγμένος</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ari%2Fbazos">Ἀρίβαζος</w> <w lemma="a%29ka%2Fkws">ἀκάκως</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Frmhse">ὥρμησε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pu%2Flas">πύλας</w>, <w lemma="ai%28%3Ds">αἷς</w> <w lemma="e%28w%2Fra">ἑώρα</w> <w lemma="prosba%2Fllonta">προσβάλλοντα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anti%2Foxon">Ἀντίοχον</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tei%3Dxos">τεῖχος</w> <w lemma="a%29nebi%2Fbaze">ἀνεβίβαζε</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pu%2Flhs">πύλης</w> <w lemma="a%29fiei%5Cs">ἀφιεὶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Frgein">εἴργειν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="suneggi%2Fzontas">συνεγγίζοντας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumple%2Fkesqai">συμπλέκεσθαι</w> <w lemma="parekeleu%2Feto">παρεκελεύετο</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w>.
Every preparation having been made, as soon as the moon set, Lagoras and his party came stealthily up to the foot of the cliff with their scaling ladders and concealed themselves under a projecting rock.
At daybreak, as the watch was withdrawing from this spot, and the king, as was his custom, was engaged in sending some troops to the outposts and in marching the main body out to the hippodrome and there drawing them up in battle order, at first no one had any inkling of what was occurring.
But when two ladders were set up and Dionysius was the first to mount the one and Lagoras the other, there was a great excitement and commotion in the army.
It so happened that the assailants could not be seen by those in the town or from the citadel by Achaeus owing to the projecting brow of the rock; but the venturesome and perilous ascent was made in full view of Antiochus' army;
so that either from astonishment and surprise or from apprehension and fear of the result all stood breathless but at the same time overjoyed.
The king, therefore, noticing this excitement in the camp and wishing to divert the attention both of his own forces and of the besieged from his attempt, advanced his army and made an attack on the gate at the other side of the town, known as the Persian gate.
Achaeus, observing from the citadel the unusual movement of the enemy, was for long quite at a loss, being entirely puzzled and unable to understand what was going on.
However, he sent off to meet them at the gate a force which was too late to assist, as they had to descend by a narrow and precipitous path.
Aribazus, the commander of the town, advanced unsuspectingly to the gate which he saw Antiochus was attacking, and making some of his men mount the wall sent the rest out through the gate, with orders to engage the enemy and check his advance.