Polybius, Histories

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Book 7 - Chapter 8

1
<w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="panti%5C">παντὶ</w> <w lemma="xrhsimw%2Fteros">χρησιμώτερος</w>. <w lemma="%2A%28ie%2Frwn">Ἱέρων</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="katekth%2Fsato">κατεκτήσατο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fwn">Συρακοσίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxwn">συμμάχων</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%2Fn">ἀρχήν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="plou%3Dton">πλοῦτον</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteron">ἕτερον</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhs">τύχης</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Ftoimon">ἕτοιμον</w> <w lemma="paralabw%2Fn">παραλαβών</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29poktei%2Fnas">ἀποκτείνας</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="fugadeu%2Fsas">φυγαδεύσας</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="luph%2Fsas">λυπήσας</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fna">οὐδένα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="politw%3Dn">πολιτῶν</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fsth">κατέστη</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fwn">Συρακοσίων</w>,
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<w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5C">ἐστὶ</w> <w lemma="paradoco%2Ftaton">παραδοξότατον</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="kth%2Fsasqai">κτήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diafula%2Fcai">διαφυλάξαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29%2Fth">ἔτη</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="te%2Fttara">τέτταρα</w> <w lemma="basileu%2Fsas">βασιλεύσας</w> <w lemma="dieth%2Frhse">διετήρησε</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdi">πατρίδι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fnhn">εἰρήνην</w>, <w lemma="diefu%2Flace">διεφύλαξε</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3D%7C">αὑτῷ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nepibou%2Fleuton">ἀνεπιβούλευτον</w>, <w lemma="die%2Ffuge">διέφυγε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28peroxai%3Ds">ὑπεροχαῖς</w> <w lemma="parepo%2Fmenon">παρεπόμενον</w> <w lemma="fqo%2Fnon:">φθόνον·</w>
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<w lemma="o%28%2Fs">ὅς</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="e%29pibalo%2Fmenos">ἐπιβαλόμενος</w> <w lemma="a%29poqe%2Fsqai">ἀποθέσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="dunastei%2Fan">δυναστείαν</w> <w lemma="e%29kwlu%2Fqh">ἐκωλύθη</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="koino%5Cn">κοινὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="politw%3Dn">πολιτῶν</w>.
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<w lemma="eu%29ergetikw%2Ftatos">εὐεργετικώτατος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="filodoco%2Ftatos">φιλοδοξότατος</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenos">γενόμενος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhnas">Ἕλληνας</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flhn">μεγάλην</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3D%7C">αὑτῷ</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mikra%5Cn">μικρὰν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fois">Συρακοσίοις</w> <w lemma="eu%29%2Fnoian">εὔνοιαν</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsin">πᾶσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Flipe">ἀπέλιπε</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="periousi%2Fa%7C">περιουσίᾳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="trufh%3D%7C">τρυφῇ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dayilei%2Fa%7C">δαψιλείᾳ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fsth%7C">πλείστῃ</w> <w lemma="diageno%2Fmenos">διαγενόμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fth">ἔτη</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29bi%2Fwse">ἐβίωσε</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29nenh%2Fkonta">ἐνενήκοντα</w>, <w lemma="diefu%2Flace">διεφύλαξε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ai%29sqh%2Fseis">αἰσθήσεις</w> <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fsas">ἁπάσας</w>, <w lemma="dieth%2Frhse">διετήρησε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmatos">σώματος</w> <w lemma="a%29blabh%3D">ἀβλαβῆ</w>.
8
<w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w> <w lemma="shmei%3Don">σημεῖον</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mikro%2Fn">μικρόν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="pamme%2Fgeqes">παμμέγεθες</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fou">βίου</w> <w lemma="sw%2Ffronos">σώφρονος</w>. [<foreign lang="la">Exc. Peir. p. 9.</foreign>]
9
<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2Age%2Flwn">Γέλων</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="biw%2Fsas">βιώσας</w> <w lemma="e%29tw%3Dn">ἐτῶν</w> <w lemma="skopo%5Cn">σκοπὸν</w> <w lemma="proe%2Fqhke">προέθηκε</w> <w lemma="ka%2Flliston">κάλλιστον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="zh%3Dn">ζῆν</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="peiqarxei%3Dn">πειθαρχεῖν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="gennh%2Fsanti">γεννήσαντι</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="plou%3Dton">πλοῦτον</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fas">βασιλείας</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w> <w lemma="mh%2Ft%27">μήτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllo">ἄλλο</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fonos">πλείονος</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsasqai">ποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="gonei%3Ds">γονεῖς</w> <w lemma="eu%29noi%2Fas">εὐνοίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstews">πίστεως</w>. [<foreign lang="la">Exc. Peir. p. 13.</foreign>]
For Hiero in the first place acquired the sovereignty of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a> and her allies by his own merit, having found ready provided for him by fortune neither wealth, fame, nor anything else.
And, what is more, he mad himself king of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a> unaided, without killing, exiling, or injuring a single citizen, which indeed is the most remarkable thing of all;
and not only did he acquire his sovereignty so, but maintained it in the same manner.
For during a reign of fifty-four years he kept his country at peace and his own power undisturbed by plots, and he kept clear of that envy which is wont to wait on superiority.
Actually on several occasions when he wished to lay down his authority, he was prevented from doing so by the common action of the citizens.
And having conferred great benefits on the Greeks, and studied to win their high opinion, he left behind him a great personal reputation and a legacy of universal goodwill to the Syracusans.
Further, although he lived constantly in the midst of affluence, luxury, and most lavish expenditure, he survived till over ninety, and retained all his faculties, as well as keeping every part of his body sound, which seems to me to testify in no slight measure, indeed very strongly, to his having led a temperate life.
Gelo, who lived till over fifty, set before himself in his life the most admirable object, that is to obey his father, and not to esteem either wealth or royal power or anything else as of higher value than affection and loyalty to his parents.