Polybius, Histories

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Book 8 - Chapter 8

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<w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2Afi%2Flippos">Φίλιππος</w> <w lemma="parageno%2Fmenos">παραγενόμενος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Amessh%2Fnhn">Μεσσήνην</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffqeire">ἔφθειρε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w> <w lemma="dusmenikw%3Ds">δυσμενικῶς</w>, <w lemma="qumw%3D%7C">θυμῷ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Don">πλεῖον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="logismw%3D%7C">λογισμῷ</w> <w lemma="xrw%2Fmenos:">χρώμενος·</w>
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<w lemma="h%29%2Flpize">ἤλπιζε</w> <w lemma="ga%2Fr">γάρ</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29moi%5C">ἐμοὶ</w> <w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w>, <w lemma="bla%2Fptwn">βλάπτων</w> <w lemma="sunexw%3Ds">συνεχῶς</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fpot%27">οὐδέποτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29ganakth%2Fsein">ἀγανακτήσειν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="mish%2Fsein">μισήσειν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kakw%3Ds">κακῶς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsxontas">πάσχοντας</w>.
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<w lemma="proh%2Fxqhn">προήχθην</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="prote%2Fras">προτέρας</w> <w lemma="bu%2Fblou">βύβλου</w> <w lemma="safe%2Fsteron">σαφέστερον</w> <w lemma="e%29chgh%2Fsasqai">ἐξηγήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhme%2Fnas">εἰρημένας</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fas">αἰτίας</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="suggrafe%2Fwn">συγγραφέων</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flws">ὅλως</w> <w lemma="paraleloipe%2Fnai">παραλελοιπέναι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Amesshni%2Fous">Μεσσηνίους</w>,
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<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="mona%2Frxous">μονάρχους</w> <w lemma="eu%29%2Fnoian">εὔνοιαν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="ta%29nanti%2Fa">τἀναντία</w> <w lemma="fo%2Fbon">φόβον</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="a%28marti%2Fa%7C">ἁμαρτίᾳ</w> <w lemma="gegone%2Fnai">γεγονέναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Amesshni%2Fous">Μεσσηνίους</w> <w lemma="a%29se%2Fbeian">ἀσέβειαν</w> <w lemma="%2Afili%2Fppou">Φιλίππου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paranomi%2Fan">παρανομίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%29nanti%2Fon">τοὐναντίον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="e%29pai%2Fnw%7C">ἐπαίνῳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="katorqw%2Fmati">κατορθώματι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pepragme%2Fna">πεπραγμένα</w> <w lemma="diasafei%3Dn">διασαφεῖν</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Amesshni%2Fous">Μεσσηνίους</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="pepoihko%2Ftas">πεποιηκότας</w> <w lemma="i%29dei%3Dn">ἰδεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffontas">γράφοντας</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Afili%2Fppou">Φιλίππου</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fws">παραπλησίως</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29damw%3Ds">οὐδαμῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein">ἔχειν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="dia%2Fqesin">διάθεσιν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="sunta%2Fceis">συντάξεις</w>, <w lemma="e%29gkwmi%2Fou">ἐγκωμίου</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="loidorei%3Dn">λοιδορεῖν</w> <w lemma="yeudw%3Ds">ψευδῶς</w> <w lemma="fhmi">φημι</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="mona%2Frxous">μονάρχους</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Ft%27">οὔτ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29gkwmia%2Fzein">ἐγκωμιάζειν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="polloi%3Ds">πολλοῖς</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="sumbe%2Fbhke">συμβέβηκε</w>, <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29ko%2Flouqon">ἀκόλουθον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="progegramme%2Fnois">προγεγραμμένοις</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fponta">πρέποντα</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstwn">ἑκάστων</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fsesi">προαιρέσεσι</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="e%29farmo%2Fzein">ἐφαρμόζειν</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsws">ἴσως</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="eu%29mare%2Fs">εὐμαρές</w>, <w lemma="pra%3Dcai">πρᾶξαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="li%2Fan">λίαν</w> <w lemma="dusxere%5Cs">δυσχερὲς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="polla%5Cs">πολλὰς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="poiki%2Flas">ποικίλας</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="diaqe%2Fseis">διαθέσεις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="perista%2Fseis">περιστάσεις</w>, <w lemma="ai%28%3Ds">αἷς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fkontes">εἴκοντες</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fnqrwpoi">ἄνθρωποι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgein">λέγειν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffein">γράφειν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnantai">δύνανται</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="faino%2Fmenon">φαινόμενον</w>. <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="tisi%5C">τισὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmhn">συγγνώμην</w> <w lemma="dote%2Fon">δοτέον</w>,
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<w lemma="e%29ni%2Fois">ἐνίοις</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="dote%2Fon">δοτέον</w>.
<head>III. Affairs of Greece, Philip, and Messenia</head>Upon arriving at Messene Philip proceeded to devastate the country like an enemy acting from passion rather than from reason.
For he expected, apparently, that while he continued to inflict injuries, the sufferers would never feel any resentment or hatred towards him.
What induced me to give a more explicit account of these matters in this and the previous Book, was, in addition to the reasons I above stated, the fact that while some authors have left the occurrences in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Messenia&groupId=760&placeId=1380">Messenia</a> unnoticed
others, owing either to their regard for the kings or their fear of them, have explained to us unreservedly, that not only did the outrages committed by Philip against the Messenians in defiance of divine or human law deserve no censure, but that on the contrary all his acts were to be regarded as praiseworthy achievements.
It is not only with regard to the Messenians that we find the historians of Philip's life to be thus biased but in other cases,
the result being that their works much more resemble panegyrics than histories.
My own opinion is that we should neither revile nor extol kings falsely, as has so often been done, but always give an account of them consistent with our previous statements and in accord with the character of each.
It may be said that it is easy enough to say this but exceedingly difficult to do it, because there are so many and various conditions and circumstances in life, yielding to which men are prevented from uttering or writing their real opinions.
Bearing this in mind we must pardon these writers in some cases, but in others we should not.