Polybius, Histories
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Book 9 - Chapter 1

1
<head lang="la">I. Ex Prooemio</head><w lemma="%2Aai%28">Αἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="e%29pifane%2Fstatai">ἐπιφανέσταται</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnhs">προειρημένης</w> <w lemma="o%29lumpia%2Fdos">ὀλυμπιάδος</w> <w lemma="perilhfqeisw%3Dn">περιληφθεισῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tetraetou%3Ds">τετραετοῦς</w> <w lemma="diasth%2Fmatos">διαστήματος</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2F">ὅ</w> <w lemma="famen">φαμεν</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="o%29lumpia%2Fda">ὀλυμπιάδα</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fzein">νομίζειν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29si%5Cn">εἰσὶν</w> <w lemma="au%28%3Dtai:">αὗται·</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="h%28mei%3Ds">ἡμεῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="dusi%5C">δυσὶ</w> <w lemma="bubli%2Fois">βυβλίοις</w> <w lemma="peiraso%2Fmeqa">πειρασόμεθα</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29ch%2Fghsin">ἐξήγησιν</w>.
2
<w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29gnow%3D">ἀγνοῶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pragmatei%2Fan">πραγματείαν</w> <w lemma="h%28mw%3Dn">ἡμῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein">ἔχειν</w> <w lemma="au%29sthro%2Fn">αὐστηρόν</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%28%5Cn">ἓν</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnos">γένος</w> <w lemma="a%29kroatw%3Dn">ἀκροατῶν</w> <w lemma="oi%29keiou%3Dsqai">οἰκειοῦσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fnesqai">κρίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="monoeide%5Cs">μονοειδὲς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sunta%2Fcews">συντάξεως</w>.
3
<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Flloi">ἄλλοι</w> <w lemma="suggrafei%3Ds">συγγραφεῖς</w> <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpantes">ἅπαντες</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mh%2F">μή</w> <w lemma="g%27">γ᾽</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fous">πλείους</w>, <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="me%2Fresi">μέρεσι</w> <w lemma="xrw%2Fmenoi">χρώμενοι</w> <w lemma="pollou%5Cs">πολλοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29fe%2Flkontai">ἐφέλκονται</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fnteucin">ἔντευξιν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pomnhma%2Ftwn">ὑπομνημάτων</w>.
4
<w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="filh%2Fkoon">φιλήκοον</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="genealogiko%5Cs">γενεαλογικὸς</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpos">τρόπος</w> <w lemma="e%29pispa%3Dtai">ἐπισπᾶται</w>, <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="polupra%2Fgmona">πολυπράγμονα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peritto%5Cn">περιττὸν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29poiki%2Fas">ἀποικίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kti%2Fseis">κτίσεις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="suggenei%2Fas">συγγενείας</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2F">καθά</w> <w lemma="pou">που</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29efo%2Frw%7C">Ἐφόρῳ</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgetai">λέγεται</w>, <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="politiko%5Cn">πολιτικὸν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29qnw%3Dn">ἐθνῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flewn">πόλεων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dunastw%3Dn">δυναστῶν</w>.
5
<w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="h%28mei%3Ds">ἡμεῖς</w> <w lemma="yilw%3Ds">ψιλῶς</w> <w lemma="kathnthko%2Ftes">κατηντηκότες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="pepoihme%2Fnoi">πεποιημένοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhn">ὅλην</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fcin">τάξιν</w>, <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%28%5Cn">ἓν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnos">γένος</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="proei%3Dpon">προεῖπον</w>, <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fws">οἰκείως</w> <w lemma="h%28rmo%2Fsmeqa">ἡρμόσμεθα</w>, <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Foni">πλείονι</w> <w lemma="me%2Frei">μέρει</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29kroatw%3Dn">ἀκροατῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29yuxagw%2Fghton">ἀψυχαγώγητον</w> <w lemma="pareskeua%2Fkamen">παρεσκευάκαμεν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgnwsin">ἀνάγνωσιν</w>.
6
<w lemma="ti%2Fnos">τίνος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="ta%29%2Flla">τἄλλα</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="a%29podokima%2Fsantes">ἀποδοκιμάσαντες</w> <w lemma="au%29ta%5C">αὐτὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="proeila%2Fmeqa">προειλάμεθα</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffein">γράφειν</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="e%28te%2Frois">ἑτέροις</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Frhtai">εἴρηται</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="pleio%2Fnwn">πλειόνων</w>, <w lemma="kefalaiwdw%3Ds">κεφαλαιωδῶς</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fxei">ἐπέχει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="e%29mfa%2Fsews">ἐμφάσεως</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="u%28pomnh%3Dsai">ὑπομνῆσαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29kou%2Fontas">ἀκούοντας</w>.
<head>I. From the Preface</head>These are the principal events included in the above-mentioned Olympiad, that is in the space of four years which we term an Olympiad, and I shall attempt to narrate them in two Books.
I am not unaware that my work owing to the uniformity of its composition has a certain severity, and will suit the taste and gain the approval of only one class of reader.
For nearly all other writers, or at least most of them, by dealing with every branch of history, attract many kinds of people to the perusal of their works.
The genealogical side appeals to those who are fond of a story, and the account of colonies, the foundation of cities, and their ties of kindred, such as we find, for instance, in Ephorus, attracts the curious and lovers of recondite longer,
while the student of politics is interested in the doings of nations, cities, and monarchs. As I have confined my attention strictly to these last matters and as my whole work treats of nothing else, it is, as I say, adapted only to one sort of reader, and its perusal will have no attractions for the larger number.
I have stated elsewhere at some length my reason for choosing to exclude other branches of history and chronicle actions alone, but there is no harm in briefly reminding my readers of it here in order to impress it on them.

Walbank Commentary

Overview
9.0.0 - 9.2.0
<p rend="Plain Text">On different types of history</p> <p rend="Plain Text">This extract contrasting political history with <w lang="el-GR">ὁ γενεαλογικὸς τρόπος</w> and the study of the foundations of colonies and relationships is from the <w lang="el-GR">προέκθεσις</w> to Ol. 142; cf. § 1 and see above, p. 8.</p>
Specifics
9.1.1 - 9.1.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὑπὸ τῆς προειρημένης ὀλυμπιάδος</w>:</emph> Ol. 142; the present discussion will have followed a catalogue of its main events, now lost. For this use of the <w lang="el-GR">προέκθεσις</w> see iii. 1. 5 n. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοῦ τετραετοῦς διαστήματος, ὅ φαμεν δεῖν ὀλυμπιάδα νομίζειν</w>:</emph> P. seems to be distinguishing between the Olympiad proper and the manipulated Olympiad (see Vol. I, pp. 35–37) which he uses as the basis of his chronology; for it is hard to take this phrase, with Paton, as a simple definition of an Olympiad as a period of four years. See further Pdech, Mthode, 451 ff. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐν δυσὶ βυβλίοις</w>:</emph> viz. ix and x; his normal procedure (cf. xiv. 1. 5). </p>
9.1.2 - 9.1.2
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">αὐστηρόν τι καὶ πρὸς ἓν γένος ἀκροατῶν οἰκειοῦσθαι</w>:</emph> what type of reader this is we learn in § 4. There are no solid grounds for regarding this remark as from a second edition and intended to answer criticisms already made (so Leo, 326 n. 1; cf. vi. 11. 3). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κρίνεσθαι</w>:</emph> 'has the approval' viz. of such a reader; this is preferable to Schweighaeuser, Lex. Polyb. s.v., 'chosen and approved by P. for only one type of reader'. </p>
9.1.3 - 9.1.3
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πᾶσι τοῖς τῆς ἱστορίας μέρεσι</w>:</emph> defined in § 4; in contrast to <w lang="el-GR">τὸ μονοειδὲς</w> (§ 2) in his own narrative. </p>
9.1.4 - 9.1.4
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸν . . . φιλήκοον ὁ γενεαλογικὸς τρόπος</w>:</emph> cf. 2. 1, <w lang="el-GR">τὰ περὶ τὰς γενεαλογίας καὶ μύθους</w>; it dealt with the 'mythical' period and fabulous origins of various kinds. Surviving fragments of the writers of this form of history are assembled in FGH, vol. i; they include Hecataeus, Acusilaus, Hellanicus, and others, and their histories involved the working over and reduction to some kind of chronological scheme of epic material (cf. Jacoby, Atthis, 134). Even after rationalization the legends contained many impossibilities; and Asclepiades of Myrleia, writing in the second century B.C., in a division of <w lang="el-GR">τὸ ἱστορικόν</w> into three categories, true, false and seeming-true <w lang="el-GR">(ὡς ἀληθής)</w>, counts only <w lang="el-GR">τὸ γενεαλογικόν</w> as false, while reckoning as true narratives <w lang="el-GR">περὶ τὰ πρόσωπα θεῶν καὶ ἡρώων καὶ ἀνδρῶν ἐπιφανῶν, περὶ? τοὺς τόπους καὶ χρόνους</w> and <w lang="el-GR">περὶ τὰς πράξεις</w> (Sext. Emp. adv. gramm. i. 252). Hence, though <w lang="el-GR">φιλήκοος</w> elsewhere can mean simply 'the reader' (cf. iv. 40. 1, xxxi. 23. 1), here it clearly has the slightly derogatory sense of casual reader (cf. vii. 7. 8 n.). <milestone unit="page" n="116">[116]</milestone> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸν πολυπράγμονα καὶ περιττόν</w>:</emph> 'the curious and lover of recondite lore' (Paton); or, as we should say, the man with antiquarian interests. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὁ περὶ τὰς ἀποικίας καὶ κτίσεις καὶ συγγενείας</w>:</emph> 'colonies, foundations of cities, and ties of kindred'; these topics find their way into the <w lang="el-GR">γενεαλογίαι</w>, and into local history, but they also occur in general histories like those of Ephorus (cf. xxxiv. 1. 3–4 = Strabo, x. 465) and Timaeus (xii. 26 d 2). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">καθά που καὶ παρ᾿ Ἐφόρῳ λέγεται</w>:</emph> 'as Ephorus also remarks somewhere or other' (cf. Hirzel, 896 n. 1). Paton, 'such as we find, for instance, in Ephorus', despite xxxiv. 1. 3–4, seems less satisfactory. Ephorus' observation will have referred to both the genealogies and the accounts of city-foundations, but not, judging by P.'s placing of this remark, 'political history'. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸν . . . πολιτικόν</w>:</emph> 'the statesman'; see Vol. I, pp. 6–8. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὁ περὶ τὰς πράξεις τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ πόλεων καὶ δυναστῶν</w>:</emph> i.e. political (and military) history. As a comprehensive list of political entities, 'peoples, cities, and rulers' appears (with slight variants) elsewhere: cf. Diod. xix. 57. 3 (Antigonus I in 315); OGIS, 229 l. 11 (Smyrnean decree of c. 244); Syll. 590, ll. 12–14 <w lang="el-GR">(ἀσυλία</w> of Didyma, c. 196); OGIS, 441, l. 132 (time of Sulla); Syll. 760 (time of Caesar; see Keil's notes there for more examples); Rostovtzeff, SEHHW, 502–3, 1347, 1439–40, discussing the meaning of <w lang="el-GR">ἔθνη</w>. Larsen (CP, 1945, 78 n. 72; cf. Representative Government, 22–23) has shown that <w lang="el-GR">ἔθνη</w> included federal as well as tribal bodies; hence the two forms <w lang="el-GR">πόλις</w> and <w lang="el-GR">ἔθνος</w> were often regarded as including all forms of state (e.g. Aeschin. iii. 110 (the Amphictyonic oath); IG, iv <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> . 1. 68, l. 78 (the Hellenic League); Syll. 613. ll. 4–5). Obviously P. cannot have intended to exclude such a topic as the history of the Achaean Confederation. </p>
9.1.5 - 9.1.5
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὴν ὅλην τάξιν</w>:</emph> 'my whole work'; <w lang="el-GR">τάξις</w> = 'treatise' is found in Ps.-Democritus (ap. Zosim. Alch. in M. Berthelot, Coll. alch. grecs, p. 153), but this is weak support, and Schweighaeuser may well be right in suspecting an abbreviation of <w lang="el-GR">σύνταξις</w>. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἓν μέν τι γένος</w>:</emph> sc. <w lang="el-GR">ἀκροατῶν</w> (§ 2). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τῷ δὲ πλείονι μέρει . . . ἀψυχαγώγητον</w>:</emph> not a contradiction of the claim that pleasure is a legitimate aim, and one catered for up to a point in P.'s work (cf. vii. 7. 8, xv. 36. 3, xxxi. 30. 1). </p>
9.1.6 - 9.1.6
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐν ἑτέροις ἡμῖν εἴρηται διὰ πλειόνων</w>:</emph> probably earlier in the Histories. No passage specifically arguing the case for political history against other sorts has survived; but i. 35 discusses the merits of <w lang="el-GR">πραγματικὴ ἱστορία</w>. i. 1 and iii. 31 (adduced by Schweighaeuser) concern history in general; and P.'s repeated defence of universal history (cf. Vol. I, p. 9) is not the same thing either. </p>
Addenda & corrigenda
9.1.4 - 9.1.4
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold">1. 4. <w lang="el-GR">τὸν . . . φιλήκοον κτλ</w>.:</emph> in l. 9 of the note, for 'Asclepius' read 'Asclepiades'. <milestone unit="page" n="778">[778]</milestone> </p>

Commentary