Polybius, Histories

Layout
Translation

Book 9 - Chapter 19

1
<w lemma="%2Akai%5C">Καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aniki%2Fas">Νικίας</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aqhnai%2Fwn">Ἀθηναίων</w> <w lemma="strathgo%2Fs">στρατηγός</w>, <w lemma="duna%2Fmenos">δυνάμενος</w> <w lemma="sw%2F%7Czein">σῴζειν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakou%2Fsas">Συρακούσας</w> <w lemma="stra%2Fteuma">στράτευμα</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="labw%5Cn">λαβὼν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="nukto%5Cs">νυκτὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%28rmo%2Fzonta">ἁρμόζοντα</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="laqei%3Dn">λαθεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fous">πολεμίους</w>, <w lemma="a%29poxwrh%2Fsas">ἀποχωρήσας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="a%29sfale%2Fs">ἀσφαλές</w>, <w lemma="ka%29%2Fpeita">κἄπειτα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="selh%2Fnhs">σελήνης</w> <w lemma="e%29kleipou%2Fshs">ἐκλειπούσης</w> <w lemma="deisidaimonh%2Fsas">δεισιδαιμονήσας</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fs">ὥς</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="deino%5Cn">δεινὸν</w> <w lemma="proshmainou%2Fshs">προσημαινούσης</w>, <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fsxe">ἐπέσχε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nazugh%2Fn">ἀναζυγήν</w>.
2
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29piou%3Dsan">ἐπιοῦσαν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="nu%2Fkta">νύκτα</w> <w lemma="poihsame%2Fnou">ποιησαμένου</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nazugh%2Fn">ἀναζυγήν</w>, <w lemma="proaisqome%2Fnwn">προαισθομένων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="strato%2Fpedon">στρατόπεδον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fnas">ἡγεμόνας</w> <w lemma="u%28poxeiri%2Fous">ὑποχειρίους</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fois">Συρακοσίοις</w>.
3
<w lemma="kai%2Ftoi">καίτοι</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29mpei%2Frwn">ἐμπείρων</w> <w lemma="i%28storh%2Fsas">ἱστορήσας</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="dunato%5Cs">δυνατὸς</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="paralipei%3Dn">παραλιπεῖν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="toiau%3Dta">τοιαῦτα</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fous">ἰδίους</w> <w lemma="kairou%2Fs">καιρούς</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunergoi%3Ds">συνεργοῖς</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fsasqai">χρήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fwn">ὑπεναντίων</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgnoian:">ἄγνοιαν·</w>
4
<w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pe%2Flas">πέλας</w> <w lemma="a%29peiri%2Fa">ἀπειρία</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgiston">μέγιστον</w> <w lemma="e%29fo%2Fdion">ἐφόδιον</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai">γίνεται</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29mpei%2Frois">ἐμπείροις</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="kato%2Frqwsin">κατόρθωσιν</w>.
5
<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%29ek">Ἐκ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="a%29strologi%2Fas">ἀστρολογίας</w> <w lemma="me%2Fxri">μέχρι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="polupragmonhte%2Fon">πολυπραγμονητέον</w>. <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="klima%2Fkwn">κλιμάκων</w> <w lemma="summetri%2Fas">συμμετρίας</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dto%2Fs">τοιοῦτός</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpos">τρόπος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="qewri%2Fas">θεωρίας</w>.
6
<w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="dia%2F">διά</w> <w lemma="tinos">τινος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="sumpratto%2Fntwn">συμπραττόντων</w> <w lemma="doqh%3D%7C">δοθῇ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tei%2Fxous">τείχους</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Fyos">ὕψος</w>, <w lemma="pro%2Fdhlos">πρόδηλος</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="klima%2Fkwn">κλιμάκων</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai">γίνεται</w> <w lemma="summetri%2Fa:">συμμετρία·</w> <w lemma="oi%28%2Fwn">οἵων</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="de%2Fka">δέκα</w> <w lemma="tinw%3Dn">τινῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnh%7C">συμβαίνῃ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tei%2Fxous">τείχους</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Fyos">ὕψος</w>, <w lemma="toiou%2Ftwn">τοιούτων</w> <w lemma="dw%2Fdeka">δώδεκα</w> <w lemma="deh%2Fsei">δεήσει</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="kli%2Fmakas">κλίμακας</w> <w lemma="dayilw%3Dn">δαψιλῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w>.
7
<w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Fbasin">ἀπόβασιν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kli%2Fmakos">κλίμακος</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nabaino%2Fntwn">ἀναβαινόντων</w> <w lemma="summetri%2Fan">συμμετρίαν</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%2Fseian">ἡμίσειαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="deh%2Fsei">δεήσει</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kli%2Fmakos">κλίμακος</w>, <w lemma="i%28%2Fna">ἵνα</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="plei%3Don">πλεῖον</w> <w lemma="a%29fista%2Fmenai">ἀφιστάμεναι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pibaino%2Fntwn">ἐπιβαινόντων</w> <w lemma="eu%29su%2Fntriptoi">εὐσύντριπτοι</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnwntai">γίνωνται</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="o%29rqo%2Fterai">ὀρθότεραι</w> <w lemma="prosereido%2Fmenai">προσερειδόμεναι</w> <w lemma="li%2Fan">λίαν</w> <w lemma="a%29krosfalei%3Ds">ἀκροσφαλεῖς</w> <w lemma="w%29%3Dsi">ὦσι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="prosbai%2Fnousin">προσβαίνουσιν</w>.
8
<w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="dunato%5Cn">δυνατὸν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3D%7C">ᾖ</w> <w lemma="metrh%3Dsai">μετρῆσαι</w> <w lemma="mhd%27">μηδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29ggi%2Fsai">ἐγγίσαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tei%2Fxei">τείχει</w>, <w lemma="lhpte%2Fon">ληπτέον</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29posta%2Fsews">ἀποστάσεως</w> <w lemma="panto%5Cs">παντὸς</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Fyous">ὕψους</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="o%29rqa%5Cs">ὀρθὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29festw%2Ftwn">ἐφεστώτων</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28pokeime%2Fnois">ὑποκειμένοις</w> <w lemma="e%29pipe%2Fdois">ἐπιπέδοις</w>.
9
<w lemma="o%28%2F">ὅ</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpos">τρόπος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="lh%2Fyews">λήψεως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dunato%5Cs">δυνατὸς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="r%28a%2F%7Cdios">ῥᾴδιος</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="boulome%2Fnois">βουλομένοις</w> <w lemma="polupragmonei%3Dn">πολυπραγμονεῖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="maqhmatikw%3Dn">μαθηματικῶν</w>.
Nicias, again, the Athenian general, could have saved the army before <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a>, and had fixed on the proper hour of the night to withdraw into a position of safety unobserved by the enemy; but on an eclipse of the moon taking place he was struck with terror as if it foreboded some calamity, and deferred his departure.
The consequence of this was that when he abandoned his camp on the following night, the enemy had divined his intention, and both the army and the generals were made prisoners by the Syracusans.
Yet had he only inquired from men acquainted with astronomy so far from throwing away his opportunity owing to such an occurrence, he could have utilized the ignorance of the enemy.
For nothing contributes more to the success of well-informed men than the lack of instruction in their neighbour sand
So far as the points I have mentioned are concerned it is to astronomy that we should address our inquiries, but the method of discovering right length for ladders is as follows.
If any of our partisans can give us the height of the wall the required length of the ladders is evident. For if the height of the wall be, let us say, ten of a given measure, the length of the ladders must be a good twelve.
The distance from the wall at which the ladder is planted must, in order to suit the convenience of those mounting, be half the length of the ladder, for if they are placed farther off they are apt to break when crowded and if set up nearer to the perpendicular are very insecure for the scalers. If how it is impossible to measure the wall or approach it, the height of any object which stand perpendicular on a plane surface can be taken from a distance, the method of determining it being practicable and easy for anyone who chooses to study mathematics.