Polybius, Histories

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Book 1 - Chapter 41

1
<w lemma="%2Atou%3D">Τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="proterh%2Fmatos">προτερήματος</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="prospeso%2Fntos">προσπεσόντος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmhn">Ῥώμην</w>, <w lemma="perixarei%3Ds">περιχαρεῖς</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fous">πολεμίους</w> <w lemma="h%29lattw%3Dsqai">ἠλαττῶσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="qhri%2Fwn">θηρίων</w> <w lemma="e%29sterhme%2Fnous">ἐστερημένους</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fous">ἰδίους</w> <w lemma="teqarrhke%2Fnai">τεθαρρηκέναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29lefa%2Fntwn">ἐλεφάντων</w> <w lemma="kekrathko%2Ftas">κεκρατηκότας</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29perrw%2Fsqhsan">ἐπερρώσθησαν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fqesin">πρόθεσιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="sto%2Flou">στόλου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nautikh%3Ds">ναυτικῆς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="strathgou%5Cs">στρατηγοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="e%29kpe%2Fmpein">ἐκπέμπειν</w>, <w lemma="spouda%2Fzontes">σπουδάζοντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fras">πέρας</w> <w lemma="e%29piqei%3Dnai">ἐπιθεῖναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmw%7C">πολέμῳ</w>.
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<w lemma="paraskeuasqe%2Fntwn">παρασκευασθέντων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pithdei%2Fwn">ἐπιτηδείων</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29capostolh%5Cn">ἐξαποστολὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpleon">ἔπλεον</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="strathgoi%5C">στρατηγοὶ</w> <w lemma="diakosi%2Fais">διακοσίαις</w> <w lemma="nausi%5Cn">ναυσὶν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fas">Σικελίας</w>. <w lemma="e%29%2Ftos">ἔτος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmw%7C">πολέμῳ</w> <w lemma="tettareskaide%2Fkaton">τετταρεσκαιδέκατον</w>.
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<w lemma="kaqormisqe%2Fntes">καθορμισθέντες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Alilu%2Fbaion">Λιλύβαιον</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pezikw%3Dn">πεζικῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%3D">ἐκεῖ</w> <w lemma="stratope%2Fdwn">στρατοπέδων</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29phnthko%2Ftwn">ἀπηντηκότων</w>, <w lemma="e%29nexei%2Froun">ἐνεχείρουν</w> <w lemma="poliorkei%3Dn">πολιορκεῖν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="krath%2Fsantes">κρατήσαντες</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cdi%2Fws">ῥᾳδίως</w> <w lemma="metabiba%2Fsousi">μεταβιβάσουσι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fhn">Λιβύην</w>.
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<w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%2F">περί</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frous">μέρους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="proestw%3Dtes">προεστῶτες</w> <w lemma="w%28modo%2Fcoun">ὡμοδόξουν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxon">εἶχον</w> <w lemma="logismou%5Cs">λογισμοὺς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%29%2Flla">τἄλλα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Frerga">πάρεργα</w> <w lemma="poihsa%2Fmenoi">ποιησάμενοι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="bohqei%3Dn">βοηθεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29gi%2Fnonto">ἐγίνοντο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraba%2Fllesqai">παραβάλλεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pome%2Fnein">ὑπομένειν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnhs">προειρημένης</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mhdemi%2Fan">μηδεμίαν</w> <w lemma="a%29formh%5Cn">ἀφορμὴν</w> <w lemma="katalei%2Fpesqai">καταλείπεσθαι</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsin">σφίσιν</w>, <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllhs">ἄλλης</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fas">Σικελίας</w> <w lemma="e%29pikratei%3Dn">ἐπικρατεῖν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Adrepa%2Fnwn">Δρεπάνων</w>.
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<w lemma="i%28%2Fna">ἵνα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29gnoou%3Dsi">ἀγνοοῦσι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="a%29safh%3D">ἀσαφῆ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="lego%2Fmena">λεγόμενα</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnhtai">γίνηται</w>, <w lemma="peiraso%2Fmeqa">πειρασόμεθα</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="braxe%2Fwn">βραχέων</w> <w lemma="a%29gagei%3Dn">ἀγαγεῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fnnoian">ἔννοιαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="eu%29kairi%2Fas">εὐκαιρίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qe%2Fsews">θέσεως</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29ntugxa%2Fnontas">ἐντυγχάνοντας</w>.
<head>Siege of Lilybaeum</head>The announcement of this success at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> was received with extreme delight; not so much at the blow inflicted on the enemy by the loss of their elephants, as at the confidence inspired in their own troops by a victory over these animals. With their confidence thus restored, the Roman government recurred to their original plan of sending out the Consuls upon this service with a fleet and naval forces; for they were eager, by all means in their power, to put a period to the war. Accordingly, in<pb n="48" />the fourteenth year of the war, the supplies necessary for the despatch of the expedition were got ready, and the Consuls set sail for <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a> with two hundred ships.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note120">B. C. 250. C. Caecilius Regulus II., L. Manlius Vulso II.</note>They dropped anchor at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Lilybaeum&groupId=690&placeId=1261">Lilybaeum</a>; and the army having met them there, they began to besiege it by sea and land. Their view was that if they could obtain possession of this town they would have no difficulty in transferring the seat of war to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Libya&groupId=686&placeId=427">Libya</a>. The Carthaginian leaders were of the same opinion, and entirely agreed with the Roman view of the value of the place. They accordingly subordinated everything else to this; devoted themselves to the relief of the place at all hazards; and resolved to retain this town at any sacrifice: for now that the Romans were masters of all the rest of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a>, except <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Drepana&groupId=544&placeId=1023">Drepana</a>, it was the only foothold they had left in the island.To understand my story a knowledge of the topography of the district is necessary. I will therefore endeavour in a few words to convey a comprehension to my readers of its geographical position and its peculiar advantages.