Polybius, Histories

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Book 10 - Chapter 36

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<w lemma="%2A%28%5Co">Ὃ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="pollou%5Cs">πολλοὺς</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fgone">γέγονε</w>. <w lemma="mega%2Flou">μεγάλου</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntos">ὄντος</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="pleona%2Fkis">πλεονάκις</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Frhtai">εἴρηται</w>, <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="katorqou%3Dn">κατορθοῦν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasi">πράγμασι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="perigi%2Fnesqai">περιγίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29xqrw%3Dn">ἐχθρῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolai%3Ds">ἐπιβολαῖς</w>, <w lemma="pollw%3D%7C">πολλῷ</w> <w lemma="mei%2Fzonos">μείζονος</w> <w lemma="e%29mpeiri%2Fas">ἐμπειρίας</w> <w lemma="prosdei%3Dtai">προσδεῖται</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fulakh%3Ds">φυλακῆς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fsasqai">χρήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="katorqw%2Fmasi:">κατορθώμασι·</w>
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pollaplasi%2Fous">πολλαπλασίους</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="eu%28%2Froi">εὕροι</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="proterhma%2Ftwn">προτερημάτων</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Ftas">γεγονότας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="proterh%2Fmasi">προτερήμασι</w> <w lemma="kexrhme%2Fnwn">κεχρημένων</w>. <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w>.
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<w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="nikh%3Dsai">νικῆσαι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmeis">δυνάμεις</w>, <w lemma="a%29poktei%3Dnai">ἀποκτεῖναι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="strathgou%5Cs">στρατηγοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29mfote%2Frous">ἀμφοτέρους</w>, <w lemma="%2Apo%2Fplion">Πόπλιον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Agna%2Fi+on">Γνάϊον</w>, <w lemma="u%28polabo%2Fntes">ὑπολαβόντες</w> <w lemma="a%29dh%2Friton">ἀδήριτον</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibhri%2Fan">Ἰβηρίαν</w>, <w lemma="u%28perhfa%2Fnws">ὑπερηφάνως</w> <w lemma="e%29xrw%3Dnto">ἐχρῶντο</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w>.
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<w lemma="toigarou%3Dn">τοιγαροῦν</w> <w lemma="a%29nti%5C">ἀντὶ</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxwn">συμμάχων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fi%2Flwn">φίλων</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fous">πολεμίους</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsxon">ἔσχον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28potattome%2Fnous">ὑποταττομένους</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpaqon:">ἔπαθον·</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllws">ἄλλως</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29peidh%2Fper">ἐπειδήπερ</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Flabon">ὑπέλαβον</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="kta%3Dsqai">κτᾶσθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29rxa%2Fs">ἀρχάς</w>, <w lemma="a%29%2Fllws">ἄλλως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="threi%3Dn">τηρεῖν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmaqon">ἔμαθον</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="ka%2Fllista">κάλλιστα</w> <w lemma="fula%2Fttousi">φυλάττουσι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="u%28peroxa%5Cs">ὑπεροχὰς</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="ka%2Fllista">κάλλιστα</w> <w lemma="diamei%2Fnantes">διαμείναντες</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fsewn">προαιρέσεων</w>, <w lemma="ai%28%3Ds">αἷς</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w> <w lemma="katekth%2Fsanto">κατεκτήσαντο</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="dunastei%2Fas">δυναστείας</w>,
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<w lemma="kai%2Ftoi">καίτοι</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="profanou%3Ds">προφανοῦς</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntos">ὄντος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="pollw%3Dn">πολλῶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="teqewrhme%2Fnou">τεθεωρημένου</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="ktw%3Dntai">κτῶνται</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fnqrwpoi">ἄνθρωποι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="eu%29kairi%2Fas">εὐκαιρίας</w> <w lemma="eu%29%3D">εὖ</w> <w lemma="poiou%3Dntes">ποιοῦντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="proteino%2Fmenoi">προτεινόμενοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29gaqh%5Cn">ἀγαθὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fda">ἐλπίδα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pe%2Flas">πέλας</w>,
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<w lemma="e%29peida%5Cn">ἐπειδὰν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29piqumoume%2Fnwn">ἐπιθυμουμένων</w> <w lemma="tuxo%2Fntes">τυχόντες</w> <w lemma="kakw%3Ds">κακῶς</w> <w lemma="poiw%3Dsi">ποιῶσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="despotikw%3Ds">δεσποτικῶς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frxwsi">ἄρχωσι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28potetagme%2Fnwn">ὑποτεταγμένων</w>, <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proestw%2Ftwn">προεστώτων</w> <w lemma="metabolai%3Ds">μεταβολαῖς</w> <w lemma="summetapi%2Fptousi">συμμεταπίπτουσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28potattome%2Fnwn">ὑποταττομένων</w> <w lemma="ai%28">αἱ</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fseis">προαιρέσεις</w>. <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</w>.
<head>Difficulty of Making Good Use of a Victory</head>This has often happened to people before. For though, as I have many times remarked, success in a campaign and victory over one's enemies are great things, it requires much greater skill and caution to use such successes well. Accordingly,<pb n="35" />you will find that those who have gained victories are many times more numerous than those who have made good use of them. The Carthaginians at this crisis are an instance in point. After conquering the Roman armies, and slaying both the generals, Publius and Gnaeus Scipio, imagining that Iberia was their own without dispute, they began treating the natives tyrannically; and accordingly found enemies in their subjects instead of allies and friends. And they were quite rightly served, for imagining that the conduct necessary for keeping power was something different from that necessary for obtaining it; and for failing to understand that they keep empire best, who best maintain the same principles in virtue of which they gained it. And yet it is obvious enough, and has been again and again demonstrated, that men gain power by beneficent actions, and by holding out hopes of advantage to those with whom they are dealing; but that, as soon as they have got what they wanted, and begin to act wickedly and rule despotically, it is but natural that, as their rulers have changed, the feelings of the subjects should change too. So it was with the Carthaginians.