Polybius, Histories

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Book 12 - Chapter 26c

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<w lemma="%2Aloipo%5Cn">Λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="u%28perbolh%5Cn">ὑπερβολὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="paradocologi%2Fas">παραδοξολογίας</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="su%2Fgkrisin">σύγκρισιν</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="katamw%2Fkhsin">καταμώκησιν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgei">ἄγει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="bou%2Fletai">βούλεται</w> <w lemma="proi+%2Fstasqai">προΐστασθαι</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsion">παραπλήσιον</w> <w lemma="e%29mpi%2Fptei">ἐμπίπτει</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29akadhmei%2Fa%7C">Ἀκαδημείᾳ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous">λόγους</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="proxeiro%2Ftaton">προχειρότατον</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="h%29skhko%2Fsi">ἠσκηκόσι</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnwn">ἐκείνων</w> <w lemma="tine%5Cs">τινὲς</w> <w lemma="boulo%2Fmenoi">βουλόμενοι</w> <w lemma="peri%2F">περί</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="profanw%3Ds">προφανῶς</w> <w lemma="katalhptw%3Dn">καταληπτῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="dokou%2Fntwn">δοκούντων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29katalh%2Fptwn">ἀκαταλήπτων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="a%29pori%2Fan">ἀπορίαν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgein">ἄγειν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="prosdialegome%2Fnous">προσδιαλεγομένους</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Ftais">τοιαύταις</w> <w lemma="xrw%3Dntai">χρῶνται</w> <w lemma="paradocologi%2Fais">παραδοξολογίαις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Ftas">τοιαύτας</w> <w lemma="eu%29porou%3Dsi">εὐποροῦσι</w> <w lemma="piqano%2Fthtas">πιθανότητας</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="diaporei%3Dn">διαπορεῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="dunato%2Fn">δυνατόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aqh%2Fnais">Ἀθήναις</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntas">ὄντας</w> <w lemma="o%29sfrai%2Fnesqai">ὀσφραίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28yome%2Fnwn">ἑψομένων</w> <w lemma="w%29%7Cw%3Dn">ᾠῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29efe%2Fsw%7C">Ἐφέσῳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dista%2Fzein">διστάζειν</w> <w lemma="mh%2F">μή</w> <w lemma="pws">πως</w>, <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29akadhmei%2Fa%7C">Ἀκαδημείᾳ</w> <w lemma="diale%2Fgontai">διαλέγονται</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w>, <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Fpar">ὕπαρ</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fnar">ὄναρ</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%29%2Fkw%7C">οἴκῳ</w> <w lemma="katakei%2Fmenoi">κατακείμενοι</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="diati%2Fqentai">διατίθενται</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous">λόγους</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="u%28perbolh%5Cn">ὑπερβολὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="paradocologi%2Fas">παραδοξολογίας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="diabolh%5Cn">διαβολὴν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fxasi">ἤχασι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhn">ὅλην</w> <w lemma="ai%28%2Fresin">αἵρεσιν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="a%29porou%2Fmena">ἀπορούμενα</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpois">ἀνθρώποις</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="a%29pisti%2Fan">ἀπιστίαν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dxqai">ἦχθαι</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fas">ἰδίας</w> <w lemma="a%29stoxi%2Fas">ἀστοχίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ne%2Fois">νέοις</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dton">τοιοῦτον</w> <w lemma="e%29nteto%2Fkasi">ἐντετόκασι</w> <w lemma="zh%3Dlon">ζῆλον</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="h%29qikw%3Dn">ἠθικῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pragmatikw%3Dn">πραγματικῶν</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgwn">λόγων</w> <w lemma="mhde%5C">μηδὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tuxou%3Dsan">τυχοῦσαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fnoian">ἐπίνοιαν</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fnhsis">ὄνησις</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="filosofou%3Dsi">φιλοσοφοῦσι</w>, <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29nwfelei%3Ds">ἀνωφελεῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fcous">παραδόξους</w> <w lemma="eu%28resilogi%2Fas">εὑρεσιλογίας</w> <w lemma="kenodocou%3Dntes">κενοδοξοῦντες</w> <w lemma="katatri%2Fbousi">κατατρίβουσι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fous">βίους</w>.
<head>Sophistical Commonplaces</head>For first he "thinks that he should remind the congress<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note42">B.C. 405. Hermocrates was not there.<bibl n="Xen. Hell. 1.1.27" default="NO" valid="yes">Xen.<title>Hellen.</title>1, 1, 27-31</bibl>.</note>that in war sleepers are woke at dawn by bugles, in peace by cocks."<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note43">For this proverb see Plutarch,<cit><bibl n="Plut. Nic. 9" default="NO" valid="yes"><title>Nicias,</title>ch. 9,</bibl><quote lang="greek">ἡδέως μεμνημένοι τοῦ εἰπόντος ὅτι τοὺς ἐν εἰρήνῃ καθεύδοντας οὐ σάλπιγγες ἀλλ᾽ ἀλεκτρυόνες ἀφυτνίζουσι.</quote></cit></note>Then he says that "Hercules established the Olympic games and the sacred truce during them, as an exemplification of his own principles;" and that "he had injured all those persons against whom he waged war, under compulsion and in obedience to the order of another, but was never voluntarily the author of harm to any man."<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note44"><bibl n="Plut. Nic. 25" default="NO" valid="yes"><foreign lang="la">Ib.</foreign>ch. 25</bibl>.</note>Next he quotes the instance of Zeus in Homer as being displeased with Ares, and saying<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note45">Homer,<bibl n="Hom. Il. 5.890" default="NO" valid="yes"><title>Il.</title>5. 890</bibl>.</note>—<quote><l>"Of all the gods that on Olympus dwell</l><l>I hold thee most detested; for thy joy</l><l>Is ever strife and war and battle."</l></quote>And again the wisest of the heroes says<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note46">Homer<bibl n="Hom. Il. 9.63" default="NO" valid="yes"><title>Il.</title>9, 63</bibl>.</note>—<pb n="110" /><quote><l>"He is a wretch, insensible and dead</l><l>To all the charities of social life,</l><l>Whose pleasure is in civil broil and war."</l></quote>Then he goes on to allege that Euripides agrees with Homer in the lines<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note47">Euripides, fr.</note>—<quote><l>"O well of infinite riches!</l><l>O fairest of beings divine!</l><l>O Peace, how alas! thou delayest;</l><l>My heart for thy coming is fain.</l><l>I tremble lest age overtake me,</l><l>Ere thy beauty and grace I behold;</l><l>Ere the maidens shall sing in their dancing,</l><l>And revels be gladsome with flowers."</l></quote>Next he remarks that "war is like disease, peace like health; for that the latter restores those that are sick, while in the former even the healthy perish. Moreover, in time of peace, the old are buried by the young as nature directs, while in war the case is reversed; and above all in war there is no security even as far as the city walls, while in peace it extends to the frontier of the territory"—and so on. I wonder what other arguments would have been employed by a youth who had just devoted himself to scholastic exercises and studies in history; and who wished, according to the rules of the art, to adapt his words to the supposed speakers? Just these I think which Timaeus represents Hermocrates as using.