Polybius, Histories

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Book 14 - Chapter 12

1
<w lemma="%2A%29%2Fisws">Ἴσως</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tines">τινες</w> <w lemma="e%29paporh%2Fsousi">ἐπαπορήσουσι</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="h%28mei%3Ds">ἡμεῖς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllas">ἄλλας</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w> <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fsas">ἁπάσας</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29niauto%5Cn">ἐνιαυτὸν</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffontes">γράφοντες</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="katallh%2Flous">καταλλήλους</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnwn">μόνων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29%2Fgupton">Αἴγυπτον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="kairw%3D%7C">καιρῷ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fonos">πλείονος</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnou">χρόνου</w> <w lemma="pepoih%2Fmeqa">πεποιήμεθα</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29ch%2Fghsin">ἐξήγησιν</w>.
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<w lemma="h%28mei%3Ds">ἡμεῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="pepoih%2Fkamen">πεποιήκαμεν</w> <w lemma="dia%2F">διά</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Ftas">τοιαύτας</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fas">αἰτίας</w>.
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<w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%2Fs">βασιλεύς</w>, <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgos">λόγος</w>, <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Afilopa%2Ftwr">Φιλοπάτωρ</w>, <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="suntelesqh%3Dnai">συντελεσθῆναι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akoi%2Flhn">Κοίλην</w> <w lemma="%2Asuri%2Fan">Συρίαν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="a%29posta%5Cs">ἀποστὰς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Dn">καλῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29tra%2Fph">ἐτράπη</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fswton">ἄσωτον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dton">τοιοῦτον</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="a%29rti%2Fws">ἀρτίως</w> <w lemma="dielhlu%2Fqamen">διεληλύθαμεν</w>.
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<w lemma="o%29ye%5C">ὀψὲ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="pote">ποτε</w> <w lemma="biasqei%5Cs">βιασθεὶς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Fpesen">ἐνέπεσεν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="dedhlwme%2Fnon">δεδηλωμένον</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flous">ἀλλήλους</w> <w lemma="w%29mo%2Fthtos">ὠμότητος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paranomi%2Fas">παρανομίας</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="para%2Ftacin">παράταξιν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="naumaxi%2Fan">ναυμαχίαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fan">πολιορκίαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fq%27">οὔθ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteron">ἕτερον</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsxe">ἔσχε</w> <w lemma="mnh%2Fmhs">μνήμης</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fcion">ἄξιον</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Fdramen">ὑπέδραμεν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftw">οὕτω</w> <w lemma="ka%29moi%5C">κἀμοὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffonti">γράφοντι</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cdi%2Fan">ῥᾳδίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsesqai">ἔσεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29naginw%2Fskousin">ἀναγινώσκουσιν</w> <w lemma="eu%29maqeste%2Fran">εὐμαθεστέραν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="dih%2Fghsin">διήγησιν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29niauto%5Cn">ἐνιαυτὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29piyau%2Fwn">ἐπιψαύων</w> <w lemma="mikrw%3Dn">μικρῶν</w> [<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w>] <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29ci%2Fwn">ἀξίων</w> <w lemma="e%29pista%2Fsews">ἐπιστάσεως</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="a%29podidoi%2Fhn">ἀποδιδοίην</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29sa%2Fpac">εἰσάπαξ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="swmatoeidh%3D">σωματοειδῆ</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsas">ποιήσας</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="proai%2Fresin">προαίρεσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29paggei%2Flaimi">ἀπαγγείλαιμι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w>.
<head>Ptolemy Philopator, B.C. 222-205</head>The question may be asked, perhaps, why I have<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note27">The feeble character of Ptolemy Philopator.</note>chosen to give a sketch of Egyptian history here, going back a considerable period; whereas, in the case of the rest of my history, I have recorded the events of each year in the several countries side by side? I have done so for the following reasons: Ptolemy Philopator, of whom I am now speaking, after the conclusion of the war for the possession of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Coele-Syria&groupId=484&placeId=908">Coele-Syria</a>,<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note28">The war with Antiochus, B.C. 218-217. See<ref target="b5c40" targOrder="U">5, 40</ref>,<ref target="b5c58" targOrder="U">58-71</ref>,<ref target="b5c79" targOrder="U">79-87</ref>.</note>abandoned all noble pursuits and gave himself up to the life of debauchery which I have just described. But late in life he was compelled by circumstances to engage in the war I have mentioned,<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note29">A civil war, apparently in a rebellion caused by his own feeble and vicious character. It seems to be that referred to in<ref target="b5c107" targOrder="U">5, 107</ref>.</note>which, over and above the mutual cruelty and lawlessness with which it was conducted, witnessed neither pitched battle, sea fight, siege, or anything else worth recording. I thought, therefore, that it would be easier for me as a writer, and more intelligible to my readers, if I did not touch upon everything year by year as it occurred, or give a full account of transactions which were insignificant and undeserving of serious attention; but should once for all sum up and describe the character and policy of this king.<pb />