Polybius, Histories

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Book 18 - Chapter 40

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<w lemma="%2Ati%2F">Τί</w> <w lemma="dh%2Fpot%27">δήποτ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29patw%2Fmenoi">ἀπατώμενοι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmeqa">δυνάμεθα</w> <w lemma="lh%3Dcai">λῆξαι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29noi%2Fas">ἀνοίας</w>;
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<w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnos">γένος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cdiourgi%2Fas">ῥᾳδιουργίας</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="pollw%3Dn">πολλῶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fgone:">γέγονε·</w>
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllois">ἄλλοις</w> <w lemma="diaxwrei%3Dn">διαχωρεῖν</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsws">ἴσως</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="qaumasto%2Fn">θαυμαστόν</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w>, <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="phgh%5C">πηγὴ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fths">τοιαύτης</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxei">ὑπάρχει</w> <w lemma="kakopragmosu%2Fnhs">κακοπραγμοσύνης</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fstin">ἔστιν</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Ftion">αἴτιον</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fxeiron">πρόχειρον</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29epixa%2Frmw%7C">Ἐπιχάρμῳ</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhme%2Fnon">εἰρημένον</w> <w lemma="na%3Dfe">νᾶφε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fmnas%27">μέμνας᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29pistei%3Dn:">ἀπιστεῖν·</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frqra">ἄρθρα</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="ta%3Dn">τᾶν</w> <w lemma="frenw%3Dn">φρενῶν</w>. — <w lemma="%2Amedi%2Fwn">Μεδίων</w>, <w lemma="po%2Flis">πόλις</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twli%2Fa%7C">Αἰτωλίᾳ</w>.
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<w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbios">Πολύβιος</w> <w lemma="o%29ktwkaideka%2Ftw%7C">ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῳ</w>.
<head>Foolish Credulity</head>Why is it that, though deceived again and again by the<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note79">Foolish credulity, see<ref target="b18c13" targOrder="U">ch. 13</ref>; and<ref target="b31c21" targOrder="U">31, 21</ref>.</note>same things and persons, we are unable to abandon our blind folly? For this particular kind of fraud has often been committed before now, and by many. That other men should allow themselves to be taken in is perhaps not astonishing; but it is wonderful that those should do so who are the authors and origin of the same kind of malpractice. But I suppose the cause is the absence of that rule so happily expressed by Epicharmus:<quote rend="blockquote">"Cool head and wise mistrust are wisdom's sinews."</quote>. . .<pb n="237" />