<w lemma="%2Apa%2Flin">Πάλιν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aristo%2Fmaxon">Ἀριστόμαχον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29argei%3Do%2Fn">Ἀργεῖόν</w> <w lemma="fhsin">φησιν</w>, <w lemma="a%29%2Fndra">ἄνδρα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pifanesta%2Fths">ἐπιφανεστάτης</w> <w lemma="oi%29ki%2Fas">οἰκίας</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxonta">ὑπάρχοντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="teturannhko%2Fta">τετυραννηκότα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29argei%2Fwn">Ἀργείων</w>, <w lemma="pefuko%2Fta">πεφυκότα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tura%2Fnnwn">τυράννων</w>, <w lemma="u%28poxei%2Frion">ὑποχείριον</w> <w lemma="%2A%29antigo%2Fnw%7C">Ἀντιγόνῳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenon">γενόμενον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Akegxrea%5Cs">Κεγχρεὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29paxqh%3Dnai">ἀπαχθῆναι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="streblou%2Fmenon">στρεβλούμενον</w> <w lemma="a%29poqanei%3Dn">ἀποθανεῖν</w>, <w lemma="a%29dikw%2Ftata">ἀδικώτατα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="deino%2Ftata">δεινότατα</w> <w lemma="paqo%2Fnta">παθόντα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpwn">ἀνθρώπων</w>.
<w lemma="thrw%3Dn">τηρῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pra%3Dcin">πρᾶξιν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="suggrafeu%5Cs">συγγραφεὺς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28to%5Cn">αὑτὸν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fwma">ἰδίωμα</w> <w lemma="fwna%2Fs">φωνάς</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="pla%2Fttei">πλάττει</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="nukto%5Cs">νυκτὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="strebloume%2Fnou">στρεβλουμένου</w> <w lemma="prospiptou%2Fsas">προσπιπτούσας</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="su%2Fneggus">σύνεγγυς</w> <w lemma="katoikou%3Dsin">κατοικοῦσιν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29kplhttome%2Fnous">ἐκπληττομένους</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29se%2Fbeian">ἀσέβειαν</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29pistou%3Dntas">ἀπιστοῦντας</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29ganaktou%3Dntas">ἀγανακτοῦντας</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ginome%2Fnois">γινομένοις</w> <w lemma="prostre%2Fxein">προστρέχειν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="oi%29ki%2Fan">οἰκίαν</w> <w lemma="fhsi%2Fn">φησίν</w>.
<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fths">τοιαύτης</w> <w lemma="teratei%2Fas">τερατείας</w> <w lemma="parei%2Fsqw:">παρείσθω·</w> <w lemma="dedh%2Flwtai">δεδήλωται</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29rkou%2Fntws">ἀρκούντως</w>.
<w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aristo%2Fmaxon">Ἀριστόμαχον</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiou%5Cs">Ἀχαιοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteron">ἕτερον</w> <w lemma="h%28%2Fmarten">ἥμαρτεν</w>, <w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fou">βίου</w> <w lemma="proai%2Fresin">προαίρεσιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fda">πατρίδα</w> <w lemma="paranomi%2Fan">παρανομίαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fsths">μεγίστης</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fcion">ἄξιον</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fnw">κρίνω</w> <w lemma="timwri%2Fas">τιμωρίας</w>.
<w lemma="kai%2Fper">καίπερ</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="suggrafeu%5Cs">συγγραφεὺς</w> <w lemma="boulo%2Fmenos">βουλόμενος</w> <w lemma="au%29%2Fcein">αὔξειν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parasth%2Fsasqai">παραστήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29kou%2Fontas">ἀκούοντας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="sunaganaktei%3Dn">συναγανακτεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpaqen">ἔπαθεν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="au%29to%2Fn">αὐτόν</w> <w lemma="fhsi">φησι</w> <w lemma="gegone%2Fnai">γεγονέναι</w> <w lemma="tu%2Frannon">τύραννον</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tura%2Fnnwn">τυράννων</w> <w lemma="pefuke%2Fnai">πεφυκέναι</w>.
<w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mei%2Fzw">μείζω</w> <w lemma="kathgori%2Fan">κατηγορίαν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="pikrote%2Fran">πικροτέραν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cdi%2Fws">ῥᾳδίως</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnait%27">δύναιτ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29dei%2Fs">οὐδείς</w>. <w lemma="au%29to%5C">αὐτὸ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tou%29%2Fnoma">τοὔνομα</w> <w lemma="perie%2Fxei">περιέχει</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29sebesta%2Fthn">ἀσεβεστάτην</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmfasin">ἔμφασιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w> <w lemma="periei%2Flhfe">περιείληφε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpois">ἀνθρώποις</w> <w lemma="a%29diki%2Fas">ἀδικίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paranomi%2Fas">παρανομίας</w>.
<w lemma="%2A%29aristo%2Fmaxos">Ἀριστόμαχος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="deinota%2Ftas">δεινοτάτας</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Fmeine">ὑπέμεινε</w> <w lemma="timwri%2Fas">τιμωρίας</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dto%2Fs">οὗτός</w> <w lemma="fhsin">φησιν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="i%28kanh%5Cn">ἱκανὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdwken">ἔδωκεν</w> <w lemma="di%2Fkhn">δίκην</w> <w lemma="mia%3Ds">μιᾶς</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fras">ἡμέρας</w>,
<w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="pareispeso%2Fntos">παρεισπεσόντος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ara%2Ftou">Ἀράτου</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flous">μεγάλους</w> <w lemma="a%29gw%3Dnas">ἀγῶνας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kindu%2Fnous">κινδύνους</w> <w lemma="u%28pomei%2Fnantos">ὑπομείναντος</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29argei%2Fwn">Ἀργείων</w> <w lemma="e%29leuqeri%2Fas">ἐλευθερίας</w>, <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kpeso%2Fntos">ἐκπεσόντος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fna">μηδένα</w> <w lemma="sugkinhqh%3Dnai">συγκινηθῆναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fswqen">ἔσωθεν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="tacame%2Fnwn">ταξαμένων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tura%2Fnnou">τυράννου</w> <w lemma="fo%2Fbon">φόβον</w>,
<w lemma="%2A%29aristo%2Fmaxos">Ἀριστόμαχος</w> <w lemma="a%29formh%3D%7C">ἀφορμῇ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fth%7C">ταύτῃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="profa%2Fsei">προφάσει</w> <w lemma="xrhsa%2Fmenos">χρησάμενος</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fs">ὥς</w> <w lemma="tinwn">τινων</w> <w lemma="suneido%2Ftwn">συνειδότων</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fsodon">εἴσοδον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w>, <w lemma="o%29gdoh%2Fkonta">ὀγδοήκοντα</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftous">πρώτους</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="politw%3Dn">πολιτῶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29dikh%2Fsantas">ἀδικήσαντας</w> <w lemma="streblw%2Fsas">στρεβλώσας</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fon">ἐναντίον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkai%2Fwn">ἀναγκαίων</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fsfacen">κατέσφαξεν</w>.
<w lemma="pari%2Fhmi">παρίημι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flon">ὅλον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w>
|
<head>Execution of Aristomachus</head>Again Phylarchus says that Aristomachus the Argive,<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note129">Aristomachus.</note>a man of a most distinguished family, who had been despot of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Argos&groupId=361&placeId=689">Argos</a>, as his fathers had been before him, upon falling into the hands of Antigonus and the league "was hurried off to Cenchreae and there racked to death,—an unparalleled instance of injustice and cruelty." But in this matter also our author preserves his peculiar method. He makes up a story about certain cries of this man, when he was on the rack, being heard through the night by the neighbours: "some of whom," he says, "rushed to the house in their horror, or incredulity, or indignation at the outrage." As for the sensational story, let it pass; I have said enough on that point. But I must express my opinion that, even if Aristomachus had committed no crime against the Achaeans besides, yet his whole life and<pb n="155" />his treason to his own country deserved the heaviest possible punishment. And in order, forsooth, to enhance this man's reputation, and move his reader's sympathies for his sufferings, our historian remarks that he had not only been a tyrant himself, but that his fathers had been so before him. It would not be easy to bring a graver or more bitter charge against a man than this: for the mere word "tyrant" involves the idea of everything that is wickedest, and includes every injustice and crime possible to mankind. And if Aristomachus endured the most terrible tortures, as Phylarchus says, he yet would not have been sufficiently punished for the crime of one day, in which, when Aratus had effected an entrance into <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Argos&groupId=361&placeId=689">Argos</a> with the Achaean soldiers,—and after supporting the most severe struggles and dangers for the freedom of its citizens, had eventually been driven out, because the party within who were in league with him had not ventured to stir, for fear of the tyrant,—Aristomachus availed himself of the pretext of their complicity with the irruption of the Achaeans to put to the rack and execute eighty of the leading citizens, who were perfectly innocent, in the presence of their relations. I pass by the history of his whole life and the crimes of his ancestors; for that would be too long a story.
|
Walbank Commentary