Polybius, Histories

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Book 2 - Chapter 62

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<w lemma="%2Aou%29">Οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="fhsin">φησιν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Amega%2Flhs">Μεγάλης</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="lafu%2Frwn">λαφύρων</w> <w lemma="e%28cakisxi%2Flia">ἑξακισχίλια</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fois">Λακεδαιμονίοις</w> <w lemma="pesei%3Dn">πεσεῖν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="disxi%2Flia">δισχίλια</w> <w lemma="%2Akleome%2Fnei">Κλεομένει</w> <w lemma="doqh%3Dnai">δοθῆναι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29qismou%2Fs">ἐθισμούς</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fseien">θαυμάσειεν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29peiri%2Fan">ἀπειρίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgnoian">ἄγνοιαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="koinh%3Ds">κοινῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29nnoi%2Fas">ἐννοίας</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ellhnikw%3Dn">Ἑλληνικῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="xorhgi%2Fas">χορηγίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w>; <w lemma="h%28%5Cn">ἣν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%28storiogra%2Ffois">ἱστοριογράφοις</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgw">λέγω</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnous">ἐκείνους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnous">χρόνους</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%2F">ὑπό</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedoni%2Fa%7C">Μακεδονίᾳ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fwn">βασιλέων</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="sunexei%2Fas">συνεχείας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flous">ἀλλήλους</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmwn">πολέμων</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frdhn">ἄρδην</w> <w lemma="kate%2Ffqarto">κατέφθαρτο</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Apeloponnhsi%2Fwn">Πελοποννησίων</w>,
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<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w> <w lemma="kairoi%3Ds">καιροῖς</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="e%28%5Cn">ἓν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%29to%5C">ταὐτὸ</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgontes">λέγοντες</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fsthn">μεγίστην</w> <w lemma="karpou%3Dsqai">καρποῦσθαι</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dsin">δοκοῦσιν</w> <w lemma="eu%29daimoni%2Fan">εὐδαιμονίαν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="%2Apeloponnh%2Fsou">Πελοποννήσου</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fplwn">ἐπίπλων</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="swma%2Ftwn">σωμάτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Do%2Fn">οἷόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="sunaxqh%3Dnai">συναχθῆναι</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dto">τοσοῦτο</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="xrhma%2Ftwn">χρημάτων</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="ei%29kh%3D%7C">εἰκῇ</w>, <w lemma="lo%2Fgw%7C">λόγῳ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tini">τινι</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="a%29pofaino%2Fmeqa">ἀποφαινόμεθα</w>, <w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w>.
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<w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aqhnai%2Fwn">Ἀθηναίων</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="i%28sto%2Frhke">ἱστόρηκε</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Aqhbai%2Fwn">Θηβαίων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fous">Λακεδαιμονίους</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Fbainon">ἐνέβαινον</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="muri%2Fous">μυρίους</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29ce%2Fpempon">ἐξέπεμπον</w> <w lemma="stratiw%2Ftas">στρατιώτας</w>, <w lemma="e%28kato%5Cn">ἑκατὸν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29plh%2Froun">ἐπλήρουν</w> <w lemma="trih%2Freis">τριήρεις</w>,
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<w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fnantes">κρίναντες</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29ci%2Fas">ἀξίας</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="ei%29sfora%5Cs">εἰσφορὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29timh%2Fsanto">ἐτιμήσαντο</w> <w lemma="th%2Fn">τήν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29attikh%5Cn">Ἀττικὴν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpasan">ἅπασαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="oi%29ki%2Fas">οἰκίας</w>, <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="loiph%5Cn">λοιπὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29si%2Fan:">οὐσίαν·</w> <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fmpan">σύμπαν</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fmhma">τίμημα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29ci%2Fas">ἀξίας</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Flipe">ἐνέλιπε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28cakisxili%2Fwn">ἑξακισχιλίων</w> <w lemma="diakosi%2Fois">διακοσίοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="tala%2Fntois">ταλάντοις</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29peoiko%5Cs">ἀπεοικὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="fanei%2Fh">φανείη</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Apeloponnhsi%2Fwn">Πελοποννησίων</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frti">ἄρτι</w> <w lemma="r%28hqe%5Cn">ῥηθὲν</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29mou%3D">ἐμοῦ</w>.
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<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnous">ἐκείνους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Amega%2Flhs">Μεγάλης</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="u%28perbolikw%3Ds">ὑπερβολικῶς</w> <w lemma="a%29pofaino%2Fmenos">ἀποφαινόμενος</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="tolmh%2Fseien">τολμήσειεν</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="triakosi%2Fwn">τριακοσίων</w>,
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<w lemma="e%29peidh%2Fper">ἐπειδήπερ</w> <w lemma="o%28mologou%2Fmeno%2Fn">ὁμολογούμενόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29leuqe%2Frwn">ἐλευθέρων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="doulikw%3Dn">δουλικῶν</w> <w lemma="swma%2Ftwn">σωμάτων</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dsta">πλεῖστα</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="diafugei%3Dn">διαφυγεῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Amessh%2Fnhn">Μεσσήνην</w>. <w lemma="me%2Fgiston">μέγιστον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="tekmh%2Frion:">τεκμήριον·</w>
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<w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntes">ὄντες</w> <w lemma="deu%2Fteroi">δεύτεροι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29arka%2Fdwn">Ἀρκάδων</w> <w lemma="%2Amantinei%3Ds">Μαντινεῖς</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="periousi%2Fan">περιουσίαν</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dto%2Fs">οὗτός</w> <w lemma="fhsin">φησιν</w>, <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fas">πολιορκίας</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fsews">παραδόσεως</w> <w lemma="a%28lo%2Fntes">ἁλόντες</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="diafugei%3Dn">διαφυγεῖν</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fna">μηδένα</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="diaklaph%3Dnai">διακλαπῆναι</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cdi%2Fws">ῥᾳδίως</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fn">μηδέν</w>,
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<w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="la%2Ffuron">λάφυρον</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fhsan">ἐποίησαν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="swma%2Ftwn">σωμάτων</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="triako%2Fsia">τριακόσια</w>.
<head>The Wealth of Megalopolis</head>He does, however, state in the course of his narrative that, from the spoils of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a>, six thousand talents fell to the Lacedaemonians, of which two thousand, according to custom, were given to Cleomenes. This shows, to begin with, an astounding ignorance of the ordinary facts as to the resources of Greece: a knowledge which above all others should be possessed by historians. I am not of course now speaking of the period in which the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a> had been ruined by the Macedonian kings, and still more completely by a long continuance of intestine struggles; but of our own times, in which it is believed, by the establishment of its unity, to be enjoying the highest prosperity of which it is capable. Still<pb n="158" />even at this period, if you could collect all the movable property of the whole <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a> (leaving out the value of slaves), it would be impossible to get so large a sum of money together. That I speak on good grounds and not at random will appear from the following fact.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note132">B. C. 378.</note>Every one has read that when the Athenians, in conjunction with the Thebans, entered upon the war with the Lacedaemonians, and despatched an army of twenty thousand men, and manned a hundred triremes, they resolved to supply the expenses of the war by the assessment of a property tax; and accordingly had a valuation taken, not only of the whole land of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Attica&groupId=383&placeId=721">Attica</a> and the houses in it, but of all other property: but yet the value returned fell short of six thousand talents by two hundred and fifty; which will show that what I have just said about the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a> is not far wide of the mark. But at this period the most exaggerated estimate could scarcely give more than three hundred talents, as coming from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a> itself; for it is acknowledged that most of the inhabitants, free and slaves, escaped to Messene. But the strongest confirmation of my words is the case of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>, which, as he himself observes, was second to no Arcadian city in wealth and numbers. Though it was surrendered after a siege, so that no one could escape, and no property could without great difficulty be concealed; yet the value of the whole spoil of the town, including the price of the captives sold, amounted at this same period to only three hundred talents.