Polybius, Histories

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Book 2 - Chapter 66

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<w lemma="proxei%2Frws">προχείρως</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fgnw">ἀπέγνω</w>, <w lemma="stratopedeu%2Fsas">στρατοπεδεύσας</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="braxei%3D">βραχεῖ</w> <w lemma="diasth%2Fmati">διαστήματι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="labw%5Cn">λαβὼν</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fblhma">πρόβλημα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Agorgu%2Flon">Γοργύλον</w> <w lemma="kalou%2Fmenon">καλούμενον</w> <w lemma="potamo%2Fn">ποταμόν</w>, <w lemma="tina%5Cs">τινὰς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fras">ἡμέρας</w> <w lemma="e%29pime%2Fnwn">ἐπιμένων</w> <w lemma="suneqew%2Frei">συνεθεώρει</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fs">τάς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="i%29dio%2Fthtas">ἰδιότητας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmewn">δυνάμεων</w> <w lemma="diafora%2Fs">διαφοράς</w>,
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<w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prodeiknu%2Fwn">προδεικνύων</w> <w lemma="tina%5Cs">τινὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibola%5Cs">ἐπιβολὰς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fllon">μέλλον</w> <w lemma="e%29cekalei%3Dto">ἐξεκαλεῖτο</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fwn">ὑπεναντίων</w> <w lemma="e%29pinoi%2Fas">ἐπινοίας</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmenos">δυνάμενος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="labei%3Dn">λαβεῖν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29rgo%5Cn">ἀργὸν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fcoplon">ἔξοπλον</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="e%28toi%2Fmws">ἑτοίμως</w> <w lemma="a%29ntikinei%3Dsqai">ἀντικινεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Akleome%2Fnh">Κλεομένη</w>,
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<w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fths">τοιαύτης</w> <w lemma="e%29pinoi%2Fas">ἐπινοίας</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsth">ἀπέστη</w>, <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="o%28molo%2Fgou">ὁμολόγου</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhs">μάχης</w> <w lemma="a%29mfo%2Fteroi">ἀμφότεροι</w> <w lemma="proe%2Fqento">προέθεντο</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fnein">κρίνειν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis:">πράξεις·</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnu">πάνυ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="eu%29fuei%3Ds">εὐφυεῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fous">παραπλησίους</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fnas">ἡγεμόνας</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxh">τύχη</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbale">συνέβαλε</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w>.
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<w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29%2Fan">Εὔαν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29nte%2Ftace">ἀντέταξε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnwn">Μακεδόνων</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="xalka%2Fspidas">χαλκάσπιδας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29illuriou%2Fs">Ἰλλυριούς</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="spei%2Fras">σπείρας</w> <w lemma="e%29nalla%5Cc">ἐναλλὰξ</w> <w lemma="tetagme%2Fnous">τεταγμένους</w>, <w lemma="%2A%29ale%2Fcandron">Ἀλέξανδρον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29akmh%2Ftou">Ἀκμήτου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Adhmh%2Ftrion">Δημήτριον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Afa%2Frion">Φάριον</w> <w lemma="e%29pisth%2Fsas">ἐπιστήσας</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29akarna%3Dnas">Ἀκαρνᾶνας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29hpeirw%2Ftas">Ἠπειρώτας</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fbale:">ἐπέβαλε·</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kato%2Fpin">κατόπιν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="disxi%2Flioi">δισχίλιοι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w>, <w lemma="e%29fedrei%2Fas">ἐφεδρείας</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnontes">λαμβάνοντες</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fcin">τάξιν</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aoi%29nou%3Dnta">Οἰνοῦντα</w> <w lemma="potamo%5Cn">ποταμὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29nte%2Fqhke">ἀντέθηκε</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="i%28ppikw%3D%7C">ἱππικῷ</w>, <w lemma="susth%2Fsas">συστήσας</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ale%2Fcandron">Ἀλέξανδρον</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fna">ἡγεμόνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumparaqei%5Cs">συμπαραθεὶς</w> <w lemma="pezou%5Cs">πεζοὺς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axai+kw%3Dn">Ἀχαϊκῶν</w> <w lemma="xili%2Fous">χιλίους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Amegalopoli%2Ftas">Μεγαλοπολίτας</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsous">ἴσους</w>.
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<w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frous">μισθοφόρους</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnas">Μακεδόνας</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Folumpon">Ὄλυμπον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Akleome%2Fnh">Κλεομένη</w> <w lemma="die%2Fgnw">διέγνω</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhn">μάχην</w>.
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<w lemma="prota%2Fcas">προτάξας</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frous">μισθοφόρους</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fsthse">ἐπέστησε</w> <w lemma="difalaggi%2Fan">διφαλαγγίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pa%2Fllhlon">ἐπάλληλον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnwn:">Μακεδόνων·</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fei">ἐποίει</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="steno%2Fthta">στενότητα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w>.
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<w lemma="su%2Fnqhma">σύνθημα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29illurioi%3Ds">Ἰλλυριοῖς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="lo%2Ffon">λόφον</w> <w lemma="prosbolh%3Ds">προσβολῆς</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdwsin">ἴδωσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29rqei%3Dsan">ἀρθεῖσαν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Folumpon">Ὄλυμπον</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="sindo%2Fna">σινδόνα</w> — <w lemma="proshrthme%2Fnoi">προσηρτημένοι</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtoi">οὗτοι</w> <w lemma="nukto%5Cs">νυκτὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="%2Agorgu%2Flw%7C">Γοργύλῳ</w> <w lemma="potamw%3D%7C">ποταμῷ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3D%7C">αὐτῇ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Ffou">λόφου</w> <w lemma="r%28i%2Fzh%7C">ῥίζῃ</w> —
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<w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Amegalopoli%2Ftais">Μεγαλοπολίταις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%28ppeu%3Dsi">ἱππεῦσι</w> <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fws">παραπλησίως</w>, <w lemma="e%29peida%5Cn">ἐπειδὰν</w> <w lemma="foiniki%5Cs">φοινικὶς</w> <w lemma="e%29carqh%3D%7C">ἐξαρθῇ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w>.
<head>The Two Armies Line Up</head>The sight of these preparations decided Antigonus not to make an immediate attack upon the position, or rashly hazard an engagement. He pitched his camp a short distance from it, covering his front by the stream called <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gorgylus&groupId=608&placeId=1122">Gorgylus</a>, and there remained for some days; informing himself by reconnaisances of the peculiarities of the ground and the character of the troops, and at the same time endeavouring by feigned movements to elicit the intentions of the enemy. But he could never find an unguarded point, or one where the troops were not entirely on the alert, for Cleomenes was always ready at a moment's notice to be at any point that was attacked. He therefore gave up all thoughts of attacking the position; and finally an understanding was come to between him and Cleomenes to bring the matter to the decision of battle. And, indeed, Fortune had there brought into competition two commanders equally endowed by nature with military skill. To face the division of the enemy on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Evas&groupId=590&placeId=1100">Evas</a> Antigonus stationed his Macedonian hoplites with brazen shields, and the Illyrians, drawn up in alternate lines, under the command of Alexander, son of Acmetus, and Demetrius of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pharos&groupId=879&placeId=1586">Pharos</a>, respectively. Behind them he placed the Acarnanians and Cretans, and behind them again were two thousand Achaeans to act as a reserve. His cavalry, on the banks of the river <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Oenous&groupId=804&placeId=1453">Oenous</a>, were posted opposite the enemy's cavalry, under the command of Alexander, and flanked by a thousand Achaean infantry and the same number of Megalopolitans. Antigonus himself determined to lead his mercenaries and Macedonian troops in person against the division on Olympus commanded by Cleomenes. Owing to the narrowness of the ground, the Macedonians were arranged in a double phalanx, one close behind the other, while the mercenaries were placed in front of them. It was arranged that the Illyrians, who had bivouacked in full order during the previous night along the river <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gorgylus&groupId=608&placeId=1122">Gorgylus</a>, close to the foot of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Evas&groupId=590&placeId=1100">Evas</a>, were to begin their assault on the hill when they saw a flag of linen raised from the direction of Olympus; and that the Megalopolitans and cavalry should do the same when the king raised a scarlet flag.