Polybius, Histories

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Book 20 - Chapter 4

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<w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2Aboiwtoi%5C">Βοιωτοὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="pollw%3Dn">πολλῶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnwn">χρόνων</w> <w lemma="kaxektou%3Dntes">καχεκτοῦντες</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flhn">μεγάλην</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxon">εἶχον</w> <w lemma="diafora%5Cn">διαφορὰν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="gegenhme%2Fnhn">γεγενημένην</w> <w lemma="eu%29eci%2Fan">εὐεξίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%28%3Dtoi">οὗτοι</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flhn">μεγάλην</w> <w lemma="peripoihsa%2Fmenoi">περιποιησάμενοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Aleuktrikoi%3Ds">Λευκτρικοῖς</w> <w lemma="kairoi%3Ds">καιροῖς</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="oi%29%3Dd%27">οἶδ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fpws">ὅπως</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sunexe%5Cs">συνεχὲς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnois">χρόνοις</w> <w lemma="a%29fh%2F%7Croun">ἀφῄρουν</w> <w lemma="a%29mfote%2Frwn">ἀμφοτέρων</w> <w lemma="ai%29ei%5C">αἰεὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fxontes">ἔχοντες</w> <w lemma="strathgo%5Cn">στρατηγὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29abaio%2Fkriton">Ἀβαιόκριτον</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kairw%3Dn">καιρῶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="a%29fh%2F%7Croun">ἀφῄρουν</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%28plw%3Ds">ἁπλῶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%29nanti%2Fa">τἀναντία</w> <w lemma="trape%2Fntes">τραπέντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w> <w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Doi%2F">οἷοί</w> <w lemma="t%27">τ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="h%29mau%2Frwsan">ἠμαύρωσαν</w>.
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<w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlou%5Cs">Αἰτωλοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29kpolemwsa%2Fntwn">ἐκπολεμωσάντων</w>, <w lemma="metasxo%2Fntes">μετασχόντες</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="ai%28re%2Fsews">αἱρέσεως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="poihsa%2Fmenoi">ποιησάμενοι</w> <w lemma="summaxi%2Fan">συμμαχίαν</w>, <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sunexe%5Cs">συνεχὲς</w> <w lemma="e%29pole%2Fmoun">ἐπολέμουν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlou%2Fs">Αἰτωλούς</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29mbalo%2Fntwn">ἐμβαλόντων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aboiwti%2Fan">Βοιωτίαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlw%3Dn">Αἰτωλῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29kstrateu%2Fsantes">ἐκστρατεύσαντες</w> <w lemma="pandhmei%2F">πανδημεί</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="h%28qroisme%2Fnwn">ἡθροισμένων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mello%2Fntwn">μελλόντων</w> <w lemma="parabohqei%3Dn">παραβοηθεῖν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29kdeca%2Fmenoi">ἐκδεξάμενοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="parousi%2Fan">παρουσίαν</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbalon">συνέβαλον</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twloi%3Ds">Αἰτωλοῖς</w>,
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<w lemma="h%28tthqe%2Fntes">ἡττηθέντες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunon">κίνδυνον</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="a%29ne%2Fpeson">ἀνέπεσον</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="yuxai%3Ds">ψυχαῖς</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fst%27">ὥστ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29p%27">ἀπ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnhs">ἐκείνης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fas">χρείας</w> <w lemma="a%28plw%3Ds">ἁπλῶς</w> <w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Dn">καλῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29mfisbhtei%3Dn">ἀμφισβητεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29to%2Flmhsan">ἐτόλμησαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29koinw%2Fnhsan">ἐκοινώνησαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcews">πράξεως</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Ft%27">οὔτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29gw%3Dnos">ἀγῶνος</w> <w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhsi">Ἕλλησι</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="koinou%3D">κοινοῦ</w> <w lemma="do%2Fgmatos">δόγματος</w>,
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<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%2Fsantes">ὁρμήσαντες</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="eu%29wxi%2Fan">εὐωχίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fqas">μέθας</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmasin">σώμασιν</w> <w lemma="e%29celu%2Fqhsan">ἐξελύθησαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="yuxai%3Ds">ψυχαῖς</w>.
<head>The Decline of Boeotia</head>The Boeotians had long been in a very depressed state, which offered a strong contrast to the former prosperity and reputation of their country.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note4">from B. C. 371-361.</note>They had acquired great glory as well as great material prosperity at the time of the battle of Leuctra; but by some means or another from that time forward they steadily diminished both the one and the other under the leadership of Amaeocritus; and subsequently not only diminished them, but underwent a complete change of character, and did all that was possible to wipe out their previous reputation. For having been incited by the Achaeans to go to war with the Aetolians, they adopted the policy of the former and made an alliance with them, and thenceforth maintained a steady war with the Aetolians.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note5">B. C. 245. See Plutarch,<bibl n="Plut. Arat. 16" default="NO" valid="yes"><title>Arat.</title>16</bibl>.</note>But on the Aetolians invading Boeotia, they marched out with their full available force, and without waiting for the arrival of the Achaeans, who had mustered their men and were on the point of marching to their assistance, they attacked the Aetolians; and being worsted in the battle were so completely demoralised, that, from the time of that campaign, they never plucked up spirit to claim any position of honour whatever, and never shared in any enterprise or contest undertaken by the common consent of the Greeks. They devoted themselves entirely to eating and drinking, and thus became effeminate in their souls as well as in their bodies.