Polybius, Histories

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Book 27 - Chapter 20

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<w lemma="%2A%29%2Fisws">Ἴσως</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrwpei%2Fois">ἀνθρωπείοις</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="kairw%3D%7C">καιρῷ</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="metrei%3Dn">μετρεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkasta">ἕκαστα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29nergoume%2Fnwn:">ἐνεργουμένων·</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fsthn">μεγίστην</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dtos">οὗτος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxei">ἔχει</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin:">δύναμιν·</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemikoi%3Ds:">πολεμικοῖς·</w>
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<w lemma="o%29cu%2Ftatai">ὀξύταται</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Ftera">ἑκάτερα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnontai">γίνονται</w> <w lemma="r%28opai%2F:">ῥοπαί·</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29stoxei%3Dn">ἀστοχεῖν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgisto%2Fn">μέγιστόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%28marthma%2Ftwn">ἁμαρτημάτων</w>. —
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dsi">δοκοῦσι</w> <w lemma="polloi%5C">πολλοὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpwn">ἀνθρώπων</w> <w lemma="e%29piqumei%3Dn">ἐπιθυμεῖν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Dn">καλῶν</w>, <w lemma="o%29li%2Fgoi">ὀλίγοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tolma%3Dn">τολμᾶν</w> <w lemma="e%29gxeirei%3Dn">ἐγχειρεῖν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w>, <w lemma="spa%2Fnioi">σπάνιοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29gxeirhsa%2Fntwn">ἐγχειρησάντων</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="a%29gagei%3Dn">ἀγαγεῖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kaqh%3Dkon">καθῆκον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstois">ἑκάστοις</w> <w lemma="poiou%2Fmena">ποιούμενα</w>.
<head>The Need of Promptness and Persistence</head>In all human affairs perhaps one ought to regulate every undertaking by considerations of time; but this is especially true in war, in which a moment makes all the difference between success and failure, and to miss this is the most fatal of errors. . . .Many men desire honour, but it is only the few who venture to attempt it; and of those who do so, it is rare to find any that have the resolution to persevere to the end. . . .<pb />