?<w lemma=""></w>* <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteroi">ἕτεροι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Asuriakou%3D">Συριακοῦ</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmou:">πολέμου·</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Ftio%2Fn">αἴτιόν</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fper">ὅπερ</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Frhtai">εἴρηται</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="pleio%2Fnwn">πλειόνων</w>.
<w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%28pla%3Ds">ἁπλᾶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="monoeidei%3Ds">μονοειδεῖς</w> <w lemma="labo%2Fntes">λαβόντες</w> <w lemma="u%28poqe%2Fseis">ὑποθέσεις</w> <w lemma="bou%2Flwntai">βούλωνται</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasin">πράγμασιν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="plh%2Fqei">πλήθει</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="bu%2Fblwn">βύβλων</w> <w lemma="i%28storiogra%2Ffoi">ἱστοριογράφοι</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fzesqai">νομίζεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="e%29fe%2Flkesqai">ἐφέλκεσθαι</w> <w lemma="fantasi%2Fan">φαντασίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29nagkai%3Do%2Fn">ἀναγκαῖόν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="mikra%5C">μικρὰ</w> <w lemma="mega%2Fla">μεγάλα</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w>,
<w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="braxe%2Fws">βραχέως</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhme%2Fna">εἰρημένα</w> <w lemma="diaskeua%2Fzein">διασκευάζειν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="logopoiei%3Dn">λογοποιεῖν</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fnia">ἔνια</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="pare%2Frgw%7C">παρέργῳ</w> <w lemma="pepragme%2Fnwn">πεπραγμένων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frga">ἔργα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmata">πράγματα</w> <w lemma="kataskeua%2Fzein">κατασκευάζειν</w>, <w lemma="a%29gw%3Dnas">ἀγῶνας</w> <w lemma="diatiqeme%2Fnous">διατιθεμένους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parata%2Fceis">παρατάξεις</w> <w lemma="e%29cagge%2Fllontas">ἐξαγγέλλοντας</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="ai%28%3Ds">αἷς</w> <w lemma="e%29ni%2Fote">ἐνίοτε</w> <w lemma="pezoi%5C">πεζοὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpeson">ἔπεσον</w> <w lemma="de%2Fka">δέκα</w>, <w lemma="pote%5C">ποτὲ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mikrw%3D%7C">μικρῷ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fous">πλείους</w>, <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="e%29la%2Fttous">ἐλάττους</w>.
<w lemma="poliorki%2Fas">πολιορκίας</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="topografi%2Fas">τοπογραφίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsia">παραπλήσια</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fpoi">εἴποι</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29ci%2Fws">ἀξίως</w> <w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="e%29cerga%2Fzontai">ἐξεργάζονται</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29pori%2Fan">ἀπορίαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w>.
<w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffontas">γράφοντας</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fos">ἐναντίος</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpos:">τρόπος·</w>
<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="xrh%5C">χρὴ</w> <w lemma="kataginw%2Fskein">καταγινώσκειν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="h%28mw%3Dn">ἡμῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pisuro%2Fntwn">ἐπισυρόντων</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29ni%2Fois">ἐνίοις</w> <w lemma="pollou%3D">πολλοῦ</w> <w lemma="teteuxo%2Fta">τετευχότα</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgou">λόγου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diaskeuh%3Ds">διασκευῆς</w> <w lemma="h%28̣ṃẹi%3Ḍs">ἡ̣μ̣ε̣ῖ̣ς</w> <w lemma="pote%5C">ποτὲ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="paralei%2Fpwmen">παραλείπωμεν</w>, <w lemma="pote%5C">ποτὲ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="braxe%2Fws">βραχέως</w> <w lemma="e%29cagge%2Fllwmen">ἐξαγγέλλωμεν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="pisteu%2Fein">πιστεύειν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kaqh%2Fkonta">καθήκοντα</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstois">ἑκάστοις</w> <w lemma="a%29podi%2Fdomen">ἀποδίδομεν</w>.
<w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnoi">ἐκεῖνοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="sumpa%2Fsh%7C">συμπάσῃ</w> <w lemma="pragmatei%2Fa%7C">πραγματείᾳ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgou">λόγου</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="%2Afanotei%2Fas">Φανοτείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akorwnei%2Fas">Κορωνείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <gap /><w lemma="e">ε</w> <gap /><w lemma="ou%3D">οῦ</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fan">πολιορκίαν</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffwsin">γράφωσιν</w>, <w lemma="a%29nagka%2Fzontai">ἀναγκάζονται</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fas">πολιορκίας</w> <w lemma="e%29pinoi%2Fas">ἐπινοίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Flmas">τόλμας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diaqe%2Fseis">διαθέσεις</w> <w lemma="e%29kti%2Fqesqai">ἐκτίθεσθαι</w>,
<w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> ?<w lemma=""></w>* <w lemma="%2Ata%2Frantos">Τάραντος</w> <w lemma="kata%2Flhyin">κατάληψιν</w>, <w lemma="%2Akori%2Fnqou">Κορίνθου</w> [<w lemma="poliorki%2Fan">πολιορκίαν</w>], <w lemma="%2Asa%2Frdewn">Σάρδεων</w>, <w lemma="%2Aga%2Fzhs">Γάζης</w>, <w lemma="%2Aba%2Fktrwn">Βάκτρων</w>, <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnos">Καρχηδόνος</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fan">πολιορκίαν</w> <w lemma="diatri%2Fbein">διατρίβειν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prostiqe%2Fnai">προστιθέναι</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="panta%2Fpasin">παντάπασιν</w> <w lemma="eu%29dokei%3Dn">εὐδοκεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="yilw%3Ds">ψιλῶς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftwn">τοιούτων</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29lhqh%3D">ἀληθῆ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ku%2Frion">κύριον</w> <w lemma="a%29podidw%3Dmen">ἀποδιδῶμεν</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w>.
<w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5C">αὐτὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="parata%2Fcewn">παρατάξεων</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fstw">ἔστω</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dhmhgoriw%3Dn">δημηγοριῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Ffasis">ἀπόφασις</w>, <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fws">παραπλησίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="merw%3Dn">μερῶν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas:">ἱστορίας·</w>
<w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpasi">ἅπασι</w> <w lemma="pollh%3Ds">πολλῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="dikai%2Fws">δικαίως</w> <w lemma="tugxa%2Fnoimen">τυγχάνοιμεν</w> <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmhs">συγγνώμης</w>, <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgesqai">λέγεσθαι</w> <w lemma="mello%2Fntwn">μελλόντων</w>,. <w lemma="oion">οιον</w> <w lemma="ei">ει</w> <w lemma="t">τ</w> <gap /><w lemma="fanei%2Fhmen">φανείημεν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="lh%2Fmmasi">λήμμασι</w> <w lemma="xrw%2Fmenoi">χρώμενοι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="xeirismw%3D%7C">χειρισμῷ</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="le%2Fcews">λέξεως</w> <w lemma="r%28h%2Fmasi:">ῥήμασι·</w>
<w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="e%29a%2Fn">ἐάν</w> <w lemma="pou">που</w> <w lemma="parapi%2Fptwmen">παραπίπτωμεν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="o%29nomasi%2Fais">ὀνομασίαις</w> <w lemma="o%29rw%3Dn">ὀρῶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="potamw%3Dn">ποταμῶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="i%29dio%2Fthsi:">ἰδιότησι·</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pragmatei%2Fas">πραγματείας</w> <w lemma="i%28kano%2Fn">ἱκανόν</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpasi">ἅπασι</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="paraitei%3Dsqai:">παραιτεῖσθαι·</w>
<w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29a%2Fn">ἐάν</w> <w lemma="pou">που</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fqesin">πρόθεσιν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="ke%2Frdous">κέρδους</w> <w lemma="tino%5Cs">τινὸς</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fneken">ἕνεκεν</w> <w lemma="eu%28riskw%2Fmeqa">εὑρισκώμεθα</w> <w lemma="yeudografou%3Dntes:">ψευδογραφοῦντες·</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="paraitou%2Fmeqa">παραιτούμεθα</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pleona%2Fkis">πλεονάκις</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="pragmatei%2Fa%7C">πραγματείᾳ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frous">μέρους</w> <w lemma="diesta%2Flmeqa">διεστάλμεθα</w>. —
|
<head>Of Proportion In History</head>Other historians [have spoken in exaggerated terms]<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note18">The extract begins in the middle of a sentence at the top of a page. I<note anchored="yes" place="marg">A digression on Polybius's method in writing history, and his avoidance of imaginary details.</note>have supplied these words at a guess, giving what seems the sense.</note>of the Syrian war. And the reason is one which I have often mentioned. Though their subjects are simple and without complications, they seek the name and reputation of historians not from the truth of their facts, but the number of their books; and accordingly they are obliged to give petty affairs an air of importance, and fill out and give rhetorical flourishes to what was originally expressed briefly; dress up actions and achievements which were originally quite secondary; expatiate on struggles; and describe pitched battles, in which sometimes ten or a few more infantry fell, and still fewer cavalry. As for sieges, local descriptions, and the like, one cannot say that their treatment is adequate, because they have no facts to give. But a writer of universal history must pursue a different plan; and therefore I ought not to be condemned for minimising the importance of events, if I sometimes pass over affairs that have met with wide fame and laboured description, or for mentioning them with brevity; but I ought to be trusted to give to each subject the amount of discussion which it deserves. Such historians as I refer to, when they are describing in the course of their work the siege, say of Phanoteia, or Coroneia, or [Haliartus], are forced to display all the contrivances, bold strokes, and other features of a siege; and when they come to the capture of Tarentum, the sieges of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sardis&groupId=948&placeId=1686">Sardis</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaza&groupId=599&placeId=390">Gaza</a>, Bactra, and, above all, of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>, they must draw on their own resources to prolong the agony and heighten the picture, and are not at all satisfied with me for giving a more truthful relation of such events as they really occurred. Let this statement hold good also as to my description of pitched battles and public harangues, as well as other departments of history; in all of which I might fairly claim considerable indulgence, as also in what is now about to<pb n="397" />be narrated, if I am detected in some inconsistency in the substance of my story, the treatment of my facts, or the style of language; and also if I make some mistakes in the names of mountains or rivers, or the special features of localities: for indeed the magnitude of my work is a sufficient excuse in all these points, unless, indeed, I am ever detected in deliberate or interested misstatements in my writings: for such I ask no indulgence, as I have repeatedly and explicitly remarked in the course of my history. . . .
|
Walbank Commentary