Polybius, Histories

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Book 3 - Chapter 111

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<w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="qewrw%3Dn">θεωρῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="kalei%3D">καλεῖ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmata">πράγματα</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxesqai">μάχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumba%2Fllein">συμβάλλειν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w>, <w lemma="eu%29labou%2Fmenos">εὐλαβούμενος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="diate%2Ftraptai">διατέτραπται</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="progegono%2Ftos">προγεγονότος</w> <w lemma="e%29lattw%2Fmatos">ἐλαττώματος</w>, <w lemma="kri%2Fnas">κρίνας</w> <w lemma="prosdei%3Dsqai">προσδεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="paraklh%2Fsews">παρακλήσεως</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="sunh%3Dge">συνῆγε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="pollou%2Fs">πολλούς</w>.
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<w lemma="a%28qroisqe%2Fntwn">ἁθροισθέντων</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w>, <w lemma="perible%2Fyai">περιβλέψαι</w> <w lemma="keleu%2Fsas">κελεύσας</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fric">πέριξ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w>, <w lemma="h%29%2Freto">ἤρετο</w> <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="mei%3Dzon">μεῖζον</w> <w lemma="eu%29%2Fcasqai">εὔξασθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="qeoi%3Ds">θεοῖς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="paro%2Fntas">παρόντας</w> <w lemma="e%29du%2Fnanto">ἐδύναντο</w> <w lemma="kairou%2Fs">καιρούς</w>, <w lemma="doqei%2Fshs">δοθείσης</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29cousi%2Fas">ἐξουσίας</w>, <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="i%28ppokratou%3Dntas">ἱπποκρατοῦντας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftois">τοιούτοις</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w> <w lemma="diakriqh%3Dnai">διακριθῆναι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w>.
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<w lemma="pάntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="r%28hqe%5Cn">ῥηθὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29pishmhnamέnwn">ἐπισημηναμένων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29nάrgeian">ἐνάργειαν</w> <w lemma="“toύtou">“τούτου</w> <w lemma="toigarou%3Dn”">τοιγαροῦν”</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffh">ἔφη</w> <w lemma="“prw%3Dton">“πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="qeoi%3Ds">θεοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxete">ἔχετε</w> <w lemma="xάrin:">χάριν·</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnoi">ἐκεῖνοι</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="sugkataskeuάzontes">συγκατασκευάζοντες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="nίkhn">νίκην</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="toioύtous">τοιούτους</w> <w lemma="tόpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fxasi">ἤχασι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29xqroύs:">ἐχθρούς·</w>
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<w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxesqai">μάχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fous">πολεμίους</w> <w lemma="sunhnagka%2Fsamen:">συνηναγκάσαμεν·</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnantai">δύνανται</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="diafugei%3Dn:">διαφυγεῖν·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxesqai">μάχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="profanw%3Ds">προφανῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="h%28mete%2Frois">ἡμετέροις</w> <w lemma="proterh%2Fmasi">προτερήμασι</w>.
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="parakalei%3Dn">παρακαλεῖν</w> <w lemma="u%28ma%3Ds">ὑμᾶς</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="pleio%2Fnwn">πλειόνων</w> <w lemma="eu%29qarsei%3Ds">εὐθαρσεῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="proqu%2Fmous">προθύμους</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunon">κίνδυνον</w> <w lemma="ou%29damw%3Ds">οὐδαμῶς</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w> <w lemma="kaqh%2Fkein">καθήκειν</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29pei%2Frws">ἀπείρως</w> <w lemma="die%2Fkeisqe">διέκεισθε</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhs">μάχης</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fdei">ἔδει</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meq%27">μεθ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28podeigma%2Ftwn">ὑποδειγμάτων</w> <w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="u%28ma%3Ds">ὑμᾶς</w> <w lemma="pollou%5Cs">πολλοὺς</w> <w lemma="dieqe%2Fmhn">διεθέμην</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous:">λόγους·</w>
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<w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sunexe%5Cs">συνεχὲς</w> <w lemma="trisi%5C">τρισὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxais">μάχαις</w> <w lemma="thlikau%2Ftais">τηλικαύταις</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="o%28mologoume%2Fnou">ὁμολογουμένου</w> <w lemma="nenikh%2Fkate">νενικήκατε</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w>, <w lemma="poi%3Dos">ποῖος</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgos">λόγος</w> <w lemma="u%28mi%3Dn">ὑμῖν</w> <w lemma="i%29sxuro%2Fteron">ἰσχυρότερον</w> <w lemma="parasth%2Fsai">παραστήσαι</w> <w lemma="qa%2Frsos">θάρσος</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frgwn">ἔργων</w>;
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<w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kindu%2Fnwn">κινδύνων</w> <w lemma="kekrath%2Fkate">κεκρατήκατε</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="a%29gaqw%3Dn">ἀγαθῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="h%28mete%2Fras">ἡμετέρας</w> <w lemma="e%29paggeli%2Fas">ἐπαγγελίας</w>, <w lemma="a%29yeustou%2Fntwn">ἀψευστούντων</w> <w lemma="h%28mw%3Dn">ἡμῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsi">πᾶσι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="u%28ma%3Ds">ὑμᾶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29rhme%2Fnois:">εἰρημένοις·</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="a%29gw%5Cn">ἀγὼν</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Fsthken">ἐνέστηκεν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flewn">πόλεων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="au%29tai%3Ds">αὐταῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29gaqw%3Dn">ἀγαθῶν</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="krath%2Fsantes">κρατήσαντες</w> <w lemma="ku%2Frioi">κύριοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsesqe">ἔσεσθε</w> <w lemma="paraxrh%3Dma">παραχρῆμα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fas">Ἰταλίας</w>, <w lemma="a%29pallage%2Fntes">ἀπαλλαγέντες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="po%2Fnwn">πόνων</w>, <w lemma="geno%2Fmenoi">γενόμενοι</w> <w lemma="sumpa%2Fshs">συμπάσης</w> <w lemma="e%29gkratei%3Ds">ἐγκρατεῖς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="eu%29daimoni%2Fas">εὐδαιμονίας</w>, <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fnes">ἡγεμόνες</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="despo%2Ftai">δεσπόται</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="genh%2Fsesqe">γενήσεσθε</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxhs">μάχης</w>.
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<w lemma="diόper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="ou%29kέti">οὐκέτι</w> <w lemma="lόgwn">λόγων</w> <w lemma="a%29ll’">ἀλλ’</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frgwn">ἔργων</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="xreίa:">χρεία·</w> <w lemma="qew%3Dn">θεῶν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="boulomέnwn">βουλομένων</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fpw">οὔπω</w> <w lemma="bebaiώsein">βεβαιώσειν</w> <w lemma="u%28mi%3Dn">ὑμῖν</w> <w lemma="pέpeismai">πέπεισμαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29paggelίas”">ἐπαγγελίας”</w>.
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<w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsia">παραπλήσια</w> <w lemma="dialexqei%2Fs">διαλεχθείς</w>, <w lemma="proqu%2Fmws">προθύμως</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pishmainome%2Fnou">ἐπισημαινομένου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="plh%2Fqous">πλήθους</w>, <w lemma="e%29paine%2Fsas">ἐπαινέσας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="deca%2Fmenos">δεξάμενος</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%5Cn">ὁρμὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29fh%3Dke">ἀφῆκε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraxrh%3Dma">παραχρῆμα</w> <w lemma="katestratope%2Fdeuse">κατεστρατοπέδευσε</w>, <w lemma="poiou%2Fmenos">ποιούμενος</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xa%2Fraka">χάρακα</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="pleura%5Cn">πλευρὰν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="potamou%3D">ποταμοῦ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="mei%2Fzoni">μείζονι</w> <w lemma="stratopedei%2Fa%7C">στρατοπεδείᾳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fwn">ὑπεναντίων</w>.
<head>Hannibal Encourages his Troops</head>Then Hannibal, seeing that his circumstances called<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note176">Hannibal harangues his troops.</note>for a battle with the enemy, being anxious lest his troops should be depressed by their previous reverse, and believing that it was an occasion which required some encouraging words, summoned a general meeting of his soldiers. When they were assembled, he bid them all look round upon the country, and asked them, "What better fortune they could have asked from the gods, if they had had the choice, than to fight in such ground as they saw there, with the vast superiority of cavalry on their side?" And when all signified their acquiescence in such an evident truth, he added: "First, then, give thanks to the gods: for they have brought the enemy into this country, because they designed the victory for us. And, next to me, for having compelled the enemy to fight,—for they cannot avoid it any longer,—and to fight in a place so full of advantages for us. But I do not think it becoming in me now to use many words in exhorting you to be brave and forward in this battle. When you had had no experience of<pb n="268" />fighting the Romans this was necessary, and I did then suggest many arguments and examples to you. But now seeing that you have undeniably beaten the Romans in three successive battles of such magnitude, what arguments could have greater influence with you in confirming your courage than the actual facts? Now, by your previous battles you have got possession of the country and all its wealth, in accordance with my promises: for I have been absolutely true in everything I have ever said to you. But the present contest is for the cities and the wealth in them: and if you win it, all <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a> will at once be in your power; and freed from your present hard toils, and masters of the wealth of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>, you will by this battle become the leaders and lords of the world. This, then, is a time for deeds, not words: for by God's blessing I am persuaded that I shall carry out my promises to you forthwith." His words were received with approving shouts, which he acknowledged with gratitude for their zeal; and having dismissed the assembly, he at once formed a camp on the same bank of the river as that on which was the larger camp of the Romans.