Polybius, Histories

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Book 3 - Chapter 54

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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="suna%2Fyai">συνάψαι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="parembolh%2Fn">παρεμβολήν</w>. <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="xio%2Fnos">χιόνος</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fkrous">ἄκρους</w> <w lemma="a%28qroizome%2Fnhs">ἁθροιζομένης</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="suna%2Fptein">συνάπτειν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Apleia%2Fdos">Πλειάδος</w> <w lemma="du%2Fsin">δύσιν</w>, <w lemma="qewrw%3Dn">θεωρῶν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="plh%2Fqh">πλήθη</w> <w lemma="dusqu%2Fmws">δυσθύμως</w> <w lemma="diakei%2Fmena">διακείμενα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="progegenhme%2Fnhn">προγεγενημένην</w> <w lemma="talaipwri%2Fan">ταλαιπωρίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="prosdokwme%2Fnhn">προσδοκωμένην</w>,
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<w lemma="e%29peira%3Dto">ἐπειρᾶτο</w> <w lemma="sunaqroi%2Fsas">συναθροίσας</w> <w lemma="parakalei%3Dn">παρακαλεῖν</w>, <w lemma="mi%2Fan">μίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="a%29formh%5Cn">ἀφορμὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fas">Ἰταλίας</w> <w lemma="e%29na%2Frgeian:">ἐνάργειαν·</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="u%28popeptw%2Fkei">ὑποπεπτώκει</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnois">προειρημένοις</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fresin">ὄρεσιν</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="sunqewroume%2Fnwn">συνθεωρουμένων</w> <w lemma="a%29mfoi%3Dn">ἀμφοῖν</w> <w lemma="a%29kropo%2Flews">ἀκροπόλεως</w> <w lemma="fai%2Fnesqai">φαίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="dia%2Fqesin">διάθεσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein">ἔχειν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Falpeis">Ἄλπεις</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhs">ὅλης</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fas">Ἰταλίας</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="e%29ndeiknu%2Fmenos">ἐνδεικνύμενος</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Apa%2Fdon">Πάδον</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fa">πεδία</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="eu%29noi%2Fas">εὐνοίας</w> <w lemma="u%28pomimnh%2Fskwn">ὑπομιμνήσκων</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="katoikou%2Fntwn">κατοικούντων</w> <w lemma="au%29ta%5C">αὐτὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Agalatw%3Dn">Γαλατῶν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmhs">Ῥώμης</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w> <w lemma="u%28podeiknu%2Fwn">ὑποδεικνύων</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="poso%5Cn">ποσὸν</w> <w lemma="eu%29qarsei%3Ds">εὐθαρσεῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fhse">ἐποίησε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpous">ἀνθρώπους</w>.
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<w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pau%2Frion">ἐπαύριον</w> <w lemma="a%29nazeu%2Fcas">ἀναζεύξας</w> <w lemma="e%29nh%2Frxeto">ἐνήρχετο</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kataba%2Fsews">καταβάσεως</w>. <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29ke%2Fti">οὐκέτι</w> <w lemma="perie%2Ftuxe">περιέτυχε</w> <w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="la%2Fqra%7C">λάθρᾳ</w> <w lemma="kakopoiou%2Fntwn">κακοποιούντων</w>, <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xio%2Fnos">χιόνος</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="pollw%3D%7C">πολλῷ</w> <w lemma="lei%2Fpontas">λείποντας</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fbale">ἀπέβαλε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fbasin">ἀνάβασιν</w> <w lemma="fqare%2Fntwn">φθαρέντων</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29%2Fshs">οὔσης</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="stenh%3Ds">στενῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="katwferou%3Ds">κατωφεροῦς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kataba%2Fsews">καταβάσεως</w>, <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="xio%2Fnos">χιόνος</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fdhlon">ἄδηλον</w> <w lemma="poiou%2Fshs">ποιούσης</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstois">ἑκάστοις</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fbasin">ἐπίβασιν</w>, <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="parapeso%5Cn">παραπεσὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="o%28dou%3D">ὁδοῦ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sfale%5Cn">σφαλὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29fe%2Freto">ἐφέρετο</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="krhmnw%3Dn">κρημνῶν</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Fferon">ὑπέφερον</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="talaipwri%2Fan">ταλαιπωρίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fte">ἅτε</w> <w lemma="sunh%2Fqeis">συνήθεις</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntes">ὄντες</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftois">τοιούτοις</w> <w lemma="kakoi%3Ds:">κακοῖς·</w>
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<w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="paragene%2Fsqai">παραγενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="toiou%3Dton">τοιοῦτον</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="qhri%2Fois">θηρίοις</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28pozugi%2Fois">ὑποζυγίοις</w> <w lemma="dunato%5Cn">δυνατὸν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="parelqei%3Dn">παρελθεῖν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="steno%2Fthta">στενότητα</w>, <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tri%2F%27">τρί᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28mista%2Fdia">ἡμιστάδια</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29porrw%3Dgos">ἀπορρῶγος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fshs">οὔσης</w>, <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="prosfa%2Ftws">προσφάτως</w> <w lemma="a%29perrwgui%2Fas">ἀπερρωγυίας</w>, <w lemma="e%29ntau%3Dqa">ἐνταῦθα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="a%29qumh%3Dsai">ἀθυμῆσαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diatraph%3Dnai">διατραπῆναι</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w>.
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="e%29peba%2Fleto">ἐπεβάλετο</w> <w lemma="perielqei%3Dn">περιελθεῖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="dusxwri%2Fas">δυσχωρίας</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="strathgo%2Fs:">στρατηγός·</w> <w lemma="e%29pigenome%2Fnhs">ἐπιγενομένης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="xio%2Fnos">χιόνος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="a%29du%2Fnaton">ἀδύνατον</w> <w lemma="poiou%2Fshs">ποιούσης</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="porei%2Fan">πορείαν</w>,
<head>The Descent Into Italy</head>But by this time, it being nearly the period of the setting of the Pleiads,<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note91">9th November.</note>the snow was beginning to be thick on the heights; and seeing his men in low spirits, owing both to the fatigue they had gone through, and that which still lay before them, Hannibal called them together and tried to cheer them by dwelling on the one possible topic of consolation in his power, namely the view of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a>: which lay stretched out in both directions below those mountains, giving the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Alps&groupId=313&placeId=609">Alps</a> the appearance of a citadel to the whole of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a>. By pointing therefore to the plains of the Padus, and reminding them of the friendly welcome which awaited them from the Gauls who lived there, and at the same time indicating the direction of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> itself, he did somewhat to raise the drooping spirits of his men.Next day he began the descent, in which he no longer<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note92">The descent.</note>met with any enemies, except some few secret pillagers; but from the dangerous ground and the snow he lost almost as many men as on the ascent. For the path down was narrow and precipitous, and the snow made it impossible for the men to see where they were treading, while to step aside from the path, or to stumble, meant being hurled down the precipices. The troops however bore up against the fatigue, having now<pb n="215" />grown accustomed to such hardships; but when they came to a place where the path was too narrow for the elephants or beasts of burden to pass,—and which, narrowed before by landslips extending about a stade and a half, had recently been made more so by another landslip,—then once more despondency and consternation fell upon the troops. Hannibal's first idea was to avoid this<foreign lang="fr">mauvais pas</foreign>by a detour, but this route too being made impossible by a snow-storm, he abandoned the idea.