Polybius, Histories

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Book 3 - Chapter 8

1
<w lemma="%2Afa%2Fbios">Φάβιος</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="fhsin">φησιν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai+ko%5Cs">Ῥωμαϊκὸς</w> <w lemma="suggrafeu%5Cs">συγγραφεὺς</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Azakanqai%2Fous">Ζακανθαίους</w> <w lemma="a%29dikh%2Fmati">ἀδικήματι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asdrou%2Fbou">Ἀσδρούβου</w> <w lemma="pleoneci%2Fan">πλεονεξίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="filarxi%2Fan">φιλαρχίαν</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fan">αἰτίαν</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fban">Ἀννίβαν</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmou">πολέμου</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnon">ἐκεῖνον</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flhn">μεγάλην</w> <w lemma="a%29neilhfo%2Fta">ἀνειληφότα</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="dunastei%2Fan">δυναστείαν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibhri%2Fan">Ἰβηρίαν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w>, <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="parageno%2Fmenon">παραγενόμενον</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fhn">Λιβύην</w> <w lemma="e%29pibale%2Fsqai">ἐπιβαλέσθαι</w> <w lemma="katalu%2Fsanta">καταλύσαντα</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmous">νόμους</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="monarxi%2Fan">μοναρχίαν</w> <w lemma="peristh%3Dsai">περιστῆσαι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="poli%2Fteuma">πολίτευμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn:">Καρχηδονίων·</w>
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<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftous">πρώτους</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="politeu%2Fmatos">πολιτεύματος</w> <w lemma="proi+dome%2Fnous">προϊδομένους</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%5Cn">ἐπιβολὴν</w> <w lemma="sumfronh%3Dsai">συμφρονῆσαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diasth%3Dnai">διαστῆναι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29to%2Fn:">αὐτόν·</w>
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<w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asdrou%2Fban">Ἀσδρούβαν</w> <w lemma="u%28pido%2Fmenon">ὑπιδόμενον</w>, <w lemma="a%29naxwrh%2Fsant%27">ἀναχωρήσαντ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fhs">Λιβύης</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibhri%2Fan">Ἰβηρίαν</w> <w lemma="xeiri%2Fzein">χειρίζειν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="proai%2Fresin">προαίρεσιν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="prose%2Fxonta">προσέχοντα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="sunedri%2Fw%7C">συνεδρίῳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w>.
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<w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fban">Ἀννίβαν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="koinwno%5Cn">κοινωνὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="zhlwth%5Cn">ζηλωτὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="meiraki%2Fou">μειρακίου</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Fta">γεγονότα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnou">ἐκείνου</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fsews">προαιρέσεως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="diadeca%2Fmenon">διαδεξάμενον</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibhri%2Fan">Ἰβηρίαν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29gwgh%5Cn">ἀγωγὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asdrou%2Fba%7C">Ἀσδρούβᾳ</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w>.
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<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="e%29cenhnoxe%2Fnai">ἐξενηνοχέναι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="proai%2Fresin">προαίρεσιν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmhn">γνώμην</w>.
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<w lemma="ou%29de%2Fna">οὐδένα</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="eu%29dokei%3Dn">εὐδοκεῖν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ciolo%2Fgwn">ἀξιολόγων</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fni">Καρχηδόνι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbou">Ἀννίβου</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Azakanqai%2Fwn">Ζακανθαίων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="praxqei%3Dsin">πραχθεῖσιν</w>.
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<w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29pw%2Fn">εἰπών</w> <w lemma="fhsin">φησιν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnhs">προειρημένης</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Flwsin">ἅλωσιν</w> <w lemma="paragene%2Fsqai">παραγενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w>, <w lemma="oi%29ome%2Fnous">οἰομένους</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fban">Ἀννίβαν</w> <w lemma="e%29kdido%2Fnai">ἐκδιδόναι</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="a%29nalamba%2Fnein">ἀναλαμβάνειν</w>.
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<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Froito">ἔροιτο</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="suggrafe%2Fa">συγγραφέα</w> <w lemma="poi%3Dos">ποῖος</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cs">καιρὸς</w> <w lemma="oi%29keio%2Fteros">οἰκειότερος</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="poi%3Don">ποῖον</w> <w lemma="pra%3Dgma">πρᾶγμα</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="dikaio%2Fteron">δικαιότερον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="sumforw%2Fteron">συμφορώτερον</w>, <w lemma="e%29pei%2Fper">ἐπείπερ</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w> <w lemma="dushrestou%3Dnto">δυσηρεστοῦντο</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3Dto%2Fs">οὗτός</w> <w lemma="fhsin">φησιν</w>, <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbou">Ἀννίβου</w> <w lemma="prattome%2Fnois">πραττομένοις</w>,
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<w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="peisqe%2Fntas">πεισθέντας</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="parakaloume%2Fnois">παρακαλουμένοις</w> <w lemma="e%29kdou%3Dnai">ἐκδοῦναι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Ftion">αἴτιον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29dikhma%2Ftwn">ἀδικημάτων</w>, <w lemma="e%29panele%2Fsqai">ἐπανελέσθαι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="eu%29lo%2Fgws">εὐλόγως</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28te%2Frwn">ἑτέρων</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="koino%5Cn">κοινὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29xqro%5Cn">ἐχθρὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w>, <w lemma="peripoih%2Fsasqai">περιποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fra%7C">χώρᾳ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29sfa%2Fleian">ἀσφάλειαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29potriyame%2Fnous">ἀποτριψαμένους</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pifero%2Fmenon">ἐπιφερόμενον</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>, <w lemma="do%2Fgmati">δόγματι</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29kdi%2Fkhsin">ἐκδίκησιν</w> <w lemma="poihsame%2Fnous">ποιησαμένους</w>, <w lemma="ti%2F">τί</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxoi">ἔχοι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29ta%2F">αὐτά</w>; <w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fn">οὐδέν</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28%2F">οἵ</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsxon">ἀπέσχον</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="pra%3Dcai%2F">πρᾶξαί</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%28ptakai%2Fdek%27">ἑπτακαίδεκ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fth">ἔτη</w> <w lemma="sunexw%3Ds">συνεχῶς</w> <w lemma="polemh%2Fsantes">πολεμήσαντες</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbou">Ἀννίβου</w> <w lemma="proai%2Fresin">προαίρεσιν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="katelu%2Fsanto">κατελύσαντο</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>, <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsas">πάσας</w> <w lemma="e%29cele%2Fgcantes">ἐξελέγξαντες</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdas">ἐλπίδας</w> <w lemma="teleutai%3Don">τελευταῖον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdos">πατρίδος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3D%7C">αὐτῇ</w> <w lemma="swma%2Ftwn">σωμάτων</w> <w lemma="parege%2Fnonto">παρεγένοντο</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fndunon">κίνδυνον</w>.
<head>The Credibility of Fabius Pictor</head>Now the Roman annalist Fabius asserts that the cause of the Hannibalian war, besides the injury inflicted upon <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Saguntum&groupId=938&placeId=1673">Saguntum</a>, was the encroaching and ambitious spirit of Hasdrubal. "Having secured great power in Iberia, he returned to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Libya&groupId=686&placeId=427">Libya</a> with the design of destroying the constitution and reducing <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> to a despotism. But the leading statesmen, getting timely warning of his intention, banded themselves together and successfully opposed him. Suspecting this Hasdrubal retired from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Libya&groupId=686&placeId=427">Libya</a>, and thenceforth governed Iberia entirely at his own will without taking any account whatever of the Carthaginian Senate. This policy had had in Hannibal from his earliest youth a zealous supporter and imitator; and when he succeeded to the command in Iberia he continued it: and accordingly, even in the case of this war with <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>, was acting on his own authority and contrary to the wish of the Carthaginians; for none of the men of note in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> approved of his attack upon <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Saguntum&groupId=938&placeId=1673">Saguntum</a>." This is the statement of Fabius, who goes on to say, that "after the capture of that city an embassy arrived in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> demanding that Hannibal should be given up on pain of a declaration of war."Now what answer could Fabius have given if we had put the following question to him? "What better chance or opportunity could the Carthaginians have had of combining justice and interest? According to your own account they disliked the proceeding of Hannibal: why did they not submit to the demands of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> by surrendering the author of the injury; and thus get rid of the common enemy of the state without the odium of doing it themselves, and secure the safety of their territory by ridding themselves of the threatened war—all of which they could have effected by merely passing a decree?" If this question were put, I say, it would admit of no answer. The fact is that, so far from doing anything of the sort, they maintained the war in accordance with Hannibal's policy for seventeen years; and refused to make terms until, at the end of a most determined struggle, they found their own city and persons in imminent danger of destruction.