<head lang="la">A. Olymp. 157, 3. I. Bellum Punicum Tertium</head><w lemma="%2A%29%2Fisws">Ἴσως</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tines">τινες</w> <w lemma="e%29pizhtou%3Dsi">ἐπιζητοῦσι</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="h%28mei%3Ds">ἡμεῖς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="a%29gwni%2Fsmati">ἀγωνίσματι</w> <w lemma="kexrh%2Fmeqa">κεχρήμεθα</w> <w lemma="profero%2Fmenoi">προφερόμενοι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous">λόγους</w>, <w lemma="toiau%2Fths">τοιαύτης</w> <w lemma="u%28poqe%2Fsews">ὑποθέσεως</w> <w lemma="e%29peilhmme%2Fnoi">ἐπειλημμένοι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="thlikau%2Fths">τηλικαύτης</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcews:">πράξεως·</w>
<w lemma="o%28%2Fper">ὅπερ</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dstoi">πλεῖστοι</w> <w lemma="poiou%3Dsi">ποιοῦσι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="suggrafe%2Fwn">συγγραφέων</w>, <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="a%29mfo%2Ftera">ἀμφότερα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="diatiqe%2Fmenoi">διατιθέμενοι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29no%2Fntas">ἐνόντας</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgous">λόγους</w>.
<w lemma="e%29gw%5C">ἐγὼ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29podokima%2Fzw">ἀποδοκιμάζω</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fosi">πλείοσι</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="pepoi%2Fhmai">πεποίημαι</w>, <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="a%29phggelkw%5Cs">ἀπηγγελκὼς</w> <w lemma="dhmhgori%2Fas">δημηγορίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunta%2Fceis">συντάξεις</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="politikw%3Dn:">πολιτικῶν·</w>
<w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="panto%5Cs">παντὸς</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpou">τρόπου</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="proairou%3Dmai">προαιροῦμαι</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fttein">πράττειν</w>, <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fstai">ἔσται</w> <w lemma="sumfane%2Fs:">συμφανές·</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="u%28po%2Fqesin">ὑπόθεσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pifaneste%2Fran">ἐπιφανεστέραν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="eu%28rei%3Dn">εὑρεῖν</w> <w lemma="r%28a%2F%7Cdion">ῥᾴδιον</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fq%27">οὔθ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Flhn">ὕλην</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="para%2Fqesin">παράθεσιν</w>.
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="proxeiro%2Fteron">προχειρότερον</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteron">ἕτερον</w> <w lemma="e%29moi%5C">ἐμοὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fths">τοιαύτης</w> <w lemma="paraskeuh%3Ds">παρασκευῆς</w>.
<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="politikoi%3Ds">πολιτικοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29ndra%2Fsin">ἀνδράσιν</w> <w lemma="oi%29%3Dmai">οἶμαι</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fpein">πρέπειν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="proteqe%5Cn">προτεθὲν</w> <w lemma="diabou%2Flion">διαβούλιον</w> <w lemma="eu%28rhsilogei%3Dn">εὑρησιλογεῖν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diecodikoi%3Ds">διεξοδικοῖς</w> <w lemma="xrh%3Dsqai">χρῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgois">λόγοις</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%28rmo%2Fzousi">ἁρμόζουσι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28pokei%2Fmenon">ὑποκείμενον</w> <w lemma="kairo%2Fn">καιρόν</w>,
<w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%28storiogra%2Ffois">ἱστοριογράφοις</w> <w lemma="e%29mmeleta%3Dn">ἐμμελετᾶν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29kou%2Fousin">ἀκούουσιν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29napodei%2Fknusqai">ἐναποδείκνυσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29lh%2Fqeian">ἀλήθειαν</w> <w lemma="r%28hqe%2Fnta">ῥηθέντα</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Do%2Fn">οἷόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="polupragmonh%2Fsantas">πολυπραγμονήσαντας</w> <w lemma="diasafei%3Dn">διασαφεῖν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kairiw%2Ftata">καιριώτατα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pragmatikw%2Ftata">πραγματικώτατα</w>. —
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<head>The Third Punic War</head>IT may occur to some to ask why I have not given a<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note1">The dramatic representation of debates though convenient is not history.</note>dramatic turn to my narrative, now that I have so striking a theme and a subject of such importance, by recording the actual speeches delivered; a thing which the majority of historians have done, by giving the appropriate arguments used on either side. That I do not reject this method altogether I have shown in several parts of my work, in which I have recorded popular harangues and expositions delivered by statesmen; but that I am not inclined to employ it on every occasion alike will now be made clear; for it would not be easy to find a subject more remarkable than this, nor material more ample for instituting a comparison of such a character. Nor indeed could any form of composition be more convenient to me. Still, as I do not think it becoming in statesmen to be ready with argument and exposition on every subject of debate without distinction, but rather to adapt their speeches to the nature of the particular occasion, so neither do I think it right for historians to practise their skill or show off their ability upon their readers: they ought on the contrary to devote their whole energies to discover and record what was really and truly said, and even of such words only those that are the most opportune and essential. . . .
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Walbank Commentary