Polybius, Histories

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Book 4 - Chapter 24

1
<w lemma="fi%2Flois">φίλοις</w>. <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsin">πᾶσιν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="xrh%5C">χρὴ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgein">λέγειν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmas:">γνώμας·</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%5Cs">εἰκὸς</w> <w lemma="e%28ptakaidekae%2Fth">ἑπτακαιδεκαέτη</w> <w lemma="pai%3Dda">παῖδα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="thlikou%2Ftwn">τηλικούτων</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnasqai">δύνασθαι</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="dieukrinei%3Dn">διευκρινεῖν</w>.
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<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28mi%3Dn">ἡμῖν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kaqh%2Fkei">καθήκει</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="gra%2Ffousi">γράφουσι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="kurou%2Fsas">κυρούσας</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="diabou%2Flia">διαβούλια</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmas">γνώμας</w> <w lemma="a%29natiqe%2Fnai">ἀνατιθέναι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="proestw%3Dsi">προεστῶσι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn:">ὅλων·</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%2Fntoi">μέντοι</w> <w lemma="g%27">γ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29kou%2Fontas">ἀκούοντας</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="xrh%5C">χρὴ</w> <w lemma="sunuponoei%3Dn">συνυπονοεῖν</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="suno%2Fntwn">συνόντων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="parakeime%2Fnwn">παρακειμένων</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Fs">εἰκός</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Ftas">τοιαύτας</w> <w lemma="u%28poqe%2Fseis">ὑποθέσεις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dialh%2Fyeis:">διαλήψεις·</w>
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<w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ara%2Ftw%7C">Ἀράτῳ</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="e%29pieike%2Fstat%27">ἐπιεικέστατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="prosa%2Fptoi">προσάπτοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="r%28hqei%3Dsan">ῥηθεῖσαν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmhn">γνώμην</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="%2Afi%2Flippos">Φίλιππος</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxwn">συμμάχων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%5Cs">αὑτοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29dikh%2Fmata">ἀδικήματα</w> <w lemma="kaqh%2Fkein">καθήκειν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffhsen">ἔφησεν</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3D%7C">αὑτῷ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fxri">μέχρι</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgou">λόγου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gramma%2Ftwn">γραμμάτων</w> <w lemma="diorqou%3Dn">διορθοῦν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunepishmai%2Fnesqai">συνεπισημαίνεσθαι</w>,
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<w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="koinh%5Cn">κοινὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%2Fkonta">ἀνήκοντα</w> <w lemma="summaxi%2Fan">συμμαχίαν</w>, <w lemma="tau%3Dt%27">ταῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffh">ἔφη</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fna">μόνα</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dn">δεῖν</w> <w lemma="koinh%3Ds">κοινῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pistrofh%3Ds">ἐπιστροφῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diorqw%2Fsews">διορθώσεως</w> <w lemma="tugxa%2Fnein">τυγχάνειν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w>.
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<w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fwn">Λακεδαιμονίων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="koinh%5Cn">κοινὴν</w> <w lemma="summaxi%2Fan">συμμαχίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29kfane%5Cs">ἐκφανὲς</w> <w lemma="h%28marthko%2Ftwn">ἡμαρτηκότων</w>, <w lemma="e%29paggellome%2Fnwn">ἐπαγγελλομένων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="di%2Fkaia">δίκαια</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxon">ἔχον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="bouleu%2Fesqai%2F">βουλεύεσθαί</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29parai%2Fthton:">ἀπαραίτητον·</w>
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Ftopon">ἄτοπον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="pate%2Fra">πατέρα</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntwn">ὄντων</w> <w lemma="krath%2Fsanta">κρατήσαντα</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="poih%3Dsai">ποιῆσαι</w> <w lemma="deino%2Fn">δεινόν</w>, <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftw">οὕτω</w> <w lemma="mikra%3Ds">μικρᾶς</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fas">αἰτίας</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%2Fkesto%2Fn">ἀνήκεστόν</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="bouleu%2Fesqai">βουλεύεσθαι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29pikurwqei%2Fshs">ἐπικυρωθείσης</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmhs">γνώμης</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="paridei%3Dn">παριδεῖν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Fs">γεγονός</w>, <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Apetrai%3Don">Πετραῖον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="fi%2Flwn">φίλων</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29wmi%2Fan">Ὠμίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29cape%2Fstelle">ἐξαπέστελλε</w> <w lemma="parakale%2Fsonta">παρακαλέσοντα</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="pollou%5Cs">πολλοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29nte%2Fxesqai">ἀντέχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%28to%5Cn">αὑτὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnas">Μακεδόνας</w> <w lemma="eu%29noi%2Fas">εὐνοίας</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dw%2Fsonta">δώσοντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="lhyo%2Fmenon">ληψόμενον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Frkous">ὅρκους</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="summaxi%2Fan">συμμαχίαν</w>.
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<w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w> <w lemma="a%29nazeu%2Fcas">ἀναζεύξας</w> <w lemma="proh%3Dge">προῆγε</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akori%2Fnqou">Κορίνθου</w>, <w lemma="kalo%5Cn">καλὸν</w> <w lemma="dei%3Dgma">δεῖγμα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%3D">ἑαυτοῦ</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fsews">προαιρέσεως</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxois">συμμάχοις</w> <w lemma="e%29ktiqe%2Fmenos">ἐκτιθέμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fous">Λακεδαιμονίους</w> <w lemma="a%29pofa%2Fsei">ἀποφάσει</w>.
<head>the King Decides Not to Punish Sparta</head>The king gave the final decision, if that decision may<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note52">The king decides not to chastise <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a>.</note>be called the king's: for it is not reasonable to suppose that a mere boy should be able to come to a decision on matters of such moment. Historians, however, must attribute to the highest official present the final decisions arrived at: it being thoroughly understood among their readers that propositions and opinions, such as these, in all probability proceed from the members of the council, and particularly from those highest in his confidence. In this case the decision of the king ought most probably to be attributed to Aratus. It was to this effect: the king said that "in the case of injuries inflicted by the allies upon each other separately, his intervention ought to be confined to a remonstrance by word of mouth or letter; but that it was only injuries affecting the whole body of the allies which demanded joint intervention and redress: and seeing that the Lacedaemonians had plainly committed no such injury against the whole body of allies,<pb n="301" />but professed their readiness to satisfy every claim that could with justice be made upon them, he held that he ought not to decree any measure of excessive severity against them. For it would be very inconsistent for him to take severe measures against them for so insignificant a cause; while his father inflicted no punishment at all upon them, though when he conquered them they were not allies but professed enemies." It having, therefore, been formally decided to overlook the incident, the king immediately sent Petraeus, one of his most trusted friends, with Omias, to exhort the people to remain faithful to their friendship with him and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Macedonia&groupId=723&placeId=428">Macedonia</a>, and to interchange oaths of alliance; while he himself started once more with his army and returned towards <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a>, having in his conduct to the Lacedaemonians given an excellent specimen of his policy towards the allies.