Polybius, Histories

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Book 5 - Chapter 27

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<w lemma="%2A%29elatei%2Fas">Ἐλατείας</w> <w lemma="a%29ne%2Fstrefe">ἀνέστρεφε</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Amegale%2Fas">Μεγαλέας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aqh%2Fnas">Ἀθήνας</w> <w lemma="a%29pexw%2Frhse">ἀπεχώρησε</w>, <w lemma="katalipw%5Cn">καταλιπὼν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aleo%2Fntion">Λεόντιον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="e%29ggu%2Fh%7C">ἐγγύῃ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fkosi">εἴκοσι</w> <w lemma="tala%2Fntwn">ταλάντων</w>.
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<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aqh%2Fnais">Ἀθήναις</w> <w lemma="strathgw%3Dn">στρατηγῶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="prosdecame%2Fnwn">προσδεξαμένων</w> <w lemma="au%29to%2Fn">αὐτόν</w>, <w lemma="meth%3Dlqe">μετῆλθε</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2Aqh%2Fbas">Θήβας</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29naxqei%5Cs">ἀναχθεὶς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Aki%2Frran">Κίρραν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fpleuse">κατέπλευσε</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28paspistw%3Dn">ὑπασπιστῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikuwni%2Fwn">Σικυωνίων</w> <w lemma="lime%2Fna">λιμένα</w>, <w lemma="ka%29kei%3Dqen">κἀκεῖθεν</w> <w lemma="a%29naba%5Cs">ἀναβὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frxontas">ἄρχοντας</w> <w lemma="parh%7Cth%2Fsato">παρῃτήσατο</w>, <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Faraton">Ἄρατον</w> <w lemma="katalu%2Fsas">καταλύσας</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsan">πᾶσαν</w> <w lemma="e%29poiei%3Dto">ἐποιεῖτο</w> <w lemma="diagwgh%2Fn">διαγωγήν</w>, <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29apellh%3D%7C">Ἀπελλῇ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Ftace">συνέταξε</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dn">πλεῖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="%2Ako%2Frinqon">Κόρινθον</w>.
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<w lemma="prospeso%2Fntwn">προσπεσόντων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Amegale%2Fan">Μεγαλέαν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="peltasta%2Fs">πελταστάς</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="h%28gei%3Dto">ἡγεῖτο</w> <w lemma="%2Aleo%2Fntios">Λεόντιος</w>, <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Atrifuli%2Fan">Τριφυλίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29cape%2Fsteile">ἐξαπέστειλε</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Atauri%2Fwnos">Ταυρίωνος</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fs">ὥς</w> <w lemma="tinos">τινος</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fas">χρείας</w> <w lemma="katepeigou%2Fshs">κατεπειγούσης</w>, <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29formhsa%2Fntwn">ἀφορμησάντων</w>, <w lemma="a%29pagagei%3Dn">ἀπαγαγεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29ke%2Fleuse">ἐκέλευσε</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aleo%2Fntion">Λεόντιον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nadoxh%2Fn">ἀναδοχήν</w>.
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<w lemma="sune%2Fntes">συνέντες</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="peltastai%5C">πελτασταὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Fs">γεγονός</w>, <w lemma="diapemyame%2Fnou">διαπεμψαμένου</w> <w lemma="tina%5C">τινὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Aleonti%2Fou">Λεοντίου</w>, <w lemma="presbeuta%5Cs">πρεσβευτὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29cape%2Fsteilan">ἐξαπέστειλαν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fa">βασιλέα</w>, <w lemma="parakalou%3Dntes">παρακαλοῦντες</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllo">ἄλλο</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="pepoi%2Fhtai">πεποίηται</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29pagwgh%5Cn">ἀπαγωγὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Aleonti%2Fou">Λεοντίου</w>, <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsasqai">ποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29gkaloume%2Fnwn">ἐγκαλουμένων</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fsin">κρίσιν</w>,
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<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mh%2F">μή</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="nomiou%3Dsi">νομιοῦσι</w> <w lemma="megalei%2Fws">μεγαλείως</w> <w lemma="paroligwrei%3Dsqai">παρολιγωρεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kataginw%2Fskesqai">καταγινώσκεσθαι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> — <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxon">εἶχον</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="i%29shgori%2Fan">ἰσηγορίαν</w> <w lemma="%2Amakedo%2Fnes">Μακεδόνες</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="basilei%3Ds">βασιλεῖς</w> —
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<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29ggu%2Fhn">ἐγγύην</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Amegale%2Fou">Μεγαλέου</w>, <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fmata">χρήματα</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="koino%5Cn">κοινὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29sene%2Fgkantes">εἰσενέγκαντες</w> <w lemma="e%29kti%2Fsousin">ἐκτίσουσιν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%2F">αὐτοί</w>.
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<w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="%2Aleo%2Fntion">Λεόντιον</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="parocunqei%5Cs">παροξυνθεὶς</w> <w lemma="qa%3Dtton">θᾶττον</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="proe%2Fqeto">προέθετο</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="peltastw%3Dn">πελταστῶν</w>
<head>Execution of Leontius</head>The expedition to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Phocis&groupId=892&placeId=1606">Phocis</a> proving a failure, the king<pb n="383" />was retiring from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Elatea&groupId=558&placeId=1045">Elatea</a>; and while this was going on, Megaleas removed to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Athens&groupId=379&placeId=715">Athens</a>, leaving Leontius behind him as his security for his twenty talents fine.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note67">Flight of Megaleas.</note>The Athenian Strategi however refused to admit him, and he therefore resumed his journey and went to Thebes. Meanwhile the king put to sea from the coast of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cirrha&groupId=469&placeId=876">Cirrha</a> and sailed with his guards<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note68">Hypaspists, originally a bodyguard to the king, had been extended in number and formed one or more distinct corps of light infantry (Grote, ch. 92).</note>to the harbour of Sicyon, whence he went up to the city and, excusing himself to the magistrates, took up his quarters with Aratus, and spent the whole of his time with him, ordering Apelles to sail back to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Corinth&groupId=493&placeId=928">Corinth</a>.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note69">Leontius put to death.</note>But upon news being brought him of the proceedings of Megaleas, he despatched the peltasts, whose regular commander was Leontius, in the charge of Taurion to Triphylia, on the pretext of some service of pressing need; and, when they had departed, he gave orders to arrest Leontius to answer his bail. When the peltasts heard what had happened from a messenger sent to them by Leontius, they despatched ambassadors to the king, begging him that, "if he had arrested Leontius on any other score, not to have him tried on the charges alleged against him without their presence: for otherwise they should consider themselves treated with signal contempt, and to be one and all involved in the condemnation." Such was the freedom of speech towards their king which the Macedonians always enjoyed. They added, that "if the arrest was on account of his bail for Megaleas, they would themselves pay the money by a common subscription." The king however was so enraged, that he put Leontius to death sooner than he had intended, owing to the zeal displayed by the peltasts.