Polybius, Histories

Layout
Translation

Book 5 - Chapter 81

1
<w lemma="%2Akata%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="%2Aqeo%2Fdotos">Θεόδοτος</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twlikh%3D%7C">Αἰτωλικῇ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fn">μέν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fndrw%7C">ἀνάνδρῳ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29peba%2Fleto">ἐπεβάλετο</w> <w lemma="to%2Flmh%7C">τόλμῃ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcei">πράξει</w>.
2
<w lemma="suneidw%5Cs">συνειδὼς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="progegenhme%2Fnhs">προγεγενημένης</w> <w lemma="sumbiw%2Fsews">συμβιώσεως</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="ai%28%2Fresin">αἵρεσιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="di%2Faitan">δίαιταν</w> <w lemma="poi%2Fa">ποία</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29sporeu%2Fetai">εἰσπορεύεται</w> <w lemma="tri%2Ftos">τρίτος</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenos">γενόμενος</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28wqinh%5Cn">ἑωθινὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w> <w lemma="xa%2Fraka">χάρακα</w>.
3
<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fyin">ὄψιν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgnwstos">ἄγνωστος</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sko%2Ftos">σκότος</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29sqh%3Dta">ἐσθῆτα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllhn">ἄλλην</w> <w lemma="perikoph%5Cn">περικοπὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nepish%2Fmantos">ἀνεπισήμαντος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="poiki%2Flhn">ποικίλην</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="ka%29kei%2Fnwn">κἀκείνων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w>.
4
<w lemma="e%29stoxasme%2Fnos">ἐστοχασμένος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Frais">ἡμέραις</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="skhnh%3Ds">σκηνῆς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pantelw%3Ds">παντελῶς</w> <w lemma="su%2Fneggus">σύνεγγυς</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29krobolismou%2Fs">ἀκροβολισμούς</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Frmhse">ὥρμησε</w> <w lemma="qrase%2Fws">θρασέως</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29th%2Fn">αὐτήν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftous">πρώτους</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="dielqw%5Cn">διελθὼν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flaqe">ἔλαθε</w>,
5
<w lemma="parapesw%5Cn">παραπεσὼν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="skhnh%2Fn">σκηνήν</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="xrhmati%2Fzein">χρηματίζειν</w> <w lemma="ei%29w%2Fqei">εἰώθει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="deipnei%3Dn">δειπνεῖν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="basileu%2Fs">βασιλεύς</w>, <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w> <w lemma="e%29reunh%2Fsas">ἐρευνήσας</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Ftuxe">ἀπέτυχε</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Don">Πτολεμαῖον</w> <w lemma="e%29kto%5Cs">ἐκτὸς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pifanou%3Ds">ἐπιφανοῦς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xrhmatistikh%3Ds">χρηματιστικῆς</w> <w lemma="skhnh%3Ds">σκηνῆς</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fpausin">ἀνάπαυσιν</w>,
6
<w lemma="du%2Fo">δύο</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="koimwme%2Fnwn">κοιμωμένων</w> <w lemma="traumati%2Fsas">τραυματίσας</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="i%29atro%5Cn">ἰατρὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="%2A%29andre%2Fan">Ἀνδρέαν</w> <w lemma="a%29poktei%2Fnas">ἀποκτείνας</w>, <w lemma="a%29nexw%2Frhse">ἀνεχώρησε</w> <w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29sfalei%2Fas">ἀσφαλείας</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%3D">ἑαυτοῦ</w> <w lemma="parembolh%2Fn">παρεμβολήν</w>, <w lemma="braxe%2Fa">βραχέα</w> <w lemma="qorubhqei%5Cs">θορυβηθεὶς</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frakos">χάρακος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fkptwsin">ἔκπτωσιν</w>,
7
<w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="to%2Flmh%7C">τόλμῃ</w> <w lemma="suntetelekw%5Cs">συντετελεκὼς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fqesin">πρόθεσιν</w>, <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pronoi%2Fa%7C">προνοίᾳ</w> <w lemma="diesfalme%2Fnos">διεσφαλμένος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29chtake%2Fnai">ἐξητακέναι</w> <w lemma="pou%3D">ποῦ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fpausin">ἀνάπαυσιν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w> <w lemma="ei%29w%2Fqei">εἰώθει</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dsqai">ποιεῖσθαι</w>.
<head>Theodotus Attempts to Assassinate Ptolemy</head>In the course of these proceedings Theodotus conceived<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note165">Daring attempt of Theodotus to assassinate Ptolemy.</note>and put into execution an enterprise, very characteristic of an Aetolian, but undoubtedly requiring great personal courage. Having formerly lived at Ptolemy's court he knew the king's tastes and habits. Accordingly, accompanied by two others, he entered the enemy's camp just before daybreak; where, owing to the dim light, he could not be recognised by his face, while his dress and other accoutrements did not render him noticeable, owing to the variety of costume prevailing among themselves. He had marked the position of the king's tent during the<pb n="432" />preceding days, for the skirmishes took place quite close; and he now walked boldly up to it, and passed through all the outer ring of attendants without being observed: but when he came to the tent in which the king was accustomed to transact business and dine, though he searched it in every conceivable way, he failed to find the king; for Ptolemy slept in another tent, separate from the public and official tent. He however wounded two men who were sleeping there, and killed Andreas, the king's physician; and then returned safely to his own camp, without meeting with any molestation, except just as he was passing over the vallum of the enemy's camp. As far as daring went, he had fulfilled his purpose: but he had failed in prudence by not taking the precaution to ascertain where Ptolemy was accustomed to sleep.