Polybius, Histories

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Book 5 - Chapter 88

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<w lemma="%2A%28ro%2Fdioi">Ῥόδιοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnous">προειρημένους</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29peilhmme%2Fnoi">ἐπειλημμένοι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29formh%3Ds">ἀφορμῆς</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="seismo%5Cn">σεισμὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenon">γενόμενον</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="braxei%3D">βραχεῖ</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnw%7C">χρόνῳ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="w%28%3D%7C">ᾧ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="to%2Fn">τόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="kolosso%5Cn">κολοσσὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgan">μέγαν</w> <w lemma="pesei%3Dn">πεσεῖν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dsta">πλεῖστα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="teixw%3Dn">τειχῶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="newri%2Fwn">νεωρίων</w>,
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<w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="e%29xei%2Frizon">ἐχείριζον</w> <w lemma="nounexw%3Ds">νουνεχῶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pragmatikw%3Ds">πραγματικῶς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gegono%5Cs">γεγονὸς</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="bla%2Fbhs">βλάβης</w>, <w lemma="diorqw%2Fsews">διορθώσεως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w>, <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="ai%29%2Ftion">αἴτιον</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fmptwma">σύμπτωμα</w>.
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<w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgnoia">ἄγνοια</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="r%28a%7Cqumi%2Fa">ῥᾳθυμία</w> <w lemma="diafe%2Frei">διαφέρει</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpois">ἀνθρώποις</w> <w lemma="e%29pimelei%2Fas">ἐπιμελείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="fronh%2Fsews">φρονήσεως</w> <w lemma="peri%2F">περί</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fan">ἰδίαν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fous">βίους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="koina%5Cs">κοινὰς</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pituxi%2Fas">ἐπιτυχίας</w> <w lemma="bla%2Fbhn">βλάβην</w> <w lemma="e%29pife%2Frein">ἐπιφέρειν</w>, <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="peripetei%2Fas">περιπετείας</w> <w lemma="e%29panorqw%2Fsews">ἐπανορθώσεως</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="paraiti%2Fas">παραιτίας</w>.
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<w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="gou%3Dn">γοῦν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ro%2Fdioi">Ῥόδιοι</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xeirismo%5Cn">χειρισμὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="su%2Fmptwma">σύμπτωμα</w> <w lemma="poiou%3Dntes">ποιοῦντες</w> <w lemma="me%2Fga">μέγα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="deino%2Fn">δεινόν</w>, <w lemma="au%29toi%5C">αὐτοὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="semnw%3Ds">σεμνῶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prostatikw%3Ds">προστατικῶς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="presbei%2Fas">πρεσβείας</w> <w lemma="xrw%2Fmenoi">χρώμενοι</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29nteu%2Fcesi">ἐντεύξεσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="o%28mili%2Fais">ὁμιλίαις</w>, <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fgagon">ἤγαγον</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="basilei%3Ds">βασιλεῖς</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnein">λαμβάνειν</w> <w lemma="dwrea%5Cs">δωρεὰς</w> <w lemma="u%28perballou%2Fsas">ὑπερβαλλούσας</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="prosofei%2Flein">προσοφείλειν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="dido%2Fntas">διδόντας</w>.
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<w lemma="%2A%28ie%2Frwn">Ἱέρων</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Age%2Flwn">Γέλων</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdwkan">ἔδωκαν</w> <w lemma="e%28bdomh%2Fkonta">ἑβδομήκοντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fnt%27">πέντ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29rguri%2Fou">ἀργυρίου</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flaion">ἔλαιον</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="gumnasi%2Fw%7C">γυμνασίῳ</w> <w lemma="xorhgi%2Fan">χορηγίαν</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="paraxrh%3Dma">παραχρῆμα</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnw%7C">χρόνῳ</w> <w lemma="braxei%3D">βραχεῖ</w> <w lemma="pantelw%3Ds">παντελῶς</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="le%2Fbhtas">λέβητας</w> <w lemma="a%29rgurou%3Ds">ἀργυροῦς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ba%2Fseis">βάσεις</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="u%28dri%2Fas">ὑδρίας</w> <w lemma="a%29ne%2Fqesan">ἀνέθεσαν</w>,
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<w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="qusi%2Fas">θυσίας</w> <w lemma="de%2Fka">δέκα</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pau%2Fchsin">ἐπαύξησιν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="politw%3Dn">πολιτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Flla">ἄλλα</w> <w lemma="de%2Fka">δέκα</w>, <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsan">πᾶσαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%28kato%5Cn">ἑκατὸν</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="dwrea%2Fn">δωρεάν</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29te%2Fleian">ἀτέλειαν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="ploi+zome%2Fnois">πλοϊζομένοις</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fdosan">ἔδοσαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="katape%2Fltas">καταπέλτας</w> <w lemma="triph%2Fxeis">τριπήχεις</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="teleutai%3Don">τελευταῖον</w> <w lemma="tosau%3Dta">τοσαῦτα</w> <w lemma="do%2Fntes">δόντες</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="prosofei%2Flontes">προσοφείλοντες</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fsthsan">ἔστησαν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndria%2Fntas">ἀνδριάντας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodi%2Fwn">Ῥοδίων</w> <w lemma="dei%2Fgmati">δείγματι</w>, <w lemma="stefanou%2Fmenon">στεφανούμενον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="dh%3Dmon">δῆμον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rodi%2Fwn">Ῥοδίων</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dh%2Fmou">δήμου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w>
<head>Earthquake At Rhodes</head>About the same period the earthquake occurred at<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note179">Earthquake at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a>. Royal liberality, B. C. 224.</note><a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a>, which overthrew the great Colossus and the larger part of the walls and dockyards. But the adroit policy of the Rhodians converted this misfortune into an opportunity; and under their skilful management, instead of adding to their embarrassments, it became the means of restoring their prosperity. So decisive in human affairs, public or private, is the difference between incapacity and good sense, between idle indifference and a close attention to business. Good fortune only damages the one, while disaster is but a means of recovery to the other. This was illustrated by the manner in which the Rhodians turned the misfortune that befell them to account. They enhanced its magnitude and importance by the prominence which they gave<pb n="438" />it, and the serious tone in which they spoke of it, as well by the mouth of their ambassadors as in the intercourse of private life; and they created thus such an effect upon other states, and especially upon the feelings of the kings, that they were not only overwhelmed with presents, but made the donors feel actually obliged for their acceptance of them.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note180">Hiero and Gelo.</note>Hiero and Gelo, for instance, presented them with seventy-five talents of silver, part at once, and the rest at a very short interval, as a contribution towards the expenses of the gymnasium; gave them for religious purposes some silver cauldrons and their stands, and some water vessels; and in addition to this ten talents for their sacrifices, and ten more to attract new citizens: their intention being that the whole present should amount to a hundred talents.<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note181">Polybius therefore reckons the value of the<foreign lang="greek">λέβητες</foreign>and<foreign lang="greek">ὑδρίαι</foreign>as five talents.</note>Not only so, but they gave immunity from customs to Rhodian merchants coming to their ports; and presented them besides with fifty catapults of three cubits length. In spite too of these large gifts, they regarded themselves as under an obligation to the Rhodians; and accordingly erected statues in the<term>Deigma</term>or Mart of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a>, representing the community of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a> crowned by that of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a>.