Polybius, Histories

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Book 6 - Chapter 16

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<w lemma="%2A%28%2Fh">Ἥ</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="su%2Fgklhtos">σύγκλητος</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w>, <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="thlikau%2Fthn">τηλικαύτην</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxousa">ἔχουσα</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w>, <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="koinoi%3Ds">κοινοῖς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmasin">πράγμασιν</w> <w lemma="a%29nagka%2Fzetai">ἀναγκάζεται</w> <w lemma="prose%2Fxein">προσέχειν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polloi%3Ds">πολλοῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="stoxa%2Fzesqai">στοχάζεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dh%2Fmou">δήμου</w>,
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<w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28losxeresta%2Ftas">ὁλοσχερεστάτας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="megi%2Fstas">μεγίστας</w> <w lemma="zhth%2Fseis">ζητήσεις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diorqw%2Fseis">διορθώσεις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%28martanome%2Fnwn">ἁμαρτανομένων</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w>, <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="qa%2Fnatos">θάνατος</w> <w lemma="a%29kolouqei%3D">ἀκολουθεῖ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fstimon">πρόστιμον</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnatai">δύναται</w> <w lemma="suntelei%3Dn">συντελεῖν</w>, <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="sunepikurw%2Fsh%7C">συνεπικυρώσῃ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="probebouleume%2Fnon">προβεβουλευμένον</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="dh%3Dmos">δῆμος</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28moi%2Fws">ὁμοίως</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="a%29nhko%2Fntwn:">ἀνηκόντων·</w> <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="ga%2Fr">γάρ</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="ei%29sfe%2Frh%7C">εἰσφέρῃ</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmon">νόμον</w>, <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29cousi%2Fas">ἐξουσίας</w> <w lemma="a%29fairou%2Fmeno%2Fs">ἀφαιρούμενός</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="u%28parxou%2Fshs">ὑπαρχούσης</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="sugklh%2Ftw%7C">συγκλήτῳ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29qismou%5Cs">ἐθισμοὺς</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="proedri%2Fas">προεδρίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tima%5Cs">τιμὰς</w> <w lemma="katalu%2Fwn">καταλύων</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nh%5C">νὴ</w> <w lemma="%2Adi%2Fa">Δία</w> <w lemma="poiw%3Dn">ποιῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29lattw%2Fmata">ἐλαττώματα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fous">βίους</w>. <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="dh%3Dmos">δῆμος</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai">γίνεται</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftwn">τοιούτων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qei%3Dnai">θεῖναι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="ku%2Frios">κύριος</w>.
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fxon">συνέχον</w>, <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="ei%28%3Ds">εἷς</w> <w lemma="e%29ni%2Fsthtai">ἐνίστηται</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="dhma%2Frxwn">δημάρχων</w>, <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgein">ἄγειν</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnatai">δύναται</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="diabouli%2Fwn">διαβουλίων</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fgklhtos">σύγκλητος</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5C">οὐδὲ</w> <w lemma="sunedreu%2Fein">συνεδρεύειν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="sumporeu%2Fesqai">συμπορεύεσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="para%2Fpan">παράπαν</w> —
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<w lemma="o%29fei%2Flousi">ὀφείλουσι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="dh%2Fmarxoi">δήμαρχοι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dn">δοκοῦν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="dh%2Fmw%7C">δήμῳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="stoxa%2Fzesqai">στοχάζεσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="boulh%2Fsews">βουλήσεως</w> — <w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnwn">προειρημένων</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="de%2Fdie">δέδιε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="pollou%5Cs">πολλοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prose%2Fxei">προσέχει</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="dh%2Fmw%7C">δήμῳ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="nou%3Dn">νοῦν</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fgklhtos">σύγκλητος</w>.
<head>The Senate Controlled by the People</head>As for the Senate, which possesses the immense power I have described, in the first place it is obliged in public affairs to take the multitude into account, and respect the wishes of the people; and it cannot put into execution the penalty for offences against the republic, which are punishable with death, unless the people first ratify its decrees. Similarly even in matters which directly affect the senators,— for instance, in the case of a law diminishing the Senate's traditional authority, or depriving senators of certain dignities and offices, or even actually cutting down their property,— even in such cases the people have the sole power of passing or rejecting the law. But most important of all is the fact that, if the Tribunes interpose their veto, the Senate not only are unable to pass a decree, but cannot even hold a meeting at all, whether formal or informal. Now, the Tribunes are always bound to carry out the decree of the people, and above all things to have regard to their wishes: therefore, for all these reasons the Senate stands in awe of the multitude, and cannot neglect the feelings of the people.