<w lemma="%2Ato%5C">Τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="poli%2Fteuma">πολίτευμα</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29ne%2Fkaqe%2Fn">ἀνέκαθέν</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="o%28losxerei%3Ds">ὁλοσχερεῖς</w> <w lemma="diafora%5Cs">διαφορὰς</w> <w lemma="sunesta%2Fsqai">συνεστάσθαι</w>.
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="basilei%3Ds">βασιλεῖς</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gero%2Fntion">γερόντιον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxe">εἶχε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29ristokratikh%5Cn">ἀριστοκρατικὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29cousi%2Fan">ἐξουσίαν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="ku%2Frion">κύριον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaqhko%2Fntwn">καθηκόντων</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C:">αὐτῷ·</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w> <w lemma="a%28rmogh%5Cn">ἁρμογὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxe">εἶχε</w> <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fan">παραπλησίαν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fwn">Λακεδαιμονίων</w>.
<w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w>, <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%5Cs">οὓς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29annibiako%5Cn">Ἀννιβιακὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Fbaine">ἐνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w>, <w lemma="xei%3Dron">χεῖρον</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w>, <w lemma="a%29%2Fmeinon">ἄμεινον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w>.
<w lemma="e%29peidh%5C">ἐπειδὴ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="panto%5Cs">παντὸς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmatos">σώματος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcew%2Fs">πράξεώς</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%2F">ἐστί</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="au%29%2Fchsis">αὔξησις</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsin">φύσιν</w>, <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="a%29kmh%2F">ἀκμή</w>, <w lemma="ka%29%2Fpeita">κἄπειτα</w> <w lemma="fqi%2Fsis">φθίσις</w>, <w lemma="kra%2Ftista">κράτιστα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29kmh%2Fn">ἀκμήν</w>, <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="die%2Fferen">διέφερεν</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flwn">ἀλλήλων</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="politeu%2Fmata">πολιτεύματα</w>.
<w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsxue">ἴσχυε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="eu%29tu%2Fxei">εὐτύχει</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdw%5Cn">Καρχηδὼν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="parh%2Fkmazen">παρήκμαζεν</w>, <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmh">Ῥώμη</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="to%2Ft%27">τότ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxe">εἶχε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29kmh%5Cn">ἀκμὴν</w> <w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w> <w lemma="su%2Fstasin">σύστασιν</w>.
<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fsthn">πλείστην</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="diabouli%2Fois">διαβουλίοις</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fois">Καρχηδονίοις</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="dh%3Dmos">δῆμος</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="meteilh%2Ffei">μετειλήφει</w>, <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w> <w lemma="a%29kmh%5Cn">ἀκμὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxen">εἶχεν</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fgklhtos">σύγκλητος</w>.
<w lemma="o%28%2Fqen">ὅθεν</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pollw%3Dn">πολλῶν</w> <w lemma="bouleuome%2Fnwn">βουλευομένων</w>, <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ri%2Fstwn">ἀρίστων</w>, <w lemma="kati%2Fsxue">κατίσχυε</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="diabou%2Flia">διαβούλια</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="koina%5Cs">κοινὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w>.
<w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ptai%2Fsantes">πταίσαντες</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flois">ὅλοις</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="bouleu%2Fesqai">βουλεύεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="e%29pekra%2Fthsan">ἐπεκράτησαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmw%7C">πολέμῳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w>.
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<head><a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> Compared with Rome</head>Now the Carthaginian constitution seems to me<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note77">Rome fresher than <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>;</note>originally to have been well contrived in these most distinctively important particulars. For they had kings,<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note78">The Carthaginian Suffetes are always called<foreign lang="greek">βασιλεῖς</foreign>by the Greek writers: see 3, 33, note;<bibl n="Hdt. 7.165" default="NO" valid="yes">Herod. 7, 165</bibl>;<bibl n="Diod. 14.53" default="NO" valid="yes">Diod Sic. 14, 53</bibl>. Aristotle<bibl n="Aristot. Pol. 2.11" default="NO" valid="yes">[<title>Pol.</title>2, 11]</bibl>, in contrasting the Spartan and Carthaginian constitutions, mentions with approval that, unlike the Spartan kings, those at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> were elected, and were not confined to a particular family.</note>and the Gerusia had the powers of an aristocracy, and the multitude were supreme in such things as affected them; and on the whole the adjustment of its several parts was very like that of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a>. But about the period of its entering on the Hannibalian war the political state of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> was on the decline,<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note79">See Bosworth Smith,<title><a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> and the Carthaginians,</title>p. 26 ff.</note>that of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> improving. For whereas there is in every body, or polity, or business a natural stage of growth, zenith, and decay; and whereas everything in them is at its best at the zenith; we may thereby judge of the difference between these two constitutions as they existed at that period. For exactly so far as the strength and prosperity of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> preceded that of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> in point of time, by so much was <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> then past its prime, while <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> was exactly at its zenith, as far as its political constitution was concerned. In <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> therefore the influence of the people in the policy of the state had already risen to be supreme, while at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> the Senate was at the height of its power: and so, as in the one measures were deliberated upon by the many, in the other by the best men, the policy of the Romans in all public undertakings proved the stronger; on which account, though they met with capital disasters, by force of<pb n="502" />prudent counsels they finally conquered the Carthaginians in the war.
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Walbank Commentary