Polybius, Histories

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Book 7 - Chapter 10

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<w lemma="%2Aou%29%2Fshs">Οὔσης</w> <w lemma="dhmokrati%2Fas">δημοκρατίας</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Amesshni%2Fois">Μεσσηνίοις</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29ciolo%2Fgwn">ἀξιολόγων</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="pefugadeume%2Fnwn">πεφυγαδευμένων</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="katakeklhrouxhme%2Fnwn">κατακεκληρουχημένων</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29si%2Fas">οὐσίας</w> <w lemma="e%29pikratou%2Fntwn">ἐπικρατούντων</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w>, <w lemma="dusxerw%3Ds">δυσχερῶς</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Fferon">ὑπέφερον</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="i%29shgori%2Fan">ἰσηγορίαν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fnontes">μένοντες</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxai%2Fwn">ἀρχαίων</w> <w lemma="politw%3Dn">πολιτῶν</w>. [<foreign lang="la">Suidas v.</foreign><w lemma="%2A%29ishgorei%3D">Ἰσηγορεῖ</w>.]
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2Ago%2Frgos">Γόργος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Amessh%2Fnios">Μεσσήνιος</w> <w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="deu%2Fteros">δεύτερος</w> <w lemma="%2Amesshni%2Fwn">Μεσσηνίων</w> <w lemma="plou%2Ftw%7C">πλούτῳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnei">γένει</w>, <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fqlhsin">ἄθλησιν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29kmh%5Cn">ἀκμὴν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="e%29ndoco%2Ftatos">ἐνδοξότατος</w> <w lemma="e%29gego%2Fnei">ἐγεγόνει</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="gumnikou%5Cs">γυμνικοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29gw%3Dnas">ἀγῶνας</w> <w lemma="filostefanou%2Fntwn">φιλοστεφανούντων</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pifa%2Fneian">ἐπιφάνειαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="loipou%3D">λοιποῦ</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fou">βίου</w> <w lemma="prostasi%2Fan">προστασίαν</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="stefa%2Fnwn">στεφάνων</w>, <w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29lei%2Fpeto">ἐλείπετο</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28to%2Fn">αὑτόν</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="katalu%2Fsas">καταλύσας</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fqlhsin">ἄθλησιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="politeu%2Fesqai">πολιτεύεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fttein">πράττειν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdos">πατρίδος</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Frmhse">ὥρμησε</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29la%2Fttw">ἐλάττω</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w> <w lemma="e%29cefe%2Freto">ἐξεφέρετο</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="u%28parxou%2Fshs">ὑπαρχούσης</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w>,
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<w lemma="plei%3Dston">πλεῖστον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fxein">ἀπέχειν</w> <w lemma="dokw%3Dn">δοκῶν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29qlhtai%3Ds">ἀθληταῖς</w> <w lemma="parepome%2Fnhs">παρεπομένης</w> <w lemma="a%29nagwgi%2Fas">ἀναγωγίας</w>, <w lemma="praktikw%2Ftatos">πρακτικώτατος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nounexe%2Fstatos">νουνεχέστατος</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="nomizo%2Fmenos">νομιζόμενος</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fan">πολιτείαν</w>. [<foreign lang="la">Exc. Peir. p. 13. Suidas v.</foreign><w lemma="%2Ago%2Frgos">Γόργος</w>.]
<head>Messene and Philip V. in B. C. 215</head>Democracy being established at Messene, and the men<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note26">Political state of Messene.</note>of rank having been banished, while those who had received allotments on their lands obtained the chief influence in the government, those of the old citizens who remained found it very hard to put up with the equality which these men had obtained. . . .Gorgus of Messene, in wealth and extraction, was inferior<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note27">The character of the Messenian athlete and statesman Gorgus. See<foreign lang="la">ante.</foreign><ref target="b5c5" targOrder="U">5. 5</ref>.</note>to no one in the town; and had been a famous athlete in his time, far surpassing all rivals in that pursuit. In fact he was not behind any man of his day in physical beauty, or the general dignity of his manner of life, or the number of prizes he had won. Again, when he gave up athletics and devoted himself to politics and the service of his country, he gained no less reputation in this department than in his former pursuit. For he was removed from the Philistinism that usually characterises athletes, and was looked upon as in the highest degree an able and clear-headed politician. . . .