Polybius, Histories

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Book 9 - Chapter 9

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<w lemma="%2Ato%5C">Τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsion">παραπλήσιον</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fpoi">εἴποι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fban">Ἀννίβαν</w>.
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="prosbalo%2Fnta">προσβαλόντα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fois">πολεμίοις</w> <w lemma="peiraqh%3Dnai">πειραθῆναι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frous">μέρους</w> <w lemma="a%29gw%2Fnwn">ἀγώνων</w> <w lemma="lu%2Fein">λύειν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fan">πολιορκίαν</w>,
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="a%29popeso%2Fnta">ἀποπεσόντα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="prosbolh%3Ds">προσβολῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%3Dsai">ὁρμῆσαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rw%2Fmhn">Ῥώμην</w>, <w lemma="ka%29%2Fpeita">κἄπειτα</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="kaqiko%2Fmenon">καθικόμενον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proqe%2Fsews">προθέσεως</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tau%29toma%2Ftou">ταὐτομάτου</w> <w lemma="peripetei%2Fas">περιπετείας</w> <w lemma="au%29%3Dqis">αὖθις</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="u%28postrofh%3Ds">ὑποστροφῆς</w> <w lemma="suntri%3Dyai">συντρῖψαι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%28pome%2Fnous">ἑπομένους</w>, <w lemma="e%29fedreu%3Dsai">ἐφεδρεῦσαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="ki%2Fnhma">κίνημα</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Akapu%2Fhn">Καπύην</w> <w lemma="poliorkou%3Dntas">πολιορκοῦντας</w>,
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<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="teleutai%3Don">τελευταῖον</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="lh%2Fcanta">λήξαντα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proqe%2Fsews">προθέσεως</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29xqrw%3Dn">ἐχθρῶν</w> <w lemma="bla%2Fbhn">βλάβην</w> <w lemma="a%29poskh%3Dyai">ἀποσκῆψαι</w>, <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29nasta%2Ftous">ἀναστάτους</w> <w lemma="poih%3Dsai">ποιῆσαι</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rhgi%2Fnous">Ῥηγίνους</w>,
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<w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="e%29pishmh%2Fnaito">ἐπισημήναιτο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fsai">θαυμάσαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnon">προειρημένον</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fna">ἡγεμόνα</w>;
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<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fwn">Λακεδαιμονίων</w> <w lemma="a%29mei%2Fnous">ἀμείνους</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftw%7C">τούτῳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="kairw%3D%7C">καιρῷ</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fneien">κρίνειεν</w>.
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<w lemma="%2Alakedaimo%2Fnioi">Λακεδαιμόνιοι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="prw%2Fth%7C">πρώτῃ</w> <w lemma="prosaggeli%2Fa%7C">προσαγγελίᾳ</w> <w lemma="sunekxuqe%2Fntes">συνεκχυθέντες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Aspa%2Frthn">Σπάρτην</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fswsan">ἔσωσαν</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Amanti%2Fneian">Μαντίνειαν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%5Cs">αὑτοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fbalon:">ἀπέβαλον·</w>
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<w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%3Doi">Ῥωμαῖοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fda">πατρίδα</w> <w lemma="diefu%2Flacan">διεφύλαξαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fan">πολιορκίαν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flusan">ἔλυσαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmeinan">ἔμειναν</w> <w lemma="a%29saleu%2Ftws">ἀσαλεύτως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="bebai%2Fws">βεβαίως</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pokeime%2Fnwn">ὑποκειμένων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="loipo%5Cn">λοιπὸν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="teqarrhko%2Ftws">τεθαρρηκότως</w> <w lemma="prose%2Fkeinto">προσέκειντο</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Akapuanoi%3Ds">Καπυανοῖς</w>.
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<w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="e%29gkwmi%2Fou">ἐγκωμίου</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Frhtai%2F">εἴρηταί</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> — <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="e%29peshmhna%2Fmhn">ἐπεσημηνάμην</w> — <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Don">πλεῖον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="h%28goume%2Fnwn">ἡγουμένων</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29mfote%2Frois">ἀμφοτέροις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="mello%2Fntwn">μελλόντων</w> <w lemma="xeiri%2Fzein">χειρίζειν</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstois">ἑκάστοις</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="koina%5Cs">κοινὰς</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fceis">πράξεις</w>,
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<w lemma="i%28%2Fna">ἵνα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29namimnhsko%2Fmenoi">ἀναμιμνησκόμενοι</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fyin">ὄψιν</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnontes">λαμβάνοντες</w> <w lemma="zhlwtai%5C">ζηλωταὶ</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnwntai">γίνωνται</w> * <w lemma="para%2Fbolon">παράβολον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein">ἔχειν</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kindunw%3Ddes">κινδυνῶδες</w>, <w lemma="tou%29nanti%2Fon">τοὐναντίον</w> <w lemma="a%29sfalh%3D">ἀσφαλῆ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="to%2Flman">τόλμαν</w>, <w lemma="qaumasi%2Fan">θαυμασίαν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%2Fnoian">ἐπίνοιαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29ei%2Fmnhston">ἀείμνηστον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kalh%5Cn">καλὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxei">ἔχει</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="proai%2Fresin">προαίρεσιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="katorqwqe%2Fnta">κατορθωθέντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diayeusqe%2Fnta">διαψευσθέντα</w> <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fws">παραπλησίως</w>, <w lemma="e%29a%5Cn">ἐὰν</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="nw%3D%7C">νῷ</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnhtai">γένηται</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pratto%2Fmena">πραττόμενα</w>. <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fatella">Ἄτελλα</w>,
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<w lemma="po%2Flis">πόλις</w> <w lemma="%2A%29opikw%3Dn">Ὀπικῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29itali%2Fas">Ἰταλίας</w> <w lemma="metacu%5C">μεταξὺ</w> <w lemma="%2Akapu%2Fhs">Καπύης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aneapo%2Flews">Νεαπόλεως</w>. <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="e%29qniko%5Cn">ἐθνικὸν</w> <gap /><w lemma="%2A%29atellano%2Fs">Ἀτελλανός</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbios">Πολύβιος</w> <w lemma="e%29na%2Fth%7C">ἐνάτῃ</w> <w lemma="“%2A%29atellanoi%5C">“Ἀτελλανοὶ</w> <w lemma="pare%2Fdosan">παρέδοσαν</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%2Fs”">αὑτούς”</w>.
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<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Atw%3Dn">Τῶν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="poliorkou%2Fntwn">πολιορκούντων</w> <w lemma="%2Ata%2Franta">Τάραντα</w> <w lemma="%2Abomi%2Flkas">Βομίλκας</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="nau%2Farxos">ναύαρχος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="summaxh%2Fsein">συμμαχήσειν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fsths">πλείστης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="dunhqei%5Cs">δυνηθεὶς</w> <w lemma="e%29pikourh%3Dsai">ἐπικουρῆσαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fndon">ἔνδον</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="a%29sfalw%3Ds">ἀσφαλῶς</w> <w lemma="qe%2Fsqai">θέσθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="stratopedei%2Fan">στρατοπεδείαν</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Flaqen">ἔλαθεν</w> <w lemma="a%29nalw%2Fsas">ἀναλώσας</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xorhgi%2Fan">χορηγίαν</w>. <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="paraklh%2Fsews">παρακλήσεως</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="a%29fike%2Fsqai">ἀφικέσθαι</w> <w lemma="e%29kbiasqei%5Cs">ἐκβιασθεὶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="u%28posxe%2Fsewn">ὑποσχέσεων</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flwn">μεγάλων</w>, <w lemma="u%28%2Fsteron">ὕστερον</w> <w lemma="meq%27">μεθ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%28kethri%2Fas">ἱκετηρίας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fndon">ἔνδον</w> <w lemma="a%29popleu%3Dsai">ἀποπλεῦσαι</w> <w lemma="a%29phnagka%2Fsqh">ἀπηναγκάσθη</w>.
<head>When Audacity is the Truest Safety</head>Much the same remark applies to Hannibal. For who can refrain from regarding with respect and admiration a general capable of doing what he did? First he attempted by harassing the enemy with skirmishing attacks to raise the siege: having failed in this he made direct for <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> itself: baffled once more by a turn of fortune entirely independent of human calculation, he kept his pursuers in play,<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note21"><foreign lang="greek">συμπέμψαι,</foreign>a difficult word. See Strachan-Davidson's note. It seems to me to be opposed to<foreign lang="greek">φυγεῖν</foreign>or some such idea. Hannibal was not in flight, but kept the enemy with him, as it were, in a kind of procession, until the moment for striking.</note>and waited till the moment was ripe to see whether the besiegers of Capua stirred: and finally, without relaxing in his determination, swept down upon his enemies to their destruction, and all but depopulated <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhegium&groupId=927&placeId=1659">Rhegium</a>. One would be inclined however to judge the Romans to be superior to the Lacedaemonians at this crisis. For the Lacedaemonians rushed off<foreign lang="fr">en masse</foreign>at the first message and relieved <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a>, but, as far as they were concerned, lost <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>. The Romans guarded their own city without breaking up the siege of Capua: on the contrary, they remained unshaken and firm in their purpose, and in fact from that time pressed the Capuans with renewed spirit.I have not said this for the sake of making a panegyric on either the Romans or Carthaginians, whose great qualities I have already remarked upon more than once: but for the sake of those who are in office among the one or the other people, or who are in future times to direct the affairs of any state whatever; that by the memory, or actual contemplation, of exploits such as these they may be inspired with emulation. For in an adventurous and hazardous policy it often turns out that audacity was the truest safety and the finest sagacity;<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note22">There is some word wanting in the text here which has been variously supplied. I have ventured to conjecture<foreign lang="greek">τὰ γὰρ δοκοῦντα παράβολον κ.τ.λ.,</foreign>and to translate accordingly: for it is the boldness and apparent rashness of Hannibal's movement that Polybius seems to wish to commend.</note>and success or failure does not affect the credit and excellence of the original design, so long as the measures taken are the result of deliberate thought. . . .<pb n="572" />When the Romans were besieging Tarentum, Bomilcar the<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note23">The Carthaginian fleet invited from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sicily&groupId=973&placeId=1724">Sicily</a> to relieve Tarentum does more harm than good, and departs to the joy of the people, B. C. 211.<bibl n="Liv. 26.20" default="NO" valid="yes">Livy, 26, 20</bibl>.</note>admiral of the Carthaginian fleet came to its relief with a very large force; and being unable to afford efficient aid to those in the town, owing to the strict blockade maintained by the Romans, without meaning to do so he used up more than he brought; and so after having been constrained by entreaties and large promises to come, he was afterwards forced at the earnest supplication of the people to depart. . . .