- Source
- Polybius. Vols. 1-4. Büttner-Wobst, Theodor, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1893.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:29.26.1-29.26.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-11
Polybius highlights the duplicity of Antiochus IV, who prepared for war against Ptolemy in violation of his own written and spoken oaths, demonstrating the truth of Simonides' maxim that "it is hard to be good."
ἐπιλαθόμενος δὲ τῶν γεγραμμένων ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ Ἀντίοχος καὶ τῶν εἰρημένων ἐξήρτυε πόλεμον κατὰ Πτολεμαίου, ὥστε καὶ λίαν ἀληθὲς φαίνεσθαι τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ Σιμωνίδου "χαλεπὸν ἐσθλὸν ἔμμεναι.
Antiochus, forgetting what had been written and said by himself, was preparing war against Ptolemy, so that the saying of Simonides, “It is hard to be good,” appeared to be only too true.
" ἔχειν μὲν γὰρ ὁρμὰς ἐπὶ τὰ καλὰ καὶ μέχρι τινὸς ἀντιποιήσασθαι τούτων εὐμαρές, ὁμαλίσαι1 δὲ καὶ κατὰ πᾶσαν περίστασιν ἐπίμονον γενέσθαι τῇ γνώμῃ, μηδὲν τοῦ καλοῦ καὶ τοῦ δικαίου προυργιαίτερον τιθέμενον,2 δυσχερές. —
”For while it is easy to have impulses toward what is noble and to lay claim to these up to a certain point, it is difficult to maintain an even course and to remain constant in one’s purpose under every circumstance, holding nothing to be of more importance than the noble and the just.” —
- 29.26.2ὁμαλίσαι
Used intransitively (or metaphorically) in the sense of "to maintain an even course" or "to be consistent," whereas its primary transitive meaning is "to level" or "to make even."
- 29.26.2τιθέμενον
Accusative present participle (masculine singular), agreeing with the unexpressed general subject (such as τινά, "one" / "a person") of the infinitive γενέσθαι.