- 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-grc2:5.11.1-5.11.9
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
The author severely criticizes Philip V's destruction of the temple at Thermum, contrasting acceptable destruction in war with unnecessary outrages. He further discusses the difference in ruling philosophy between a king and a tyrant, arguing how highly the Aetolians would have esteemed Philip had he shown moderation.
δόξης, προβαίνων κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν. ὧν ἦν ἓν καὶ τὸ τότε πραχθέν.1 τοῖς γὰρ Αἰτωλῶν ἀσεβήμασι συνεξαμαρτάνων διὰ τὸν θυμὸν καὶ κακῷ κακὸν ἰώμενος οὐδὲν ᾤετο ποιεῖν ἄτοπον.
reputation, as he advanced in years. One of these instances was what was done at that time. For by sharing in the impious deeds of the Aetolians due to his anger, and curing evil with evil, he thought he was doing nothing improper.
καὶ Σκόπᾳ μὲν καὶ Δωριμάχῳ παρʼ ἕκαστον εἰς ἀσέλγειαν καὶ παρανομίαν ὠνείδιζε, τὴν ἐν Δωδώνῃ καὶ Δίῳ προφερόμενος ἀσέβειαν εἰς τὸ θεῖον· αὐτὸς δὲ παραπλήσια ποιῶν οὐκ ᾤετο τῆς ὁμοίας ἐκείνοις τεύξεσθαι δόξης παρὰ τοῖς ἀκούσασι.
Indeed, he used to reproach Scopas and Dorimachus on every occasion for their insolence and lawlessness, bringing up their impiety toward the divine at Dodona and Dium; yet, while doing very similar things himself, he did not think he would meet with a similar reputation among those who heard of it.
τὸ μὲν γὰρ παραιρεῖσθαι τῶν πολεμίων καὶ καταφθείρειν φρούρια, λιμένας, πόλεις, ἄνδρας, ναῦς, καρπούς, τἄλλα τὰ τούτοις παραπλήσια, διʼ ὧν τοὺς μὲν ὑπεναντίους ἀσθενεστέρους ἄν τις ποιήσαι, τὰ δὲ σφέτερα πράγματα καὶ τὰς ἐπιβολὰς δυναμικωτέρας, ταῦτα μὲν ἀναγκάζουσιν οἱ τοῦ πολέμου νόμοι καὶ τὰ τούτου δίκαια δρᾶν·
For indeed, to take away from the enemy and destroy their fortresses, harbors, cities, men, ships, crops, and other things similar to these, by which one might make the adversaries weaker and one’s own affairs and undertakings more powerful—these things the laws of war and its rights compel us to do;
τὸ δὲ μήτε τοῖς ἰδίοις πράγμασιν ἐπικουρίαν μέλλοντα μηδʼ ἡντινοῦν παρασκευάζειν μήτε τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἐλάττωσιν πρός γε τὸν ἐνεστῶτα πόλεμον ἐκ περιττοῦ καὶ ναούς, ἅμα δὲ τούτοις ἀνδριάντας καὶ πᾶσαν δὴ τὴν τοιαύτην κατασκευὴν λυμαίνεσθαι,2 πῶς οὐκ ἂν εἴποι τις εἶναι τρόπου καὶ θυμοῦ λυττῶντος ἔργον;
but to damage temples, and along with them statues and indeed all such structures, from mere superfluity, when it is not going to afford any assistance whatsoever to one’s own affairs nor any reduction to the enemy with regard to the present war, how could anyone fail to say that this is the work of a frenzied character and anger?
οὐ γὰρ ἐπʼ ἀπωλείᾳ δεῖ καὶ ἀφανισμῷ τοῖς ἀγνοήσασι πολεμεῖν τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ἄνδρας, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ διορθώσει καὶ μεταθέσει τῶν ἡμαρτημένων, οὐδὲ συναναιρεῖν τὰ μηδὲν ἀδικοῦντα τοῖς ἠδικηκόσιν, ἀλλὰ συσσῴζειν μᾶλλον καὶ συνεξαιρεῖσθαι τοῖς ἀναιτίοις τοὺς δοκοῦντας ἀδικεῖν.
For good men ought not to wage war against those who have erred for their destruction and annihilation, but for the correction and reform of their errors, nor should they destroy what has done no wrong along with the wrongdoers, but rather preserve and rescue those who seem to be doing wrong along with the innocent.
τυράννου μὲν γὰρ ἔργον ἐστὶ τὸ κακῶς ποιοῦντα τῷ φόβῳ δεσπόζειν ἀκουσίων, μισούμενον καὶ μισοῦντα τοὺς ὑποταττομένους· βασιλέως δὲ τὸ πάντας εὖ ποιοῦντα, διὰ τὴν εὐεργεσίαν καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν ἀγαπώμενον, ἑκόντων ἡγεῖσθαι καὶ προστατεῖν.
For it is the part of a tyrant to rule over unwilling subjects by fear through doing them harm, being hated and hating his subordinates; but it is the part of a king to rule over willing subjects and protect them, being loved for his beneficence and humanity, while doing good to all.
μάλιστα δʼ ἄν τις καταμάθοι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τὴν τότε Φιλίππου, λαβὼν πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν τίνα διάληψιν εἰκὸς ἦν Αἰτωλοὺς ἔχειν, εἰ τἀναντία τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἔπραξε καὶ μήτε τὰς στοὰς μήτε τοὺς ἀνδριάντας διέφθειρε μήτʼ ἄλλο μηδὲν ᾐκίσατο τῶν ἀναθημάτων.
But one might best understand the error of Philip at that time, by placing before one’s eyes what kind of opinion the Aetolians would likely have held, if he had done the opposite of the aforementioned things, and had neither destroyed the porticoes nor the statues, nor damaged any other of the dedicated offerings.
ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οἶμαι τὴν βελτίστην ἂν καὶ φιλανθρωποτάτην,3 συνειδότας μὲν αὑτοῖς τὰ περὶ Δῖον καὶ Δωδώνην πεπραγμένα, σαφῶς δὲ γινώσκοντας ὅθʼ ὁ Φίλιππος τότε καὶ πρᾶξαι κύριος ἦν ὃ βουληθείη, καὶ πράξας τὰ δεινότατα δικαίως ἂν ἐδόκει τοῦτο πεποιηκέναι τό γε κατʼ ἐκείνους μέρος·
For my part, I think they would have held the best and most merciful opinion, being conscious of their own deeds at Dium and Dodona, and knowing clearly both that Philip was then master to do whatever he wished, and that even if he had done the most terrible things, he would justly have been thought to have done so, as far as they were concerned;
διὰ δὲ τὴν αὑτοῦ πρᾳότητα καὶ μεγαλοψυχίαν οὐδὲν
but that because of his own gentleness and high-mindedness, he did nothing...
- 5.11.1ὧν ἦν ἓν καὶ τὸ τότε πραχθέν
The genitive plural relative pronoun ὧν refers back to the entire context of 'practices opposite to the aforementioned men' in the previous section §5.10.11, leading into the main clause 'one of which was what was done at that time.' It forms a tight contextual link showing Philip's series of blameworthy actions.
- 5.11.4τὸ δὲ μήτε... λυμαίνεσθαι
The accusative participle μέλλοντα agrees with the implied subject of the infinitive λυμαίνεσθai (such as an indefinite accusative τινά). Structurally, the articular infinitive phrase τὸ ... λυμαίνεσθαι ('the act of damaging...') serves as the subject of the infinitive clause (εἶναι ... ἔργον) which is dependent on εἴποι. The genitive τρόπου functions as a predicate genitive of characteristic/possession with εἶναι.
- 5.11.8τὴν βελτίστην ἂν καὶ φιλανθρωποτάτην
Following the verb οἶμαι, the noun διάληψιν (reputed opinion) from §5.11.7 is omitted, along with an infinitive (such as σχεῖν 'to hold' or γενέσθαι 'to arise') accompanied by ἄν. This forms the apodosis of a past contrary-to-fact conditional sentence ('they would have held the best and most merciful opinion').
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — note 1