Decline of States and the Descent into Ochlocracy — Polybius, The Histories Book 6 (6.57.1–6.57.10), Greek & English

§6.57.1

ὅτι μὲν οὖν πᾶσι τοῖς οὖσιν ὑπόκειται φθορὰ καὶ μεταβολὴ σχεδὸν οὐ προσδεῖ λόγων· ἱκανὴ γὰρ ἡ τῆς φύσεως ἀνάγκη παραστῆσαι τὴν τοιαύτην πίστιν.

That decay and change are inherent in all existing things indeed requires almost no argument; for the necessity of nature is sufficient to provide such conviction.

§6.57.2

δυεῖν δὲ τρόπων ὄντων, καθʼ οὓς φθείρεσθαι πέφυκε πᾶν γένος πολιτείας, τοῦ μὲν ἔξωθεν, τοῦ δʼ ἐν αὐτοῖς φυομένου, τὸν μὲν ἐκτὸς ἄστατον ἔχειν συμβαίνει τὴν θεωρίαν,¹ τὸν δʼ ἐξ αὐτῶν τεταγμένην.

While there are two ways by which every kind of constitution is naturally liable to decay, one being from without and the other growing within itself, it happens that the observation of the external one is uncertain, whereas that of the internal one is regular.

§6.57.3

τί μὲν δὴ πρῶτον φύεται γένος πολιτείας καὶ τί δεύτερον, καὶ πῶς εἰς ἄλληλα μεταπίπτουσιν, εἴρηται πρόσθεν ἡμῖν, ὥστε τοὺς δυναμένους τὰς ἀρχὰς τῷ τέλει συνάπτειν τῆς ἐνεστώσης ὑποθέσεως κἂν αὐτοὺς ἤδη προειπεῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μέλλοντος. ἔστι δʼ, ὡς ἐγᾦμαι, δῆλον.

Now, what kind of constitution is naturally first and what second, and how they change into one another, has been stated by us before; so that those who are able to connect the beginning with the end of the present inquiry would also be able by themselves to predict the future. And this is, as I think, clear.

§6.57.5

ὅταν γὰρ πολλοὺς καὶ μεγάλους κινδύνους διωσαμένη πολιτεία μετὰ ταῦτα εἰς ὑπεροχὴν καὶ δυναστείαν ἀδήριτον ἀφίκηται, φανερὸν ὡς εἰσοικιζομένης εἰς αὐτὴν ἐπὶ πολὺ τῆς εὐδαιμονίας συμβαίνει² τοὺς μὲν βίους γίνεσθαι πολυτελεστέρους, τοὺς δʼ ἄνδρας φιλονεικοτέρους τοῦ δέοντος περί τε τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἐπιβολάς.

For when a state, having warded off many great dangers, afterwards arrives at pre-eminence and uncontested dominion, it is clear that, as prosperity settles in it for a long time, their lives become more luxurious and men become more competitive than is proper regarding offices and other enterprises.

§6.57.6

ὧν προβαινόντων ἐπὶ πλέον ἄρξει μὲν τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον μεταβολῆς ἡ φιλαρχία καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀδοξίας ὄνειδος, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἡ περὶ τοὺς βίους ἀλαζονεία καὶ πολυτέλεια, λήψεται δὲ τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν τῆς μεταβολῆς ὁ δῆμος, ὅταν ὑφʼ ὧν μὲν ἀδικεῖσθαι δόξῃ διὰ τὴν πλεονεξίαν, ὑφʼ ὧν δὲ χαυνωθῇ κολακευόμενος διὰ τὴν φιλαρχίαν.

As these things proceed further, the love of office and the reproach of obscurity, and in addition to these, ostentation and luxury in their lives, will begin the change for the worse. And the people will take upon themselves the name of the change, when they believe they are wronged by some because of their greed, and are flattered and puffed up by others because of their love of office.

§6.57.8

τότε γὰρ ἐξοργισθεὶς καὶ θυμῷ πάντα βουλευόμενος οὐκέτι θελήσει πειθαρχεῖν οὐδʼ ἴσον ἔχειν τοῖς προεστῶσιν, ἀλλὰ πᾶν καὶ τὸ πλεῖστον αὐτός.³

For then, being enraged and deciding everything by passion, they will no longer be willing to obey or even to be equal to their leaders, but will demand everything or the greatest part for themselves.

§6.57.9

οὗ γενομένου τῶν μὲν ὀνομάτων τὸ κάλλιστον ἡ πολιτεία μεταλήψεται, τὴν ἐλευθερίαν καὶ δημοκρατίαν, τῶν δὲ πραγμάτων τὸ χείριστον, τὴν ὀχλοκρατίαν.

When this happens, the constitution will assume the most beautiful of names, “freedom” and “democracy,” but the worst of realities, “ochlocracy.”

§6.57.10

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐπειδὴ τήν τε σύστασιν καὶ τὴν αὔξησιν τῆς πολιτείας, ἔτι δὲ τὴν ἀκμὴν καὶ τὴν διάθεσιν, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις τὴν διαφορὰν πρὸς τὰς ἄλλας τοῦ τε χείρονος ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ βελτίονος διεληλύθαμεν, τὸν μὲν περὶ τῆς πολιτείας λόγον ὧδέ πῃ καταστρέφομεν.

Since we have gone through the origin, growth, zenith, and present condition of the constitution, and moreover its difference for the worse and the better compared to others, we will here bring our discourse on the constitution to a close.

Syntax notes3 items

6.57.2ἄστατον ἔχειν ... τὴν θεωρίαν
The subject of the infinitive ἔχειν is the accusative τὸν μὲν ἐκτὸς [τρόπον] (the external way), while τὴν θεωρίαν (observation/prediction) functions as its object. The adjective ἄστατον is a predicative modifier of τὴν θεωρίαν, meaning "has its prediction as unstable" (i.e., its prediction is uncertain).
6.57.5φανερὸν ὡς εἰσοικιζομένης εἰς αὐτὴν ἐπὶ πολὺ τῆς εὐδαιμονίας συμβαίνει
Structurally, within the subordinate clause introduced by φανερὸν [ἐστιν] ὡς ("it is clear that"), the genitive absolute clause εἰσοικιζομένης ... τῆς εὐδαιμονίας ("as prosperity settles in") is inserted. The main verb of this clause is the impersonal συμβαίνει ("it happens that"), which takes the accusative and infinitive construction τοὺς μὲν βίους γίνεσθαι... ("lives become...") as its subject or complement.
6.57.8ἀλλὰ πᾶν καὶ τὸ πλεῖστον αὐτός
In context, corresponding to the preceding infinitives πειθαρχεῖν (to obey) and ἴσον ἔχειν (to be equal), an infinitive of possession or administration (such as ἔχειν or διοικεῖν) is omitted after ἀλλὰ. The pronoun αὐτός is in the nominative case (singular masculine), agreeing with the subject of the sentence ὁ δῆμος (the people), emphasizing "the people themselves (to hold/do) everything or the greatest part."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-10-09)

2026-10-09 Collated with the printed edition — source 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.57.1-6.57.10