§10.36.1ὃ δὴ καὶ περὶ πολλοὺς ἤδη γέγονε.
This indeed is what has already happened to many.
μεγάλου γὰρ ὄντος, ὡς πλεονάκις ἡμῖν εἴρηται, τοῦ κατορθοῦν ἐν πράγμασι καὶ περιγίνεσθαι τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐν ταῖς ἐπιβολαῖς, πολλῷ μείζονος ἐμπειρίας προσδεῖται καὶ φυλακῆς τὸ καλῶς χρήσασθαι τοῖς κατορθώμασι·
For although it is a great thing, as I have often said, to succeed in one's undertakings and to overcome one's enemies in their designs, yet to make a good use of such successes requires far greater experience and vigilance.
§10.36.2διὸ καὶ πολλαπλασίους ἂν εὕροι τις τοὺς ἐπὶ προτερημάτων γεγονότας τῶν καλῶς τοῖς προτερήμασι κεχρημένων.
Therefore, one may find many times more people who have gained an advantage than those who have made good use of their advantages.
ὃ καὶ τότε περὶ τοὺς Καρχηδονίους συνέβη γενέσθαι.
This is precisely what then happened to the Carthaginians.
§10.36.3μετὰ γὰρ τὸ νικῆσαι μὲν τὰς Ῥωμαίων δυνάμεις, ἀποκτεῖναι δὲ τοὺς στρατηγοὺς ἀμφοτέρους, Πόπλιον καὶ Γνάϊον, ὑπολαβόντες ἀδήριτον αὐτοῖς ὑπάρχειν τὴν Ἰβηρίαν, ὑπερηφάνως ἐχρῶντο τοῖς κατὰ τὴν χώραν.
For after defeating the Roman forces and killing both generals, Publius and Gnaeus, supposing that Iberia was indisputably theirs, they treated the people of the country with insolence.
§10.36.4τοιγαροῦν ἀντὶ συμμάχων καὶ φίλων πολεμίους ἔσχον τοὺς ὑποταττομένους.
Consequently, instead of allies and friends, they had those who were subject to them as enemies.
§10.36.5καὶ τοῦτʼ εἰκότως ἔπαθον· ἄλλως μὲν γὰρ ἐπειδήπερ ὑπέλαβον δεῖν κτᾶσθαι τὰς ἀρχάς, ἄλλως δὲ τηρεῖν, οὐκ ἔμαθον διότι κάλλιστα φυλάττουσι τὰς ὑπεροχὰς οἱ κάλλιστα διαμείναντες ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν προαιρέσεων, αἷς ἐξ ἀρχῆς κατεκτήσαντο τὰς δυναστείας,
And they suffered this with good reason; for because they assumed that empires should be acquired in one way and maintained in another, they did not learn that those preserve their supremacy best who remain most constant to the same principles by which they first acquired their power.
§10.36.6καίτοι γε προφανοῦς ὄντος καὶ ἐπὶ πολλῶν ἤδη τεθεωρημένου διότι κτῶνται μὲν ἄνθρωποι τὰς εὐκαιρίας εὖ ποιοῦντες καὶ προτεινόμενοι τὴν ἀγαθὴν ἐλπίδα τοῖς πέλας, §10.36.7ἐπειδὰν δὲ τῶν ἐπιθυμουμένων τυχόντες κακῶς ποιῶσι καὶ δεσποτικῶς ἄρχωσι τῶν ὑποτεταγμένων, εἰκότως ἅμα ταῖς τῶν προεστώτων μεταβολαῖς συμμεταπίπτουσι καὶ τῶν ὑποταττομένων αἱ προαιρέσεις.
Although indeed it is obvious and has already been observed in many instances that men gain favorable opportunities by doing good and by holding out good hopes to their neighbors, but when, having obtained their desires, they do evil and rule over their subjects like despots, the inclinations of the subjects naturally change along with the change in their rulers.
ὃ καὶ τότε συνέβη τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις.
This is what then happened to the Carthaginians.