Humanitext Reader

Polybius · The Histories §22.19.1-22.19.4

Distinction Between a Man of Affairs and a Busybody

Passage 1028 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Polybius mentions and criticizes the event where Philopoemen praised Archon for acting craftily on a certain occasion. He emphasizes the profound difference between a man of affairs and a busybody, regretting that people easily confuse these qualities.

§22.19.1ὅτι Φιλοποίμην πρὸς Ἄρχωνα τὸν στρατηγὸν λόγοις τισὶ διεφέρετο.
That Philopoemen was at variance in certain discussions with Archon the strategus.
ὁ μὲν οὖν Φιλοποίμην εὐδοκήσας ἐκ τοῦ καιροῦ τοῖς λεγομένοις καὶ μεταγνοὺς ἐπῄνει τὸν Ἄρχωνα φιλοφρόνως, ὡς ἐντρεχῶς καὶ πανούργως τῷ καιρῷ κεχρημένον.
Now Philopoemen, having on the spur of the moment approved of what was said and having changed his mind, praised Archon kindly, as one who had used the opportunity alertly and craftily.
§22.19.2ἔμοιγε μήν, φησὶν ὁ Πολύβιος, οὔτε τότε παρόντι τὸ ῥηθὲν εὐηρέστησεν, ὥστʼ ἐπαινοῦντά τινα κακῶς ἅμα ποιεῖν, οὔτε μετὰ ταῦτα τῆς ἡλικίας προβαινούσης·
"But to me indeed," says Polybius, "neither at that time when I was present did what was said please me—so as for a person, while praising, to act badly at the same time—nor afterwards as my age advanced.
§22.19.3πολὺ γὰρ δή τι μοι δοκεῖ κεχωρίσθαι κατὰ τὴν αἵρεσιν ὁ πραγματικὸς ἀνὴρ τοῦ κακοπράγμονος καὶ παραπλησίαν ἔχειν διαφορὰν τῷ κακεντρεχεῖ πρὸς τὸν ἐντρεχῆ· ἃ μὲν γάρ ἐστι κάλλιστα τῶν ὄντων ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, ἃ δὲ τοὐναντίον·
For the man of affairs seems to me to be separated by a very great distance in his principles from the busybody, and to have a difference similar to that of the malicious man in relation to the alert man; for the former are, so to speak, the finest of existing things, and the latter the opposite.
§22.19.4ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν νῦν ἐπιπολάζουσαν ἀκρισίαν βραχείας ἔχοντα κοινότητας τὰ προειρημένα τῆς αὐτῆς ἐπισημασίας καὶ ζήλου τυγχάνει παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις.
But on account of the lack of judgment now prevailing, the aforementioned qualities, though having only small points in common, meet with the same approval and admiration among men."

Notes

  1. §22.19.2ὥστʼ ἐπαινοῦντά τινα κακῶς ἅμα ποιεῖν — In the infinitive clause introduced by `ὥστε`, `τινά` is interpreted as the subject accusative of the infinitive `ποιεῖν` and the participle `ἐπαινοῦντα`, meaning "so that a person, while praising, should at the same time act badly." Alternatively, `τινά` could be the direct object of the participle `ἐπαινοῦντα` ("praising someone") with an indefinite subject for the infinitive, but the former interpretation sharper contrasts the contradictory behavior of the same agent.
  2. §22.19.3παραπλησίαν ἔχειν διαφορὰν τῷ κακεντρεχεῖ πρὸς τὸν ἐντρεχῆ — This is an instance of compendiary comparison, where the dative `τῷ κακεντρεχεῖ` (the malicious man) depends on the adjective `παραπλησίαν` (similar). The phrase is a condensed way of saying "to have a difference similar to the difference of the malicious man in relation to the alert man," comparing the contrast between the statesman and the busybody to that between the malicious and the alert.
  3. §22.19.3ἃ μὲν ... ἃ δὲ — The neuter plural relative pronouns `ἅ` are used as demonstratives with the particles `μέν` and `δέ` ("the ones... the others..."). In this context, `ἃ μέν` refers to the positive qualities/types, namely `ὁ πραγματικὸς ἀνὴρ` (the man of affairs) and `ὁ ἐντρεχής` (the alert man), while `ἃ δέ` refers to the negative ones, `ὁ κακοπράγμων` (the busybody) and `ὁ κακεντρεχής` (the malicious man).

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §22.19.1-22.19.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:22.19.1-22.19.4

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.