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Polybius · The Histories §29.26.1-29.26.2

Treachery of Antiochus IV and the Maxim of Simonides

Passage 1141 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

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."

§29.26.1ἐπιλαθόμενος 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.
§29.26.2"ἔχειν μὲν γὰρ ὁρμὰς ἐπὶ τὰ καλὰ καὶ μέχρι τινὸς ἀντιποιήσασθαι τούτων εὐμαρές, ὁμαλίσαι δὲ καὶ κατὰ πᾶσαν περίστασιν ἐπίμονον γενέσθαι τῇ γνώμῃ, μηδὲν τοῦ καλοῦ καὶ τοῦ δικαίου προυργιαίτερον τιθέμενον, 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." —

Notes

  1. §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."
  2. §29.26.2τιθέμενον — Accusative present participle (masculine singular), agreeing with the unexpressed general subject (such as `τινά`, "one" / "a person") of the infinitive `γενέσθαι`.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §29.26.1-29.26.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:29.26.1-29.26.2

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