Polybius · The Histories §33.20.1

Nature of Crowd Psychology in Extreme Love and Hatred

Passage 1242 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

It points out the nature of crowd behavior, stating that once the multitude conceives extreme love or hatred, they will use any pretext to accomplish their purposes.

§33.20.1ὅτι ὅταν ἅπαξ οἱ πολλοὶ σχῶσιν ὁρμὴν πρὸς τὸ φιλεῖν ἢ μισεῖν τινας ὑπερβαλλόντως, πᾶσα πρόφασις ἱκανὴ γίνεται πρὸς τὸ συντελεῖν τὰς αὑτῶν προθέσεις. —

That once the multitude conceives an impulse to love or hate certain people excessively, any pretext becomes sufficient for accomplishing their own purposes. —

Notes

§33.20.1ὅτι — Introduces a noun clause dependent on an implied verb of saying (such as φησί in the previous chunk) or serves as a quotation marker commonly found in historical fragments.
§33.20.1ὅταν ἅπαξ — Used with the subjunctive (here σχῶσιν, the aorist subjunctive of ἔχω) to express a temporal-general condition ('once' or 'when once'), with the adverb ἅπαξ emphasizing the decisive and initial moment of the condition.
§33.20.1πρὸς τὸ συντελεῖν — The preposition πρὸς combined with the articular infinitive (neuter singular accusative) limits the preceding adjective ἱκανὴ, expressing purpose or the respect in which the pretext is 'sufficient' ('for accomplishing' or 'to accomplish').

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §33.20.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:33.20.1

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