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Polybius · The Histories §7.13.1-7.13.8

Confirmation of the Contrast between Demetrius and Aratus

Passage 549 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

In relation to Aratus barely restraining Philip's reckless impulses, the author explains how his earlier assertion in Book 5 regarding the contrast between Demetrius and Aratus has now been proven by actual events.

§7.13.1ὅτι ὁ Ἄρατος, θεωρῶν τὸν Φίλιππον ὁμολογουμένως τόν τε πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἀναλαμβάνοντα πόλεμον καὶ κατὰ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς συμμάχους αἵρεσιν ὁλοσχερῶς ἠλλοιωμένον, πολλὰς εἰσενεγκάμενος ἀπορίας καὶ σκήψεις μόλις ἀπετρέψατο τὸν Φίλιππον.
ὅτι When Aratus saw that Philip was manifestly embarking on the war against the Romans and had completely changed in his attitude toward the allies, he, by raising many difficulties and objections, with difficulty turned Philip back.
§7.13.2ἡμεῖς δέ, τοῦ κατὰ τὴν πέμπτην βύβλον ἡμῖν ἐν ἐπαγγελίᾳ καὶ φάσει μόνον εἰρημένου νῦν διʼ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν πίστιν εἰληφότος, βουλόμεθα προσαναμνῆσαι τοὺς συνεφιστάνοντας τῇ πραγματείᾳ, πρὸς τὸ μηδεμίαν τῶν ἀποφάσεων ἀναπόδεικτον μηδʼ ἀμφισβητουμένην καταλιπεῖν.
ἡμεῖς δέ And we, since what was said by us in the fifth book only as a promise and assertion has now received its proof from the facts themselves, wish to remind those who follow this history, in order that we may leave none of our assertions unproved or disputed.
§7.13.3καθʼ ὃν γὰρ καιρὸν ἐξηγούμενοι τὸν Αἰτωλικὸν πόλεμον ἐπὶ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος τῆς διηγήσεως ἐπέστημεν, ἐν ᾧ Φίλιππον ἔφαμεν τὰς ἐν Θέρμῳ στοὰς καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν ἀναθημάτων θυμικώτερον καταφθεῖραι, καὶ δεῖν τούτων τὴν αἰτίαν οὐχ οὕτως ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν ὡς ἐπὶ τοὺς συνόντας αὐτῷ φίλους ἀναφέρειν, §7.13.4τότε περὶ μὲν Ἀράτου τὸν βίον ἐφήσαμεν ἀπολογεῖσθαι τὸ μηδὲν ἂν ποιῆσαι μοχθηρόν, Δημητρίου δὲ τοῦ Φαρίου τὴν τοιαύτην εἶναι προαίρεσιν.
καθʼ ὃν γὰρ For at the time when, in narrating the Aetolian War, we reached this part of the narrative, in which we said that Philip had destroyed the porticoes and the rest of the dedicated offerings at Thermum too passionately, and that the blame for these things should be laid not so much on the king because of his age as on the friends who were with him, τότε at that time we said, on the one hand, concerning Aratus, that his life defended him, showing that he would never have done anything base, and on the other hand, concerning Demetrius of Pharus, that such was his purpose.
§7.13.5δῆλον δὲ τοῦτο ποιήσειν ἐπηγγειλάμεθα διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς ῥηθησομένων, εἰς τοῦτον ὑπερθέμενοι τὸν καιρὸν τὴν πίστιν τῆς προρρηθείσης ἀποφάσεως, §7.13.6ἐν ᾧ παρὰ μίαν ἡμέραν Δημητρίου μὲν παρόντος, ὡς ἀρτίως ὑπὲρ τῶν κατὰ Μεσσηνίους ὑπεδείξαμεν, Ἀράτου δὲ καθυστερήσαντος, ἤρξατο Φίλιππος ἅπτεσθαι τῶν μεγίστων ἀσεβημάτων.
δῆλον δὲ And we promised to make this clear through what was to be said next, postponing the proof of the aforementioned assertion to this opportunity, ἐν ᾧ at which, within the space of a single day, while Demetrius was present (as we have just shown in the case of the Messenians) and Aratus was delayed, Philip began to lay hands on the greatest impieties.
§7.13.7καὶ καθάπερ ἂν ἐγγευσάμενος αἵματος ἀνθρωπείου καὶ τοῦ φονεύειν καὶ παρασπονδεῖν τοὺς συμμάχους, οὐ λύκος ἐξ ἀνθρώπου κατὰ τὸν Ἀρκαδικὸν μῦθον, ὥς φησιν ὁ Πλάτων, ἀλλὰ τύραννος ἐκ βασιλέως ἀπέβη πικρός.
καὶ καθάπερ And as if he had tasted human blood, both of murdering and of breaking faith with his allies, he turned not from a man into a wolf according to the Arcadian myth, as Plato says, but from a king into a cruel tyrant.
§7.13.8τούτου δʼ ἐναργέστερον ἔτι δεῖγμα τῆς ἑκατέρου γνώμης τὸ περὶ τῆς ἄκρας συμβούλευμα πρὸς τὸ μηδὲ περὶ τῶν κατʼ
τούτου δʼ A still clearer proof of this and of the disposition of both men was their advice concerning the citadel, so that not even concerning the...

Notes

  1. 7.13.1ὁμολογουμένως — The adverb meaning "by common consent" or "manifestly." It modifies and emphasizes the obviousness of the two states of Philip expressed by the participles "embarking" (ἀναλαμβάνοντα) and "having changed" (ἠλλοιωμένον).
  2. 7.13.2τοῦ κατὰ τὴν πέμπτην βύβλον ἡμῖν ἐν ἐπαγγελίᾳ καὶ φάσει μόνον εἰρημένου νῦν διʼ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν πίστιν εἰληφότος — A genitive absolute construction expressing the reason for the main clause (βουλόμεθα...). The subject of the absolute clause refers back to Polybius' earlier promise in Book 5 that he would prove the differing characters of Demetrius and Aratus through their subsequent actions.
  3. 7.13.4τὸ μηδὲν ἂν ποιῆσαι μοχθηρόν — An articular infinitive phrase in the accusative serving as the direct object of the verb "ἀπολογεῖσθαι" (to defend). The combination of "ἄν" with the aorist infinitive "ποιῆσαι" expresses past potentiality ("that he would never have done").
  4. 7.13.7καθάπερ ἂν ἐγγευσάμενος — The particle "ἄν" attached to the aorist participle "ἐγγευσάμενος" introduced by "καθάπερ" (just as if). It lends a hypothetical force to the participle ("as if he had tasted"), comparing Philip's moral deterioration to a man who, having tasted human blood, turns into a wolf.
  5. 7.13.8πρὸς τὸ μηδὲ περὶ τῶν κατʼ — A prepositional phrase with an articular infinitive ("πρὸς τὸ...") expressing purpose or result, which is left incomplete because the object of the preposition "κατά" is omitted and the text itself breaks off at this point.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §7.13.1-7.13.8. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.13.1-7.13.8

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