Humanitext Reader

Polybius · The Histories §9.44.1-9.44.2

Reluctant Allies and the Value of Universal History

Passage 645 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

The author points out that allies without zeal cannot be relied upon in actual deeds, and reaffirms his core belief that it is impossible to grasp the whole picture of history from particular accounts.

§9.44.1ὅτι τοὺς μὴ μετʼ εὐνοίας καὶ προθυμίας ἐμβαίνοντας οὐδʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῶν εἰκός ἐστι τῶν ἔργων ἀληθεῖς εἶναι συμμάχους.
For it is not likely that those who do not embark with goodwill and zeal should be true allies even in the actual deeds.
§9.44.2καὶ ἔστιν ἀληθὲς τὸ πολλάκις ὑφʼ ἡμῶν εἰρημένον ὡς οὐχ οἷόν τε περιλαβεῖν οὐδὲ συνθεάσασθαι τῇ ψυχῇ τὸ κάλλιστον θέαμα τῶν γεγονότων, λέγω δὲ τὴν τῶν ὅλων οἰκονομίαν, ἐκ τῶν τὰς κατὰ μέρος πράξεις γραφόντων.
And what has been frequently said by us is true, namely, that it is impossible to grasp or contemplate in the soul the most beautiful spectacle of past events—I mean the economy of the whole—from those who write of particular transactions.

Notes

  1. 9.44.1τοὺς μὴ μετʼ εὐνοίας καὶ προθυμίας ἐμβαίνοντας — The participle ἐμβαίνοντας can be understood literally as "those embarking" onto ships, in connection with the context of ships in the previous chapter (9.43.6), or metaphorically as "those entering upon" an enterprise. It carries both nuances here and serves as the subject accusative of the infinitive εἶναι governed by εἰκός ἐστι.
  2. 9.44.2ὡς οὐχ οἷόν τε περιλαβεῖν — The conjunction ὡς introduces a noun clause that stands in apposition to τὸ πολλάκις ὑφʼ ἡμῶν εἰρημένον ("what has been frequently said by us"). The infinitives περιλαβεῖν and συνθεάσασθαι depend on the impersonal expression οὐχ οἷόν τε ("it is impossible").
  3. 9.44.2ἐκ τῶν τὰς κατὰ μέρος πράξεις γραφόντων — The prepositional phrase ἐκ τῶν ... γραφόντων means "from those who write of particular transactions" and modifies the infinitives περιλαβεῖν and συνθεάσασθαι, indicating the inadequate source from which one might attempt to grasp the whole of history.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §9.44.1-9.44.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.44.1-9.44.2

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