most
distinguished
men of the Achacan league ;
981), Aétius (ii.
981), Aétius (ii.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
& 2.
)
## p. 442 (#458) ############################################
442
POLYAENUS.
POLYARATUS,
;
3. An Achaean, belonged to the party of script in the king's library at Paris, containing
Archon, Polybius, and the more moderate patriots, only fifty-five chapters, but which serves to elu
who thought that the Achaeans ought not to op- cidate and explnin many passages of the original.
pose the Romans in their war against Perseus, Polyaenus also wrote several other works, all
B. C. 171. (Polyb. xxviii. 6. $ 9. )
of which have perished. Suidas has preserved tho
4. Claudius POLYAENUS, probably a freed-titles of two, Tepi Onbŵr and Taktika Bubala q';
man of the emperor Claudius, bequeathed a house and Stobaeus makes a quotation from a work of
to this emperor at Prusa (Plin. Ep. x. 23. Polyaenus, TTP Toû Koivoù tô Makedórw
8. 75. )
(Florileg. xliii. (or xli. ) $ 53), and from another
5. Legatus of Bithynia in the time of the entitled 'Toep Toû Luvedpiou (Ibul. 41). Poly-
younger Pliny. (Plin. Ep. vii. 6. $ 6. )
aenus likewise mentions his intention of writing a
POLYAENUS (Donúaivos), literary. 1. Of I work on the memorable actions ('Aflournuoveuta)
ATHENS, an historical writer, mentioned by Euse- of M. Aurelius and L. Verus (Praef. lib. vi. ).
bius. (Chron. i. p. 25. )
Polyaenus was first printed in a Latin trans-
2. Of LAMPSACUs, the son of Athenodorus, a lation, executed by Justus Vulteilis, at Basel,
mathematician and a friend of Epicurus, adopted 1519, 8vo. The first edition of the Greek text
the philosophical system of his friend, and, although was published by Casaubon, Lyon, 1589, 12mo. ;
he had previously acquired great reputation as a the next by Pancratius Maasvicius, Leyden, 1690,
mathematician, he now maintained with Epicurus 8vo. ; the third by Samuel Mursinna, Berlin,
the worthlessness of geometry. (Cic. de Fin. i. 6, 1756, 12mo. ; and the last by Coray, Paris, 1809,
Acad. i. 33 ; Diog. Laërt. x. 24, ii. 105, with 8vo. The work has been translated into English
the note of Menagius. ) It has been supposed that by R. Shepherd, London, 1793, 4to. ; into Ger-
it was against this Polyaenus that the treatise was man by Seybold, Frankfort, 2 vols. 8vo. 1793 and
written, a fragment of which has been discovered 1794, and by Blume, Stuttgart, 1834, 16mo. (Fa-
At llerculaneum under the title of Anuntpiou apds bric. Bibl. Graec. vol. v. p. 321, &c. ; Schöll,
Tas Noavalvou droplas. (Schöll, Geschichte d. Geschichte der Gricch. Litteratur, vol. ii. p. 716 ;
Griech. Litteratur, vol. ii. p. 209. )
Kronbiegel, De Dictionis Polyaeneae Virtutibus et
3. Julius POLYAENUS, the author of four Vitiis, Lipsiae, 1770; Droysen, Geschichte des Hel-
epigrams in the Greek Anthology (ix. 1, 7, 8, 9, lenismus, vol. i. p. 685. )
Tauchnitz), in one of which he is called Polyaenus 5. Of Sardis. (See No. 3. )
of Sardis, and in the other three Julius Polyaenus. POLYANTHES (Ioavávons), a Corinthian,
He must be the same as Polyaenus of Sardis, who commanded a Peloponnesian feet, with which
the sophist, spoken of by Suidas, who says (s. 1. he fought an indecisive battle against the Athenian
Tonúaivos), that he lived in the time of the first feet under Diphilus in the gulf of Corinth in B. C.
Caesar, Caius, that is, in the time of Julius Caesar, | 413. (Thuc. vii. 34. ) He is again mentioned in
and wrote Λόγοι δικανικοί και δικών ήτοι συνη- B. C. 395, as one of the leading men in Corinth,
γοριών υποτυπώσεις, and Θριάμβου Παρθικού who received money from Timocrates the Rhodiari,
B. bría y. The latter work probably referred to whom the satrap Tithraustes sent into Greece in
the victories over the Parthians gained by Ven- order to bribe the chief men in the different Greek
tidius.
states to make war upon Sparta, and thus necessi-
4. The MACEDONIAN, the author of the work tate the recal of Agesilaus from his victorious
on Stratagems in war (Itpatmynuata), which is career in Asia (Xen. Hell. iii. 5. § 1; Paus. iii. 9.
still extant, lived about the middle of the second $ 8).
century of the Christian aera. Suidas (s. 9. ) calls POLYARATUS (ToA vápatos), a Rhodian,
him a rhetorician, and we learn from Polyaenus one of the leaders of the party in that state favour-
himself that he was accustomed to plead causes able to Perseus, during the second Macedonian War.
before the emperor. (Praef. lib. ii. and lib. viii. ) | According to Polybius he was a man of an osten-
He dedicated his work to M. Aurelius and Verus, tatious and extravagant character, and had, in con-
while they were engaged in the Parthian war, sequence, become loaded with debts, which he
about A. D. 163, at which time, he says, he was hoped to pay off by the king's assistance. At the
too old to accompany them in their campaigns. commencement of the war (B. c. 171) he united
(Praef. lib. i. ) This work is divided into eight with Deinon in endeavouring, though unsuccess-
books, of which the first six contain an account fully, to induce the Rhodians to refuse the as-
of the stratagems of the most celebrated Greek sistance of their ships to the Roman praetor C.
generals, the seventh of those of barbarous or Lucretius ; but shortly afterwards he supported
foreign people, and the eighth of the Romans, and with success the proposition made to allow Perseus
illustrious women. Parts, however, of the sixth to ransom the Macedonian captives who had fallen
and seventh books are lost, so that of the 900 into the hands of the Rhodians (Polyb. xxvii. 6,
stratagems which Polyaenus described, only 833 11). He continued throughout the war to main-
have come down to us. The work is written tain an active correspondence with Perseus ; and
in a clear and pleasing style, though somewhat in the third year of the contest (B. c. 169), matters
tinged with the artificial rhetoric of the age. It having apparently taken a turn more favourable to
contains a vast number of anecdotes specting the king, the Rhodians were induced, by his efforts
many of the most celebrated men in antiquity, and and those of Deinon, to give a favourable audience
has preserved many historical facts of which we to the ambassadors of Perseus and Gentius, and to
should otherwise have been ignorant ; but its interpose their influence at Rome to put an end to
value as an historical authority is very much dimi- the war (Liv. xliv. 23, 29). But this step gave
nished by the little judgment which the author great offence to the Romans, and after the defeat of
evidently possessed, and by our ignorance of the Perseus, Polyaratus hastened to provide for bis
sources from which he took his statements. There safety by flight. He took refuge at the court of
is an abridgment of this work in a Greek manu- Ptolemy, king of Egypt, but his surrender being
## p. 443 (#459) ############################################
1
P
POLY BIUS.
POLYBIUS.
443
demanded by the Roman legate Popillius, the king, have been born so early as that year; for he telle
in order to evade compliance, sent him away us himself (xxv. 7) that he was appointed am-
secretly to Rhodes Polyaratus, however, made bassador to Egypt along with his father and the
his escape on the voyage, and took reſuge, first at younger Aratus in B. c. 181, at which time he had
Phaselis, and afterwards at Cibyra, but the inhabit- not yet attained the legal age, which he himself
ants of both these cities were unwilling to incur tells us (axix. 9), was thirty among the Achneans.
the enmity of the Roman senate, by affording him But if he was born, according to Suidas, before the
protection, and he was ultimately conveyed to death of Ptolemy Euergetes, he must then have
Rhodes, from whence he was sent a prisoner to been forty years of age. In addition to which, if
Rome. (Polyb. xxix. 11, xxx. 9. ) (E. H. B. ) any other proof were needed, it is impossible to
POLYARCHUS. [POLEM ARCHUS. ) believe that he could have taken the active part in
POLYARCHUS (Tunúapxos), a Greek phy. public affairs which he did after the fall of Corinth
sician, who is mentioned by Celsus (De Med. v. in B. c. 146, if he was born so early as Suidas
18. & 8, viii. 9. & 1, pp. 86, 177), and inust, there alleges. We may therefore, without much impro-
fore, have lived in or before the first century after bability, suppose with Casaubon that he was born
Christ He appears to have written a pharma- about B. C. 204, since he would in that case have
ceutical work, as some of his prescriptions are been about twenty-five at the time of his appoint-
several times quoted by Galen (De Compos. Medi- ment to the Egyptian embassy.
cum. sec. Loc. viji. 5, vol. xiii. pp. 184, 185, 186, Lycortas, the father of Polybius, was one of the
De Compos. Medicum. sec. Gen. vii. 7, vol. xiii. p.
most distinguished men of the Achacan league ;
981), Aétius (ii. 4. 57, ii. 1. 34, iii. 2. 14, pp. 415, and his son therefore received the advantages of
481, 530), Marcellus (De Medicam. c. 20, p. 339), his training in political knowledge and the military
and Paulus Aegineta De Re Mled. iii. 68, 70, 74, art. He must also have reaped great benefit from
vii. 18, pp. 486, 487, 489, 684); but of his his intercourse with Philopoemen, who was a friend
writings only these extracts remain. (W. A. G. ] of his father's, and on whose death, in B. c. 182,
POLY BI'ADES (Ionubiasns), a Lacedaemo- Lycortas was appointed general of the league. At
nian general, succeeded Agesipolis in the command the funeral of Philopoemen in this year Polybius
of the army against Olynthus, and compelled the carried the urn in which his ashes were deposited.
city to surrender in B. C. 379. (Xen. Hell. v. 3. (Plut. Philpoem. 21, An seni gerunda sit respubl.
SS 20, 26; Diod. xv. 23. )
p. 790, &c. ) In the following year, as we have
POLY'BIUS (Honúbios), historical. 1. Of Me already seen, Polybius was appointed one of the
galopolis, fought under Philopoemen at the battle of ambassadors to Egypt, but he did not leave Greece,
Mantineia against Machanidas, tyrant of Lacedae as the intention of sending an embassy was aban-
mon, B. c. 207. (Polyb. xi. 15. $ 5. ) It has been doned. From this time he probably began to take
usually supposed that this Polybius was a relation part in public affairs, and he appears to have soon
of the historian, probably either his uncle or grand obtained great influence among his countrymen.
fither ; but this is opposed to the statement of the When the war broke out between the Romans and
historian himself in one of the Vatican fragments | Perseus king of Macedonia, it became a grave
(p. 448, ed. Mai), “ that no one, as far as he knew, question with the Achaeans what line of policy they
had borne the same name as his, up to his time. " should adopt. The Roman party in the league
Now though Polybius, when he wrote the passage was headed by Callicrates, an unprincipled time-
quoted above, might possibly have forgotten his serving sycophant, who recognised no law but the
namesake who fought at the battle of Mantineia, still will of Rome. He was opposed by Lycortas and
he certainly would not have escaped his memory if his friends : and the Ronian ambassadors, Popil-
any one of his family had borne this name. It is, lius and Octavius, who came into Peloponnesus at
however, even improbable that he should have for the beginning of B. c. 169, had complained that
gotten this namesake, especially since he was a some of the most influential men in the league were
native of Megalopolis, and we therefore think that unfavourable to the Roman cause and had de-
the conjecture of Lucht in his edition of the Vati- nounced by name Lycortas, Archon, and Polybius,
can Fragments is correct, that the true reading in The more moderate party, who did not wish to
xi. 15, is Noaibu and not Tonusie. (Comp. sacrifice their national independence, and who yet
Thirlwall, Hist. of Greece, vol. viii. p. 273, note 2. ) | dreaded a contest with the Romans from the con-
2. A freedman of the emperor Augustus, read sciousness of their inability to resist the power of
in the senate the will of the emperor after his de- the latter, were divided in opinion as to the course
cease. (Dion Cass. lvi. 32 ; Suet. Aug. 101. ) of action. Lycortas strongly recommended them
3. À freedman of the emperor Claudius, was so to preserve a strict neutrality, since they could hope
highly favoured by this emperor that he was to gain nothing from either party ; but Archon and
allowed to walk between the two consuls. He Polybius thought it more advisable not to adopt
was the companion of the studies of Claudius ; and such a resolution, but to be guided by circum-
on the death of his brother Seneca addressed to stances, and if necessary to offer assistance to the
him a Consolatio, in which he bestows the highest Romans. These views met with the approval of
praises upon his literary attainments. Polybius was the majority of the party ; and accordingly, in B. C.
put to death through the intrigues of Messalina, 169, Archon was appointed strategus of the league,
although he had been one of her paramours. (Dion and Polybius commander of the cavalry, to carry
Cass. 1x. 29, 31 ; Suet. Claud. 28. )
these views into execution. The Achaeans shortly
POLY'BIUS (ſlonúclos), literary. 1. The his- after passed a decree, placing all their forces at the
torian, was the son of Lycortas, and a native of Me disposal of the Roman consul, Q. Marcius Philippus ;
galopolis
, a city in Arcadia. The year in which he and Polybius was sent into Macedonia to learn the
was born is uncertain. Suidas (s. v. ) places his birth pleasure of the consul. Marcius, however, de
in the reign of Ptolemy Euergetes, who died in B. c. clined their assistance for the present. (Polyb.
222. It is certain, however, that Polybius could not xxviii. 3, 6. ) In the following year, B. c. 108, iho
!
## p. 444 (#460) ############################################
444
POLYBIUS.
POLYBIUS.
66
two Ptolemies, Philometor and his brother Ener. | with the Roman power. When it was too late,
getes II. , sent to the Achaeans, to request succour the Achaeans saw and recognised the wisdom of
against Antiochus Epiphanes, and, if this were his advice ; and a statue erected to his honour bore
refused, to beg that Lycortas and Polybius might on its pedestal the inscription, “ that Hellas would
come to them, in order to aid them with their have been saved, if the advice of Polybius had been
advice in the conduct of the war. But As Antio- followed" (Paus. riii. 37. & 2). In the first year
chus was shortly after compelled by the Romans to of the third Punic war, B. c. 149, the consul N.
relinquish his attempts against the Ptolemies, nei. Manilius sent for Polybius to attend him at Lily-
ther of these measures was necessary, and Polybius baeum, but upon reaching Corcyra, he heard from
accordingly remained at home (xxix. 8).
the consuls that the Carthaginians had given hus
After the fall of Perseus and the conquest of tages, and thinking, therefore, that the war was at
Macedonin, two Roman commissioners, C. Claudius an end, and that his presence was no longer needed,
and Cn. Dolabella, visited Peloponnesus, for the he returned to Peloponnesus (Polyb. Erc. l'atican.
purpose of advancing the Roman interests in the p. 417). But he soon left it again in order to
south of Greece. At the instigation of Callicrates, join Scipio. His Roman connections probably made
they commanded that 1000 Achaeans should be him an object of suspicion with what was called
carried to Rome, to answer the charge of not having the independent party ; and his residence in his
assisted the Romans against Perseus. This num- native country may therefore have been not very
ber included all the best and noblest part of the pleasant to him. In addition to which he was no
nation, and among them was Polybius. They doubt anxious to be a spectator of the final struggle
arrived in Italy in B. c. 167, but, instead of being which was now going on between Rome and Car
put upon their trial, they were distributed among thage, and the history of which he intended to
ihe Etruscan towns. Polybius was more fortunate write.
than his other companions in misfortune. He had Polybius was present with Scipio at the de-
probably become acquainted in Macedonia with struction of Carthage, B. c. 146 (Appian, Pun. 132);
Aemilius Paulus, or his sons Fabius and Scipio, and and immediately after that event he hurried
the two young men now obtained permission from to Greece, where the Achaeans were waging a
the praetor for Polybius to reside at Rome in the mad and hopeless war against the Romans.
house of their father Paulus. Scipio was then Whether he was present at the capture of Corinth
eighteen years of age, and soon became warmly may well be questioned, and it is probable, as
attached to the illustrious exile, and availed him- | Thirlwall (Hist. of Greece, vol. viii. p. 455, note 3)
self of his advice and assistance, both in his pri- has remarked, that he would not have hastened to
vate studies and his public life. The friendship Peloponnesus till the struggle was over. He must,
thus formed between the young Roman noble and however, have arrived there soon afterwards ; and
the Greek exile was of great advantage to both par- he exerted all his influence to alleviate the mis-
ties: Scipio was accompanied by his friend in all fortunes of his countrymen, and to procure favour-
his military expeditions, and received much advan- able terms for them. As a friend of Scipio,
tage from the experience and knowledge of the the conqueror of Carthage, he was received with
latter ; while Polybius, besides finding a liberal marked distinction ; and the want of patriotism
patron and protector in his exile, was able by his with which his enemies had charged him, enabled
means to obtain access to public documents, and him now to render his country far more effectual
accumulate materials for his great historical work service than he could otherwise have done. The
(Polyb. xxxii. 9, &c. ; Paus, vii. 10).
statues of Philopoemen and Aratus, which the
The Achaean exiles remained in Italy seventeen Roman commissioners had ordered to be conveyed
years. The Achaeans had frequently sent em- to Italy, were allowed, at his intercession, to re-
bassies to the senate supplicating the trial or main in Peloponnesus. So much respect did the
release of their countrymen, but always without commissioners pay him, that when they quitted
success. Even their earnest entreaty, that Polybius the country in the spring of B. c. 145, after arrang-
and Stratius alone might be set at liberty, had been ing its affairs, and reducing it to the form of a
refused. At length, in B. C. 151, Scipio exerted Roman province, they ordered him to visit the
his influence with Cato the Censor to get him to various cities, and explain the new laws and con-
support the restoration of the exiles, and the stitution. In the execution of this duty, Polybius
authority of the latter carried the point, though not spared no pains or trouble. He traversed the
without a hard struggle and a protracted debate in whole country, and with indefatigable zeal he
the senate. After their restoration had been drew up laws and political institutions for the dif-
decreed, Polybius was anxious to obtain from the ferent cities, and decided disputes that had arisen
senate on behalf of himself and his countrymen the between them. He further obtained from the
additional favour of being reinstated in the honours Ronians a relaxation of some of the most severe
which they had formerly enjoyed ; but upon con- enactments which had been made against the con-
sulting Cato, the old man bade him, with a smile, quered Achaeans. His grateful fellow-countrymen
beware of returning, like Ulysses, to the Cyclop's acknowledged the great services he had rendered
den, to fetch away any trifles he had left behind them, and statues were erected to his honour at
him. (Polyb. xxxv. 6 ; Plut. Cat. Maj. 9 ; Paus. vii. Megalopolis, Mantineia, Pallantium, Tegea, and
10. ) Polybius returned to Peloponnesus in this other places. (Polyb. xl. 8-10; Paus, viii. 9,
year with the other Achaean exiles, who had been 30, 37, 44, 48. )
reduced during their banishment from 1000 to 300. Polybius seems now to bave devoted himself to
During his stay in Greece, which was, however, the composition of the great historical work, for
not long, he exhorted his countrymen to peace and which he had long been collecting materials. At
unanimity, and endeavoured to counteract the mad what period of his life he made the journies into
projects of the party who were using every effort foreign countries for the purpose of visiting the
w hurry the Achaeans into a hopeless struggle places which he bad to describe in his history, it is
.
## p. 445 (#461) ############################################
POLYBIUS.
445
POLYBIUS.
:
impossible to determine. He tells us (iii. 59) of particular men, and laying open their tempers
that he undertook long and dangerous journies and designs, as well in private life as in the affairs
into Africa, Spain, Gaul, and even as far as the of government. . . . . . . To render, therefore, this
Atlantic, on account of the ignorance which pre- history complete and perfect, it will be necessary
vailed respecting those parts. Some of these to lay open and explain the circumstances and con-
countries he visited while serving under Scipio, dition of each several people, from the time that
who afforded him every facility for the prosecution the contest was decided which gave to the Romans
of his design. Thus we learn from Pliny (H.
## p. 442 (#458) ############################################
442
POLYAENUS.
POLYARATUS,
;
3. An Achaean, belonged to the party of script in the king's library at Paris, containing
Archon, Polybius, and the more moderate patriots, only fifty-five chapters, but which serves to elu
who thought that the Achaeans ought not to op- cidate and explnin many passages of the original.
pose the Romans in their war against Perseus, Polyaenus also wrote several other works, all
B. C. 171. (Polyb. xxviii. 6. $ 9. )
of which have perished. Suidas has preserved tho
4. Claudius POLYAENUS, probably a freed-titles of two, Tepi Onbŵr and Taktika Bubala q';
man of the emperor Claudius, bequeathed a house and Stobaeus makes a quotation from a work of
to this emperor at Prusa (Plin. Ep. x. 23. Polyaenus, TTP Toû Koivoù tô Makedórw
8. 75. )
(Florileg. xliii. (or xli. ) $ 53), and from another
5. Legatus of Bithynia in the time of the entitled 'Toep Toû Luvedpiou (Ibul. 41). Poly-
younger Pliny. (Plin. Ep. vii. 6. $ 6. )
aenus likewise mentions his intention of writing a
POLYAENUS (Donúaivos), literary. 1. Of I work on the memorable actions ('Aflournuoveuta)
ATHENS, an historical writer, mentioned by Euse- of M. Aurelius and L. Verus (Praef. lib. vi. ).
bius. (Chron. i. p. 25. )
Polyaenus was first printed in a Latin trans-
2. Of LAMPSACUs, the son of Athenodorus, a lation, executed by Justus Vulteilis, at Basel,
mathematician and a friend of Epicurus, adopted 1519, 8vo. The first edition of the Greek text
the philosophical system of his friend, and, although was published by Casaubon, Lyon, 1589, 12mo. ;
he had previously acquired great reputation as a the next by Pancratius Maasvicius, Leyden, 1690,
mathematician, he now maintained with Epicurus 8vo. ; the third by Samuel Mursinna, Berlin,
the worthlessness of geometry. (Cic. de Fin. i. 6, 1756, 12mo. ; and the last by Coray, Paris, 1809,
Acad. i. 33 ; Diog. Laërt. x. 24, ii. 105, with 8vo. The work has been translated into English
the note of Menagius. ) It has been supposed that by R. Shepherd, London, 1793, 4to. ; into Ger-
it was against this Polyaenus that the treatise was man by Seybold, Frankfort, 2 vols. 8vo. 1793 and
written, a fragment of which has been discovered 1794, and by Blume, Stuttgart, 1834, 16mo. (Fa-
At llerculaneum under the title of Anuntpiou apds bric. Bibl. Graec. vol. v. p. 321, &c. ; Schöll,
Tas Noavalvou droplas. (Schöll, Geschichte d. Geschichte der Gricch. Litteratur, vol. ii. p. 716 ;
Griech. Litteratur, vol. ii. p. 209. )
Kronbiegel, De Dictionis Polyaeneae Virtutibus et
3. Julius POLYAENUS, the author of four Vitiis, Lipsiae, 1770; Droysen, Geschichte des Hel-
epigrams in the Greek Anthology (ix. 1, 7, 8, 9, lenismus, vol. i. p. 685. )
Tauchnitz), in one of which he is called Polyaenus 5. Of Sardis. (See No. 3. )
of Sardis, and in the other three Julius Polyaenus. POLYANTHES (Ioavávons), a Corinthian,
He must be the same as Polyaenus of Sardis, who commanded a Peloponnesian feet, with which
the sophist, spoken of by Suidas, who says (s. 1. he fought an indecisive battle against the Athenian
Tonúaivos), that he lived in the time of the first feet under Diphilus in the gulf of Corinth in B. C.
Caesar, Caius, that is, in the time of Julius Caesar, | 413. (Thuc. vii. 34. ) He is again mentioned in
and wrote Λόγοι δικανικοί και δικών ήτοι συνη- B. C. 395, as one of the leading men in Corinth,
γοριών υποτυπώσεις, and Θριάμβου Παρθικού who received money from Timocrates the Rhodiari,
B. bría y. The latter work probably referred to whom the satrap Tithraustes sent into Greece in
the victories over the Parthians gained by Ven- order to bribe the chief men in the different Greek
tidius.
states to make war upon Sparta, and thus necessi-
4. The MACEDONIAN, the author of the work tate the recal of Agesilaus from his victorious
on Stratagems in war (Itpatmynuata), which is career in Asia (Xen. Hell. iii. 5. § 1; Paus. iii. 9.
still extant, lived about the middle of the second $ 8).
century of the Christian aera. Suidas (s. 9. ) calls POLYARATUS (ToA vápatos), a Rhodian,
him a rhetorician, and we learn from Polyaenus one of the leaders of the party in that state favour-
himself that he was accustomed to plead causes able to Perseus, during the second Macedonian War.
before the emperor. (Praef. lib. ii. and lib. viii. ) | According to Polybius he was a man of an osten-
He dedicated his work to M. Aurelius and Verus, tatious and extravagant character, and had, in con-
while they were engaged in the Parthian war, sequence, become loaded with debts, which he
about A. D. 163, at which time, he says, he was hoped to pay off by the king's assistance. At the
too old to accompany them in their campaigns. commencement of the war (B. c. 171) he united
(Praef. lib. i. ) This work is divided into eight with Deinon in endeavouring, though unsuccess-
books, of which the first six contain an account fully, to induce the Rhodians to refuse the as-
of the stratagems of the most celebrated Greek sistance of their ships to the Roman praetor C.
generals, the seventh of those of barbarous or Lucretius ; but shortly afterwards he supported
foreign people, and the eighth of the Romans, and with success the proposition made to allow Perseus
illustrious women. Parts, however, of the sixth to ransom the Macedonian captives who had fallen
and seventh books are lost, so that of the 900 into the hands of the Rhodians (Polyb. xxvii. 6,
stratagems which Polyaenus described, only 833 11). He continued throughout the war to main-
have come down to us. The work is written tain an active correspondence with Perseus ; and
in a clear and pleasing style, though somewhat in the third year of the contest (B. c. 169), matters
tinged with the artificial rhetoric of the age. It having apparently taken a turn more favourable to
contains a vast number of anecdotes specting the king, the Rhodians were induced, by his efforts
many of the most celebrated men in antiquity, and and those of Deinon, to give a favourable audience
has preserved many historical facts of which we to the ambassadors of Perseus and Gentius, and to
should otherwise have been ignorant ; but its interpose their influence at Rome to put an end to
value as an historical authority is very much dimi- the war (Liv. xliv. 23, 29). But this step gave
nished by the little judgment which the author great offence to the Romans, and after the defeat of
evidently possessed, and by our ignorance of the Perseus, Polyaratus hastened to provide for bis
sources from which he took his statements. There safety by flight. He took refuge at the court of
is an abridgment of this work in a Greek manu- Ptolemy, king of Egypt, but his surrender being
## p. 443 (#459) ############################################
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P
POLY BIUS.
POLYBIUS.
443
demanded by the Roman legate Popillius, the king, have been born so early as that year; for he telle
in order to evade compliance, sent him away us himself (xxv. 7) that he was appointed am-
secretly to Rhodes Polyaratus, however, made bassador to Egypt along with his father and the
his escape on the voyage, and took reſuge, first at younger Aratus in B. c. 181, at which time he had
Phaselis, and afterwards at Cibyra, but the inhabit- not yet attained the legal age, which he himself
ants of both these cities were unwilling to incur tells us (axix. 9), was thirty among the Achneans.
the enmity of the Roman senate, by affording him But if he was born, according to Suidas, before the
protection, and he was ultimately conveyed to death of Ptolemy Euergetes, he must then have
Rhodes, from whence he was sent a prisoner to been forty years of age. In addition to which, if
Rome. (Polyb. xxix. 11, xxx. 9. ) (E. H. B. ) any other proof were needed, it is impossible to
POLYARCHUS. [POLEM ARCHUS. ) believe that he could have taken the active part in
POLYARCHUS (Tunúapxos), a Greek phy. public affairs which he did after the fall of Corinth
sician, who is mentioned by Celsus (De Med. v. in B. c. 146, if he was born so early as Suidas
18. & 8, viii. 9. & 1, pp. 86, 177), and inust, there alleges. We may therefore, without much impro-
fore, have lived in or before the first century after bability, suppose with Casaubon that he was born
Christ He appears to have written a pharma- about B. C. 204, since he would in that case have
ceutical work, as some of his prescriptions are been about twenty-five at the time of his appoint-
several times quoted by Galen (De Compos. Medi- ment to the Egyptian embassy.
cum. sec. Loc. viji. 5, vol. xiii. pp. 184, 185, 186, Lycortas, the father of Polybius, was one of the
De Compos. Medicum. sec. Gen. vii. 7, vol. xiii. p.
most distinguished men of the Achacan league ;
981), Aétius (ii. 4. 57, ii. 1. 34, iii. 2. 14, pp. 415, and his son therefore received the advantages of
481, 530), Marcellus (De Medicam. c. 20, p. 339), his training in political knowledge and the military
and Paulus Aegineta De Re Mled. iii. 68, 70, 74, art. He must also have reaped great benefit from
vii. 18, pp. 486, 487, 489, 684); but of his his intercourse with Philopoemen, who was a friend
writings only these extracts remain. (W. A. G. ] of his father's, and on whose death, in B. c. 182,
POLY BI'ADES (Ionubiasns), a Lacedaemo- Lycortas was appointed general of the league. At
nian general, succeeded Agesipolis in the command the funeral of Philopoemen in this year Polybius
of the army against Olynthus, and compelled the carried the urn in which his ashes were deposited.
city to surrender in B. C. 379. (Xen. Hell. v. 3. (Plut. Philpoem. 21, An seni gerunda sit respubl.
SS 20, 26; Diod. xv. 23. )
p. 790, &c. ) In the following year, as we have
POLY'BIUS (Honúbios), historical. 1. Of Me already seen, Polybius was appointed one of the
galopolis, fought under Philopoemen at the battle of ambassadors to Egypt, but he did not leave Greece,
Mantineia against Machanidas, tyrant of Lacedae as the intention of sending an embassy was aban-
mon, B. c. 207. (Polyb. xi. 15. $ 5. ) It has been doned. From this time he probably began to take
usually supposed that this Polybius was a relation part in public affairs, and he appears to have soon
of the historian, probably either his uncle or grand obtained great influence among his countrymen.
fither ; but this is opposed to the statement of the When the war broke out between the Romans and
historian himself in one of the Vatican fragments | Perseus king of Macedonia, it became a grave
(p. 448, ed. Mai), “ that no one, as far as he knew, question with the Achaeans what line of policy they
had borne the same name as his, up to his time. " should adopt. The Roman party in the league
Now though Polybius, when he wrote the passage was headed by Callicrates, an unprincipled time-
quoted above, might possibly have forgotten his serving sycophant, who recognised no law but the
namesake who fought at the battle of Mantineia, still will of Rome. He was opposed by Lycortas and
he certainly would not have escaped his memory if his friends : and the Ronian ambassadors, Popil-
any one of his family had borne this name. It is, lius and Octavius, who came into Peloponnesus at
however, even improbable that he should have for the beginning of B. c. 169, had complained that
gotten this namesake, especially since he was a some of the most influential men in the league were
native of Megalopolis, and we therefore think that unfavourable to the Roman cause and had de-
the conjecture of Lucht in his edition of the Vati- nounced by name Lycortas, Archon, and Polybius,
can Fragments is correct, that the true reading in The more moderate party, who did not wish to
xi. 15, is Noaibu and not Tonusie. (Comp. sacrifice their national independence, and who yet
Thirlwall, Hist. of Greece, vol. viii. p. 273, note 2. ) | dreaded a contest with the Romans from the con-
2. A freedman of the emperor Augustus, read sciousness of their inability to resist the power of
in the senate the will of the emperor after his de- the latter, were divided in opinion as to the course
cease. (Dion Cass. lvi. 32 ; Suet. Aug. 101. ) of action. Lycortas strongly recommended them
3. À freedman of the emperor Claudius, was so to preserve a strict neutrality, since they could hope
highly favoured by this emperor that he was to gain nothing from either party ; but Archon and
allowed to walk between the two consuls. He Polybius thought it more advisable not to adopt
was the companion of the studies of Claudius ; and such a resolution, but to be guided by circum-
on the death of his brother Seneca addressed to stances, and if necessary to offer assistance to the
him a Consolatio, in which he bestows the highest Romans. These views met with the approval of
praises upon his literary attainments. Polybius was the majority of the party ; and accordingly, in B. C.
put to death through the intrigues of Messalina, 169, Archon was appointed strategus of the league,
although he had been one of her paramours. (Dion and Polybius commander of the cavalry, to carry
Cass. 1x. 29, 31 ; Suet. Claud. 28. )
these views into execution. The Achaeans shortly
POLY'BIUS (ſlonúclos), literary. 1. The his- after passed a decree, placing all their forces at the
torian, was the son of Lycortas, and a native of Me disposal of the Roman consul, Q. Marcius Philippus ;
galopolis
, a city in Arcadia. The year in which he and Polybius was sent into Macedonia to learn the
was born is uncertain. Suidas (s. v. ) places his birth pleasure of the consul. Marcius, however, de
in the reign of Ptolemy Euergetes, who died in B. c. clined their assistance for the present. (Polyb.
222. It is certain, however, that Polybius could not xxviii. 3, 6. ) In the following year, B. c. 108, iho
!
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444
POLYBIUS.
POLYBIUS.
66
two Ptolemies, Philometor and his brother Ener. | with the Roman power. When it was too late,
getes II. , sent to the Achaeans, to request succour the Achaeans saw and recognised the wisdom of
against Antiochus Epiphanes, and, if this were his advice ; and a statue erected to his honour bore
refused, to beg that Lycortas and Polybius might on its pedestal the inscription, “ that Hellas would
come to them, in order to aid them with their have been saved, if the advice of Polybius had been
advice in the conduct of the war. But As Antio- followed" (Paus. riii. 37. & 2). In the first year
chus was shortly after compelled by the Romans to of the third Punic war, B. c. 149, the consul N.
relinquish his attempts against the Ptolemies, nei. Manilius sent for Polybius to attend him at Lily-
ther of these measures was necessary, and Polybius baeum, but upon reaching Corcyra, he heard from
accordingly remained at home (xxix. 8).
the consuls that the Carthaginians had given hus
After the fall of Perseus and the conquest of tages, and thinking, therefore, that the war was at
Macedonin, two Roman commissioners, C. Claudius an end, and that his presence was no longer needed,
and Cn. Dolabella, visited Peloponnesus, for the he returned to Peloponnesus (Polyb. Erc. l'atican.
purpose of advancing the Roman interests in the p. 417). But he soon left it again in order to
south of Greece. At the instigation of Callicrates, join Scipio. His Roman connections probably made
they commanded that 1000 Achaeans should be him an object of suspicion with what was called
carried to Rome, to answer the charge of not having the independent party ; and his residence in his
assisted the Romans against Perseus. This num- native country may therefore have been not very
ber included all the best and noblest part of the pleasant to him. In addition to which he was no
nation, and among them was Polybius. They doubt anxious to be a spectator of the final struggle
arrived in Italy in B. c. 167, but, instead of being which was now going on between Rome and Car
put upon their trial, they were distributed among thage, and the history of which he intended to
ihe Etruscan towns. Polybius was more fortunate write.
than his other companions in misfortune. He had Polybius was present with Scipio at the de-
probably become acquainted in Macedonia with struction of Carthage, B. c. 146 (Appian, Pun. 132);
Aemilius Paulus, or his sons Fabius and Scipio, and and immediately after that event he hurried
the two young men now obtained permission from to Greece, where the Achaeans were waging a
the praetor for Polybius to reside at Rome in the mad and hopeless war against the Romans.
house of their father Paulus. Scipio was then Whether he was present at the capture of Corinth
eighteen years of age, and soon became warmly may well be questioned, and it is probable, as
attached to the illustrious exile, and availed him- | Thirlwall (Hist. of Greece, vol. viii. p. 455, note 3)
self of his advice and assistance, both in his pri- has remarked, that he would not have hastened to
vate studies and his public life. The friendship Peloponnesus till the struggle was over. He must,
thus formed between the young Roman noble and however, have arrived there soon afterwards ; and
the Greek exile was of great advantage to both par- he exerted all his influence to alleviate the mis-
ties: Scipio was accompanied by his friend in all fortunes of his countrymen, and to procure favour-
his military expeditions, and received much advan- able terms for them. As a friend of Scipio,
tage from the experience and knowledge of the the conqueror of Carthage, he was received with
latter ; while Polybius, besides finding a liberal marked distinction ; and the want of patriotism
patron and protector in his exile, was able by his with which his enemies had charged him, enabled
means to obtain access to public documents, and him now to render his country far more effectual
accumulate materials for his great historical work service than he could otherwise have done. The
(Polyb. xxxii. 9, &c. ; Paus, vii. 10).
statues of Philopoemen and Aratus, which the
The Achaean exiles remained in Italy seventeen Roman commissioners had ordered to be conveyed
years. The Achaeans had frequently sent em- to Italy, were allowed, at his intercession, to re-
bassies to the senate supplicating the trial or main in Peloponnesus. So much respect did the
release of their countrymen, but always without commissioners pay him, that when they quitted
success. Even their earnest entreaty, that Polybius the country in the spring of B. c. 145, after arrang-
and Stratius alone might be set at liberty, had been ing its affairs, and reducing it to the form of a
refused. At length, in B. C. 151, Scipio exerted Roman province, they ordered him to visit the
his influence with Cato the Censor to get him to various cities, and explain the new laws and con-
support the restoration of the exiles, and the stitution. In the execution of this duty, Polybius
authority of the latter carried the point, though not spared no pains or trouble. He traversed the
without a hard struggle and a protracted debate in whole country, and with indefatigable zeal he
the senate. After their restoration had been drew up laws and political institutions for the dif-
decreed, Polybius was anxious to obtain from the ferent cities, and decided disputes that had arisen
senate on behalf of himself and his countrymen the between them. He further obtained from the
additional favour of being reinstated in the honours Ronians a relaxation of some of the most severe
which they had formerly enjoyed ; but upon con- enactments which had been made against the con-
sulting Cato, the old man bade him, with a smile, quered Achaeans. His grateful fellow-countrymen
beware of returning, like Ulysses, to the Cyclop's acknowledged the great services he had rendered
den, to fetch away any trifles he had left behind them, and statues were erected to his honour at
him. (Polyb. xxxv. 6 ; Plut. Cat. Maj. 9 ; Paus. vii. Megalopolis, Mantineia, Pallantium, Tegea, and
10. ) Polybius returned to Peloponnesus in this other places. (Polyb. xl. 8-10; Paus, viii. 9,
year with the other Achaean exiles, who had been 30, 37, 44, 48. )
reduced during their banishment from 1000 to 300. Polybius seems now to bave devoted himself to
During his stay in Greece, which was, however, the composition of the great historical work, for
not long, he exhorted his countrymen to peace and which he had long been collecting materials. At
unanimity, and endeavoured to counteract the mad what period of his life he made the journies into
projects of the party who were using every effort foreign countries for the purpose of visiting the
w hurry the Achaeans into a hopeless struggle places which he bad to describe in his history, it is
.
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POLYBIUS.
445
POLYBIUS.
:
impossible to determine. He tells us (iii. 59) of particular men, and laying open their tempers
that he undertook long and dangerous journies and designs, as well in private life as in the affairs
into Africa, Spain, Gaul, and even as far as the of government. . . . . . . To render, therefore, this
Atlantic, on account of the ignorance which pre- history complete and perfect, it will be necessary
vailed respecting those parts. Some of these to lay open and explain the circumstances and con-
countries he visited while serving under Scipio, dition of each several people, from the time that
who afforded him every facility for the prosecution the contest was decided which gave to the Romans
of his design. Thus we learn from Pliny (H.
