A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

444 POLYBIUTS. POLYBIUS.
two Ptolemies, Philometor and his brother Euer- 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" (Pans. viii. 37. ~ 2). Iln the first year
chus was shortly after compelled by the Romans to of the third Punic war, B. C. 149, the consul'Il.
relinquish his attempts against the Ptolemies, nei- Manilius sent for Polybius to attend him at Lilyther 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 hosAfter the fall of Perseus and the conquest of tages, and thinking, therefore, that the war was at
Macedonia, 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. Exe. Vatican.
purpose of advancing the Roman interests in the p. 447). 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. 1 67, but, instead of being which was now going on between Rome and Carput upon their trial, they were distributed among thage, and the history of which he intended to
the Etruscan towns. Polybius was more fortunate write.
than his other companions in misfortune. He had Polybius was present with Scipio at the deprobably 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 Ronmans.
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- ThirIwall (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 misties: Scipio was accompanied by his friend in all fortunes of his countrymen, and to procure favourhis 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.; Pans. 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 rebassies to the senate supplicating the trial or main in Peloponnesius. 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. 1 45, after arrangand 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 consupport 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 difdecreed, 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 beina reinstated in the honours Romans a relaxation of some of the most severe
which they had formerly enjoyed; but upon con- enactments which had been made against the consulting 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; Pans. 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 have 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
to hurry the Achaeans into a hopeless struggle places which he had to describe ill his history, it is