296 



roi.yr.n s 



I'ol.N < AKP 



flowers is supported on a common tcaj>e (leaflpxs 

 flower-stem), instead of eacli (lower rising on iu 

 own stalk from the crown of the runt ; a modilica- 

 tion to which a tendency often ap|>ears in the wild 

 plant iteelf. Tims in its lialiit it somewhat resem- 

 bles the cowslip and oxli|i, whilst in thr si/.e of its 

 flowers it is more like the common primrose ; but 

 instead of the pale uniformity of the wild plant it 

 exhibits great variety of delicate and lieautiful 

 colours. The subvaricties are innumerable, new- 

 ones being continually produced from seed, and of 

 short duration. The seed is sown about mid- 

 summer, and flowers may l>e expected in abund- 

 ance next year, if the young, plants are properly 

 planted out. A rich free soil is most suitable. The 

 polyanthus loves shade and moisture more than its 

 COCttMMT, the auricula. It is very hardy, and 

 seldom suffers from the most severe winter*. Fine 

 kinds are preserved for a time by dividing the 

 root. The cultivation of the polyanthus is prose- 

 cuted with particular assiduity and success in 

 England. For the Polyanthus Narcissus, see 

 NARCISSI , 



I'olyhilis. the Greek historian, was born about 

 204 B.C. at Megalopolis in Arcadia. From his 

 father Lycortas, one of the leading men of the 

 Acluean League, he received valuable instruction 

 in the science of politics and in the art of war. He 

 was one of the 1000 noble Aclm-ans who, after the 

 conquest of Macedonia in 168, were sent to Koine 

 on the ground that the Acha-ans had failed to 

 assist the Romans against Perseus. Without any 

 trial the Greeks were detained in an honourable 

 captivity. Polybins was the guest of .Kmilius 

 Paulns himself, and became the close friend of his 

 son, Scipio .Kmilianus, accompany ing him in Ms 

 military expeditions. Polybius in liis turn derived 

 much advantage from the protection and friendship 

 of Scipio, who gave him access to public docu- 

 ments, and aided him in the collection of materials 

 for his great historical work. In 151, after sixteen 

 years in Italy, the surviving Achii'an exiles were 

 permitted by the Roman senate to return to 

 Greece; Polybius, however, soon rejoined Scipio, 

 followed him in his African campaign, and was 

 present at the destruction of Carthage in 1 in. 

 But the outbreak of war lietween the Acluvans 

 and Romans summoned him again to (irerre, 

 where he arrived soon after the taking of Corinth. 

 All his influence was now everted to procure from 

 the conquerors favourable terms for the vanquished ; 

 anil so grateful were his countrymen for his services 

 in their behalf that they erected statues in his 

 honour at Megalopolis and elsewhere. It must 

 have been aUmi this time that Polybius under- 

 took the writing of his great historical work, tin- 

 materials of which lie had so long been collecting: 

 and in furtherance of his plan he undertook several 

 long journeys to Asia Minor, Egypt, Upper Italy, 

 Mint hern France, and even Spain where it has been 

 supposed he witnessed the capture of Numaiitia by 

 Scipio in 133. He died about 122 B.C. 



His history, the design of which was to show 

 how and why it was that all the civilised countries 

 of the world fell under the dominion of Rome, 

 includes the period lietween 220, where the history 

 of A ratlin concluded, and 146 B.C., the year when 

 Corinth fell, and with it the independence of 

 Greece. Much the greater part of the work has 

 perished. Of forty liooks only the first five are 

 preserved complete ; but the plan of the whole 

 work is fully known. Of the two parts into 

 which it wa.s divide 1 the first I hooks iii.-xxx. ; the 

 introductory books i. and ii. living a sketch of the 

 earlier history of Rome) embraced a period of fifty- 

 three years, commencing with the second Punic 

 War and the Social War in Greece, and concluding 

 with the subjugation of the kingdom of Macedonia 



in 168. The last ten Ixioks deal with the year* 

 Mis 146. The great mei its of Polybius are the care 

 with which In-collected his materials, his si rung love 

 of truth, his breadth of view, and his sound judg- 

 ment, which was materially assisted by his famili- 

 arity with political and military life. lie- was an 

 excellent authority on the art of war. His tone is 

 didactic, dull, and wearisome; lie is too anxious 

 to draw consequences ami deduce li on-, and has 

 been called 'the first pragmatical historian.' His 

 method of exposition is careless, somewhat run- 

 fused, and inartistic: his si vie. occasionally pithy, 

 but usually bald to a degree, l>elongs to the period 

 of beginning decadence. 



Of the thirty-five Ixioks which have not been pre- 

 served entire we possess merely fragments or extracts. 

 Fragments were found by Cardinal Mai, and published 

 as late as 1827. Valuable editions have been publish, d 

 by Schweighauaer (1789-95; new ed. Oxford, I- 

 I !ckk-r( 1844), Dindorf (1862-68; newed, 1882), Hultsch 

 (1808-72; 2d ed. 1888). The portion on the history of 

 the Achaean league has been edited by W. W. Capes, 

 and selections (based on Hultsch ) by Strachan- Davidson 

 (1888) ; there is a readable English translation 1-y K. S. 

 Slmckburgh (1889). See Jlahaffy, The drtek World 

 under Rantnn Stettv (1890) ; German works on Polybins 

 by La Roche (1857) ami I'ichl.-r (1800); and K. von 

 Scala, Die Stud ten tlei Polyliiut (1891 et teq.). 



Polycarp, one of the 'Apostolic Fathers,' was 

 bishop at Smyrna in proconsular Asia during the 

 earlier half of the 2d century. His is an important 

 name, for he bridges the little known ijnd much 

 controverted period lying lietween the age of his 

 master the Apostle John and that of his own 

 disciple Irenn-us, and his testimony is only the 

 larger, clearer, and more valuable because of his 

 rigid conservatism and lack of intellectual individu- 

 ality. The 'Life' by 'Pionius' is utterly untiust- 

 worthy. All that is really known of i'oly carp's 

 origin is gathered from his living declaration, which 

 shows that he was born about 69 A.D., and probably 

 of Christian parents. By the migration of apostles 

 and others from doomed Jerusalem, Ephesus and 

 the neighbouring districts liecame the new home 

 of the faith, and there Polycarp was 'taught by 

 Apttstles," John above all, and 'lived in familiar 

 intercourse with many that had seen Christ* 

 (Irenieus, Heresies, iii. 3, 4). The further state- 

 ment that he was appointed bishop in Smyrna 'by 

 Apostles' ('by John ' -Tertullian) is probably 

 coloured by the later conception of the episcopate, 

 but he certainly appears to have been head of the 

 church from early manhood. 



Among contemporaries he was intimate with 

 Papias. More interesting is his brief intercourse 

 with Ignatius, who, on his way from Antioch to 

 martyrdom at Rome, made a short stay at Smyrna, 

 where Polycarp and the church mini-tered to him. 

 The tone of his K/iixtlc to 1'nlj/mrji, written shortly 

 alter from Troas, is that of a letter to one less 

 experienced, if not younger, and less energetic 

 than the writer, but high resiiect is paid to Poly- 

 carp's Medfasiness, piotv. and po-ition. In conse- 

 quence of a request which Ignatius was making to 

 tin- churches to send messages to Anlioch, the 

 Philippians wrote to Polycarp asking that their 

 letter to Aniioch might lie forwarded by the 

 Smyrna-an messenger, at the same time inviting 

 exhortation, and further asking for any of the 

 epistles of Ignatius that he might have. Hence 

 Polycarp's Kjiisl/r In tin- I'/ii/i/i/iimix. in which he 

 accedes to their varion- mine-Is, and solicits further 

 news of Ignatius. His influence on a younger 

 generation, and his importance as a faithful prc 

 r of the a|Mtolic tradition, are vividly de- 

 lineated bv his greatest disciple Ireim-iis in his 

 Epistle to Florinus, quoted in F.usebius, Hist. Eeel. 

 v. 'JO : ' I can tell the very place where the blessed 

 Polycarp used to sit and discourse. . . . Whatso- 



