The Imagery of a “Living Animal”
Polybius observes, “It has always seemed to me that those who believe they can obtain a just and well-proportioned view of history as a whole by regarding separate and specialized reports of events, are behaving like a man who, when he has examined the dissected parts of a body which was once live and beautiful, imagines that he has beheld the living animal in all its grace and movement. But if anyone could reconstruct the creature there and then, restoring both its shape and beauty as a living being and show it to the same man, I believe he would immediately admit that his conception was nowhere near the truth.” The animal is related to the imagery of far-reaching history, which integrates all happenings comprehensively. Narrowed-down history cannot be reassembled into thoroughgoing history for it lacks material components of antiquity due to its focused nature.
The Imagery of “Perpetual Festival”
Polybius writes, “At any rate, these considerations made him (Ptolemy IV) feel secure in his situation, and he began to conduct his reign as if it were a perpetual festival. He neglected the business of state, made himself difficult to approach, hardly deigned to receive the members of his court of the officials responsible for internal affairs, and treated with contempt or indifference those who handled his country’s interests abroad…and gave his whole attention to ignoble love affairs, and so senseless continuous drinking.” Philapator flops in his role as King for he does not serve his people or execute kingly obligations as required. Focusing on pleasure captivates him resulting in the disregard of his duties. He is an unproductive leader who violates the honor of the throne and his predecessors. His attitude is detrimental to the strength and endurance of the Egyptian realm.
