---
title: "On Organization · Περὶ συντάξεως"
author: "Demosthenes"
translator: "James Herbert Vince"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-organization/
cite: "Demosthenes, tr. James Herbert Vince, On Organization · Περὶ συντάξεως. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-organization/"
---

# On Organization · Περὶ συντάξεως

*Demosthenes, tr. James Herbert Vince*

On the state funds and the reform of Athenian finances.

> Greek: ed. Samuel Henry Butcher, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0014.tlg013, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: James Herbert Vince, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0014.tlg013.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Sections 1–36](https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-organization/1.md)

## 1. Sections 1–36

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-organization/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/demosthenes-on-organization/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. In dealing with the sum of money under discussion and the other matters referred to this Assembly, I see no difficulty, men of Athens, in either of two methods: I may attack the officials who assign and distribute the public funds and may thus gain credit with those who regard this system as detrimental to the State, or I may approve and commend the right to receive these doles and so gratify those who are especially in need of them. For neither class has the interest of the State in view, when they approve or complain of the system, but they are prompted respectively by their poverty or their affluence.

> Greek: 1. περὶ μὲν τοῦ παρόντος ἀργυρίου καὶ ὧν ἕνεκα τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ποιεῖσθʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, οὐδέτερόν μοι δοκεῖ τῶν χαλεπῶν εἶναι, οὔτʼ ἐπιτιμήσαντα τοῖς νέμουσι καὶ διδοῦσι τὰ κοινὰ εὐδοκιμῆσαι παρὰ τοῖς βλάπτεσθαι διὰ τούτων ἡγουμένοις τὴν πόλιν, οὔτε συνειπόντα καὶ παραινέσανθʼ ὡς δεῖ λαμβάνειν, χαρίσασθαι τοῖς σφόδρʼ ἐν χρείᾳ τοῦ λαβεῖν οὖσιν· οὐδέτεροι γὰρ πρὸς τὸ τῇ πόλει συμφέρον σκοποῦντες οὔτʼ ἐπαινοῦσιν οὔτε δυσχεραίνουσι τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἑκάτεροι χρείας καὶ περιουσίας ἔχουσιν.

[¶1] 2. I myself would neither propose such a distribution of the doles, nor oppose the right to receive them; but I do urge you to reflect seriously in your own minds that while the sum of money you are discussing is a trifle, the habit of mind that it fosters is a serious matter. Now if you so organize the receipt of money that it is associated with the performance of duties, so far from injuring, you will actually confer on the State and on yourselves the greatest benefit; but if a festival or any other pretext is good enough to justify a dole, and yet you refuse even to listen to the suggestion that there is any obligation attached to it, beware lest you end by acknowledging that what you now consider a proper practice was a grievous error.

> Greek: 2. ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦτο μὲν οὔτʼ ἂν εἰσηγησαίμην, οὔτʼ ἂν ἀντείποιμʼ ὡς οὐ δεῖ λαμβάνειν· παραινῶ μέντοι σκοπεῖν καὶ λογίζεσθαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ὅτι τἀργύριον μέν ἐστι τοῦθʼ, ὑπὲρ οὗ βουλεύεσθε, μικρόν, τὸ δʼ ἔθος μέγα, ὃ γίγνεται μετὰ τούτου. εἰ μὲν οὖν μετὰ τοῦ πράττειν ἃ προσήκει καὶ τὸ λαμβάνειν κατασκευάσεσθε, οὐ μόνον οὐ βλάψετε, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ μέγιστʼ ὠφελήσετε τὴν πόλιν καὶ ὑμᾶς αὐτούς· εἰ δὲ τοῦ μὲν λαμβάνειν καὶ ἑορτὴ καὶ πᾶσʼ ἀρκέσει πρόφασις, τοῦ δʼ ἃ πρὸς τούτοις δεῖ ποιεῖν μηδὲ τοὺς λόγους ἀκούειν ἐθελήσετε, ὁρᾶτε μήποθʼ, ἃ νῦν ὀρθῶς ἡγεῖσθε πράττειν, σφόδρʼ ἡμαρτηκέναι νομίσητε.

[¶2] 3. My idea of our duty—do not drown with your clamor what I am about to say, but hear me before you judge—my idea is that, as we have devoted a meeting of the Assembly to the question of receiving the dole, so we ought also to devote a meeting to organization and to equipment for war; and everyone must show himself not merely ready to hear what is said, but also willing to act, so that you may depend on yourselves, Athenians, for your hopes of success, and not be always asking what service this individual or that is rendering.

> Greek: 3. ἐγὼ δέ φημι δεῖν (καί μοι μὴ θορυβήσητʼ ἐφʼ ᾧ μέλλω λέγειν, ἀλλʼ ἀκούσαντες κρίνατε), ὡς περὶ τοῦ λαβεῖν ἐκκλησίαν ἀπεδώκαμεν, οὕτω καὶ περὶ τοῦ συνταχθῆναι καὶ παρασκευασθῆναι τὰ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον ἐκκλησίαν ἀποδοῦναι, καὶ παρασχεῖν ἕκαστον αὑτὸν μὴ μόνον ταῦτʼ ἀκούειν ἐθέλοντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ πράττειν βουλόμενον, ἵνʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὰς ἐλπίδας διʼ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἔχητε, καὶ μὴ τὸν δεῖνα μηδὲ τὸν δεῖνα πυνθάνησθε τί πράττει.

[¶3] 4. The total revenues of the State, including your own resources, now squandered on unnecessary objects, and the contributions of your allies, must be shared by each citizen equally, as pay by those of military age and as overseers’ fees, or whatever you like to call it, by those beyond the age-limit; and you must serve in person and not resign that duty to others.

> Greek: 4. καὶ τὰ μὲν προσιόντα τῇ πόλει πάντα, καὶ ἃ νῦν ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων παραναλίσκετʼ εἰς οὐδὲν δέον καὶ ὅσʼ ἐκ τῶν συμμάχων ὑπάρχει, λαμβάνειν ὑμᾶς φημὶ χρῆναι τὸ ἴσον ἕκαστον, τοὺς μὲν ἐν ἡλικίᾳ στρατιωτικόν, τοὺς δʼ ὑπὲρ τὸν κατάλογον ἐξεταστικὸν ἢ ὅπως ἄν τις ὀνομάσαι τοῦτο, στρατεύεσθαι δʼ αὐτοὺς καὶ μηδενὶ τούτου παραχωρεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς πόλεως οἰκείαν εἶναι, κατεσκευασμένην ἀπὸ τούτων, ἵνʼ ἅμʼ εὐπορῆτε καὶ τὰ δέοντα ποιῆτε, καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν ἡγεῖσθαι ταύτης, ἵνʼ ὑμῖν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μὴ τοιαῦθʼ οἷάπερ νυνὶ συμβαίνῃ·

[¶4] 5. but our army must be a national force, equipped from the resources I have named, so that you may be well provided for the performance of your task, and that we may have no repetition of what usually happens now, when you are always bringing your generals to trial and the net result of your exertions is the announcement that “So-and-so, the son of So-and-so, has impeached So-and-so.” But what is to be the result for you? In the first place, that your allies may be kept loyal, not by maintaining garrisons among them, but by making their interests identical with yours; next, that our generals may not lead mercenaries to the plunder of our allies without even coming in sight of the enemy, so that the profit is all their own, while the State at large incurs the hatred and the abuse, but that they may have their own citizens at their back, and may so deal with our enemies as they now deal with our friends.

> Greek: 5. τοὺς στρατηγοὺς κρίνετε, καὶ περίεσθʼ ὑμῖν ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων ὁ δεῖνα τοῦ δεῖνος τὸν δεῖνʼ εἰσήγγειλεν, ἄλλο δʼ οὐδέν. ἀλλὰ τί ὑμῖν γένηται; πρῶτον μὲν οἱ σύμμαχοι μὴ φρουραῖς, ἀλλὰ τῷ ταὐτὰ συμφέρειν ὑμῖν κἀκείνοις ὦσιν οἰκεῖοι, ἔπειθʼ οἱ στρατηγοὶ μὴ ξένους ἔχοντες τοὺς μὲν συμμάχους ἄγωσι καὶ φέρωσι, τοὺς δὲ πολεμίους μηδʼ ὁρῶσιν, ἀφʼ ὧν αἱ μὲν ὠφέλειαι τούτων εἰσὶν ἴδιαι, τὰ δὲ μίση καὶ τὰ ἐγκλήματα ἐφʼ ὅλην ἔρχεται τὴν πόλιν, ἀλλὰ πολίτας τοὺς ἀκολουθοῦντας ἔχοντες τοὺς ἐχθρούς, ἃ νῦν τοὺς φίλους, ποιῶσιν.

[¶5] 7. But apart from this, many operations demand your actual presence, and beside the advantage of using a national force in a national quarrel, this is necessary on every other ground. For if you were content to let things slide and not worry about the state of Greece, it would be another matter.

> Greek: 7. χωρὶς δὲ τούτων πολλὰ τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν ὑμετέραν ποθεῖ παρουσίαν, καὶ ἄνευ τοῦ πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους πολέμους οἰκείᾳ χρῆσθαι δυνάμει συμφέρειν, καὶ πρὸς τἄλλα πράγματʼ ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἡσυχίαν ἔχειν ὑμῖν ἀπέχρη καὶ μηδὲν τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν περιεργάζεσθαι ὅπως ἔχει, ἄλλος ἂν ἦν λόγος·

[¶6] 8. But, as it is, you claim to take the lead and to determine the rights of other states; yet neither in the past nor today have you furnished a sufficient force to superintend and secure this claim. On the contrary, it was when you stood utterly aloof and indifferent that the democracies of Mytilene and of Rhodes were destroyed. “Yes, but Rhodes was our enemy,” you may say.

> Greek: 8. νῦν δὲ πρωτεύειν μὲν ὑμεῖς ἀξιοῦτε καὶ τὰ δίκαιʼ ὁρίζειν τοῖς ἄλλοις, τὴν δὲ ταῦτʼ ἐφορεύσουσαν καὶ φυλάξουσαν δύναμιν οὔτε κατεσκεύασθʼ οὔτε κατασκευάζεσθε, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πολλῆς μὲν ἡσυχίας καὶ ἐρημίας ὑμῶν ὁ Μυτιληναίων δῆμος καταλέλυται, ἐπὶ πολλῆς δʼ ἡσυχίας ὁ Ῥοδίων, ἐχθρός γʼ ὢν ἡμῖν, φαίη τις ἄν· ἀλλὰ μείζω χρὴ νομίζειν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὴν πρὸς τὰς ὀλιγαρχίας ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς τῆς προαιρέσεως ἔχθραν, ἢ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς δήμους ὑπὲρ ὧν ποτʼ ἂν ᾖ.

[¶7] 9. But you should consider, men of Athens, that our hostility towards oligarchies, purely on the ground of principle, is stronger than our hostility towards democracies on any grounds whatever. But to return to my point. My view is that you must be brought under a system, and there must be a uniform scheme for receiving public money and for performing necessary services. I have addressed you before on this subject and have described the method of organizing you, whether you serve in the infantry or the cavalry or in other ways, and also how ample provision may be ensured for all alike.

> Greek: 9. ἀλλʼ ἵνʼ ἐκεῖσʼ ἐπανέλθω, φημὶ δεῖν ὑμᾶς συντετάχθαι, καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν τοῦ τε λαβεῖν καὶ τοῦ ποιεῖν ἃ προσήκει σύνταξιν εἶναι. διελέχθην δʼ ὑμῖν περὶ τούτων καὶ πρότερον, καὶ διεξῆλθον ὡς ἂν συνταχθείητε, οἵ θʼ ὁπλῖται καὶ οἱ ἱππεῖς καὶ ὅσοι τούτων ἐκτός ἐστε, καὶ εὐπορία τις ἂν ἅπασι γένοιτο κοινή.

[¶8] 10. I will tell you without any concealment what has caused me most disappointment. It is that though the many reforms proposed were all of them important and honorable, no one remembers any of them, but everyone remembers the two obols. Yet these can never be worth more than two obols, but the other reforms, together with those that I proposed, are worth all the wealth of the Great King—that a city, so well provided with infantry, triremes, cavalry, and revenues, should be duly organized and equipped.

> Greek: 10. ὃ δέ μοι πλείστην ἀθυμίαν παρέσχεν ἁπάντων, ἐρῶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ οὐκ ἀποκρύψομαι, ὅτι πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων καὶ καλῶν ὄντων τούτων ἁπάντων, τῶν μὲν ἄλλων οὐδενὸς οὐδεὶς μέμνηται, τοῖν δυοῖν δʼ ὀβολοῖν ἅπαντες. καίτοι τοὺς μὲν οὐκ ἔστι πλείονος ἢ δυοῖν ὀβολοῖν ἀξίους εἶναι, τἄλλα δὲ μετὰ τούτων ὧν εἶπον τῶν βασιλέως ἄξιʼ ἐστὶ χρημάτων, πόλιν τοσούτους ὁπλίτας ἔχουσαν καὶ τριήρεις καὶ ἵππους καὶ χρημάτων πρόσοδον συντετάχθαι καὶ παρεσκευάσθαι.

[¶9] 11. Why then, you may ask, do I choose the present time for these remarks? Because I think that, as the principle that all citizens should serve for pay is displeasing to some people, and yet the advantage of organization and equipment is approved by all, you ought to begin the business at this point, giving everyone a chance of stating his views on the subject. For the case stands thus: if you are convinced that now is the opportunity for these reforms, all things will be ready when the need of them arrives, but if you pass over the opportunity as unsuitable, then, just when you want to use them, you will be compelled to begin your preparations.

> Greek: 11. τί οὖν ταῦτα νῦν [, φαίη τις ἄν,] λέγω; ὅτι φημὶ δεῖν ὑμᾶς, ἐπειδὴ τὸ μὲν πάντας μισθοφορεῖν δυσχεραίνουσί τινες, τὸ δὲ συνταχθῆναι καὶ παρασκευασθῆναι παρὰ πάντων χρήσιμον εἶναι δοκιμάζεται, ἐντεῦθεν ἄρξασθαι τοῦ πράγματος, καὶ προθεῖναι περὶ τούτων τῷ βουλομένῳ γνώμην ἀποφήνασθαι. ὡς οὕτως ἔχει· ἂν μὲν ὑμεῖς νῦν πεισθῆτε τούτων καιρὸν εἶναι, ὅταν αὐτῶν εἰς χρείαν ἔλθητε, ἕτοιμʼ ὑπάρξει· ἂν δʼ ἀκαιρίαν ἡγησάμενοι παρίδητε, ὅταν δέῃ χρῆσθαι, τότʼ ἀναγκασθήσεσθε παρασκευάζεσθαι.

[¶10] 12. It has been before now remarked, men of Athens, by some speaker—not one of the great body of citizens, but one of those who are likely to have a fit if these reforms are carried out—“What good have we ever got from the speeches of Demosthenes? He comes forward, whenever he thinks well, fills our ears with phrases, denounces our present state, extols our ancestors, and then descends from the platform after raising our hopes and inflating our pride.”

> Greek: 12. ἤδη δέ τις εἶπεν ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοί που λέγων, οὐχ ὑμῶν τῶν πολλῶν, ἀλλὰ τῶν διαρρηγνυμένων εἰ ταῦτα γενήσεται, τί δʼ ὑμῖν ἐκ τῶν Δημοσθένους λόγων ἀγαθὸν γέγονεν; παρελθὼν ὑμῶν, ὅταν αὐτῷ δόξῃ, ἐνέπλησε τὰ ὦτα λόγων, καὶ διέσυρε τὰ παρόντα, καὶ τοὺς προγόνους ἐπῄνεσεν, καὶ μετεωρίσας καὶ φυσήσας ὑμᾶς κατέβη.

[¶11] 13. But if I could only induce you to accept any of my proposals, I think that I should confer such benefits on the State that if I tried to describe them now, many of you would disbelieve them, as being too good to be true. And yet even this too I consider no mean benefit, if I accustom you to listen to the best advice. For he who would benefit the State, Athenians, must first purge your ears, for they have been poisoned; so many lies have you been accustomed to hear—anything, in fact, rather than the best advice.

> Greek: 13. ἐγὼ δʼ εἰ μὲν ὑμᾶς δυναίμην ὧν λέγω τι πεῖσαι, τηλικαῦτʼ ἂν οἶμαι τὴν πόλιν πρᾶξαι ἀγαθὰ ὥστʼ, εἰ νῦν εἰπεῖν ἐπιχειρήσαιμι, πολλοὺς ἂν ἀπιστῆσαι ὡς μείζοσιν ἢ δυνατοῖς· οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τοῦτο μικρὸν ὠφελεῖν οἶμαι, εἰ τὰ βέλτιστʼ ἀκούειν ὑμᾶς συνεθίζω. δεῖ γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τὸν βουλόμενόν τι ποιῆσαι τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν ἀγαθὸν τὰ ὦτα πρῶτον ὑμῶν ἰάσασθαι· διέφθαρται γάρ· οὕτω πολλὰ καὶ ψευδῆ καὶ πάντα μᾶλλον ἢ τὰ βέλτιστʼ ἀκούειν εἴθισθε.

[¶12] 14. Let me give you an instance, and let no one interrupt me till I have finished my story. You know that a day or two ago the treasury of the Parthenon was broken into. So the speakers in the Assembly, one and all, cried that the democracy was overthrown, that the laws were null and void, and so on. And yet, Athenians, though the culprits—mark whether my words are true—deserved death, it is not through them that the democracy is endangered. Again, a few oars were stolen. “Scourge the thieves torture them,” cried the orators; “the democracy is in danger.” But what is my opinion I say, like the others, that the thief deserves death, but not that the democracy is endangered by such means.

> Greek: 14. οἷον (ὅπως δὲ μὴ θορυβήσει μοι μηδείς, πρὶν ἂν ἅπαντʼ εἴπω) ἀνέῳξαν δήπου πρώην τινὲς τὸν ὀπισθόδομον. οὐκοῦν οἱ παριόντες ἅπαντες τὸν δῆμον καταλελύσθαι, τοὺς νόμους οὐκέτʼ εἶναι, τοιαῦτʼ ἔλεγον. καίτοι, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, (καὶ σκοπεῖτʼ ἂν ἀληθῆ λέγω) οἱ μὲν ταῦτα ποιοῦντες ἄξιʼ ἐποίουν θανάτου, ὁ δῆμος δʼ οὐ διὰ τούτων καταλύεται. πάλιν κώπας τις ὑφείλετο· μαστιγοῦν, στρεβλοῦν πάντες οἱ λέγοντες, τὸν δῆμον καταλύεσθαι. ἐγὼ δὲ τί φημί; τὸν μὲν ὑφαιρούμενον θανάτου ποιεῖν ἄξια, ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνοι, τὸν δῆμον δʼ οὐ διὰ τούτων καταλύεσθαι.

[¶13] 15. The real danger to democracy no one is bold enough to name; but I will name it. It is in danger when you, men of Athens, are wrongly led, when in spite of your numbers you are helpless, unarmed, unorganized and at variance, when no general or anyone else pays any heed to your resolutions, when no one cares to tell you the truth or set you right, when no one makes an effort to remedy this state of things. And that is what always happens now.

> Greek: 15. ἀλλὰ πῶς καταλύεται, οὐδεὶς λέγει οὐδὲ παρρησιάζεται. ἐγὼ δὲ φράσω· ὅταν ὑμεῖς, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, φαύλως ἠγμένοι, πολλοὶ καὶ ἄποροι καὶ ἄοπλοι καὶ ἀσύντακτοι καὶ μὴ ταὐτὰ γιγνώσκοντες ἦτε, καὶ μήτε στρατηγὸς μήτʼ ἄλλος μηδεὶς ὧν ἂν ὑμεῖς ψηφίσησθε φροντίζῃ, καὶ ταῦτα μηδεὶς λέγειν ἐθέλῃ μηδʼ ἐπανορθοῖ, μηδʼ ὅπως παύσεται τοιαῦτʼ ὄντα πράττῃ, ὃ νῦν ἀεὶ συμβαίνει.

[¶14] 16. Yes, by heavens, men of Athens, and there are other phrases, false and injurious to the State, that have passed into your common speech, such as “In the law-courts lies your salvation,” and “It is the ballot-box that must save the State.” I know that these courts are sovereign to uphold the rights of citizen against citizen, but it is by arms that you must conquer the enemy, and upon arms depends the safety of the State.

> Greek: 16. καὶ νὴ Δίʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἕτεροί γε λόγοι παρερρυήκασι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ψευδεῖς, καὶ πολλὰ τὴν πολιτείαν βλάπτοντες, οἷον ἐν τοῖς δικαστηρίοις ὑμῖν ἐστιν ἡ σωτηρία, καὶ δεῖ τῇ ψήφῳ τὴν πολιτείαν ὑμᾶς φυλάττειν. ἐγὼ δʼ οἶδʼ ὅτι ταῦτα μὲν ὑμῖν [τὰ δικαστήρια] τῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους δικαίων ἐστὶ κύρια, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ὅπλοις δεῖ κρατεῖν τῶν ἐχθρῶν, καὶ διὰ τούτων ἐστὶν ἡ σωτηρία τῆς πολιτείας.

[¶15] 17. For resolutions will not give your men victory in battle, but those who with the help of arms conquer the enemy shall win for you power and security to pass resolutions and to do what you will. For in the field you ought to be terrible, but in the courts sympathetic.

> Greek: 17. οὐ γὰρ τὸ ψηφίσασθαι τοῖς ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις ποιήσει τὸ νικᾶν, ἀλλʼ οἱ μετὰ τούτων κρατοῦντες τοὺς ἐχθροὺς καὶ ψηφίζεσθαι καὶ ἄλλʼ ὅ τι ἂν βούλησθε ποιεῖν ὑμῖν ἐξουσίαν καὶ ἄδειαν παρασκευάσουσι· δεῖ γὰρ ἐν μὲν τοῖς ὅπλοις φοβερούς, ἐν δὲ τοῖς δικαστηρίοις φιλανθρώπους εἶναι.

[¶16] 18. If my speeches seem to be greater than my own worth, that is itself a virtue in them. For a speech, if it is to be delivered on behalf of this great city and our wide interests, ought always to appear greater than the individual who utters it; it ought to approximate to your reputation, not to the reputation of the speaker. But none of the men whom you delight to honor speaks like that, and I will tell you what their excuse is.

> Greek: 18. εἰ δέ τῳ δοκῶ μείζους ἢ κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν λέγειν λόγους, αὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ὀρθῶς αὐτῶν ἔχει· τὸν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τηλικαύτης πόλεως ῥηθησόμενον λόγον καὶ τοιούτων πραγμάτων παντὸς ἑνὸς τοῦ λέγοντος ἀεὶ μείζω φαίνεσθαι δεῖ, καὶ τῆς ἀξίας τῆς ὑμετέρας ἐγγὺς εἶναι, μὴ τῆς τοῦ λέγοντος. ὅτι δʼ οὐδεὶς τῶν ὑφʼ ὑμῶν τιμωμένων ταῦτα λέγει, τὰς προφάσεις ἐγὼ διέξειμʼ ὑμῖν.

[¶17] 19. Men who aim at office and at official rank go to and fro cringing to the favours of the electorate; each one’s ambition is to join the sacred ranks of the generals, not to do a man’s work. If anyone is really capable of undertaking a job, he thinks that by exploiting the reputation and renown of Athens, profiting by the absence of opposition, holding out hopes to you and nothing but hopes, he will be sole inheritor of your advantages—and so he is; but if you act as your own agents in every case, he will only have his equal share with the rest, both in the labours and also in their results.

> Greek: 19. οἱ μὲν πρὸς ἀρχαιρεσίας καὶ ταύτην τὴν τάξιν προσιόντες δοῦλοι τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ χειροτονεῖσθαι χάριτος περιέρχονται, τελεσθῆναι στρατηγὸς ἕκαστος σπουδάζων, οὐκ ἀνδρὸς ἔργον οὐδὲν πρᾶξαι. εἰ δέ τις καὶ τοιοῦτός ἐστιν οἷος ἐγχειρεῖν ἔργῳ τῳ, νῦν μὲν ἡγεῖται τὴν τῆς πόλεως δόξαν ἀφορμὴν ἔχων καὶ τοὔνομα, τῆς τῶν ἐναντιωσομένων ἐρημίας ἀπολαύων, τὰς ἐλπίδας ὑμῖν ὑποτείνων, ἄλλο δʼ οὐδὲ ἕν, κληρονομήσειν αὐτὸς τῶν ὑμετέρων ἀγαθῶν, ὅπερ ἐστίν, ἂν δʼ ὑμεῖς διʼ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἕκαστα πράττητε, τὸ ἴσον τοῖς ἄλλοις ὥσπερ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῶν, οὕτω καὶ τῶν ἐκ τούτων ἕξειν.

[¶18] 20. The politicians, absorbed in their profession, neglect to devise the best policy for you and have joined the ranks of the office-seekers; and you conduct your party-politics as you used to conduct your tax-paying—by syndicates. There is an orator for chairman, with a general under him, and three hundred to do the shouting. The rest of you are attached now to one party and now to another. Hence all that you gain is that So-and-so has a public statue and So-and-so makes his fortune—just one or two men profiting at the expense of the State. The rest of you are idle witnesses of their prosperity, surrendering to them, for the sake of an easy life from day to day, the great and glorious prosperity which is yours by inheritance.

> Greek: 20. οἱ δὲ πολιτευόμενοι καὶ περὶ ταῦτʼ ὄντες, τὸ τὰ βέλτιστα σκοπεῖν ὑμῖν ἀφέντες, προσκεχωρήκασι πρὸς τούτους· καὶ πρότερον μὲν κατὰ συμμορίας εἰσεφέρετε, νυνὶ δὲ πολιτεύεσθε κατὰ συμμορίας. ῥήτωρ ἡγεμὼν καὶ στρατηγὸς ὑπὸ τούτῳ καὶ οἱ βοησόμενοι μεθʼ ἑκατέρων τριακόσιοι· οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι προσνενέμησθε οἱ μὲν ὡς τούτους, οἱ δʼ ὡς ἐκείνους. τοιγαροῦν ὑμῖν περίεστιν ἐκ τούτων ὁ δεῖνα χαλκοῦς καὶ ὁ δεῖνʼ εὐδαίμων, εἷς ἢ δύο, ὑπὲρ τὴν πόλιν· οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι μάρτυρες τῆς τούτων εὐδαιμονίας κάθησθε, τῆς καθʼ ἡμέραν ῥᾳθυμίας πολλὴν καὶ μεγάλην ὑπάρχουσαν ὑμῖν εὐδαιμονίαν τούτοις προϊέμενοι.

[¶19] 21. Yet consider how things were managed in the days of your ancestors, for you need not go abroad for examples to teach you your duty. Take Themistocles, who was your general in the sea-fight at Salamis, and Miltiades, who commanded at Marathon, and many more whose good services were far greater than those of our present generals: verily our ancestors put up no bronze statues to them, but rewarded them as men in no way superior to themselves.

> Greek: 21. καίτοι σκέψασθε πῶς ἐπὶ τῶν προγόνων ταῦτʼ εἶχεν· οὐ γὰρ ἀλλοτρίοις ὑμῖν παραδείγμασι χρησαμένοις, ἀλλʼ οἰκείοις ἔξεσθʼ ἃ προσήκει πράττειν εἰδέναι. ἐκεῖνοι Θεμιστοκλέα τὸν τὴν ἐν Σαλαμῖνι ναυμαχίαν στρατηγοῦντα καὶ Μιλτιάδην τὸν ἡγούμενον Μαραθῶνι καὶ πολλοὺς ἄλλους, οὐκ ἴσα τοῖς νῦν στρατηγοῖς ἀγάθʼ εἰργασμένους, μὰ Δίʼ οὐ χαλκοῦς ἵστασαν, ἀλλʼ ὡς οὐδὲν αὑτῶν κρείττους ὄντας, οὕτως ἐτίμων.

[¶20] 22. For truly, men of Athens, they never robbed themselves of any of their achievements, nor would anyone dream of speaking of Themistocles’ fight at Salamis, but of the Athenians’ fight, nor of Miltiades’ battle at Marathon, but of the Athenians’ battle. But now we often hear it said that Timotheus took Corcyra, that Iphicrates cut up the Spartan detachment, or that Chabrias won the sea-fight off Naxos. For you seem to waive your own right to these successes by the extravagant honors which you have bestowed on each of these officers.

> Greek: 22. καὶ γάρ τοι τῶν ἔργων οὐδενός, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, τῶν τότʼ ἀπεστέρησαν αὑτούς, οὐδʼ ἔστʼ οὐδεὶς ὅστις ἂν εἴποι τὴν ἐν Σαλαμῖνι ναυμαχίαν Θεμιστοκλέους, ἀλλʼ Ἀθηναίων, οὐδὲ τὴν [ἐν] Μαραθῶνι μάχην Μιλτιάδου, ἀλλὰ τῆς πόλεως. νῦν δὲ πολλοὶ τοῦτο λέγουσιν, ὡς Κέρκυραν εἷλε Τιμόθεος καὶ τὴν μόραν κατέκοψεν Ἰφικράτης καὶ τὴν περὶ Νάξον ναυμαχίαν ἐνίκα Χαβρίας· δοκεῖτε γὰρ αὐτοὶ τῶν ἔργων τούτων παραχωρεῖν τῶν τιμῶν ταῖς ὑπερβολαῖς αἷς δεδώκατʼ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς ἑκάστῳ τούτων.

[¶21] 23. Rewards to citizens, rightly thus granted by our ancestors, are wrongly granted by you. But how about foreigners? When Meno of Pharsalus gave twelve talents of silver towards the war at Eion near Amphipolis and supported us with two hundred cavalry of his own vassals, our ancestors did not vote him the citizenship, but only gave him immunity from taxes.

> Greek: 23. τὰς μὲν δὴ πολιτικὰς δωρεὰς οὕτως ἐκεῖνοί τε καλῶς καὶ ὑμεῖς οὐκ ὀρθῶς· τὰς δὲ τῶν ξένων πῶς; ἐκεῖνοι Μένωνι τῷ Φαρσαλίῳ δώδεκα μὲν τάλαντʼ ἀργυρίου δόντι πρὸς τὸν ἐπʼ Ἠιόνι τῇ πρὸς Ἀμφιπόλει πόλεμον, διακοσίοις δʼ ἱππεῦσι πενέσταις ἰδίοις βοηθήσαντι, οὐκ ἐψηφίσαντο πολιτείαν, ἀλλʼ ἀτέλειαν ἔδωκαν μόνον.

[¶22] 24. On an earlier occasion, when Perdiccas, who was king of Macedonia at the time of the Persian invasions, destroyed the barbarians who were retreating after their defeat at Plataea and so completed the discomfiture of the Great King, they did not vote him the citizenship, but only gave him immunity from taxes; because, I presume, they regarded their own country as great, glorious, and venerable, and as something greater than any service rendered. But now, Athenians, you make citizens of the scum of mankind, menial sons of menial fathers, charging a price for it as for any other commodity.

> Greek: 24. καὶ πρότερον τούτου Περδίκκᾳ τῷ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ βαρβάρου ποτʼ ἐπιστρατείαν βασιλεύοντι Μακεδονίας, τοὺς ἀναχωροῦντας ἐκ Πλαταιῶν τῶν βαρβάρων ἀπὸ τῆς ἥττης διαφθείραντι καὶ τέλειον τἀτύχημα ποιήσαντι τῷ βασιλεῖ, οὐκ ἐψηφίσαντο πολιτείαν, ἀλλʼ ἀτέλειαν ἔδωκαν μόνον, μεγάλην καὶ τιμίαν, οἶμαι, καὶ σεμνὴν τὴν αὑτῶν πατρίδʼ ἡγούμενοι καὶ πάσης μείζονʼ εὐεργεσίας. νῦν δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, φθόρους ἀνθρώπους οἰκοτρίβων οἰκότριβας, τιμὴν ὥσπερ ἄλλου του τῶν ὠνίων λαμβάνοντες, ποιεῖσθε πολίτας.

[¶23] 25. You have got into the habit of acting thus, not because in ability you are inferior to your ancestors, but because it was second nature with them to have a high opinion of themselves, while you, Athenians, have lost that virtue. You cannot, I suppose, have a proud and chivalrous spirit, if your conduct is mean and paltry, any more than your spirit can be mean and humble, if your conduct is honorable and glorious; for whatever a man’s pursuits are, such must be his spirit.

> Greek: 25. ταῦτα δʼ ὑμῖν ἐπελήλυθε πράττειν, οὐχ ὅτι τὰς φύσεις χείρους ἐστὲ τῶν προγόνων, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τοῖς μὲν ἐφʼ αὑτοῖς παρειστήκει μέγα φρονεῖν, ὑμῶν δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, περιῄρηται τοῦτο. ἔστι δʼ οὐδέποτʼ, οἶμαι, δυνατὸν μικρὰ καὶ φαῦλα πράττοντας μέγα καὶ νεανικὸν φρόνημα λαβεῖν, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ λαμπρὰ καὶ καλὰ πράττοντας μικρὸν καὶ ταπεινὸν φρονεῖν· ὁποῖʼ ἄττα γὰρ ἂν τἀπιτηδεύματα τῶν ἀνθρώπων ᾖ, τοιοῦτον ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸ φρόνημʼ ἔχειν.

[¶24] 26. But reflect on what might be named as the outstanding achievements of your ancestors and of yourselves, if haply the comparison may yet enable you to become your own masters. For five and forty years they commanded the willing obedience of the Greeks; more than ten thousand talents did they accumulate in our Acropolis; many honorable trophies for victories on sea and on land did they erect, in which even yet we take a pride. Yet remember that they erected them, not that we might wonder as we gaze at them, but that we might also imitate the virtues of the dedicators.

> Greek: 26. σκέψασθε δʼ ἅ τις κεφάλαιʼ ἂν ἔχοι [τῶν πραγμάτων] εἰπεῖν τῶν τʼ ἐκείνοις πεπραγμένων καὶ τῶν ὑμῖν, ἂν ἄρʼ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἀλλʼ ἐκ τούτων γε δύνησθε γενέσθαι. πέντε μὲν καὶ τετταράκοντʼ ἔτη τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἦρξαν ἑκόντων ἐκεῖνοι, πλείω δʼ ἢ μύρια τάλαντʼ εἰς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν ἀνήγαγον, πολλὰ δὲ καὶ καλὰ καὶ πεζῇ καὶ ναυμαχοῦντες ἔστησαν τρόπαια, ἐφʼ οἷς ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἡμεῖς φιλοτιμούμεθα. καίτοι νομίζετʼ αὐτοὺς ταῦτα στῆσαι, οὐχ ἵνα θαυμάζωμεν ἡμεῖς θεωροῦντες αὐτά, ἀλλʼ ἵνα καὶ μιμώμεθα τὰς τῶν ἀναθέντων ἀρετάς.

[¶25] 27. Thus did our ancestors; but as for us, who have gained, as you all see, a clear field, consider whether we can match them. Have we not wasted more than fifteen hundred talents on the needy communities of Greece? Have we not squandered our private estates, our public funds, and the contributions of our allies? Have not the allies gained in war been lost in the peace?

> Greek: 27. ἐκεῖνοι μὲν δὴ ταῦτα· ἡμεῖς δʼ, ὅσης ἅπαντες ὁρᾶτʼ ἐρημίας ἐπειλημμένοι, σκέψασθʼ εἰ παραπλήσια. οὐ πλείω μὲν ἢ χίλια καὶ πεντακόσια τάλαντʼ ἀνήλωται μάτην εἰς τοὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἀπόρους, ἐξανήλωνται δʼ οἵ τʼ ἴδιοι πάντες οἶκοι καὶ τὰ κοινὰ τῇ πόλει καὶ τὰ παρὰ τῶν συμμάχων, οὓς δʼ ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ συμμάχους ἐκτησάμεθα, οὗτοι νῦν ἐν τῇ εἰρήνῃ ἀπολώλασιν;

[¶26] 28. But, it may be said, in these respects alone things were better then than now, but in other respects worse. Far from it; but let us examine any instance you please. The buildings which they left behind them to adorn our city—temples, harbors, and their accessories—were so great and so fair that we who come after must despair of ever surpassing them; the Propylaea yonder, the docks, the porticoes and the rest, with which they beautified the city that they have bequeathed to us.

> Greek: 28. ἀλλὰ νὴ Δία ταῦτα μόνον τότʼ εἶχε βέλτιον ἢ νῦν, τὰ δʼ ἄλλα χεῖρον. πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ, ἀλλʼ ὅ τι βούλεσθʼ ἐξετάσωμεν. οἰκοδομήματα μέν γε καὶ κόσμον τῆς πόλεως, ἱερῶν καὶ λιμένων καὶ τῶν ἀκολούθων τούτοις, τοιοῦτον καὶ τοσοῦτον κατέλιπον ἐκεῖνοι ὥστε μηδενὶ τῶν ἐπιγιγνομένων ὑπερβολὴν λελεῖφθαι, προπύλαια ταῦτα, νεώσοικοι, στοαί, τἄλλα, οἷς ἐκεῖνοι κοσμήσαντες τὴν πόλιν ἡμῖν παρέδωκαν·

[¶27] 29. But the private houses of those who rose to power were so modest and so in accordance with the style of our constitution that the homes of their famous men, of Themistocles and Cimon and Aristides, as any of you can see that knows them, are not a whit more splendid than those of their neighbors.

> Greek: 29. τὰς δʼ ἰδίας οἰκίας τῶν ἐν δυνάμει γενομένων οὕτω μετρίας καὶ τῷ τῆς πολιτείας ὀνόματι ἀκολούθους ὥστε τὴν Θεμιστοκλέους καὶ τὴν Κίμωνος καὶ τὴν Ἀριστείδου καὶ τῶν τότε λαμπρῶν οἰκίαν, εἴ τις ἄρʼ ὑμῶν οἶδεν ὁποία ποτʼ ἐστίν, ὁρᾷ τῆς τοῦ γείτονος οὐδὲν σεμνοτέραν οὖσαν.

[¶28] 30. But today, men of Athens, while our public works are confined to the provision of roads and fountains, whitewash and balderdash (and I blame, not those who introduced these improvements—far from it!—but you, if you imagine that these are all that is required of you), private individuals, who control any of the State-funds, have some of them reared private houses, not merely finer than the majority, but more stately than our public edifices, and others have purchased and cultivated estates more vast than they ever dreamed of before.

> Greek: 30. νῦν δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, δημοσίᾳ μὲν ἡ πόλις ἡμῶν τὰς ὁδοὺς ἀγαπᾷ κατασκευάζουσα καὶ κρήνας καὶ κονιάματα καὶ λήρους (καὶ οὐ τοῖς εἰσηγησαμένοις ταῦτʼ ἐπιτιμῶ, πολλοῦ γε καὶ δέω, ἀλλʼ ὑμῖν, εἰ ταῦθʼ ἱκανὰ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς ὑπολαμβάνετʼ εἶναι), ἰδίᾳ δʼ οἱ τῶν κοινῶν ἐπί τῳ γεγενημένοι οἱ μὲν τῶν δημοσίων οἰκοδομημάτων σεμνοτέρας τὰς ἰδίας οἰκίας κατεσκευάκασιν, οὐ μόνον τῶν πολλῶν ὑπερηφανωτέρας, οἱ δὲ γῆν συνεωνημένοι γεωργοῦσιν ὅσην οὐδʼ ὄναρ ἤλπισαν πώποτε.

[¶29] 31. The cause of all this change is that then the people controlled and dispensed everything, and the rest were well content to accept at their hand honor and authority and reward; but now, on the contrary, the politicians hold the purse-strings and manage everything, while the people are in the position of lackeys and hangers-on, and you are content to accept whatever your masters dole out to you.

> Greek: 31. τούτων δʼ αἴτιον ἁπάντων, ὅτι τότε μὲν ὁ δῆμος δεσπότης ἦν καὶ κύριος ἁπάντων, καὶ ἀγαπητὸν ἦν παρʼ ἐκείνου τῶν ἄλλων ἑκάστῳ καὶ τιμῆς καὶ ἀρχῆς καὶ ἀγαθοῦ τινὸς μεταλαμβάνειν, νῦν δὲ τοὐναντίον κύριοι μὲν τῶν ἀγαθῶν οὗτοι, καὶ διὰ τούτων ἅπαντα πράττεται, ὁ δὲ δῆμος ἐν ὑπηρέτου καὶ προσθήκης μέρει, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀγαπᾶθʼ ἃν οὗτοι μεταδιδῶσι λαμβάνοντες.

[¶30] 32. Such, in consequence, is the state of our public affairs that if anyone read out your resolutions and then went on to describe your performances, not a soul would believe that the same men were responsible for the one and for the other. Take for instance the decrees that you passed against the accursed Megarians, when they appropriated the sacred demesne, that you should march out and prevent it and forbid it; in favour of the Phliasians, when they were exiled the other day, that you should help them and not give them up to their murderers, and should call for volunteers from the Peloponnese.

> Greek: 32. τοιγαροῦν ἐκ τούτων τοιαῦτα τὰ πράγματα τῆς πόλεώς ἐστιν ὥστε, εἴ τις ἀναγνοίη τὰ ψηφίσμαθʼ ὑμῶν καὶ τὰς πράξεις ἐφεξῆς διέλθοι, οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς πιστεύσαι τῶν αὐτῶν εἶναι ταῦτα κἀκεῖνα. οἷον ἃ πρὸς τοὺς καταράτους Μεγαρέας ἐψηφίσασθʼ ἀποτεμνομένους τὴν ὀργάδα, ἐξιέναι, κωλύειν, μὴ ἐπιτρέπειν· ἃ πρὸς Φλειασίους, ὅτʼ ἐξέπεσον ἔναγχος, βοηθεῖν, μὴ ἐπιτρέπειν τοῖς σφαγεῦσι, τῶν ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ τοὺς βουλομένους παρακαλεῖν.

[¶31] 33. That, Athenians, was all very noble and right and worthy of our city; but the resultant action was simply of no account. So your hostility is expressed in your decrees, but action is beyond your control. Your decrees accord with the traditions of Athens, but your powers bear no relation to your decrees.

> Greek: 33. ἅπαντα καλά, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ταῦτα καὶ δίκαια καὶ τῆς πόλεως ἄξια· τὰ ἔργα δὲ τἀπὸ τούτων οὐδαμοῦ. οὐκοῦν τὴν μὲν ἀπέχθειαν διὰ τῶν ψηφισμάτων ἐκφέρεσθε, τῶν δʼ ἔργων οὐδενὸς κύριοι γίγνεσθε· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ψηφίσματα πρὸς τὸ τῆς πόλεως ἀξίωμα ψηφίζεσθε, τὴν δύναμιν δʼ οὐκ ἀκόλουθον ὧν ψηφίζεσθʼ ἔχετε.

[¶32] 34. I, however, would advise you—do not be angry with me—either to humble yourselves and be content to mind your own affairs, or else to get ready a more powerful force. If I felt sure that you were Siphnians or Cythnians or people of that sort, I should counsel you to be less proud, but since you are Athenians, I urge you to get your force ready. For it would be a disgrace, men of Athens, a disgrace to desert that post of honor which your ancestors bequeathed to you.

> Greek: 34. ἐγὼ δὲ παραινέσαιμʼ ἂν ὑμῖν (καί μοι μηδὲν ὀργισθῆτε) ἔλαττον φρονεῖν καὶ τὰ ὑμέτερʼ αὐτῶν ἀγαπᾶν πράττοντας, ἢ μείζω δύναμιν παρασκευάζεσθαι. εἰ μὲν οὖν Σιφνίοις ἢ Κυθνίοις ἤ τισιν ἄλλοις τοιούτοις οὖσι συνῄδειν ὑμῖν, ἔλαττον φρονεῖν συνεβούλευον ἄν· ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἔστʼ Ἀθηναῖοι, τὸ τὴν δύναμιν παρασκευάσασθαι παραινῶ· αἰσχρὸν γάρ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, αἰσχρὸν λιπεῖν τὴν τοῦ φρονήματος τάξιν, ἣν ὑμῖν οἱ πρόγονοι παρέδωκαν.

[¶33] 35. But besides it is no longer in your power, even if you wished it, to hold aloof from Greek affairs. For you have many exploits to your credit from the earliest times, and it would be disgraceful to abandon the friends you have, while it is impossible to trust your enemies and allow them to grow powerful. In short, you stand in the same position as your statesmen stand to you—they cannot retire when they would; for you are definitely involved in the politics of Greece.

> Greek: 35. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις οὐδʼ ἔστιν ἐφʼ ὑμῖν, οὐδʼ ἂν ἀποστῆναι τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν βούλησθε· πολλὰ γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐκ παντὸς τοῦ χρόνου πέπρακται, καὶ τοὺς μὲν φίλους τοὺς ὑπάρχοντας αἰσχρὸν προέσθαι, τοῖς δʼ οὖσιν ἐχθροῖς οὐκ ἔνι πιστεῦσαι καὶ μεγάλους ἐᾶσαι γενέσθαι. ὅλως δʼ ὅπερ οἱ πολιτευόμενοι πεπόνθασι πρὸς ὑμᾶς—οὐκ ἔνεστιν αὐτοῖς, ὅταν βούλωνται, παύσασθαι—τοῦτο καὶ ὑμῖν περιέστηκε· πεπολίτευσθε γὰρ ἐν τοῖς Ἕλλησιν.

[¶34] 36. This, Athenians, is the sum of all that I have said. Your orators never make you either bad men or good, but you make them whichever you choose; for it is not you that aim at what they wish for, but they who aim at whatever they think you desire. You therefore must start with a noble ambition and all will be well, for then no orator will give you base counsel, or else he will gain nothing by it, having no one to take him at his word.

> Greek: 36. ἔστι δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, κεφάλαιον ἁπάντων τῶν εἰρημένων· οὐδέποθʼ ὑμᾶς οἱ λέγοντες οὔτε πονηροὺς οὔτε χρηστοὺς ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς τούτους, ὁπότερʼ ἂν βούλησθε· οὐ γὰρ ὑμεῖς ὧν οὗτοι βούλονται στοχάζεσθε, ἀλλʼ οὗτοι ὧν ἂν ὑμᾶς ἐπιθυμεῖν οἴωνται. ὑμᾶς οὖν ὑπάρξαι δεῖ χρηστὰ βουλομένους, καὶ πάνθʼ ἕξει καλῶς· ἢ γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἐρεῖ φλαῦρον οὐδέν, ἢ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ πλέον ἔσται μὴ ἔχοντι τοὺς πεισομένους.