---
title: "Archidamus · Ἀρχίδαμος"
author: "Isocrates"
translator: "George Norlin"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-archidamus/
cite: "Isocrates, tr. George Norlin, Archidamus · Ἀρχίδαμος. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-archidamus/"
---

# Archidamus · Ἀρχίδαμος

*Isocrates, tr. George Norlin*

A Spartan prince argues against giving up Messene.

> Greek: ed. George Norlin, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0010.tlg016, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: George Norlin, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0010.tlg016.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 1–55](https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-archidamus/1.md)
2. [Sections 56–111](https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-archidamus/2.md)

## 1. Sections 1–55

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-archidamus/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-archidamus/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. Doubtless some of you are astonished that I, who heretofore have observed the customs of the state more faithfully, I dare say, than any other of my generation, have now so completely changed that I have come forward, in spite of my youth, to offer counsel regarding a subject which even our elders hesitate to discuss.

> Greek: 1. ἴσως τινὲς ὑμῶν θαυμάζουσιν ὅτι τὸν ἄλλον χρόνον ἐμμεμενηκὼς τοῖς τῆς πόλεως νομίμοις ὡς οὐκ οἶδʼ εἴ τις ἄλλος τῶν ἡλικιωτῶν, τοσαύτην πεποίημαι τὴν μεταβολὴν ὥστε περὶ ὧν ὀκνοῦσιν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι λέγειν, περὶ τούτων νεώτερος ὢν παρελήλυθα συμβουλεύσων.

[¶1] 2. The fact is that if any of those who are accustomed to address you had spoken in a manner worthy of the state, I should strictly have held my peace; but now, since I see that they are either seconding the demands of the enemy, or opposing them but feebly, or have kept silent altogether, I have risen to set forth my own views on this subject, feeling that it would be disgraceful if by keeping the place appropriate to my years I should allow the state to pass measures unworthy of itself.

> Greek: 2. ἐγὼ δʼ, εἰ μέν τις τῶν εἰθισμένων ἐν ὑμῖν ἀγορεύειν ἀξίως ἦν τῆς πόλεως εἰρηκώς, πολλὴν ἂν ἡσυχίαν ἦγον· νῦν δʼ ὁρῶν τοὺς μὲν συναγορεύοντας οἷς οἱ πολέμιοι προστάττουσι, τοὺς δʼ οὐκ ἐρρωμένως ἐναντιουμένους, τοὺς δὲ παντάπασιν ἀποσεσιωπηκότας, ἀνέστην ἀποφανούμενος ἃ γιγνώσκω περὶ τούτων, αἰσχρὸν νομίσας, εἰ τὴν ἰδίαν τοῦ βίου τάξιν διαφυλάττων περιόψομαι τὴν πόλιν ἀνάξια ψηφισαμένην ἑαυτῆς.

[¶2] 3. Moreover, I think that although on other matters it may be proper for men of my age to keep silent, yet on the question of war it is fitting that they most of all should give counsel who will also have the greatest part in the dangers, especially since the power to judge of what ought to be done is an endowment common to all of us.

> Greek: 3. ἡγοῦμαι δʼ, εἰ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων πρέπει τοὺς τηλικούτους σιωπᾶν, περί γε τοῦ πολεμεῖν ἢ μὴ προσήκειν τούτους μάλιστα συμβουλεύειν, οἵπερ καὶ τῶν κινδύνων πλεῖστον μέρος μεθέξουσιν, ἄλλως τε δὴ καὶ τοῦ γνῶναί τι τῶν δεόντων ἐν κοινῷ καθεστῶτος ἡμῖν.

[¶3] 4. For if it were established that older men always know what is best, while the younger are never correct in their views, it would be right to exclude us from giving counsel; but since it is not by the number of our years that we differ in wisdom from one another, but by our natural endowments and by our cultivation of them, why should you not make trial of both the young and the old, in order that you may be in a position to choose from all courses which are proposed that which is the most expedient?

> Greek: 4. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἦν δεδειγμένον, ὥστε τοὺς μὲν πρεσβυτέρους περὶ ἁπάντων εἰδέναι τὸ βέλτιστον, τοὺς δὲ νεωτέρους μηδὲ περὶ ἑνὸς ὀρθῶς γιγνώσκειν, καλῶς ἂν εἶχεν ἀπείργειν ἡμᾶς τοῦ συμβουλεύειν· ἐπειδὴ δʼ οὐ τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἐτῶν πρὸς τὸ φρονεῖν εὖ διαφέρομεν ἀλλήλων, ἀλλὰ τῇ φύσει καὶ ταῖς ἐπιμελείαις, πῶς οὐκ ἀμφοτέρων χρὴ τῶν ἡλικιῶν πεῖραν λαμβάνειν, ἵνʼ ἐξ ἁπάντων ὑμῖν ἐξῇ τῶν ῥηθέντων ἑλέσθαι τὰ συμφορώτατα;

[¶4] 5. I am amazed at those who think that we are fit to command ships of war and to lead armies in the field, where bad judgement on our part would involve the state in many grave disasters, and yet do not think that we ought to express our views on matters which you are about to decide, wherein if we proved to be right we should benefit you all, while if, on the other hand, we failed of your assent we should ourselves perhaps suffer in reputation, but should not in any way impair the commonwealth.

> Greek: 5. θαυμάζω δʼ ὅσοι τριήρων μὲν ἡγεῖσθαι καὶ στρατοπέδων ἄρχειν ἀξιοῦσιν ἡμᾶς, ὑπὲρ ὧν μὴ καλῶς βουλευσάμενοι πολλαῖς ἂν συμφοραῖς καὶ μεγάλαις τὴν πόλιν περιβάλοιμεν, εἰπεῖν δʼ ἃ γιγνώσκομεν περὶ ὧν ὑμεῖς μέλλετε κρίνειν οὐκ οἴονται δεῖν ἡμᾶς, ἐν οἷς κατορθώσαντες μὲν ἅπαντας ὑμᾶς ὠφελήσομεν, διαμαρτόντες δὲ τῆς ὑμετέρας γνώμης αὐτοὶ μὲν ἴσως φαυλότεροι δόξομεν εἶναι, τὸ δὲ κοινὸν οὐδὲν ἂν ζημιώσαιμεν.

[¶5] 6. It is not, I assure you, because I am ambitious to be an orator, nor because I am prepared to change my former mode of life that I have spoken as I have about these things, but because I want to urge you not to reject any time of life, but to seek among all ages for the man who can offer good advice on the problems which now confront us;

> Greek: 6. οὐ μὴν ὡς ἐπιθυμῶν τοῦ λέγειν, οὐδʼ ὡς ἄλλως πως παρεσκευασμένος ζῆν ἢ τὸν παρελθόντα χρόνον, οὕτως εἴρηκα περὶ τούτων, ἀλλὰ βουλόμενος ὑμᾶς προτρέψαι μηδεμίαν ἀποδοκιμάζειν τῶν ἡλικιῶν, ἀλλʼ ἐν ἁπάσαις ζητεῖν εἴ τίς τι δύναται περὶ τῶν παρόντων πραγμάτων εἰπεῖν ἀγαθόν·

[¶6] 7. for never since we have dwelt in Sparta has any war or any peril come upon us in which so much has been at stake as in this question which we are now assembled to discuss. For while in times past we fought that we might have dominion over the other states, now we must fight that we ourselves may not be forced to do their bidding—which is proof of a free spirit, to preserve which no hardship on earth is too great to endure, not for us alone, but for all others as well who have not renounced every claim to manhood but still make even slight pretensions to courage.

> Greek: 7. ὡς ἐξ οὗ τὴν πόλιν οἰκοῦμεν, οὐδεὶς οὔτε κίνδυνος οὔτε πόλεμος περὶ τοσούτων τὸ μέγεθος ἡμῖν γέγονε, περὶ ὅσων νυνὶ βουλευσόμενοι συνεληλύθαμεν. πρότερον μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τοῦ τῶν ἄλλων ἄρχειν ἠγωνιζόμεθα, νῦν δʼ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ ποιεῖν αὐτοὶ τὸ προσταττόμενον· ὃ σημεῖον ἐλευθερίας ἐστίν, ὑπὲρ ἧς οὐδὲν ὅ τι τῶν δεινῶν οὐχ ὑπομενετέον, οὐ μόνον ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς μὴ λίαν ἀνάνδρως διακειμένοις ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν ἀρετῆς ἀντιποιουμένοις.

[¶7] 8. As for myself, at any rate, if I may speak my own mind, I had rather die this moment for not complying with the dictates of the foe than live many times my allotted span of life at the price of voting what the Thebans demand. For I should feel disgraced, I who am descended from Heracles, who am the son of the ruling king and likely myself to attain to this honor, if I did not strive with all the strength that is in me to prevent this territory, which our fathers left to us, from becoming the possession of our slaves.

> Greek: 8. ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν, εἰ δεῖ τοὐμὸν ἴδιον εἰπεῖν, ἑλοίμην ἂν ἀποθανεῖν ἤδη μὴ ποιήσας τὸ προσταττόμενον μᾶλλον ἢ πολλαπλάσιον χρόνον ζῆν τοῦ τεταγμένου ψηφισάμενος ἃ Θηβαῖοι κελεύουσιν· αἰσχυνοίμην γὰρ ἄν, εἰ γεγονὼς μὲν ἀφʼ Ἡρακλέους, τοῦ δὲ πατρὸς βασιλεύοντος, αὐτὸς δʼ ἐπίδοξος ὢν τυχεῖν τῆς τιμῆς ταύτης, περιίδοιμι, καθʼ ὅσον ἐστὶν ἐπʼ ἐμοί, τὴν χώραν ἣν ἡμῖν οἱ πατέρες κατέλιπον, ταύτην τοὺς οἰκέτας τοὺς ἡμετέρους ἔχοντας.

[¶8] 9. And I expect you also to share my feelings when you reflect that, while until the present day we seem to have been unfortunate in our contest with the Thebans, and to have been overcome in body because of the mistakes of our leader, yet up to this moment we possess our spirits unconquered;

> Greek: 9. ἀξιῶ δὲ καὶ ὑμᾶς τὴν αὐτὴν ἐμοὶ γνώμην ἔχειν, ἐνθυμηθέντας ὅτι μέχρι μὲν ταυτησὶ τῆς ἡμέρας δεδυστυχηκέναι δοκοῦμεν ἐν τῇ μάχῃ τῇ πρὸς Θηβαίους, καὶ τοῖς μὲν σώμασι κρατηθῆναι διὰ τὸν οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἡγησάμενον, τὰς δὲ ψυχὰς ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἀηττήτους ἔχειν, εἰ δὲ φοβηθέντες τοὺς ἐπιόντας κινδύνους προησόμεθά τι τῶν ἡμετέρων αὐτῶν, βεβαιώσομεν τὰς Θηβαίων ἀλαζονείας καὶ πολὺ σεμνότερον τρόπαιον τοῦ περὶ Λεῦκτρα καὶ φανερώτερον στήσομεν καθʼ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν·

[¶9] 10. but that if through fear of the dangers which now threaten us we relinquish anything that is ours, we shall justify the boasts of the Thebans, and erect against ourselves a trophy far more imposing and conspicuous than that which was raised at Leuctra; for the one will stand as a memorial of our ill-fortune; the other, of our abject spirit. Let no man, therefore, persuade you to fasten such a disgrace upon the state. And yet our allies have been only too zealous in advising you that you must give up Messene and make peace. Because of this they merit your indignation far more than those who revolted from you at the beginning. For the latter, when they had forsaken your friendship, destroyed their own cities, plunging them into civil strife and massacres and vicious forms of government. These men, on the other hand, come here to inflict injury upon us;

> Greek: 10. τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀτυχίας, τὸ δὲ τῆς ἡμετέρας διανοίας ἔσται γεγενημένον. μηδεὶς οὖν ὑμᾶς πείσῃ τοιαύταις αἰσχύναις τὴν πόλιν περιβαλεῖν. καίτοι λίαν προθύμως οἱ σύμμαχοι συμβεβουλεύκασιν ὑμῖν ὡς χρὴ Μεσσήνην ἀφέντας ποιήσασθαι τὴν εἰρήνην. οἷς ὑμεῖς δικαίως ἂν ὀργίζοισθε πολὺ μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀποστᾶσιν ἡμῶν. ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ ἀφέμενοι τῆς ἡμετέρας φιλίας τὰς αὑτῶν πόλεις ἀπώλεσαν, εἰς στάσεις καὶ σφαγὰς καὶ πολιτείας πονηρὰς ἐμβαλόντες, οὗτοι δʼ ἡμᾶς ἥκουσι κακῶς ποιήσοντες·

[¶10] 12. for they are trying to persuade us to throw away in one brief hour the glory which our forefathers amid manifold dangers during the course of seven hundred years acquired and bequeathed to us—a disaster more humiliating to Lacedaemon and more terrible than any other they could ever have devised.

> Greek: 12. τὴν γὰρ δόξαν, ἣν ἡμῖν οἱ πρόγονοι μετὰ πολλῶν κινδύνων ἐν ἑπτακοσίοις ἔτεσι κτησάμενοι κατέλιπον, ταύτην ἐν ὀλίγῳ χρόνῳ πείθουσιν ἡμᾶς ἀποβαλεῖν, ἧς οὔτʼ ἀπρεπεστέραν τῇ Λακεδαίμονι συμφορὰν οὔτε δεινοτέραν οὐδέποτʼ ἂν εὑρεῖν ἠδυνήθησαν.

[¶11] 13. So far do they go in their selfish greed, so great is the cowardice which they impute to us, that they, who have time and again called upon us to make war in defense of their own territory, think we ought not to risk battle for Messene, but, in order that they may themselves cultivate their lands in security, seek to convince us that we ought to yield to the enemy a portion of our own; and, besides all that, they threaten that if we do not comply with these terms, they will make a separate peace.

> Greek: 13. εἰς τοῦτο δʼ ἥκουσι πλεονεξίας καὶ τοσαύτην ἡμῶν κατεγνώκασιν ἀνανδρίαν, ὥστε πολλάκις ἡμᾶς ἀξιώσαντες ὑπὲρ τῆς αὑτῶν πολεμεῖν, ὑπὲρ Μεσσήνης οὐκ οἴονται δεῖν κινδυνεύειν, ἀλλʼ ἵνʼ αὐτοὶ τὴν σφετέραν αὐτῶν ἀσφαλῶς καρπῶνται, πειρῶνται διδάσκειν ἡμᾶς ὡς χρὴ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς τῆς ἡμετέρας παραχωρῆσαι, καὶ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπαπειλοῦσιν ὡς εἰ μὴ ταῦτα συγχωρήσομεν ποιησόμενοι τὴν εἰρήνην κατὰ σφᾶς αὐτούς.

[¶12] 14. For my part, I do not think that our risk without their alliance will be as much more serious for us as it will be more glorious and splendid and notable in the eyes of all mankind; for to endeavor to preserve ourselves and to prevail over our enemies, not through the aid of others, but through our own powers, is in keeping with the past achievements of our state.

> Greek: 14. ἐγὼ δʼ οὐ τοσούτῳ χαλεπώτερον ἡγοῦμαι τὸν κίνδυνον ἡμῖν ἔσεσθαι τὸν ἄνευ τούτων, ὅσῳ καλλίω καὶ λαμπρότερον καὶ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ὀνομαστότερον· τὸ γὰρ μὴ διʼ ἑτέρων ἀλλὰ διʼ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν πειρᾶσθαι σώζεσθαι καὶ περιγενέσθαι τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὁμολογούμενον τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς τῆς πόλεως ἔργοις ἐστίν.

[¶13] 15. Although I have never been fond of oratory, having in fact always thought that those who cultivate the power of speech are somewhat lacking in capacity for action, yet at the moment there is nothing I should value more than the ability to speak as I desire about the question now before us; for in the present crisis I am confident that with this aid I could render a very great service to the state.

> Greek: 15. οὐδὲ πώποτε δὲ λόγους ἀγαπήσας, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ νομίζων τοὺς περὶ τοῦτο διατρίβοντας ἀργοτέρους εἶναι πρὸς τὰς πράξεις, νῦν οὐδὲν ἂν περὶ πλείονος ποιησαίμην ἢ δυνηθῆναι περὶ τῶν προκειμένων ὡς βούλομαι διελθεῖν· ἐν γὰρ τῷ παρόντι διὰ τούτων ἐλπίζω μεγίστων ἀγαθῶν αἴτιος ἂν γενέσθαι τῇ πόλει.

[¶14] 16. First, I think that I ought to explain to you in what way we acquired Messene, and for what reasons you settled in the Peloponnesus—you who from of old are Dorians. And the reason why I shall go back to remote times is that you may understand why your enemies are trying to rob you of this country, which you acquired, no less than Lacedaemon itself, with a just title.

> Greek: 16. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν οἶμαι δεῖν διαλεχθῆναι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὃν τρόπον ἐκτησάμεθα Μεσσήνην καὶ διʼ ἃς αἰτίας ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ κατῳκήσατε Δωριεῖς τὸ παλαιὸν ὄντες. διὰ τοῦτο δὲ προλήψομαι πορρωτέρωθεν, ἵνʼ ἐπίστησθε ὅτι ταύτην ὑμᾶς τὴν χώραν ἐπιχειροῦσιν ἀποστερεῖν, ἣν ὑμεῖς οὐδὲν ἧττον ἢ τὴν ἄλλην Λακεδαίμονα κέκτησθε δικαίως.

[¶15] 17. When Heracles had put off this life and from being mortal became a god, his sons at first went on divers wanderings and faced many perils because of the power of their enemies; but after the death of Eurystheus they fixed their habitation among the Dorians. In the third generation thereafter they came to Delphi, desiring to consult the oracle about certain matters. Apollo, however, made them no answer to the questions which they asked, but merely bade them seek the country of their fathers.

> Greek: 17. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Ἡρακλῆς μετήλλαξε τὸν βίον θεὸς ἐκ θνητοῦ γενόμενος, κατὰ μὲν ἀρχὰς οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ διὰ τὴν τῶν ἐχθρῶν δύναμιν ἐν πολλοῖς πλάνοις καὶ κινδύνοις ἦσαν, τελευτήσαντος δʼ Εὐρυσθέως κατῴκησαν ἐν Δωριεῦσιν. ἐπὶ δὲ τρίτης γενεᾶς ἀφίκοντο εἰς Δελφούς, χρήσασθαι τῷ μαντείῳ περί τινων βουληθέντες. ὁ δὲ θεὸς περὶ μὲν ὧν ἐπηρώτησαν οὐκ ἀνεῖλεν, ἐκέλευσε δʼ αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὴν πατρῴαν ἰέναι χώραν.

[¶16] 18. Searching into the meaning of the oracle, they found, first, that Argos belonged to them by right of their being next of kin, for after the death of Eurystheus they were the sole survivors of Perseus’ line; next, that Lacedaemon was theirs by right of gift, for when Tyndareus, having been driven from his throne, was restored to it by Heracles, after Castor and Polydeuces had vanished from among men, he gave the land to Heracles because of this act of kindness and also because of the kinship of Heracles and his own sons; and lastly, they found that Messene was theirs as a prize taken in war, for Heracles, when he had been robbed of the cattle from Erytheia, by Neleus and all his sons except Nestor, had taken the country captive and slain the offenders, but had committed the city to Nestor’s charge, believing him to be prudent, because, although the youngest of his brethren, he had taken no part in their iniquity.

> Greek: 18. σκοπούμενοι δὲ τὴν μαντείαν, εὕρισκον Ἄργος μὲν κατʼ ἀγχιστείαν αὑτῶν γιγνόμενον (Εὐρυσθέως γὰρ ἀποθανόντος μόνοι Περσειδῶν ἦσαν καταλελειμμένοι), Λακεδαίμονα δὲ κατὰ δόσιν (ἐκβληθεὶς γὰρ Τυνδάρεως ἐκ τῆς ἀρχῆς, ἐπειδὴ Κάστωρ καὶ Πολυδεύκης ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἠφανίσθησαν, καταγαγόντος αὐτὸν Ἡρακλέους δίδωσιν αὐτῷ τὴν χώραν διά τε τὴν εὐεργεσίαν ταύτην καὶ διὰ τὴν συγγένειαν τὴν πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας), Μεσσήνην δὲ δοριάλωτον ληφθεῖσαν (συληθεὶς γὰρ Ἡρακλῆς τὰς βοῦς τὰς ἐκ τῆς Ἐρυθείας ὑπὸ Νηλέως καὶ τῶν παίδων, πλὴν ὑπὸ Νέστορος, λαβὼν αὐτὴν αἰχμάλωτον τοὺς μὲν ἀδικήσαντας ἀπέκτεινεν, Νέστορι δὲ παρακατατίθεται τὴν πόλιν, νομίσας αὐτὸν εὖ φρονεῖν ὅτι νεώτατος ὢν οὐ συνεξήμαρτε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς).

[¶17] 20. Assuming this to be the purport of the oracle, they joined forces with your forefathers and organized an army, sharing meantime their own country with their followers, but receiving from them the kingship as the prize reserved for themselves alone; then having confirmed these covenants by mutual pledges, they set out upon the expedition.

> Greek: 20. ὑπολαβόντες δʼ οὕτως ἔχειν τὴν μαντείαν, καὶ τοὺς προγόνους τοὺς ὑμετέρους παραλαβόντες καὶ στρατόπεδον συστησάμενοι, τὴν μὲν ἰδίαν χώραν εἰς τὸ κοινὸν τοῖς συνακολουθήσασιν ἔδοσαν, τὴν δὲ βασιλείαν ἐξαίρετον αὐτοὶ παρʼ ἐκείνων ἔλαβον, ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις πίστεις ἀλλήλοις δόντες ἐποιοῦντο τὴν στρατείαν.

[¶18] 21. The perils which befell them on the march, and the other incidents which have no bearing on the present theme, I need not take the time to describe. Let it suffice that, having conquered in war those who dwelt in the regions which I have mentioned, they divided their kingdom into three parts. Now you men of Sparta have until this day remained faithful to the oaths and to the covenants which you made with my forefathers;

> Greek: 21. τοὺς μὲν οὖν κινδύνους τοὺς ἐν τῇ πορείᾳ γενομένους καὶ τὰς ἄλλας πράξεις τὰς οὐδὲν πρὸς τὸ παρὸν φερούσας τί δεῖ λέγοντα διατρίβειν; πολέμῳ δὲ κρατήσαντες τοὺς ἐν τοῖς τόποις τοῖς εἰρημένοις κατοικοῦντας τριχῇ διείλοντο τὰς βασιλείας. ὑμεῖς μὲν οὖν μέχρι ταυτησὶ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐμμένετε ταῖς συνθήκαις καὶ τοῖς ὅρκοις, οὓς ἐποιήσασθε πρὸς τοὺς προγόνους τοὺς ἡμετέρους·

[¶19] 22. therefore in time past you have fared better than the rest of the world, and in time to come you may reasonably hope, if you continue as you have been, to fare better than at present. But the Messenians went so far in their wickedness that they plotted against and slew Cresphontes, albeit he was the founder of their state, the sovereign of their land, a descendant of Heracles, and once the leader of their armies.

> Greek: 22. διὸ καὶ τὸν παρελθόντα χρόνον ἄμεινον τῶν ἄλλων ἐφέρεσθε, καὶ τὸν ἐπιόντα προσδοκᾶν χρὴ τοιούτους ὄντας βέλτιον ἢ νῦν πράξειν. Μεσσήνιοι δʼ εἰς τοῦτʼ ἀσεβείας ἦλθον, ὥστʼ ἐπιβουλεύσαντες ἀπέκτειναν Κρεσφόντην, τὸν οἰκιστὴν μὲν τῆς πόλεως, κύριον δὲ τῆς χώρας, ἔκγονον δʼ Ἡρακλέους, αὐτῶν δʼ ἡγεμόνα γεγενημένον.

[¶20] 23. His sons, however, escaped the perils which confronted them and threw themselves upon the mercy of Sparta, beseeching us to come to the aid of their dead father and offering us their land. And you, after inquiring of Apollo, and being directed by him to accept this gift and avenge the wronged, thereupon beleaguered the Messenians, forced them to surrender, and thus gained possession of their territory.

> Greek: 23. διαφυγόντες δʼ οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ τοὺς κινδύνους ἱκέται κατέστησαν ταυτησὶ τῆς πόλεως, ἀξιοῦντες βοηθεῖν τῷ τεθνεῶτι καὶ τὴν χώραν διδόντες ἡμῖν. ἐπερόμενοι δὲ τὸν θεόν, κἀκείνου προστάξαντος δέχεσθαι ταῦτα καὶ τιμωρεῖν τοῖς ἠδικημένοις, ἐκπολιορκήσαντες Μεσσηνίους οὕτως ἐκτήσασθε τὴν χώραν.

[¶21] 24. I have not, it is true, recounted in detail our original titles to this land (for the present occasion does not permit me to go into legendary history, and I have had to set them forth with too great brevity for clearness); yet I am sure that even this brief statement makes it evident to all that there is no difference whatever between the way in which we acquired the land which is acknowledged to be ours and the land to which our claim is disputed. For we inhabit Lacedaemon because the sons of Heracles gave it to us, because Apollo directed us to do so, and because we fought and conquered those who held it; and Messene we received from the same people, in the same way, and by taking the advice of the same oracle.

> Greek: 24. περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑπαρξάντων ἡμῖν ἀκριβῶς μὲν οὐ διῆλθον (ὁ γὰρ παρὼν καιρὸς οὐκ ἐᾷ μυθολογεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἀναγκαῖον ἦν συντομώτερον ἢ σαφέστερον διαλεχθῆναι περὶ αὐτῶν), οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τούτων οἶμαι πᾶσι φανερὸν εἶναι διότι τὴν ὁμολογουμένην ἡμετέραν εἶναι χώραν οὐδὲν διαφερόντως κεκτημένοι τυγχάνομεν ἢ τὴν ἀμφισβητουμένην. ταύτην τε γὰρ οἰκοῦμεν δόντων μὲν Ἡρακλειδῶν, ἀνελόντος δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ, πολέμῳ δὲ κρατήσαντες τοὺς ἔχοντας· ἐκείνην τʼ ἐλάβομεν παρὰ τῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ ταῖς μαντείαις χρησάμενοι ταῖς αὐταῖς.

[¶22] 25. To be sure, if we are in a mood not to defend our title to anything, not even if they demand that we abandon Sparta itself, it is idle to be concerned about Messene; but if not one of you would consent to live if torn from the fatherland, then you ought to be of the same mind about that country; for in both cases we can advance the same justifications and the same reasons for our claim.

> Greek: 25. εἰ μὲν οὖν οὕτως ἔχομεν ὥστε μηδὲ περὶ ἑνὸς ἀντιλέγειν, μηδʼ ἐὰν αὐτὴν τὴν Σπάρτην ἐκλιπεῖν προστάττωσιν ἡμῖν, περίεργόν ἐστιν ὑπὲρ Μεσσήνης σπουδάζειν· εἰ δὲ μηδεὶς ἂν ὑμῶν ἀξιώσειε ζῆν ἀποστερούμενος τῆς πατρίδος, προσήκει καὶ περὶ ἐκείνης τὴν αὐτὴν ὑμᾶς γνώμην ἔχειν. τὰ γὰρ αὐτὰ δικαιώματα καὶ τοὺς αὐτοὺς λόγους περὶ ἀμφοτέρων αὐτῶν ἔχομεν εἰπεῖν.

[¶23] 26. Then again you are doubtless well aware that possessions, whether private or public, when they have remained for a long time in the hands of their owner, are by all men acknowledged to be hereditary and incontestable. Now we took Messene before the Persians acquired their kingdom and became masters of the continent, in fact before a number of the Hellenic cities were even founded.

> Greek: 26. ἀλλὰ μὴν οὐδʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ὑμᾶς λέληθεν, ὅτι τὰς κτήσεις καὶ τὰς ἰδίας καὶ τὰς κοινάς, ἂν ἐπιγένηται πολὺς χρόνος, κυρίας καὶ πατρῴας ἅπαντες εἶναι νομίζουσιν. ἡμεῖς τοίνυν Μεσσήνην εἵλομεν πρὶν Πέρσας λαβεῖν τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ κρατῆσαι τῆς ἠπείρου, καὶ πρὶν οἰκισθῆναί τινας τῶν πόλεων τῶν Ἑλληνίδων.

[¶24] 27. And yet notwithstanding that we hold these titles, the Thebans would on the one hand restore Asia as his ancestral right to the barbarian, who has not yet held sway over it for two hundred years, while on the other hand they would rob us of Messene, which we have held for more than twice that length of time; and although it was only the other day that they razed both Thespiae and Plataea to the ground, yet now, after a lapse of four hundred years, they propose to settle their colonists in Messene acting in both cases contrary to the oaths and covenants.

> Greek: 27. καὶ τούτων ἡμῖν ὑπαρχόντων τῷ μὲν βαρβάρῳ τὴν Ἀσίαν ὡς πατρῴαν οὖσαν ἀποδιδόασιν, ὃς οὔπω διακόσιʼ ἔτη κατέσχηκε τὴν ἀρχήν, ἡμᾶς δὲ Μεσσήνην ἀποστεροῦσιν, οἳ πλέον διπλάσιον χρόνον ἢ τοσοῦτον τυγχάνομεν ἔχοντες αὐτήν· καὶ Θεσπιὰς μὲν καὶ Πλαταιὰς ἐχθὲς καὶ πρώην ἀναστάτους πεποιήκασι, ταύτην δὲ διὰ τετρακοσίων ἐτῶν μέλλουσι κατοικίζειν, ἀμφότερα παρὰ τοὺς ὅρκους καὶ τὰς συνθήκας πράττοντες.

[¶25] 28. Were they restoring those who are truly Messenians, they would still be acting unjustly, but at least they would have a more plausible pretext for wronging us; but as the case stands, it is the Helots whom they are trying to settle on our frontier, so that the worst fate which threatens us is not that we shall be robbed of our land contrary to justice, but that we shall see our slaves made masters of it.

> Greek: 28. καὶ εἰ μὲν τοὺς ὡς ἀληθῶς Μεσσηνίους κατῆγον, ἠδίκουν μὲν ἄν, ὅμως δʼ εὐλογωτέρως ἂν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐξημάρτανον· νῦν δὲ τοὺς Εἵλωτας ὁμόρους ἡμῖν παρακατοικίζουσιν, ὥστε μὴ τοῦτʼ εἶναι χαλεπώτατον, εἰ τῆς χώρας στερησόμεθα παρὰ τὸ ἀλλʼ εἰ τοὺς δούλους τοὺς ἡμετέρους ἐποψόμεθα κυρίους αὐτῆς ὄντας.

[¶26] 29. You will perceive still more clearly from what follows both that we are now dealt with most unfairly and that in the past we held Messene justly. For in the many wars which have befallen us we have before this at times been forced to make peace when we were in much worse case than our foes. But, although our treaties were concluded under circumstances in which it was impossible for us to seek any advantage, yet, while there were other matters about which differences arose, neither the Great King nor the city of Athens ever charged us with having acquired Messene unjustly.

> Greek: 29. ἔτι τοίνυν ἐκ τῶν ἐχομένων γνώσεσθε σαφέστερον ὅτι καὶ νῦν δεινὰ πάσχομεν καὶ τότε Μεσσήνην εἴχομεν δικαίως. πολλῶν γὰρ κινδύνων ἡμῖν γεγενημένων ἤδη ποτὲ ποιήσασθαι τὴν εἰρήνην ἠναγκάσθημεν πολὺ χεῖρον πράττοντες τῶν πολεμίων· ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἐν τοιούτοις καιροῖς γιγνομένων τῶν συνθηκῶν, ἐν οἷς οὐχ οἷόν τʼ ἦν πλεονεκτεῖν, περὶ μὲν ἄλλων τινῶν ἀμφισβητήσεις ἐγίγνοντο, περὶ δὲ Μεσσήνης οὔτε βασιλεὺς οὔθʼ ἡ τῶν Ἀθηναίων πόλις οὐδὲ πώποθʼ ἡμῖν ἐνεκάλεσεν ὡς ἀδίκως κεκτημένοις αὐτήν.

[¶27] 30. And yet how could we find a more thoroughgoing judgement on the justice of our case than this, which was rendered by our enemies and made at a time when we were beset with misfortunes?

> Greek: 30. καίτοι πῶς ἂν περὶ τοῦ δικαίου κρίσιν ἀκριβεστέραν ταύτης εὕροιμεν τῆς ὑπὸ μὲν τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐγνωσμένης, ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμετέραις δυσπραξίαις γεγενημένης;

[¶28] 31. That oracle, moreover, which all would acknowledge to be the most ancient and the most widely accepted and the most trustworthy in existence, recognized Messene as ours, not only at the time when it commanded us to receive the country as a gift from the sons of Cresphontes and to go to the aid of the wronged, but also later, when the war dragged on and both sides sent delegations to Delphi, the Messenians appealing for deliverance and we inquiring how we could most speedily make ourselves masters of their city, the god gave them no answer, thus showing that their appeal was unjust, while to us he revealed both what sacrifices we should perform and to whom we should send for aid.

> Greek: 31. τὸ τοίνυν μαντεῖον, ὃ πάντες ἂν ὁμολογήσειαν ἀρχαιότατον εἶναι καὶ κοινότατον καὶ πιστότατον, οὐ μόνον ἔγνω τόθʼ ἡμετέραν εἶναι Μεσσήνην, ὅτε διδόντων ἡμῖν αὐτὴν τῶν Κρεσφόντου παίδων προσέταξε δέχεσθαι τὴν δωρεὰν καὶ βοηθεῖν τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ πολέμου μακροῦ γιγνομένου πεμψάντων ἀμφοτέρων εἰς Δελφούς, κἀκείνων μὲν σωτηρίαν αἰτούντων, ἡμῶν δʼ ἐπερωτώντων ὅτῳ τρόπῳ τάχιστʼ ἂν κρατήσαιμεν τῆς πόλεως, τοῖς μὲν οὐδὲν ἀνεῖλεν ὡς οὐ δικαίαν ποιουμένοις τὴν αἴτησιν, ἡμῖν δʼ ἐδήλωσε καὶ τὰς θυσίας ἃς ἔδει ποιήσασθαι καὶ βοήθειαν παρʼ ὧν μεταπέμψασθαι.

[¶29] 32. And yet how could anyone furnish testimony more significant or clearer than this? For it has been shown, first of all (since nothing prevents our restating these points briefly), that we received the country from its rightful owners; secondly, that we took it by war, precisely as most of the cities in those days were founded; further, that we drove out those who had grievously sinned against the children of Heracles—men who by right should have been banished from the sight of all mankind; and, finally, it has been shown that the length of our tenure, the judgement of our enemies, and the oracles of Apollo all confirm our right to the possession of Messene.

> Greek: 32. καίτοι πῶς ἄν τις μαρτυρίαν μείζω καὶ σαφεστέραν τούτων παράσχοιτο; φαινόμεθα γὰρ πρῶτον μὲν παρὰ τῶν κυρίων τὴν χώραν λαβόντες (οὐδὲν γὰρ κωλύει πάλιν διὰ βραχέων περὶ αὐτῶν διελθεῖν), ἔπειτα κατὰ πόλεμον αὐτὴν ἑλόντες, ὅνπερ τρόπον αἱ πλεῖσται τῶν πόλεων περὶ ἐκείνους τοὺς χρόνους ᾠκίσθησαν, ἔτι δὲ τοὺς ἠσεβηκότας εἰς τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς Ἡρακλέους ἐκβεβληκότες, οἳ δικαίως ἂν ἐξ ἁπάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης ὑπερωρίσθησαν, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ τῷ πλήθει τοῦ χρόνου καὶ τῇ τῶν ἐχθρῶν κρίσει καὶ ταῖς τοῦ θεοῦ μαντείαις προσηκόντως ἔχοντες αὐτήν.

[¶30] 33. Anyone of these facts is enough to refute the assertions of those who presume to allege against us either that we now refuse to conclude peace because of a desire for aggrandizement, or that we then made war on the Messenians because we coveted what was not our own. I might perhaps say more than this about our acquisition of Messene, but I consider what I have already said to be sufficient Those who advise us to make peace declare that prudent men ought not to take the same view of things in fortunate as in unfortunate circumstances, but rather that they should always consult their immediate situation and accommodate themselves to their fortunes, and should never entertain ambitions beyond their power, but should at such times seek, not their just rights but their best interests.

> Greek: 33. ὧν ἓν ἕκαστον ἱκανόν ἐστι διαλῦσαι τοὺς λόγους τῶν τολμώντων κατηγορεῖν ὡς ἢ νῦν διὰ πλεονεξίαν οὐ ποιούμεθα τὴν εἰρήνην, ἢ τότε τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἐπιθυμοῦντες ἐπολεμήσαμεν πρὸς Μεσσηνίους. περὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς κτήσεως ἔνεστι μὲν ἴσως πλείω τούτων εἰπεῖν, οὐ μήν ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῦθʼ ἱκανῶς εἰρῆσθαι νομίζω. λέγουσι δʼ οἱ συμβουλεύοντες ἡμῖν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν εἰρήνην, ὡς χρὴ τοὺς εὖ φρονοῦντας μὴ τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχειν περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων εὐτυχοῦντας καὶ δυστυχοῦντας, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ παρὸν ἀεὶ βουλεύεσθαι καὶ ταῖς τύχαις ἐπακολουθεῖν καὶ μὴ μεῖζον φρονεῖν τῆς δυνάμεως, μηδὲ τὸ δίκαιον ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις καιροῖς ἀλλὰ τὸ συμφέρον ζητεῖν.

[¶31] 35. In all else I agree with them, but no man could ever persuade me that one should ever deem anything to be of greater consequence than justice; for I see that our laws have been made to secure it, that men of character and reputation pride themselves upon practicing it, and that it constitutes the chief concern of all well-regulated states;

> Greek: 35. ἐγὼ δὲ περὶ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων ὁμολογῶ τούτοις, ὅπως δὲ χρὴ τοῦ δικαίου ποιεῖσθαί τι προὐργιαίτερον οὐδεὶς ἄν με λέγων πείσειεν. ὁρῶ γὰρ καὶ τοὺς νόμους ἕνεκα τούτου κειμένους, καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας τοὺς καλοὺς κἀγαθοὺς ἐπὶ τούτῳ φιλοτιμουμένους, καὶ τὰς εὖ πολιτευομένας πόλεις περὶ τούτου μάλιστα σπουδαζούσας, ἔτι δὲ τοὺς πολέμους τοὺς προγεγενημένους οὐ κατὰ τὰς δυνάμεις ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον τὸ τέλος ἅπαντας εἰληφότας, ὅλως δὲ τὸν βίον τὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων διὰ μὲν κακίαν ἀπολλύμενον, διʼ ἀρετὴν δὲ σωζόμενον.

[¶32] 36. further, I observe that the wars of the past have in the end been decided, not in accordance with the strongest forces, but in accordance with justice; and that, in general, the life of man is destroyed by vice and preserved by virtue. Therefore those should not lack courage who are about to take up arms in a just cause, but far more those who are insolent and do not know how to bear their good fortune with moderation. Then, too, there is this point to consider: At present we are all agreed as to what is just, while we differ as to what is expedient. But now that two good things are set before us, the one evident, the other doubtful, how ridiculous you would make yourselves if you should reject that course which is acknowledged to be good and decide to take that which is debatable, especially when your choice is a matter of such importance!

> Greek: 36. ὥστʼ οὐκ ἀθυμεῖν δεῖ τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν δικαίων κινδυνεύειν μέλλοντας, ἀλλὰ πολὺ μᾶλλον τοὺς ὑβρίζοντας καὶ τοὺς τὰς εὐτυχίας μὴ μετρίως φέρειν ἐπισταμένους. ἔπειτα κἀκεῖνο χρὴ σκοπεῖν· νυνὶ γὰρ περὶ μὲν τοῦ δικαίου πάντες τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχομεν, περὶ δὲ τοῦ συμφέροντος ἀντιλέγομεν. δυοῖν δὲ προτεινομένοιν ἀγαθοῖν, καὶ τοῦ μὲν ὄντος προδήλου τοῦ δὲ ἀγνοουμένου, πῶς οὐκ ἂν ποιήσαιτε καταγέλαστον, εἰ τὸ μὲν ὁμολογούμενον ἀποδοκιμάσαιτε, τὸ δʼ ἀμφισβητούμενον ἑλέσθαι δόξειεν ὑμῖν, ἄλλως τε καὶ τῆς αἱρέσεως τοσοῦτον διαφερούσης;

[¶33] 38. For according to my proposal you would not relinquish a single one of your possessions nor fasten any disgrace upon the state; nay, on the contrary, you would have good hope that taking up arms in a just cause you would fight better than your foes. According to their proposal, on the other hand, you would withdraw at once from Messene, and, having first committed this wrong against yourselves, you would perhaps fail to secure both what is expedient and what is just—and everything else which you expect to gain.

> Greek: 38. ἐν μὲν γὰρ τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις ἔνεστι μηδὲν μὲν προέσθαι τῶν ὑμετέρων αὐτῶν μηδʼ αἰσχύνῃ μηδεμιᾷ τὴν πόλιν περιβαλεῖν, ὑπὲρ δὲ τῶν δικαίων κινδυνεύοντας ἐλπίζειν ἄμεινον ἀγωνιεῖσθαι τῶν ἐχθρῶν, ἐν δὲ τοῖς τούτων ἀφεστάναι μὲν ἤδη Μεσσήνης, προεξαμαρτόντας δὲ τοῦτʼ εἰς ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς τυχὸν καὶ τοῦ συμφέροντος καὶ τοῦ δικαίου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ὧν προσδοκᾶτε διαμαρτεῖν.

[¶34] 39. For as yet it is by no means evident that if we do as we are bidden we shall henceforth enjoy lasting peace. For I think you are not unaware that all men are wont to discuss just terms with those who defend their rights, while in the case of those who are over-ready to do what they are commanded they keep adding more and more to the conditions which at first they intended to impose; and thus it happens that men of a warlike temper obtain a more satisfactory peace than those who too readily come to terms.

> Greek: 39. καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ τοῦτό πω φανερόν ἐστιν, ὡς ἂν ποιήσωμεν τὰ κελευόμενα, βεβαίως ἤδη τὴν εἰρήνην ἄξομεν. οἶμαι γὰρ ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἀγνοεῖν ὅτι πάντες εἰώθασι πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀμυνομένους περὶ τῶν δικαίων διαλέγεσθαι, τοῖς δὲ λίαν ἑτοίμως ποιοῦσι τὸ προσταττόμενον ἀεὶ πλείω προσεπιβάλλειν οἷς ἂν ἐξ ἀρχῆς διανοηθῶσιν, ὥστε συμβαίνειν βελτίονος εἰρήνης τυγχάνειν τοὺς πολεμικῶς διακειμένους τῶν ῥᾳδίως τὰς ὁμολογίας ποιουμένων.

[¶35] 40. But lest I should seem to dwell too long on this point, I shall abandon all such considerations and turn at once to the simplest of my proofs. If no people, after meeting with misfortune, ever recovered themselves or mastered their enemies, then we cannot reasonably hope to win victory in battle; but if on many occasions it has happened that the stronger power has been vanquished by the weaker, and that the besiegers have been destroyed by those confined within the walls, what wonder if our own circumstances likewise should undergo a change?

> Greek: 40. ἵνα δὲ μὴ δοκῶ περὶ ταῦτα πολὺν χρόνον διατρίβειν, ἁπάντων τῶν τοιούτων ἀφέμενος ἐπὶ τὸν ἁπλούστατον ἤδη τρέψομαι τῶν λόγων. εἰ μὲν γὰρ μηδένες πώποτε τῶν δυστυχησάντων ἀνέλαβον αὑτοὺς μηδʼ ἐπεκράτησαν τῶν ἐχθρῶν, οὐδʼ ἡμᾶς εἰκὸς ἐλπίζειν περιγενήσεσθαι πολεμοῦντας· εἰ δὲ πολλάκις γέγονεν ὥστε καὶ τοὺς μείζω δύναμιν ἔχοντας ὑπὸ τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων κρατηθῆναι καὶ τοὺς πολιορκοῦντας ὑπὸ τῶν κατακεκλειμένων διαφθαρῆναι, τί θαυμαστὸν εἰ καὶ τὰ νῦν καθεστῶτα λήψεταί τινα μετάστασιν;

[¶36] 41. Now in the case of Sparta I can cite no instance of this kind, for in times past no nation stronger than ourselves ever invaded our territory; but in the case of other states there are many such examples which one might use, and especially is this true of the city of the Athenians.

> Greek: 41. ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς ἡμετέρας πόλεως οὐδὲν ἔχω τοιοῦτον εἰπεῖν· ἐν γὰρ τοῖς ἐπέκεινα χρόνοις οὐδένες πώποτε κρείττους ἡμῶν εἰς ταύτην τὴν χώραν εἰσέβαλον· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων πολλοῖς ἄν τις παραδείγμασι χρήσαιτο, καὶ μάλιστʼ ἐπὶ τῆς πόλεως τῆς Ἀθηναίων.

[¶37] 42. For we shall find that as a result of dictating to others they lost repute with the Hellenes, while by defending themselves against insolent invaders they won fame among all mankind. Now if I were to recount the wars of old which they fought against the Amazons or the Thracians or the Peloponnesians who under the leadership of Eurystheus invaded Attica, no doubt I should be thought to speak on matters ancient and remote from the present situation; but in their war against the Persians, who does not know from what hardships they arose to great good-fortune?

> Greek: 42. τούτους γὰρ εὑρήσομεν, ἐξ ὧν μὲν τοῖς ἄλλοις προσέταττον, πρὸς τοὺς Ἕλληνας διαβληθέντας, ἐξ ὧν δὲ τοὺς ὑβρίζοντας ἠμύναντο, παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκιμήσαντας. τοὺς μὲν οὖν παλαιοὺς κινδύνους εἰ διεξιοίην, οὓς ἐποιήσαντο πρὸς Ἀμαζόνας ἢ Θρᾷκας ἢ Πελοποννησίους τοὺς μετʼ Εὐρυσθέως εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν εἰσβαλόντας, ἴσως ἀρχαῖα καὶ πόρρω τῶν νῦν παρόντων λέγειν ἂν δοκοίην· ἐν δὲ τῷ Περσικῷ πολέμῳ τίς οὐκ οἶδεν ἐξ οἵων συμφορῶν εἰς ὅσην εὐδαιμονίαν κατέστησαν;

[¶38] 43. For they alone of those who dwelt outside of the Peloponnesus, although they saw that the strength of the barbarians was irresistible, did not think it honorable to consider the terms imposed upon them, but straightway chose to see their city ravaged rather than enslaved. Leaving their own country, and adopting Freedom as their fatherland, they shared the dangers of war with us, and wrought such a change in their fortunes that, after being deprived of their own possessions for but a few days, they became for many years masters of the rest of the world.

> Greek: 43. μόνοι γὰρ τῶν ἔξω Πελοποννήσου κατοικούντων, ὁρῶντες τὴν τῶν βαρβάρων δύναμιν ἀνυπόστατον οὖσαν, οὐκ ἠξίωσαν βουλεύσασθαι περὶ τῶν προσταττομένων αὐτοῖς, ἀλλʼ εὐθὺς εἵλοντο περιιδεῖν ἀνάστατον τὴν πόλιν γεγενημένην μᾶλλον ἢ δουλεύουσαν. ἐκλιπόντες δὲ τὴν χώραν, καὶ πατρίδα μὲν τὴν ἐλευθερίαν νομίσαντες, κοινωνήσαντες δὲ τῶν κινδύνων ἡμῖν, τοσαύτης μεταβολῆς ἔτυχον, ὥστε ὀλίγας ἡμέρας στερηθέντες τῶν αὑτῶν πολὺν χρόνον τῶν ἄλλων δεσπόται κατέστησαν.

[¶39] 44. Athens, however, is not the only instance by which one might show how great are the advantages of daring to resist one’s enemies. There is also the case of the tyrant Dionysius, who, when he was besieged by the Carthaginians, seeing not a glimmer of hope for deliverance, but being hard pressed both by the war and by the disaffection of his citizens, was, for his part, on the point of sailing away, when one of his companions made bold to declare that “royalty is a glorious shroud.” Ashamed of what he had planned to do, and taking up the war afresh, he destroyed countless hosts of the Carthaginians, strengthened his authority over his subjects, acquired far greater dominion than he had possessed before, ruled with absolute power until his death, and left his son in possession of the same honors and powers as he himself had enjoyed.

> Greek: 44. οὐ μόνον δʼ ἐπὶ ταύτης ἄν τις τῆς πόλεως ἐπιδείξειε τὸ τολμᾶν ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς ἐχθρούς, ὡς πολλῶν ἀγαθῶν αἴτιόν ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ Διονύσιος ὁ τύραννος καταστὰς εἰς πολιορκίαν ὑπὸ Καρχηδονίων, οὐδεμιᾶς αὐτῷ σωτηρίας ὑποφαινομένης, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ πολέμῳ κατεχόμενος καὶ τῶν πολιτῶν δυσκόλως πρὸς αὐτὸν διακειμένων, αὐτὸς μὲν ἐμέλλησεν ἐκπλεῖν, τῶν δὲ χρωμένων τινὸς τολμήσαντος εἰπεῖν ὡς καλόν ἐστιν ἐντάφιον ἡ τυραννίς, αἰσχυνθεὶς ἐφʼ οἷς διενοήθη καὶ πάλιν ἐπιχειρήσας πολεμεῖν, πολλὰς μὲν μυριάδας Καρχηδονίων διέφθειρεν, ἐγκρατεστέραν δὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν τὴν τῶν πολιτῶν κατεστήσατο, πολὺ δὲ μείζω τὴν δύναμιν τὴν αὑτοῦ τῆς πρότερον ὑπαρχούσης ἐκτήσατο, τυραννῶν δὲ τὸν βίον διετέλεσε, καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἐν ταῖς αὐταῖς τιμαῖς καὶ δυναστείαις, ἐν αἷσπερ αὐτὸς ἦν, κατέλιπεν.

[¶40] 46. Similar to this was the career of Amyntas, king of the Macedonians. Worsted in battle by the neighboring barbarians, and robbed of all Macedonia, he at first proposed to quit the country and save his life, but hearing someone praise the remark made to Dionysius, and, like Dionysius, repenting of his decision, Amyntas seized a small fortified post, sent out thence for reinforcements, recovered the whole of Macedonia within three months, spent the remainder of his days on the throne, and finally died of old age.

> Greek: 46. παραπλήσια δὲ τούτοις Ἀμύντας ὁ Μακεδόνων βασιλεὺς ἔπραξεν. ἡττηθεὶς γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν βαρβάρων τῶν προσοικούντων μάχῃ καὶ πάσης Μακεδονίας ἀποστερηθεὶς τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐκλιπεῖν τὴν χώραν διενοήθη καὶ τὸ σῶμα διασώζειν, ἀκούσας δέ τινος ἐπαινοῦντος τὸ πρὸς Διονύσιον ῥηθέν, καὶ μεταγνοὺς ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος, χωρίον μικρὸν καταλαβὼν καὶ βοήθειαν ἐνθένδε μεταπεμψάμενος ἐντὸς μὲν τριῶν μηνῶν κατέσχεν ἅπασαν Μακεδονίαν, τὸν δʼ ἐπίλοιπον χρόνον βασιλεύων γήρᾳ τὸν βίον ἐτελεύτησεν.

[¶41] 47. But we should both grow weary, you with listening and I with speaking, if we were to examine every incident of this sort; nay, if we were to recall also our experience with Thebes, while we should be grieved over past events, we should gain better hopes for the future. For when they ventured to withstand our inroads and our threats, fortune so completely reversed their situation that they, who at all other times have been in our power, now assert their right to dictate to us.

> Greek: 47. ἀπείποιμεν δʼ ἂν ἀκούοντές τε καὶ λέγοντες, εἰ πάσας τὰς τοιαύτας πράξεις ἐξετάζοιμεν, ἐπεὶ καὶ τῶν περὶ Θήβας πραχθέντων εἰ μνησθείημεν, ἐπὶ μὲν τοῖς γεγενημένοις ἂν λυπηθεῖμεν, περὶ δὲ τῶν μελλόντων βελτίους ἐλπίδας ἂν λάβοιμεν. τολμησάντων γὰρ αὐτῶν ὑπομεῖναι τὰς εἰσβολὰς καὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς τὰς ἡμετέρας, εἰς τοῦθʼ ἡ τύχη τὰ πράγματʼ αὐτῶν περιέστησεν, ὥστε τὸν ἄλλον χρόνον ὑφʼ ἡμῖν ὄντες νῦν ἡμῖν προστάττειν ἀξιοῦσιν.

[¶42] 48. Seeing, then, that such great reversals have taken place, he is a very foolish person who thinks that they will fail to occur in our case; nay, we must endure for the present and be of good courage with regard to the future, knowing that states repair such disasters by the aid of good government and experience in warfare; and on this point no one would dare contradict me when I say that we have greater experience in military matters than any other people, and that government as it ought to be exists among us alone. With these two advantages on our side, we cannot fail to prove more successful in our undertakings than those who have paid but slight attention to either government or war.

> Greek: 48. ὅστις οὖν ὁρῶν τοσαύτας μεταβολὰς γεγενημένας ἐφʼ ἡμῶν οἴεται παύσεσθαι, λίαν ἀνόητός ἐστιν· ἀλλὰ δεῖ καρτερεῖν ἐπὶ τοῖς παροῦσι καὶ θαρρεῖν περὶ τῶν μελλόντων, ἐπισταμένους ὅτι τὰς τοιαύτας συμφορὰς αἱ πόλεις ἐπανορθοῦνται πολιτείᾳ χρηστῇ καὶ ταῖς περὶ τὸν πόλεμον ἐμπειρίαις. περὶ ὧν οὐδεὶς ἂν τολμήσειεν ἀντειπεῖν, ὡς οὐ τὴν μὲν ἐμπειρίαν μᾶλλον τῶν ἄλλων ἔχομεν, πολιτείαν δʼ οἵαν εἶναι χρή, παρὰ μόνοις ἡμῖν ἐστιν. ὧν ὑπαρχόντων οὐκ ἔστιν ὅπως οὐκ ἄμεινον πράξομεν τῶν μηδετέρου τούτων πολλὴν ἐπιμέλειαν πεποιημένων.

[¶43] 49. There are those who condemn war and dwell on its precariousness, employing many other proofs, but particularly our own experiences, and express surprise that men should see fit to rely on an expedient so difficult and hazardous. But I know of many who through war have acquired great prosperity, and many who have been robbed of all they possessed through keeping the peace;

> Greek: 49. κατηγοροῦσι δέ τινες τοῦ πολέμου, καὶ διεξέρχονται τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτοῦ, τεκμηρίοις ἄλλοις τε πολλοῖς χρώμενοι καὶ μάλιστα τοῖς περὶ ἡμᾶς γεγενημένοις, καὶ θαυμάζουσιν εἴ τινες οὕτω χαλεπῷ καὶ παραβόλῳ πράγματι πιστεύειν ἀξιοῦσιν. ἐγὼ δὲ πολλοὺς μὲν οἶδα διὰ τὸν πόλεμον μεγάλην εὐδαιμονίαν κτησαμένους, πολλοὺς δὲ τῆς ὑπαρχούσης ἀποστερηθέντας διὰ τὴν εἰρήνην·

[¶44] 50. for nothing of this kind is in itself absolutely either good or bad, but rather it is the use we make of circumstances and opportunities which in either case must determine the result. Those who are prosperous should set their hearts on peace, for in a state of peace they can preserve their present condition for the greatest length of time; those, however, who are unfortunate should give their minds to war, for out of the confusion and innovation resulting from it they can more quickly secure a change in their fortunes. But we, I fear, will be seen to have pursued exactly the opposite course;

> Greek: 50. οὐδὲν γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἀποτόμως οὔτε κακὸν οὔτʼ ἀγαθόν, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἂν χρήσηταί τις τοῖς πράγμασι καὶ τοῖς καιροῖς, οὕτως ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸ τέλος ἐκβαίνειν ἐξ αὐτῶν. χρὴ δὲ τοὺς μὲν εὖ πράττοντας τῆς εἰρήνης ἐπιθυμεῖν· ἐν ταύτῃ γὰρ τῇ καταστάσει πλεῖστον ἄν τις χρόνον τὰ παρόντα διαφυλάξειεν· τοὺς δὲ δυστυχοῦντας τῷ πολέμῳ προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν· ἐκ γὰρ τῆς ταραχῆς καὶ τῆς καινουργίας θᾶττον ἂν μεταβολῆς τύχοιεν. ὧν ἡμεῖς δέδοικα μὴ τἀναντία πράττοντες φανῶμεν·

[¶45] 51. for when we might have lived at ease, we made more wars than were necessary, but now, when we have no choice but to risk battle, we desire tranquility and deliberate about our own security. And yet those who wish to be free ought to shun a peace whose terms are dictated by the enemy as being not far removed from slavery, and should make treaties only when they have defeated their adversaries, or when they have made their forces equal to those of the enemy; for the kind of peace which each side will obtain will be decided by the manner in which they conclude the war.

> Greek: 51. ὅτε μὲν γὰρ ἐξῆν ἡμῖν τρυφᾶν, πλείους τοὺς πολέμους ἐποιούμεθα τοῦ δέοντος, ἐπειδὴ δʼ εἰς ἀνάγκην καθέσταμεν ὥστε κινδυνεύειν, ἡσυχίας ἐπιθυμοῦμεν καὶ περὶ ἀσφαλείας βουλευόμεθα. καίτοι χρὴ τοὺς βουλομένους ἐλευθέρους εἶναι τὰς μὲν ἐκ τῶν ἐπιταγμάτων συνθήκας φεύγειν ὡς ἐγγὺς δουλείας οὔσας, ποιεῖσθαι δὲ τὰς διαλλαγάς, ὅταν ἢ περιγένωνται τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἢ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν αὑτῶν ἐξισώσωσιν τῇ τῶν πολεμίων· ὡς τοιαύτην ἕκαστοι τὴν εἰρήνην ἕξουσιν, οἵαν περ ἂν τοῦ πολέμου ποιήσωνται τὴν κατάλυσιν.

[¶46] 52. Bearing these facts in mind, you must not rashly commit yourselves to shameful terms, nor let it appear that you are more remiss in your deliberations about your country than about the rest of the world. Let me recall to your minds that formerly, if a single Lacedaemonian gave aid to one of our allied cities when it was pressed by siege, all men would concede that its deliverance was due to him. Now the older among you could name the greater number of these men, but I, too, can recount the most illustrious of them:

> Greek: 52. ὧν ἐνθυμουμένους χρὴ μὴ προπετῶς ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐμβαλεῖν εἰς αἰσχρὰς ὁμολογίας, μηδὲ ῥᾳθυμότερον ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος ἢ τῶν ἄλλων φανῆναι βουλευομένους. ἀναμνήσθητε δὲ πρὸς ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ὅτι τὸν παρελθόντα χρόνον, εἰ πολιορκουμένῃ τινὶ τῶν πόλεων τῶν συμμαχίδων εἷς μόνος Λακεδαιμονίων βοηθήσειεν, ὑπὸ πάντων ἂν ὡμολογεῖτο παρὰ τοῦτον γενέσθαι τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτοῖς. καὶ τοὺς μὲν πλείστους τῶν τοιούτων ἀνδρῶν παρὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἄν τις ἀκούσειεν, τοὺς δʼ ὀνομαστοτάτους ἔχω κἀγὼ διελθεῖν.

[¶47] 53. Pedaritus, sailing to Chios, saved that city; Brasidas entered Amphipolis and, having rallied about him a few of those who were under siege, defeated the besiegers in battle in spite of their numbers; Gylippus, by bringing aid to the Syracusans, not only saved them from destruction, but also captured the entire armament of the enemy, which dominated them both by land and by sea.

> Greek: 53. Πεδάριτος μὲν γὰρ εἰς Χίον εἰσπλεύσας τὴν πόλιν αὐτῶν διέσωσε· Βρασίδας δʼ εἰς Ἀμφίπολιν εἰσελθών, ὀλίγους περὶ αὑτὸν τῶν πολιορκουμένων συνταξάμενος, πολλοὺς ὄντας τοὺς πολιορκοῦντας ἐνίκησε μαχόμενος· Γύλιππος δὲ Συρακοσίοις βοηθήσας οὐ μόνον ἐκείνους διέσωσεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν κρατοῦσαν αὐτῶν καὶ κατὰ γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλατταν ἅπασαν αἰχμάλωτον ἔλαβεν.

[¶48] 54. And yet is it not shameful that in those days single men among us were strong enough to protect the cities of others, but now all of us together are not able, nor do we attempt, to save our own city? Is it not shameful that, when we fought for others, we filled Europe and Asia with trophies, but now, when our own country is so openly outraged, we cannot show that we have fought in her behalf a single battle worthy of note?

> Greek: 54. καίτοι πῶς οὐκ αἰσχρὸν τότε μὲν ἕκαστον ἡμῶν ἱκανὸν εἶναι τὰς ἀλλοτρίας πόλεις διαφυλάττειν, νυνὶ δὲ πάντας μηδὲ πειρᾶσθαι τὴν ἡμετέραν αὐτῶν διασώζειν; καὶ τὴν μὲν Εὐρώπην καὶ τὴν Ἀσίαν μεστὴν πεποιηκέναι τροπαίων ὑπὲρ τῶν ἄλλων πολεμοῦντας, ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς πατρίδος οὕτω φανερῶς ὑβριζομένης μηδὲ μίαν μάχην ἀξίαν λόγου φαίνεσθαι μεμαχημένους;

[¶49] 55. Is it not shameful, finally, that other cities have endured the last extremities of siege to preserve our empire, while we ourselves see no reason why we should bear even slight hardships to prevent our being forced to do anything contrary to our just rights, but are to be seen even at this moment feeding teams of ravenous horses, although, like men reduced to the direst extremities and in want of their daily bread, we sue for peace in this fashion?

> Greek: 55. ἀλλʼ ἑτέρας μὲν πόλεις ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀρχῆς τὰς ἐσχάτας ὑπομεῖναι πολιορκίας, αὐτοὺς δʼ ἡμᾶς, ὑπὲρ τοῦ μηδὲν ἀναγκασθῆναι παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον ποιεῖν, μηδὲ μικρὰν οἴεσθαι δεῖν ὑπενεγκεῖν κακοπάθειαν, ἀλλὰ ζεύγη μὲν ἵππων ἀδηφαγούντων ἔτι καὶ νῦν ὁρᾶσθαι τρέφοντας, ὥσπερ δὲ τοὺς εἰς τὰς δεινοτάτας ἀνάγκας ἀφιγμένους καὶ τῶν καθʼ ἡμέραν ἐνδεεῖς ὄντας, οὕτω ποιεῖσθαι τὴν εἰρήνην;

## 2. Sections 56–111

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-archidamus/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-archidamus/2/#p-N

[¶0] 56. But it would be of all things the most outrageous if we who are accounted the most energetic of the Hellenes should be more slack than the rest in our deliberations upon this question. What people do we know, worth mentioning at all, who after a single defeat and a single invasion of their country have in so cowardly a fashion agreed to do everything demanded of them? How could such men hold out against a long season of misfortune?

> Greek: 56. ὃ δὲ πάντων σχετλιώτατον, εἰ φιλοπονώτατοι δοκοῦντες εἶναι τῶν Ἑλλήνων ῥᾳθυμότερον τῶν ἄλλων βουλευσόμεθα περὶ τούτων. τίνας γὰρ ἴσμεν, ὧν καὶ ποιήσασθαι μνείαν ἄξιόν ἐστιν, οἵτινες ἅπαξ ἡττηθέντες καὶ μιᾶς εἰσβολῆς γενομένης οὕτως ἀνάνδρως ὡμολόγησαν πάντα τὰ προσταττόμενα ποιήσειν; πῶς δʼ ἂν οἱ τοιοῦτοι πολὺν χρόνον δυστυχοῦντες ἀνταρκέσειαν;

[¶1] 57. Who would not censure us if, while the Messenians withstood siege for twenty years in order to retain Messene, we should so quickly withdraw from it under a treaty and should take no thought of our forefathers, but should allow ourselves to be persuaded by words to throw away this territory which they acquired by dint of struggles and wars?

> Greek: 57. τίς δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐπιτιμήσειεν ἡμῖν, εἰ Μεσσηνίων ὑπὲρ ταύτης τῆς χώρας εἴκοσιν ἔτη πολιορκηθέντων ἡμεῖς οὕτω ταχέως κατὰ συνθήκας αὐτῆς ἀποσταίημεν, καὶ μηδὲ τῶν προγόνων μνησθείημεν, ἀλλʼ ἣν ἐκεῖνοι μετὰ πολλῶν πόνων καὶ κινδύνων ἐκτήσαντο, ταύτην ἡμεῖς ὑπὸ λόγων πεισθέντες ἀποβάλοιμεν;

[¶2] 58. There are those, however, who care for none of these things, but, overlooking all considerations of shame, counsel you to follow a course which will bring disgrace upon the state. And so anxious are they to persuade you to give up Messene that they have dared to dwell on the weakness of Sparta and the strength of the enemy, and now they challenge us who oppose them to say from what quarter we expect reinforcements to come, seeing that we exhort you to make war.

> Greek: 58. ὧν οὐδὲν ἔνιοι φροντίσαντες, ἀλλὰ πάσας τὰς αἰσχύνας ὑπεριδόντες, τοιαῦτα συμβουλεύουσιν ὑμῖν, ἐξ ὧν εἰς ὀνείδη τὴν πόλιν καταστήσουσιν. οὕτω δὲ προθύμως ἐπάγουσιν ὑμᾶς πρὸς τὸ παραδοῦναι Μεσσήνην, ὥστε καὶ διεξελθεῖν ἐτόλμησαν τήν τε τῆς πόλεως ἀσθένειαν καὶ τὴν τῶν πολεμίων δύναμιν, καὶ κελεύουσιν, ἀποκρίνασθαι τοὺς ἐναντιουμένους αὐτοῖς, πόθεν βοήθειαν προσδοκῶντες ἥξειν διακελευόμεθα πολεμεῖν.

[¶3] 59. For my part, I consider that the strongest and surest ally we can have is just dealing, for it is probable that the favor of the gods will be with those who deal justly—that is, if we may judge the future by the past; and in addition to this ally are good government and sober habits of life, and a willingness to battle to the death against the enemy, and the conviction that nothing is so much to be dreaded as the reproaches of our fellow-citizens—qualities which we possess in larger measure than any other people in existence.

> Greek: 59. ἐγὼ δὲ μεγίστην ἡγοῦμαι συμμαχίαν εἶναι καὶ βεβαιοτάτην τὸ τὰ δίκαια πράττειν (εἰκὸς γὰρ καὶ τὴν τῶν θεῶν εὔνοιαν γενέσθαι μετὰ τούτων, εἴπερ χρὴ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων τεκμαίρεσθαι τοῖς ἤδη γεγενημένοις), πρὸς δὲ ταύτῃ τὸ καλῶς πολιτεύεσθαι καὶ σωφρόνως ζῆν καὶ μέχρι θανάτου μάχεσθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐθέλειν καὶ μηδὲν οὕτω δεινὸν νομίζειν ὡς τὸ κακῶς ἀκούειν ὑπὸ τῶν πολιτῶν· ἃ μᾶλλον ἡμῖν ἢ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνθρώποις ὑπάρχει.

[¶4] 60. With these allies I would far rather go to war than with multitudes of soldiers, for I know that those of our people who first came to this country did not prevail over their adversaries through numbers, but through the virtues which I have just set forth. Therefore we ought not to stand in fear of our enemies because they are many, but should much rather take courage when we see that we ourselves have borne up under our misfortunes as no other people have ever done, and that we still remain faithful to the customs and ways of life which we established here in the very beginning, while the rest of the Hellenes are not able to stand even their good fortune, but have become completely demoralized, some of them seizing the cities of their allies, others opposing them in this; some disputing with their neighbors about territory, others, again, indulging their envy of one another rather than making war against us.

> Greek: 60. μεθʼ ὧν ἐγὼ πολὺ ἂν ἥδιον πολεμοίην ἢ μετὰ πολλῶν μυριάδων· οἶδα γὰρ καὶ τοὺς πρώτους ἡμῶν εἰς ταύτην τὴν χώραν ἀφικομένους οὐ τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἄλλων περιγενομένους, ἀλλὰ ταῖς ἀρεταῖς ταῖς ταῖς ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ προειρημέναις. ὥστʼ οὐκ ἄξιον διὰ τοῦτο φοβεῖσθαι τοὺς πολεμίους, ὅτι πολλοὶ τυγχάνουσιν ὄντες, ἀλλὰ πολὺ μᾶλλον ἐπʼ ἐκείνοις θαρρεῖν, ὅταν ὁρῶμεν ἡμᾶς μὲν αὐτοὺς οὕτως ἐνηνοχότας τὰς συμφορὰς ὡς οὐδένες ἄλλοι πώποτε, καὶ τοῖς τε νόμοις καὶ τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν ἐμμένοντας οἷς ἐξ ἀρχῆς κατεστησάμεθα, τοὺς δὲ μηδὲ τὰς εὐτυχίας φέρειν δυναμένους, ἀλλὰ διατεταραγμένους, καὶ τοὺς μὲν τὰς συμμαχίδας πόλεις καταλαμβάνοντας, τοὺς δὲ τἀναντία τούτοις πράττοντας, ἄλλους δὲ περὶ χώρας τοῖς ὁμόροις ἀμφισβητοῦντας, τοὺς δὲ μᾶλλον ἀλλήλοις φθονοῦντας ἢ πρὸς ἡμᾶς πολεμοῦντας.

[¶5] 61. Therefore I wonder at those who look for a stronger ally than is found in the blundering of our enemies.

> Greek: 61. ὥστε θαυμάζω τῶν μείζω συμμαχίαν ζητούντων, ὧν οἱ πολέμιοι τυγχάνουσιν ἐξαμαρτάνοντες.

[¶6] 62. But if I must also speak of aid from the outside, I think that many will be disposed to assist us. For I know, in the first place, that the Athenians, although they may not hold with us in everything, yet if our existence were at stake would go to any length to save us; in the second place, that some of the other states would consult our interest as if it were their very own;

> Greek: 62. εἰ δὲ δεῖ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν βοηθειῶν εἰπεῖν, ἡγοῦμαι πολλοὺς ἔσεσθαι τοὺς βουλομένους ἐπαμύνειν ἡμῖν. ἐπίσταμαι γὰρ πρῶτον μὲν Ἀθηναίους, εἰ καὶ μὴ πάντα μεθʼ ἡμῶν εἰσιν, ἀλλʼ ὑπέρ γε τῆς σωτηρίας τῆς ἡμετέρας ὁτιοῦν ἂν ποιήσοντας· ἔπειτα τῶν ἄλλων πόλεων ἔστιν ἃς ὁμοίως ἂν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἡμῖν συμφερόντων ὥσπερ τῶν αὑταῖς βουλευσομένας·

[¶7] 63. again, that the tyrant Dionysius, and the king of Egypt, and the various dynasts throughout Asia, each so far as he has the power, would willingly lend us aid; and, furthermore, that the Hellenes who rank first in wealth and stand foremost in reputation and who desire the best of governments, even though they have not yet allied themselves with us, are with us at least to the extent of wishing us well, and that upon them we have good reason to rest great hopes for the future.

> Greek: 63. ἔτι δὲ Διονύσιον τὸν τύραννον καὶ τὸν Αἰγυπτίων βασιλέα καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους τοὺς κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν δυνάστας, καθʼ ὅσον ἕκαστοι δύνανται, προθύμως ἂν ἡμῖν ἐπικουρήσοντας· πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων τοὺς ταῖς οὐσίαις προέχοντας καὶ ταῖς δόξαις πρωτεύοντας καὶ βελτίστων πραγμάτων ἐπιθυμοῦντας, εἰ καὶ μήπω συνεστήκασιν, ἀλλὰ ταῖς γʼ εὐνοίαις μεθʼ ἡμῶν ὄντας, ἐν οἷς περὶ τῶν μελλόντων εἰκότως ἂν μεγάλας ἐλπίδας ἔχοιμεν.

[¶8] 64. Also I think that not only the people of the Peloponnesus in general but even the adherents of democracy, whom we consider to be especially unfriendly to us, are already yearning for our protection. For by revolting from us they have gained nothing of what they anticipated; on the contrary, they have got just the opposite of freedom; for having slain the best of their citizens, they are now in the power of the worst; instead of securing self-government, they have been plunged into misgovernment of many terrible kinds;

> Greek: 64. οἶμαι δὲ καὶ τὸν ἄλλον ὄχλον τὸν ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ καὶ τὸν δῆμον, ὃν οἰόμεθα μάλιστα πολεμεῖν ἡμῖν, ποθεῖν ἤδη τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐπιμέλειαν. οὐδὲν γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἀποστᾶσι γέγονεν ὧν προσεδόκησαν, ἀλλʼ ἀντὶ μὲν τῆς ἐλευθερίας τοὐναντίον ἀποβέβηκεν (ἀπολέσαντες γὰρ αὑτῶν τοὺς βελτίστους ἐπὶ τοῖς χειρίστοις τῶν πολιτῶν γεγόνασιν), ἀντὶ δὲ τῆς αὐτονομίας εἰς πολλὰς καὶ δεινὰς ἀνομίας ἐμπεπτώκασιν, εἰθισμένοι δὲ τὸν ἄλλον χρόνον μεθʼ ἡμῶν ἐφʼ ἑτέρους ἰέναι, νῦν τοὺς ἄλλους ὁρῶσιν ἐφʼ αὑτοὺς στρατευομένους, καὶ τὰς στάσεις, ἃς ἐπυνθάνοντο πρότερον παρʼ ἑτέροις οὔσας, νῦν παρʼ αὑτοῖς ὀλίγου δεῖν καθʼ ἑκάστην τὴν ἡμέραν γιγνομένας, οὕτω δʼ ὡμαλισμένοι ταῖς συμφοραῖς εἰσιν, ὥστε μηδένα διαγνῶναι δύνασθαι τοὺς κάκιστα πράττοντας αὐτῶν·

[¶9] 65. accustomed as they have been in the past to march with us against others, they now behold the rest taking the field against themselves; and the war of factions, of whose existence in other territories they used to know only by report, they now see waged almost every day in their own states. They have been so levelled by their misfortunes that no man can discern who among them are the most wretched; for not one of their states is unscathed, not one but has neighbors ready to do it injury; in consequence, their fields have been laid waste, their cities sacked, their people driven from their homes, their constitutions overturned, and the laws abolished under which they were once the most fortunate among the Hellenes.

> Greek: 65. οὐδεμία γάρ ἐστι τῶν πόλεων ἀκέραιος, οὐδʼ ἥ τις οὐχ ὁμόρους ἔχει τοὺς κακῶς ποιήσοντας, ὥστε τετμῆσθαι μὲν τὰς χώρας, πεπορθῆσθαι δὲ τὰς πόλεις, ἀναστάτους δὲ γεγενῆσθαι τοὺς οἴκους τοὺς ἰδίους, ἀνεστράφθαι δὲ τὰς πολιτείας καὶ καταλελύσθαι τοὺς νόμους, μεθʼ ὧν οἰκοῦντες εὐδαιμονέστατοι τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἦσαν.

[¶10] 67. They feel such distrust and such hatred of one another that they fear their fellow-citizens more than the enemy; instead of preserving the spirit of accord and mutual helpfulness which they enjoyed under our rule, they have become so unsocial that those who own property had rather throw their possessions into the sea than lend aid to the needy, while those who are in poorer circumstances would less gladly find a treasure than seize the possessions of the rich;

> Greek: 67. οὕτω δʼ ἀπίστως τὰ πρὸς σφᾶς αὐτοὺς καὶ δυσμενῶς ἔχουσιν, ὥστε μᾶλλον τοὺς πολίτας ἢ τοὺς πολεμίους δεδίασιν· ἀντὶ δὲ τῆς ἐφʼ ἡμῶν ὁμονοίας καὶ τῆς παρʼ ἀλλήλων εὐπορίας εἰς τοσαύτην ἀμιξίαν ἐληλύθασιν, ὥσθʼ οἱ μὲν κεκτημένοι τὰς οὐσίας ἥδιον ἂν εἰς τὴν θάλατταν τὰ σφέτερʼ αὐτῶν ἐκβάλοιεν ἢ τοῖς δεομένοις ἐπαρκέσειαν, οἱ δὲ καταδεέστερον πράττοντες οὐδʼ ἂν εὑρεῖν δέξαιντο μᾶλλον ἢ τὰ τῶν ἐχόντων ἀφελέσθαι·

[¶11] 68. having ceased sacrificing victims at the altars they slaughter one another there instead; and more people are in exile now from a single city than before from the whole of the Peloponnesus. But although the miseries which I have recounted are so many, those which remain unmentioned far outnumber them; for all the distress and all the horror in the world have come together in this one region.

> Greek: 68. καταλύσαντες δὲ τὰς θυσίας ἐπὶ τῶν βωμῶν σφάττουσιν ἀλλήλους· πλείους δὲ φεύγουσι νῦν ἐκ μιᾶς πόλεως ἢ πρότερον ἐξ ἁπάσης τῆς Πελοποννήσου. καὶ τοσούτων ἀπηριθμημένων κακῶν, πολὺ πλείω τὰ παραλελειμμένα τῶν εἰρημένων ἐστίν· οὐδὲν γὰρ ὅ τι τῶν δεινῶν ἢ χαλεπῶν οὐκ ἐνταῦθα συνδεδράμηκεν.

[¶12] 69. With these miseries some states are already replete; others too will shortly have their fill, and then they will seek to find some relief for the troubles which now beset them. For do not imagine that they will continue to put up with these conditions; for how could men who grew weary even of prosperity endure for a long time the pressure of adversity? And so not only if we fight and conquer, but even if we keep quiet and bide our time, you will see them veer round and come to regard alliance with us as their only safety. Such, then, are the hopes which I entertain.

> Greek: 69. ὧν οἱ μὲν ἤδη μεστοὶ τυγχάνουσιν ὄντες, οἱ δὲ διὰ ταχέων ἐμπλησθήσονται, καὶ ζητήσουσί τινα τῶν παρόντων πραγμάτων εὑρεῖν ἀπαλλαγήν. μὴ γὰρ οἴεσθʼ αὐτοὺς μενεῖν ἐπὶ τούτοις· οἵτινες γὰρ εὖ πράττοντες ἀπεῖπον, πῶς ἂν οὗτοι κακοπαθοῦντες πολὺν χρόνον καρτερήσειαν; ὥστʼ οὐ μόνον ἢν μαχόμενοι νικήσωμεν, ἀλλʼ ἐὰν ἡσυχίαν ἔχοντες περιμείνωμεν, ὄψεσθʼ αὐτοὺς μεταβαλλομένους μένους καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν συμμαχίαν σωτηρίαν αὑτῶν εἶναι νομίζοντας. τὰς μὲν οὖν ἐλπίδας ἔχω τοιαύτας.

[¶13] 70. However, so far am I from complying with the enemy’s demands that, if none of these hopes should be realized and we should fail to obtain help from any quarter, but on the contrary some of the Hellenes should wrong us and the rest should look on with indifference—even so I should not alter my opinion; but I would undergo all the hazards which spring from war before I would agree to these terms. For I should be equally chagrined in either case—if we charged our forefathers with having deprived the Messenians of their land unjustly, or if, although insisting that they acquired it rightly and honorably, we made any concession regarding this territory contrary to our just rights.

> Greek: 70. τοσοῦτον δʼ ἀπέχω τοῦ ποιῆσαί τι τῶν προσταττομένων, ὥστʼ εἰ μηδὲν γίγνοιτο τούτων μηδὲ βοηθείας μηδαμόθεν τυγχάνοιμεν, ἀλλὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων οἱ μὲν ἀδικοῖεν ἡμᾶς οἱ δὲ περιορῷεν, οὐδʼ ἂν οὕτω μεταγνοίην, ἀλλὰ πάντας ἂν τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου κινδύνους ὑπομείναιμι πρὶν ποιήσασθαι τὰς ὁμολογίας ταύτας. αἰσχυνθείην γὰρ ἂν ὑπὲρ ἀμφοτέρων, εἴτε καταγνοίημεν τῶν προγόνων ὡς ἀδίκως Μεσσηνίους ἀφείλοντο τὴν χώραν, εἴτʼ ἐκείνων ὀρθῶς κτησαμένων καὶ προσηκόντως ἡμεῖς παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον συγχωρήσαιμέν τι περὶ αὐτῆς.

[¶14] 71. Nay, we must follow neither course, but must consider how we may carry on the war in a manner worthy of Spartans, and not prove those who are wont to eulogize our state to be liars, but so acquit ourselves that they shall seem to have told less than the truth about us.

> Greek: 71. τούτων μὲν οὖν οὐδέτερον ποιητέον, σκεπτέον δʼ ὅπως ἀξίως ἡμῶν αὐτῶν πολεμήσομεν, καὶ μὴ τοὺς εἰθισμένους ἐγκωμιάζειν τὴν πόλιν ἐλέγξομεν ψευδεῖς ὄντας, ἀλλὰ τοιούτους ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς παρασχήσομεν, ὥστε δοκεῖν ἐκείνους ἐλάττω τῶν ὑπαρχόντων εἰρηκέναι περὶ ἡμῶν.

[¶15] 72. Now I certainly believe that nothing worse will befall us in the future than what we endure at present, but that, on the contrary, our enemies will plan and act in such a way that they themselves will right our fortunes; but if we should after all be disappointed in our hopes, and should find ourselves hemmed in on every side and be no longer able to hold our city, then, hard as may be the step which I am about to propose, yet I shall not hesitate to proclaim it boldly; for that which I shall propose to you is a nobler course to be heralded abroad among the Hellenes, and more in keeping with our own pride, than that which is urged by some among you.

> Greek: 72. οἶμαι μὲν οὖν οὐδὲν συμβήσεσθαι δεινότερον τῶν νῦν παρόντων, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς τοιαῦτα βουλεύσεσθαι καὶ πράξειν, ἐξ ὧν ἐπανορθώσουσιν ἡμᾶς· ἂν δʼ ἄρα ψευσθῶμεν τῶν ἐλπίδων καὶ πανταχόθεν ἐξειργώμεθα καὶ μηδὲ τὴν πόλιν ἔτι δυνώμεθα διαφυλάττειν, χαλεπὰ μέν ἐστιν ἃ μέλλω λέγειν, ὅμως δʼ οὐκ ὀκνήσω παρρησιάσασθαι περὶ αὐτῶν. καὶ γὰρ ἐξαγγελθῆναι τοῖς Ἕλλησι καλλίω ταῦτʼ ἐστί, καὶ μᾶλλον ἁρμόττοντα τοῖς ἡμετέροις φρονήμασιν, ὧν ἔνιοί τινες ἡμῖν συμβουλεύουσιν.

[¶16] 73. For I declare that we must send our parents and our wives and children and the mass of the people away from Sparta, some to Sicily, some to Cyrene, others to the mainland of Asia, where the inhabitants will all gladly welcome them with gifts of ample lands and of the other means of livelihood as well, partly in gratitude for favors which they have received and partly in expectation of the return of favors which they first bestow. Those of us, on the other hand, who are willing and able to fight must remain behind, abandon the city and all our possessions except what we can carry with us, and having seized some stronghold which will be the most secure and the most advantageous for carrying on the war, harry and plunder our enemies both by land and by sea until they cease from laying claim to what is ours.

> Greek: 73. φημὶ γὰρ χρῆναι τοὺς μὲν γονέας τοὺς ἡμετέρους αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς παῖδας καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὸν ὄχλον τὸν ἄλλον ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἐκπέμψαι, τοὺς μὲν εἰς Σικελίαν, τοὺς δʼ εἰς Κυρήνην, τοὺς δʼ εἰς τὴν ἤπειρον (ἄσμενοι δʼ αὐτοὺς ἅπαντες οὗτοι δέξονται καὶ χώρᾳ πολλῇ καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις ταῖς περὶ τὸν βίον εὐπορίαις, οἱ μὲν χάριν ἀποδιδόντες ὧν εὖ πεπόνθασιν, οἱ δὲ κομιεῖσθαι προσδοκῶντες ὧν ἂν προϋπάρξωσιν), ὑπολειφθέντας δὲ τοὺς βουλομένους καὶ δυναμένους κινδυνεύειν τῆς μὲν πόλεως ἀφεῖσθαι καὶ τῶν ἄλλων κτημάτων, πλὴν ὅσα ἂν οἷοί τʼ ὦμεν ἀπενέγκασθαι μεθʼ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν, καταλαβόντας δὲ χωρίον, ὅ τι ἂν ἐχυρώτατον ᾖ καὶ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον συμφορώτατον, ἄγειν καὶ φέρειν τοὺς πολεμίους καὶ κατὰ γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλατταν, ἕως ἂν παύσωνται τῶν ἡμετέρων ἀμφισβητοῦντες.

[¶17] 75. If we have the courage for such a course and never falter in it, you will see those who now issue commands imploring and beseeching us to take back Messene and make peace. For what state in the Peloponnesus could withstand a war such as would in all likelihood be waged if we so willed? What people would not be stricken with dismay and terror at the assembling of an army which had carried out such measures, which had been roused to just wrath against those who had driven it to these extremes, and which had been rendered desperate and reckless of life— an army which, in its freedom from ordinary cares and in having no other duty but that of war, would resemble a mercenary force, but in point of native valor and of disciplined habits would be like no army that could be levied in all the world—an army, moreover, which would have no fixed government, but would be able to bivouac in the open fields and to range the country at will, readily making itself neighbor to any people at its pleasure, and regarding every place which offered advantages for waging war as its fatherland?

> Greek: 75. καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐὰν τολμήσωμεν καὶ μὴ κατοκνήσωμεν, ὄψεσθε τοὺς νῦν ἐπιτάττοντας ἱκετεύοντας καὶ δεομένους ἡμῶν Μεσσήνην ἀπολαβεῖν καὶ ποιήσασθαι τὴν εἰρήνην. ποία γὰρ ἂν τῶν πόλεων τῶν ἐν Πελοποννήσῳ τοιοῦτον πόλεμον ὑπομείνειεν, οἷον εἰκὸς γενέσθαι βουληθέντων ἡμῶν; τίνες δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐκπλαγεῖεν καὶ δείσαιεν στρατόπεδον συνιστάμενον τοιαῦτα μὲν διαπεπραγμένον, δικαίως δὲ τοῖς αἰτίοις τούτων ὠργισμένον, ἀπονενοημένως δὲ πρὸς τὸ ζῆν διακείμενον, καὶ τῷ μὲν σχολὴν ἄγειν καὶ μηδὲ περὶ ἓν ἄλλο διατρίβειν ἢ περὶ τὸν πόλεμον τοῖς ξενικοῖς στρατεύμασιν ὡμοιωμένον, ταῖς δʼ ἀρεταῖς καὶ τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασι τοιοῦτον οἷον ἐξ ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων οὐδεὶς ἂν συντάξειεν, ἔτι δὲ μηδεμιᾷ πολιτείᾳ τεταγμένῃ χρώμενον, ἀλλὰ θυραυλεῖν καὶ πλανᾶσθαι κατὰ τὴν χώραν δυνάμενον καὶ ῥᾳδίως μὲν ὅμορον οἷς ἂν βούληται γιγνόμενον, τοὺς δὲ τόπους ἅπαντας τοὺς πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον συμφέροντας πατρίδας εἶναι νομίζον;

[¶18] 77. For my part, I believe that if this proposal were merely put in words and scattered broadcast among the Hellenes, our enemies would be thrown into utter confusion; and still more would this be so if we were put to the necessity of carrying it into effect. For what must we suppose their feelings will be when they themselves suffer injury, but are powerless to inflict injury upon us;

> Greek: 77. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οἶμαι τῶν λόγων μόνον ῥηθέντων τούτων καὶ διασπαρέντων εἰς τοὺς Ἕλληνας εἰς πολλὴν ταραχὴν καταστήσεσθαι τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡμῶν, ἔτι δὲ μᾶλλον, ἢν καὶ τέλος ἐπιθεῖναι τούτοις ἀναγκασθῶμεν. τίνα γὰρ οἰηθῶμεν αὐτοὺς γνώμην ἕξειν, ὅταν αὐτοὶ μὲν κακῶς πάσχωσιν, ἡμᾶς δὲ μηδὲν δύνωνται ποιεῖν;

[¶19] 78. when they see their own cities reduced to a state of siege, while we shall have taken such measures that our own city cannot henceforth experience a like calamity; and when, furthermore, they perceive that it is easy for us to procure food both from our existing stores and from the spoils of war, but difficult for them, inasmuch as it is one thing to provide for an army such as ours and another to feed the crowds in cities?

> Greek: 78. καὶ τὰς μὲν αὑτῶν πόλεις ἴδωσιν εἰς πολιορκίαν καθεστηκυίας, τὴν δʼ ἡμετέραν οὕτω διεσκευασμένην ὥστε μηκέτι τῇ συμφορᾷ ταύτῃ περιπεσεῖν; ἔτι δὲ τὴν τῶν σωμάτων τροφὴν ἡμῖν μὲν ῥᾳδίαν οὖσαν ἔκ τε τῶν ὑπαρχόντων καὶ τῶν ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου γιγνομένων, αὑτοῖς δὲ χαλεπὴν διὰ τὸ μὴ ταὐτὸν εἶναι στρατόπεδόν τε τοιοῦτον διοικεῖν καὶ τοὺς ὄχλους τοὺς ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι διατρέφειν;

[¶20] 79. But bitterest of all will it be for them when they learn that the members of our households have all along been living in comfort and plenty, whereas they will see their own people destitute every day of the necessities of life, and will not be able even to alleviate their distress, but if they till the soil, they will lose both crop and seed, and if they allow it to lie unworked, they will be unable to hold out any time at all.

> Greek: 79. ὃ δὲ πάντων ἄλγιστον ἐκείνοις, ὅταν τοὺς μὲν ἡμετέρους οἰκείους ἐν πολλαῖς εὐπορίαις πυνθάνωνται γεγενημένους, τοὺς δʼ αὑτῶν ὁρῶσιν καθʼ ἑκάστην τὴν ἡμέραν τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐνδεεῖς ὄντας, καὶ μηδʼ ἐπικουρῆσαι δύνωνται τοῖς κακοῖς τούτοις, ἀλλʼ ἐργαζόμενοι μὲν τὴν χώραν τὰ σπέρματα προσαπολλύωσιν, ἀργὸν δὲ περιορῶντες μηδένα χρόνον ἀνταρκεῖν οἷοί τʼ ὦσιν.

[¶21] 80. But perhaps, you will object, they will join forces and with their united armies will follow us up and prevent us from doing them harm. Yet what better thing could we wish than to find close at hand, drawn up in line of battle and encamped against us face to face on the same difficult ground, an undisciplined and motley rabble, serving under many leaders? For there would be need of no great effort on our part; no, we should quickly force them to give battle, choosing the moment propitious for ourselves and not for them.

> Greek: 80. ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἴσως ἀθροισθέντες καὶ κοινὸν ποιησάμενοι στρατόπεδον παρακολουθήσουσι, καὶ κωλύσουσιν ἡμᾶς κακῶς ποιεῖν αὐτούς. καὶ τί ἂν εὐξαίμεθα μᾶλλον ἢ λαβεῖν πλησιάζοντας καὶ παρατεταγμένους καὶ περὶ τὰς αὐτὰς δυσχωρίας ἡμῖν ἀντιστρατοπεδεύοντας ἀνθρώπους ἀτάκτους καὶ μιγάδας καὶ πολλοῖς ἄρχουσι χρωμένους; οὐδὲν γὰρ ἂν πολλῆς πραγματείας δεήσειεν, ἀλλὰ ταχέως ἂν αὐτοὺς ἐξαναγκάσαιμεν ἐν τοῖς ἡμετέροις καιροῖς ἀλλὰ μὴ τοῖς αὑτῶν ποιήσασθαι τοὺς κινδύνους.

[¶22] 81. But the remainder of the day would fail me if I undertook to set forth the advantages we should gain by such a course. This much, at any rate, is clear to all—that we have been superior to all the Hellenes, not because of the size of our city or the number of its inhabitants, but because the government which we have established is like a military camp, well administered and rendering willing obedience to its officers. If, then, we shall create in reality that which it has profited us to imitate, there can be no doubt that we shall easily overcome our foes.

> Greek: 81. ἐπιλίποι δʼ ἂν τὸ λοιπὸν μέρος τῆς ἡμέρας, εἰ τὰς πλεονεξίας τὰς ἐσομένας λέγειν ἐπιχειρήσαιμεν. ἐκεῖνο δʼ οὖν πᾶσι φανερόν, ὅτι τῶν Ἑλλήνων διενηνόχαμεν οὐ τῷ μεγέθει τῆς πόλεως οὐδὲ τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τὴν πολιτείαν ὁμοίαν κατεστησάμεθα στρατοπέδῳ καλῶς διοικουμένῳ καὶ πειθαρχεῖν ἐθέλοντι τοῖς ἄρχουσιν. ἢν οὖν εἰλικρινὲς τοῦτο ποιήσωμεν, ὃ μιμησαμένοις ἡμῖν συνήνεγκεν, οὐκ ἄδηλον ὅτι ῥᾳδίως τῶν πολεμίων ἐπικρατήσομεν.

[¶23] 82. We know, moreover, that those who became the founders of this city entered the Peloponnesus with but a small army and yet made themselves masters of many powerful states. It were fitting, then, to imitate our forefathers and, by retracing our steps, now that we have stumbled in our course, try to win back the honors and the dominions which were formerly ours.

> Greek: 82. ἴσμεν δὲ καὶ τοὺς οἰκιστὰς ταυτησὶ τῆς πόλεως γενομένους, ὅτι μικρὸν μὲν στρατόπεδον εἰς τὴν Πελοπόννησον εἰσῆλθον ἔχοντες, πολλῶν δὲ καὶ μεγάλων πόλεων ἐκράτησαν. καλὸν οὖν μιμήσασθαι τοὺς προγόνους, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπανελθόντας, ἐπειδὴ προσεπταίκαμεν, πειραθῆναι τὰς τιμὰς καὶ τὰς δυναστείας ἀναλαβεῖν, ἃς πρότερον ἐτυγχάνομεν ἔχοντες.

[¶24] 83. But, monstrous above all things would be our conduct if, knowing well that the Athenians abandoned their country to preserve the freedom of the Hellenes, we should lack the courage to give up our city even to preserve our own lives, and should refuse, when it behoves us to set the example for others in such deeds, even to imitate the conduct of the Athenians.

> Greek: 83. πάντων δʼ ἂν δεινότατον ποιήσαιμεν, εἰ συνειδότες Ἀθηναίοις ἐκλιποῦσι τὴν αὑτῶν χώραν ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐλευθερίας, ἡμεῖς μηδʼ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡμετέρας αὐτῶν σωτηρίας ἀφέσθαι τῆς πόλεως τολμήσαιμεν, ἀλλὰ δέον ἡμᾶς παράδειγμα τῶν τοιούτων ἔργων τοῖς ἄλλοις παρέχειν, μηδὲ μιμήσασθαι τὰς ἐκείνων πράξεις ἐθελήσαιμεν.

[¶25] 84. Even more should we deserve the ridicule of men if, having before us the example of the Phocaeans who, to escape the tyranny of the Great King, left Asia and founded a new settlement at Massilia, we should sink into such abjectness of spirit as to submit to the dictates of those whose masters we have always been throughout our history.

> Greek: 84. ἔτι δὲ τούτου καταγελαστότερον, εἰ Φωκαεῖς μὲν φεύγοντες τὴν βασιλέως τοῦ μεγάλου δεσποτείαν, ἐκλιπόντες τὴν Ἀσίαν εἰς Μασσαλίαν ἀπῴκησαν, ἡμεῖς δʼ εἰς τοσοῦτον μικροψυχίας ἔλθοιμεν ὥστε τὰ προστάγματα τούτων ὑπομεῖναι, ὧν ἄρχοντες ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον διετελέσαμεν.

[¶26] 85. But we must not let our minds dwell on the day when we shall have to send away from us those who are nearest and dearest to us; no, we must at once begin to look forward to that good time when, victorious over our foes, we shall restore our city, bring back our own people, and prove to the world that while we now have experienced reverses unjustly, in times past we justly claimed precedence over all others.

> Greek: 85. χρὴ δὲ μὴ περὶ τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην ταῖς ψυχαῖς διατρίβειν, ἐν ᾗ δεήσει χωρίζειν τοὺς οἰκειοτάτους ἀφʼ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν, ἀλλʼ ἐπʼ ἐκείνους τοὺς χρόνους ἀφορᾶν, ἐν οἷς περιγενόμενοι τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἀνορθώσομεν μὲν τὴν πόλιν, κομιούμεθα δὲ τοὺς ἡμετέρους αὐτῶν, ἐπιδειξόμεθα δὲ πᾶσιν ὅτι νῦν μὲν ἀδίκως δεδυστυχήκαμεν, τὸν δὲ παρελθόντα χρόνον δικαίως τῶν ἄλλων πλέον ἔχειν ἠξιοῦμεν.

[¶27] 86. This, then, is how matters stand: I have made this proposal, not with the thought that we must put it into effect forthwith, nor that there is in our circumstances no other means of deliverance, but because I wish to urge your minds to the conviction that we must endure, not only these, but even much worse misfortunes before conceding such terms regarding Messene as are being urged upon us.

> Greek: 86. ἔχει δʼ οὕτως· ἐγὼ τούτους εἴρηκα τοὺς λόγους, οὐχ ὡς δέον ἡμᾶς ἤδη ταῦτα πράττειν, οὐδʼ ὡς οὐδεμιᾶς ἄλλης ἐνούσης ἐν τοῖς πράγμασι σωτηρίας, ἀλλὰ βουλόμενος ὑμῶν προτρέψασθαι τὰς γνώμας, ὡς καὶ ταύτας τὰς συμφορὰς καὶ πολὺ δεινοτέρας τούτων ὑπομενετέον ἡμῖν, πρὶν ὑπὲρ Μεσσήνης ποιήσασθαι συνθήκας οἵας κελεύουσιν ἡμᾶς.

[¶28] 87. I should not so earnestly exhort you to carry on the war if I did not see that the peace resulting from my proposals will be honorable and enduring, while that which would result from the counsel of certain men among you will not only be disgraceful, but will last no time at all. For if we permit the Helots to settle on our borders and allow Messene to flourish undisturbed, who does not know that we shall be involved in constant turmoils and dangers all our lives? Therefore, those who talk about “security” are blind to the fact that they are providing us with peace for a few days only, while contriving a state of war which will never end.

> Greek: 87. οὐχ οὕτω δʼ ἂν προθύμως ἐπὶ τὸν πόλεμον ὑμᾶς παρεκάλουν, εἰ μὴ τὴν εἰρήνην ἑώρων ἐξ ὧν μὲν ἐγὼ λέγω καλὴν καὶ βεβαίαν γενησομένην, ἐξ ὧν δʼ ἔνιοί τινες συμβουλεύουσιν, οὐ μόνον αἰσχρὰν ἐσομένην, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ χρόνον οὐδένα παραμενοῦσαν. ἢν γὰρ παρακατοικισώμεθα τοὺς Εἵλωτας καὶ τὴν πόλιν ταύτην περιίδωμεν αὐξηθεῖσαν, τίς οὐκ οἶδεν ὅτι πάντα τὸν βίον ἐν ταραχαῖς καὶ κινδύνοις διατελοῦμεν ὄντες; ὥσθʼ οἱ περὶ ἀσφαλείας διαλεγόμενοι λελήθασιν αὑτοὺς τὴν μὲν εἰρήνην ὀλίγας ἡμέρας ἡμῖν ποιοῦντες, τὸν δὲ πόλεμον εἰς ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον κατασκευάζοντες.

[¶29] 88. I should like to ask these men in what cause they think we ought to fight and die. Is it not cause enough when the enemy make demands that are contrary to justice, when they cut off a portion of our territory, when they free our slaves and settle them in the land which our fathers bequeathed to us, yes, and not only rob us of our possessions but in addition to all our other miseries involve us in disgrace?

> Greek: 88. ἡδέως δʼ ἂν αὐτῶν πυθοίμην, ὑπὲρ τίνων οἴονται χρῆναι μαχομένους ἡμᾶς ἀποθνήσκειν· οὐχ ὅταν οἱ πολέμιοι προστάττωσί τι παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τῆς χώρας ἀποτέμνωνται καὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας ἐλευθερῶσι; καὶ τούτους μὲν κατοικίζωσιν εἰς ταύτην ἣν ἡμῖν οἱ πατέρες κατέλιπον, ἡμᾶς δὲ μὴ μόνον τῶν ὄντων ἀποστερῶσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις κακοῖς εἰς ὀνείδη καθιστῶσιν;

[¶30] 89. For my part, I think that in such a cause as this we ought to endure, not only war, but even exile and death; for it is far better to end our lives in the possession of the high reputation which we now enjoy than to go on living with the infamy which we shall bring upon ourselves if we do what we are commanded to do. In a word, if I may speak without reserve, it is preferable for us to suffer annihilation, rather than derision, at the hands of our foes. For men who have lived in such high repute and in such pride of spirit must do one of two things—either be first among the Hellenes, or perish utterly, having done no ignominious deed but having brought their lives to an honorable close.

> Greek: 89. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τούτων οὐ μόνον πόλεμον ἀλλὰ καὶ φυγὰς καὶ θανάτους οἴομαι προσήκειν ἡμῖν ὑπομένειν· πολὺ γὰρ κρεῖττον ἐν ταῖς δόξαις αἷς ἔχομεν τελευτῆσαι τὸν βίον μᾶλλον ἢ ζῆν ἐν ταῖς ἀτιμίαις, ἃς ληψόμεθα ποιήσαντες ἃ προστάττουσιν ἡμῖν. εἰ δὲ δεῖ μηδὲν ὑποστειλάμενον εἰπεῖν, αἱρετώτερον ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἀναστάτοις γενέσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ καταγελάστοις ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν. τοὺς γὰρ ἐν ἀξιώμασι καὶ φρονήμασι τηλικούτοις βεβιωκότας δυοῖν δεῖ θάτερον, ἢ πρωτεύειν ἐν τοῖς Ἕλλησιν, ἢ παντάπασιν ἀνῃρῆσθαι, μηδὲν ταπεινὸν διαπραξαμένους ἀλλὰ καλὴν τὴν τελευτὴν τοῦ βίου ποιησαμένους.

[¶31] 90. Reflecting upon these things, we must not be faint of heart, nor follow the judgements of our allies, whom in former times we claimed the right to lead, but, having duly weighed the matter for ourselves, we should choose, not what is easiest for them, but what will be in keeping with Lacedaemon and with our achievements in the past. For not every people can adopt the same measures in the same situation, but each must follow the principles which from the very first they have made the foundation of their lives.

> Greek: 90. ἃ χρὴ διαλογισαμένους μὴ φιλοψυχεῖν, μηδʼ ἐπακολουθεῖν ταῖς τῶν συμμάχων γνώμαις, ὧν ἡγεῖσθαι πρότερον ἠξιοῦμεν, ἀλλʼ αὐτοὺς σκεψαμένους ἑλέσθαι μὴ τὸ τούτοις ῥᾷστον, ἀλλʼ ὃ πρέπον ἔσται τῇ Λακεδαίμονι καὶ τοῖς πεπραγμένοις ἡμῖν. περὶ γὰρ τῶν αὐτῶν οὐχ ὁμοίως ἅπασι βουλευτέον, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἂν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἕκαστοι τοῦ βίου ποιήσωνται τὴν ὑπόθεσιν.

[¶32] 91. No one, for example, would reproach Epidaurians or Corinthians or Phliasians if they thought of nothing else than to escape destruction and save their own lives; we men of Lacedaemon, however, cannot seek our deliverance at all costs, but if to “safety” we cannot add “with honor,” then for us death with good repute is preferable; for those who lay claim to valor must make it the supreme object of their lives never to be found doing a shameful thing.

> Greek: 91. Ἐπιδαυρίοις μὲν γὰρ καὶ Κορινθίοις καὶ Φλιασίοις οὐδεὶς ἂν ἐπιπλήξειεν, εἰ μηδενὸς ἄλλου φροντίζοιεν ἢ τοῦ διαγενέσθαι καὶ περιποιῆσαι σφᾶς αὐτούς· Λακεδαιμονίους δʼ οὐχ οἷόν τʼ ἐστὶν ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου ζητεῖν τὴν σωτηρίαν, ἀλλʼ ἂν μὴ προσῇ τὸ καλῶς τῷ σώζεσθαι, τὸν θάνατον ἡμῖν μετʼ εὐδοξίας αἱρετέον ἐστί. τοῖς γὰρ ἀρετῆς ἀμφισβητοῦσιν ὑπὲρ οὐδενὸς οὕτω σπουδαστέον, ὡς ὑπὲρ τοῦ μηδὲν αἰσχρὸν φανῆναι πράττοντας.

[¶33] 92. But the cowardice of states is made manifest in deliberations like these no less than in the perils of war; for the greatest part of what takes place on the battle-field is due to fortune, but what is resolved upon here is a token of our very spirit. Wherefore we should strive for success in the measures to be adopted here with an emulation no less keen than we show in the lists of war.

> Greek: 92. εἰσὶ δʼ αἱ τῶν πόλεων κακίαι καταφανεῖς οὐχ ἧττον ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις βουλεύμασιν ἢ τοῖς ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ κινδύνοις. τῶν μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖ γιγνομένων τὸ πλεῖστον μέρος τῇ τύχῃ μέτεστι, τὸ δʼ ἐνθάδε γνωσθὲν αὐτῆς τῆς διανοίας σημεῖόν ἐστιν. ὥσθʼ ὁμοίως ἡμῖν φιλονικητέον ἐστὶν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐνθάδε ψηφισθησομένων, ὥσπερ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις ἀγώνων.

[¶34] 93. I marvel at those who are willing to die for their personal glory, but have not the same feeling for the glory of the state, for which we may well suffer anything whatsoever to avoid bringing shame upon our city, nor should we permit it to abandon the post in which it was established by our forefathers. It is true that many difficulties and dangers beset us;

> Greek: 93. θαυμάζω δὲ τῶν ὑπὲρ μὲν τῆς ἰδίας δόξης ἀποθνήσκειν ἐθελόντων, ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς κοινῆς μὴ τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἐχόντων· ὑπὲρ ἧς ὁτιοῦν πάσχειν ἄξιον, ὥστε μὴ καταισχῦναι τὴν πόλιν, μηδὲ περιιδεῖν τὴν τάξιν λιποῦσαν, εἰς ἣν οἱ πατέρες κατέστησαν αὐτήν. πολλῶν δὲ πραγμάτων ἡμῖν καὶ δεινῶν ἐφεστώτων, ἃ δεῖ διαφυγεῖν, ἐκεῖνο μάλιστα φυλακτέον, ὅπως μηδὲν ἀνάνδρως φανησόμεθα διαπραττόμενοι μηδὲ συγχωροῦντες τοῖς πολεμίοις παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον.

[¶35] 94. these we must avoid, but first and foremost we should be careful that we are never found doing any cowardly deed or making any unjust concessions to the foe; for it would be shameful if we, who once were thought worthy to rule the Hellenes, should be seen carrying out their commands, and should fall so far below our forefathers that, while they were willing to die in order that they might dictate to others, we would not dare to hazard a battle in order that we might prevent others from dictating to us.

> Greek: 94. αἰσχρὸν γὰρ τοὺς ἄρξαι τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἀξιωθέντας ὀφθῆναι τὸ προσταττόμενον ποιοῦντας, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἀπολειφθῆναι τῶν προγόνων, ὥστε τοὺς μὲν ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπιτάττειν ἐθέλειν ἀποθνήσκειν, ἡμᾶς δʼ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ ποιεῖν τὸ κελευόμενον μὴ τολμᾶν διακινδυνεύειν.

[¶36] 95. We may well be ashamed when we think of the Olympian and the other national assemblies, where every one of us used to be more envied and more admired than the athletes who carry off victories in the games. But who would dare attend them now, when instead of being honored he would be scorned, when instead of being sought out by all because of his valor, he would be conspicuous among all for his cowardice, and when, more than all this, he would see our slaves bringing from the land which our fathers bequeathed to us first-fruits of the harvest and sacrifices greater than our own, and would hear from their lips such taunts as you would expect from men who once were subjected to the strictest bondage but now have made a treaty with their masters on terms of equality?

> Greek: 95. ἄξιον δὲ καὶ τὴν Ὀλυμπιάδα καὶ τὰς ἄλλας αἰσχυνθῆναι πανηγύρεις, ἐν αἷς ἕκαστος ἡμῶν ζηλωτότερος ἦν καὶ θαυμαστότερος τῶν ἀθλητῶν τῶν ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι τὰς νίκας ἀναιρουμένων. εἰς ἃς τίς ἂν ἐλθεῖν τολμήσειεν, ἀντὶ μὲν τοῦ τιμᾶσθαι καταφρονηθησόμενος, ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ περίστατος ὑπὸ πάντων διʼ ἀρετὴν εἶναι περίβλεπτος ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπὶ κακία γενησόμενος, ἔτι δὲ πρὸς τούτοις ὀψόμενος μὲν τοὺς οἰκέτας ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας ἧς οἱ πατέρες ἡμῖν κατέλιπον ἀπαρχὰς καὶ θυσίας μείζους ἡμῶν ποιουμένους, ἀκουσόμενος δʼ αὐτῶν τοιαύταις βλασφημίαις χρωμένων, οἵαις περ εἰκὸς τοὺς χαλεπώτερον μὲν τῶν ἄλλων δεδουλευκότας, ἐξ ἴσου δὲ νῦν τὰς συνθήκας τοῖς δεσπόταις πεποιημένους·

[¶37] 96. How keenly every one of us would smart under these insults no man alive could set forth in words.

> Greek: 96. ἐφʼ αἷς ἕκαστος ἡμῶν οὕτως ἂν ἀλγήσειεν, ὡς οὐδεὶς ἂν τῶν ζώντων διὰ λόγου δηλώσειεν.

[¶38] 97. These are the things about which we must take counsel, and we must not wait to indulge our resentment until that will no longer avail us, but must consider now how we may prevent such a disaster. For it is disgraceful that we, who in former times would not allow even free men the right of equal speech, are now openly tolerating licence of speech on the part of slaves.

> Greek: 97. ὑπὲρ ὧν χρὴ βουλεύεσθαι, καὶ μὴ τότʼ ἀγανακτεῖν ὅτʼ οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἔσται πλέον, ἀλλὰ νῦν σκοπεῖν ὅπως μηδὲν συμβήσεται τοιοῦτον. ὡς ἔστιν ἓν τῶν αἰσχρῶν πρότερον μὲν μηδὲ τὰς τῶν ἐλευθέρων ἰσηγορίας ἀνέχεσθαι, νῦν δὲ καὶ τὴν τῶν δούλων παρρησίαν ὑπομένοντας φαίνεσθαι.

[¶39] 98. For thus we shall give ground for the suspicion that in time past we have been nothing at all but idle boasters, that by nature we are no different from the rest of mankind, and that the sternness and dignity of manner which we cultivate is not natural, but a mere pose. Let us, therefore, give no such occasion to those who are wont to speak ill of us, but let us endeavor to confute their words by patterning our actions after those of our forefathers.

> Greek: 98. δόξομεν γὰρ τὸν παρελθόντα χρόνον ἀλαζονεύεσθαι, καὶ τὴν μὲν φύσιν ὅμοιοι τοῖς ἄλλοις εἶναι, ταῖς δʼ αὐθαδείαις καὶ ταῖς σεμνότησιν οὐκ ἀληθιναῖς ἀλλὰ πεπλασμέναις κεχρῆσθαι. μηδὲν οὖν ἐνδῶμεν τοιοῦτον τοῖς εἰθισμένοις ἡμᾶς κακολογεῖν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς λόγους αὐτῶν ἐξελέγξαι πειραθῶμεν, ὅμοιοι γενόμενοι τοῖς τῶν προγόνων ἔργοις.

[¶40] 99. Remember the men who at Dipaea fought against the Arcadians, of whom we are told that, albeit they stood arrayed with but a single line of soldiery, they raised a trophy over thousands upon thousands; remember the three hundred who at Thyrea defeated the whole Argive force in battle; remember the thousand who went to meet the foe at Thermopylae, who, although they engaged seven hundred thousand of the barbarians, did not flee nor suffer defeat, but laid down their lives on the spot where they were stationed, acquitting themselves so nobly that even those who eulogize them with all the resources of art can find no praises equal to their valor.

> Greek: 99. ἀναμνήσθητε δὲ τῶν ἐν Διπαίᾳ πρὸς Ἀρκάδας ἀγωνισαμένων, οὕς φασιν ἐπὶ μιᾶς ἀσπίδος παραταξαμένους τρόπαιον στῆσαι πολλῶν μυριάδων, καὶ τῶν τριακοσίων τῶν ἐν Θυρέαις ἅπαντας Ἀργείους μάχῃ νικησάντων, καὶ τῶν χιλίων τῶν εἰς Θερμοπύλας ἀπαντησάντων, οἳ πρὸς ἑβδομήκοντα μυριάδας τῶν βαρβάρων συμβαλόντες οὐκ ἔφυγον οὐδʼ ἡττήθησαν, ἀλλʼ ἐνταῦθα τὸν βίον ἐτελεύτησαν οὗ περ ἐτάχθησαν, τοιούτους αὑτοὺς παρασχόντες ὥστε τοὺς μετὰ τέχνης ἐγκωμιάζοντας μὴ δύνασθαι τοὺς ἐπαίνους ἐξισῶσαι ταῖς ἐκείνων ἀρεταῖς.

[¶41] 101. Let us, then, remembering all these things, take up the war with greater vigor, and let us not delay in the expectation that others will remedy our present misfortunes, but since these have occurred in our own time, let us ourselves endeavor also to end them. It is just in such emergencies as these that men of worth must show their superiority;

> Greek: 101. ἁπάντων οὖν τούτων ἀναμνησθέντες ἐρρωμενέστερον ἀντιλαβώμεθα τοῦ πολέμου, καὶ μὴ περιμένωμεν ὡς ἄλλων τινῶν τὰς παρούσας ἀτυχίας ἰασομένων, ἀλλʼ ἐπειδή περ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν γεγόνασιν, ἡμεῖς αὐτὰς καὶ διαλῦσαι πειραθῶμεν. χρὴ δὲ τοὺς ἄνδρας τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις καιροῖς φαίνεσθαι διαφέροντας·

[¶42] 102. for prosperity helps to hide the baseness even of inferior men, but adversity speedily reveals every man as he really is; and in adversity we of Sparta must show whether we have been in any wise better nurtured and trained to valor than the rest of mankind.

> Greek: 102. αἱ μὲν γὰρ εὐτυχίαι καὶ τοῖς φαύλοις τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰς κακίας συγκρύπτουσιν, αἱ δὲ δυσπραξίαι ταχέως καταφανεῖς ποιοῦσιν, ὁποῖοί τινες ἕκαστοι τυγχάνουσιν ὄντες· ἐν αἷς ἡμῖν ἐπιδεικτέον ἐστίν, εἴ τι τῶν ἄλλων ἄμεινον τεθράμμεθα καὶ πεπαιδεύμεθα πρὸς ἀρετήν.

[¶43] 103. But indeed we are in no wise without hope that out of our present misfortunes may come a happy issue. For you are, I am sure, not unaware that ere now many events have occurred of such a nature that, at first, all regarded them as calamities and sympathized with those on whom they had fallen, while later everyone came to see that these same reverses had brought about the greatest blessings.

> Greek: 103. ἔστι δʼ οὐδὲν ἀνέλπιστον ἐκ τῶν νῦν παρόντων συμβῆναί τι τῶν δεόντων ἡμῖν. οἶμαι γὰρ ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἀγνοεῖν ὅτι πολλαὶ πράξεις ἤδη τοιαῦται γεγόνασιν, ἃς ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν ἅπαντες ὑπέλαβον εἶναι συμφοράς, καὶ τοῖς παθοῦσι συνηχθέσθησαν, ὕστερον δὲ τὰς αὐτὰς ταύτας ἔγνωσαν μεγίστων ἀγαθῶν αἰτίας γεγενημένας.

[¶44] 104. But why need I mention remote instances? Even now we should find that those states which are foremost—Athens and Thebes, I mean—have not derived their great progress from peace, but that, on the contrary, it was in consequence of their recovery from previous reverses in war that one of them was made leader of the Hellenes, while the other has at the present time become a greater state than anyone ever expected she would be. Indeed, honors and distinctions are wont to be gained, not by repose, but by struggle, and these we should strive to win, sparing neither our bodies nor our lives nor anything else which we possess.

> Greek: 104. καὶ τί δεῖ τὰ πόρρω λέγειν; ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν τὰς πόλεις τάς γε πρωτευούσας, λέγω δὲ τὴν Ἀθηναίων καὶ Θηβαίων, εὕροιμεν ἂν οὐκ ἐκ τῆς εἰρήνης μεγάλην ἐπίδοσιν λαβούσας, ἀλλʼ ἐξ ὧν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ προδυστυχήσασαι πάλιν αὑτὰς ἀνέλαβον, ἐκ δὲ τούτων τὴν μὲν ἡγεμόνα τῶν Ἑλλήνων καταστᾶσαν, τὴν δʼ ἐν τῷ παρόντι τηλικαύτην γεγενημένην ὅσην οὐδεὶς πώποτʼ ἔσεσθαι προσεδόκησεν· αἱ γὰρ ἐπιφάνειαι καὶ λαμπρότητες οὐκ ἐκ τῆς ἡσυχίας ἀλλʼ ἐκ τῶν ἀγώνων γίγνεσθαι φιλοῦσιν.

[¶45] 105. For if we succeed, and are able to raise our city again to the eminence from which she has fallen, we shall be more admired than our ancestors, and shall not only leave to our descendants no opportunity to surpass our valor, but shall make those who wish to sing our praise despair of saying anything equal to our achievements.

> Greek: 105. ὧν ἡμᾶς ὀρέγεσθαι προσήκει, μήτε τῶν σωμάτων μήτε τῆς ψυχῆς μήτε τῶν ἄλλων ὧν ἔχομεν μηδενὸς φειδομένους. ἢν γὰρ κατορθώσωμεν καὶ τὴν πόλιν εἰς ταὐτὸ καταστῆσαι δυνηθῶμεν, ἐξ ὧνπερ ἐκπέπτωκε, καὶ τῶν προγεγενημένων μᾶλλον θαυμασθησόμεθα, καὶ τοῖς ἐπιγιγνομένοις οὐδεμίαν ὑπερβολὴν ἀνδραγαθίας καταλείψομεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς βουλομένους εὐλογεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀπορεῖν ποιήσομεν, ὅ τι τῶν πεπραγμένων ἡμῖν ἄξιον ἐροῦσιν.

[¶46] 106. Nor must you forget that the attention of the whole world is fixed upon this assembly and on the decision which you shall reach here. Let each one of you, therefore, govern his thoughts as one who is giving an account of his own character in a public theater, as it were, before the assembled Hellenes.

> Greek: 106. δεῖ δὲ μηδὲ τοῦτο λανθάνειν ὑμᾶς, ὅτι πάντες τῷ συλλόγῳ τούτῳ καὶ τοῖς γνωσθησομένοις ὑφʼ ἡμῶν προσέχουσι τὸν νοῦν. ὥσπερ οὖν ἐν κοινῷ θεάτρῳ τῶν Ἑλλήνων διδοὺς ἔλεγχον ἕκαστος ὑμῶν τῆς αὑτοῦ φύσεως, οὕτω διακείσθω τὴν γνώμην.

[¶47] 107. Now it is a simple matter to reach a wise decision on this question. For if we are willing to die for our just rights, not only shall we gain renown, but in time to come we shall be able to live securely; but if we show that we are afraid of danger, we shall plunge ourselves into endless confusion.

> Greek: 107. ἔστι δʼ ἁπλοῦν τὸ καλῶς βουλεύσασθαι περὶ τούτων. ἢν μὲν γὰρ ἐθέλωμεν ἀποθνήσκειν ὑπὲρ τῶν δικαίων. οὐ μόνον εὐδοκιμήσομεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἐπίλοιπον χρόνον ἀσφαλῶς ἡμῖν ἐξέσται ζῆν· εἰ δὲ φοβησόμεθα τοὺς κινδύνους, εἰς πολλὰς ταραχὰς καταστήσομεν ἡμᾶς αὐτούς.

[¶48] 108. Let us, therefore, challenge one another to pay back to our fatherland the price of our nurture, and not suffer Lacedaemon to be outraged and contemned, nor cause those who are friendly to us to be cheated of their hopes, nor let it appear that we value life more highly than the esteem of all the world, always remembering that it is a nobler thing to exchange a mortal body for immortal glory, and to purchase with a life which at best we shall retain for only a few years a fame which will abide with our descendants throughout all the ages —a far nobler course than to cling greedily to a little span of life and cover ourselves with great disgrace!

> Greek: 108. παρακαλέσαντες οὖν ἀλλήλους ἀποδῶμεν τὰ τροφεῖα τῇ πατρίδι, καὶ μὴ περιίδωμεν ὑβρισθεῖσαν τὴν Λακεδαίμονα καὶ καταφρονηθεῖσαν, μηδὲ ψευσθῆναι ποιήσωμεν τῶν ἐλπίδων τοὺς εὔνους ἡμῖν ὄντας, μηδὲ περὶ πλείονος φανῶμεν ποιούμενοι τὸ ζῆν τοῦ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκιμεῖν, ἐνθυμηθέντες ὅτι κάλλιόν ἐστιν ἀντὶ θνητοῦ σώματος ἀθάνατον δόξαν ἀντικαταλλάξασθαι, καὶ ψυχῆς ἣν οὐχ ἕξομεν ὀλίγων ἐτῶν πρίασθαι τοιαύτην εὔκλειαν ἣ πάντα τὸν αἰῶνα τοῖς ἐξ ἡμῶν γενομένοις παραμενεῖ, πολὺ μᾶλλον ἢ μικροῦ χρόνου γλιχομένους μεγάλαις αἰσχύναις ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς περιβαλεῖν.

[¶49] 110. But I think that you would most of all be aroused to prosecute the war if in imagination you could see your parents and your children standing, as it were, beside you, the former exhorting you not to disgrace the name of Sparta, nor the laws under which we were reared, nor the memory of the battles fought in their time; the latter demanding the restoration of the country which their forefathers bequeathed to them, together with the dominion and the leadership among the Hellenes which we ourselves received from our fathers. Not a word could we say in answer; never could we deny the justice of either plea.

> Greek: 110. ἡγοῦμαι δʼ οὕτως ἂν ὑμᾶς μάλιστα παροξυνθῆναι πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον, εἰ ταῖς διανοίαις ὥσπερ παρεστῶτας ἴδοιτε τοὺς γονέας καὶ τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ὑμετέρους αὐτῶν, τοὺς μὲν παρακελευομένους μὴ καταισχῦναι τὸ τῆς Σπάρτης ὄνομα, μηδὲ τοὺς νόμους ἐν οἷς ἐπαιδεύθημεν, μηδὲ τὰς μάχας τὰς ἐφʼ αὑτῶν γενομένας, τοὺς δʼ ἀπαιτοῦντας τὴν χώραν ἣν οἱ πρόγονοι κατέλιπον, καὶ τὴν δυναστείαν τὴν ἐν τοῖς Ἕλλησι, καὶ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἥνπερ αὐτοὶ παρὰ τῶν πατέρων παρελάβομεν· πρὸς οὓς οὐδὲν ἂν ἔχοιμεν εἰπεῖν ὡς οὐκ ἀμφότεροι δίκαια τυγχάνουσι λέγοντες.

[¶50] 111. I do not know what more I need to add, save only this much—that while numberless wars and dangers have fallen to the lot of Sparta, the enemy have never yet raised a trophy over us when a king from my house was our leader. And prudent men, when they have leaders under whom they win success in their battles, should also give heed to them, in preference to all others, when they give counsel regarding impending wars.

> Greek: 111. οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅ τι δεῖ μακρολογεῖν, πλὴν τοσοῦτον, ὡς πλείστων τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ πολέμων καὶ κινδύνων γεγενημένων οὐδεπώποθʼ οἱ πολέμιοι τρόπαιον ἡμῶν ἔστησαν ἡγουμένου βασιλέως ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας τῆς ἡμετέρας. ἔστι δὲ νοῦν ἐχόντων ἀνδρῶν, οἷσπερ ἂν ἐν ταῖς μάχαις ἡγεμόσι χρώμενοι κατορθῶσι, τούτοις καὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων κινδύνων συμβουλεύουσι μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς ἄλλοις πείθεσθαι.