1. There are some who are much pleased with themselves if, after setting up an absurd and self-contradictory subject, they succeed in discussing it in tolerable fashion; and men have grown old, some asserting that it is impossible to say, or to gainsay, what is false, or to speak on both sides of the same questions, others maintaining that courage and wisdom and justice are identical, and that we possess none of these as natural qualities, but that there is one sort of knowledge concerned with them all.; and still others waste their time in captious disputations that are not only entirely useless, but are sure to make trouble for their disciples.
1. εἰσί τινες οἳ μέγα φρονοῦσιν, ἢν ὑπόθεσιν ἄτοπον καὶ παράδοξον ποιησάμενοι περὶ ταύτης ἀνεκτῶς εἰπεῖν δυνηθῶσι· καὶ καταγεγηράκασιν οἱ μὲν οὐ φάσκοντες οἷόν τʼ εἶναι ψευδῆ λέγειν οὐδʼ ἀντιλέγειν οὐδὲ δύω λόγω περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν πραγμάτων ἀντειπεῖν, οἱ δὲ διεξιόντες ὡς ἀνδρία καὶ σοφία καὶ δικαιοσύνη ταὐτόν ἐστι, καὶ φύσει μὲν οὐδὲν αὐτῶν ἔχομεν, μία δʼ ἐπιστήμη καθʼ ἁπάντων ἐστίν· ἄλλοι δὲ περὶ τὰς ἔριδας διατρίβουσι τὰς οὐδὲν μὲν ὠφελούσας, πράγματα δὲ παρέχειν τοῖς πλησιάζουσι δυναμένας.
2. For my part, if I observed that this futile affectation had arisen only recently in rhetoric and that these men were priding themselves upon the novelty of their inventions, I should not be surprised at them to such degree; but as it is, who is so backward in learning as not to know that Protagoras and the sophists of his time have left to us compositions of similar character and even far more overwrought than these?
2. ἐγὼ δʼ εἰ μὲν ἑώρων νεωστὶ τὴν περιεργίαν ταύτην ἐν τοῖς λόγοις ἐγγεγενημένην καὶ τούτους ἐπὶ τῇ καινότητι τῶν εὑρημένων φιλοτιμουμένους, οὐκ ἂν ὁμοίως ἐθαύμαζον αὐτῶν· νῦν δὲ τίς ἐστιν οὕτως ὀψιμαθής, ὅστις οὐκ οἶδε Πρωταγόραν καὶ τοὺς κατʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον γενομένους σοφιστάς, ὅτι καὶ τοιαῦτα καὶ πολὺ τούτων πραγματωδέστερα συγγράμματα κατέλιπον ἡμῖν;
3. For how could one surpass Gorgias, who dared to assert that nothing exists of the things that are, or Zeno, who ventured to prove the same things as possible and again as impossible, or Melissus who, although things in nature are infinite in number, made it his task to find proofs that the whole is one!
3. πῶς γὰρ ἄν τις ὑπερβάλοιτο Γοργίαν τὸν τολμήσαντα λέγειν ὡς οὐδὲν τῶν ὄντων ἔστιν, ἢ Ζήνωνα τὸν ταὐτὰ δυνατὰ καὶ πάλιν ἀδύνατα πειρώμενον ἀποφαίνειν, ἢ Μέλισσον ὃς ἀπείρων τὸ πλῆθος πεφυκότων τῶν πραγμάτων ὡς ἑνὸς ὄντος τοῦ παντὸς ἐπεχείρησεν ἀποδείξεις εὑρίσκειν;
4. Nevertheless, although these men so clearly have shown that it is easy to contrive false statements on any subject that may be proposed, they still waste time on this commonplace. They ought to give up the use of this claptrap, which pretends to prove things by verbal quibbles, which in fact have long since been refuted, and to pursue the truth, to instruct their pupils in the practical affairs of our government and train to expertness therein, bearing in mind that likely conjecture about useful things is far preferable to exact knowledge of the useless, and that to be a little superior in important things is of greater worth than to be pre-eminent in petty things that are without value for living.
4. ἄλλʼ ὅμως οὕτω φανερῶς ἐκείνων ἐπιδειξάντων ὅτι ῥᾴδιόν ἐστι, περὶ ὧν ἄν τις πρόθηται, ψευδῆ μηχανήσασθαι λόγον, ἔτι περὶ τὸν τόπον τοῦτον διατρίβουσιν· οὓς ἐχρῆν ἀφεμένους ταύτης τῆς τερθρείας, τῆς ἐν μὲν τοῖς λόγοις ἐξελέγχειν προσποιουμένης, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἔργοις πολὺν ἤδη χρόνον ἐξεληλεγμένης, τὴν ἀλήθειαν διώκειν, καὶ περὶ τὰς πράξεις ἐν αἷς πολιτευόμεθα, τοὺς συνόντας παιδεύειν, καὶ περὶ τὴν ἐμπειρίαν τὴν τούτων γυμνάζειν, ἐνθυμουμένους ὅτι πολὺ κρεῖττόν ἐστι περὶ τῶν χρησίμων ἐπιεικῶς δοξάζειν ἢ περὶ τῶν ἀχρήστων ἀκριβῶς ἐπίστασθαι, καὶ μικρὸν προέχειν ἐν τοῖς μεγάλοις μᾶλλον ἢ πολὺ διαφέρειν ἐν τοῖς μικροῖς καὶ τοῖς μηδὲν πρὸς τὸν βίον ὠφελοῦσιν.
6. But the truth is that these men care for naught save enriching themselves at the expense of the youth. It is their “philosophy” applied to eristic disputations that effectively produces this result; for these rhetoricians, who care nothing at all for either private or public affairs, take most pleasure in those discourses which are of no practical service in any particular.
6. ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὐδενὸς αὐτοῖς ἄλλου μέλει πλὴν τοῦ χρηματίζεσθαι παρὰ τῶν νεωτέρων. ἔστι δʼ ἡ περὶ τὰς ἔριδας φιλοσοφία δυναμένη τοῦτο ποιεῖν· οἱ γὰρ μήτε τῶν ἰδίων πω μήτε τῶν κοινῶν φροντίζοντες τούτοις μάλιστα χαίρουσι τῶν λόγων οἳ μηδὲ πρὸς ἓν χρήσιμοι τυγχάνουσιν ὄντες.
7. These young men, to be sure, may well be pardoned for holding such views; for in all matters they are and always have been inclined toward what is extraordinary and astounding. But those who profess to give them training are deserving of censure because, while they condemn those who deceive in cases involving private contracts in business and those who are dishonest in what they say, yet they themselves are guilty of more reprehensible conduct; for the former wrong sundry other persons, but the latter inflict most injury upon their own pupils.
7. τοῖς μὲν οὖν τηλικούτοις πολλὴ συγγνώμη ταύτην ἔχειν τὴν διάνοιαν· ἐπὶ γὰρ ἁπάντων τῶν πραγμάτων πρὸς τὰς περιττότητας καὶ τὰς θαυματοποιίας οὕτω διακείμενοι διατελοῦσι· τοῖς δὲ παιδεύειν προσποιουμένοις ἄξιον ἐπιτιμᾶν, ὅτι κατηγοροῦσι μὲν τῶν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἰδίοις συμβολαίοις ἐξαπατώντων καὶ μὴ δικαίως τοῖς λόγοις χρωμένων, αὐτοὶ δʼ ἐκείνων δεινότερα ποιοῦσιν· οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλους τινὰς ἐζημίωσαν, οὗτοι δὲ τοὺς συνόντας μάλιστα βλάπτουσιν.
8. And they have caused mendacity to increase to such a degree that now certain men, seeing these persons prospering from such practices, have the effrontery to write that the life of beggars and exiles is more enviable than that of the rest of mankind, and they use this as a proof that, if they can speak ably on ignoble subjects, it follows that in dealing with subjects of real worth they would easily find abundance of arguments.
8. τοσοῦτον δʼ ἐπιδεδωκέναι πεποιήκασι τὸ ψευδολογεῖν ὥστʼ ἤδη τινές, ὁρῶντες τούτους ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων ὠφελουμένους, τολμῶσι γράφειν ὡς ἔστιν ὁ τῶν πτωχευόντων καὶ φευγόντων βίος ζηλωτότερος ἢ τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ποιοῦνται τεκμήριον, ὡς εἰ περὶ πονηρῶν πραγμάτων ἔχουσί τι λέγειν, περί γε τῶν καλῶν κἀγαθῶν ῥᾳδίως εὐπορήσουσιν.
9. The most ridiculous thing of all, in my opinion, is this, that by these arguments they seek to convince us that they possess knowledge of the science of government, when they might be demonstrating it by actual work in their professed subject; for it is fitting that those who lay claim to learning and profess to be wise men should excel laymen and be better than they, not in fields neglected by everybody else, but where all are rivals.
9. ἐμοὶ δὲ δοκεῖ πάντων εἶναι καταγελαστότατον τὸ διὰ τούτων τῶν λόγων ζητεῖν πείθειν ὡς περὶ τῶν πολιτικῶν ἐπιστήμην ἔχουσιν, ἐξὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς οἷς ἐπαγγέλλονται τὴν ἐπίδειξιν ποιεῖσθαι· τοὺς γὰρ ἀμφισβητοῦντας τοῦ φρονεῖν καὶ φάσκοντας εἶναι σοφιστὰς οὐκ ἐν τοῖς ἠμελημένοις ὑπὸ τῶν ἄλλων, ἀλλʼ ἐν οἷς ἅπαντές εἰσιν ἀνταγωνισταί, προσήκει διαφέρειν καὶ κρείττους εἶναι τῶν ἰδιωτῶν.
10. But as it is, their conduct resembles that of an athlete who, although pretending to be the best of all athletes, enters a contest in which no one would condescend to meet him. For what sensible man would undertake to praise misfortunes? No, it is obvious that they take refuge in such topics because of weakness.
10. νῦν δὲ παραπλήσιον ποιοῦσιν. ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις προσποιοῖτο κράτιστος εἶναι τῶν ἀθλητῶν ἐνταῦθα καταβαίνων, οὗ μηδεὶς ἂν ἄλλος ἀξιώσειεν. τίς γὰρ ἂν τῶν εὖ φρονούντων συμφορὰς ἐπαινεῖν ἐπιχειρήσειεν; ἀλλὰ δῆλον, ὅτι διʼ ἀσθένειαν ἐνταῦθα καταφεύγουσιν.
11. Such compositions follow one set road and this road is neither difficult to find, nor to learn, nor to imitate. On the other hand, discourses that are of general import, those that are trustworthy, and all of similar nature, are devised and expressed through the medium of a variety of forms and occasions of discourse whose opportune use is hard to learn, and their composition is more difficult as it is more arduous to practise dignity than buffoonery and seriousness than levity. The strongest proof is this:
11. ἔστι γὰρ τῶν μὲν τοιούτων συγγραμμάτων μία τις ὁδός, ἣν οὔθʼ εὑρεῖν οὔτε μαθεῖν οὔτε μιμήσασθαι δύσκολόν ἐστιν· οἱ δὲ κοινοὶ πιστοὶ καὶ τούτοις ὅμοιοι τῶν λόγων διὰ πολλῶν ἰδεῶν καὶ καιρῶν δυσκαταμαθήτων εὑρίσκονταί τε καὶ λέγονται, καὶ τοσούτῳ χαλεπωτέραν ἔχουσι τὴν σύνθεσιν, ὅσῳ περ τὸ σεμνύνεσθαι τοῦ σκώπτειν καὶ τὸ σπουδάζειν τοῦ παίζειν ἐπιπονώτερόν ἐστιν. σημεῖον δὲ μέγιστον·
12. no one who has chosen to praise bumble-bees and salt and kindred topics has never been at a loss for words, yet those who have essayed to speak on subjects recognized as good or noble, or of superior moral worth have all fallen far short of the possibilities which these subjects offer.
12. τῶν μὲν γὰρ τοὺς βομβυλιοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἅλας καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα βουληθέντων ἐπαινεῖν οὐδεὶς πώποτε λόγων ἠπόρησεν, οἱ δὲ περὶ τῶν ὁμολογουμένων ἀγαθῶν ἢ καλῶν ἢ τῶν διαφερόντων ἐπʼ ἀρετῇ λέγειν ἐπιχειρήσαντες πολὺ καταδεέστερον τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ἅπαντες εἰρήκασιν.
13. For it does not belong to the same mentality to do justice to both kinds of subjects; on the contrary, while it is easy by eloquence to overdo the trivial themes, it is difficult to reach the heights of greatness of the others; and while on famous subjects one rarely finds thoughts which no one has previously uttered, yet on trifling and insignificant topics whatever the speaker may chance to say is entirely original.
13. οὐ γὰρ τῆς αὐτῆς γνώμης ἐστὶν ἀξίως εἰπεῖν περὶ ἑκατέρων αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν μικρὰ ῥᾴδιον τοῖς λόγοις ὑπερβαλέσθαι, τῶν δὲ χαλεπὸν τοῦ μεγέθους ἐφικέσθαι· καὶ περὶ μὲν τῶν δόξαν ἐχόντων σπάνιον εὑρεῖν, ἃ μηδεὶς πρότερον εἴρηκε, περὶ δὲ τῶν φαύλων καὶ ταπεινῶν ὅ τι ἄν τις τύχῃ φθεγξάμενος ἅπαν ἴδιόν ἐστιν.
14. This is the reason why, of those who have wished to discuss a subject with eloquence, I praise especially him who chose to write of Helen, because he has recalled to memory so remarkable a woman, one who in birth, and in beauty, and in renown far surpassed all others. Nevertheless, even he committed a slight inadvertence—for although he asserts that he has written an encomium of Helen, it turns out that he has actually spoken a defense of her conduct!
14. διὸ καὶ τὸν γράψαντα περὶ τῆς Ἑλένης ἐπαινῶ μάλιστα τῶν εὖ λέγειν τι βουληθέντων, ὅτι περὶ τοιαύτης ἐμνήσθη γυναικός, ἣ καὶ τῷ γένει καὶ τῷ κάλλει καὶ τῇ δόξῃ πολὺ διήνεγκεν. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτον μικρόν τι παρέλαθεν· φησὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐγκώμιον γεγραφέναι περὶ αὐτῆς, τυγχάνει δʼ ἀπολογίαν εἰρηκὼς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκείνῃ πεπραγμένων.
15. But the composition in defense does not draw upon the same topics as the encomium, nor indeed does it deal with actions of the same kind, but quite the contrary; for a plea in defense is appropriate only when the defendant is charged with a crime, whereas we praise those who excel in some good quality. But that I may not seem to be taking the easiest course, criticizing others without exhibiting any specimen of my own, I will try to speak of this same woman, disregarding all that any others have said about her.
15. ἔστι δʼ οὐκ ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν ἰδεῶν οὐδὲ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἔργων ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ πᾶν τοὐναντίον· ἀπολογεῖσθαι μὲν γὰρ προσήκει περὶ τῶν ἀδικεῖν αἰτίαν ἐχόντων, ἐπαινεῖν δὲ τοὺς ἐπʼ ἀγαθῷ τινὶ διαφέροντας. ἵνα δὲ μὴ δοκῶ τὸ ῥᾷστον ποιεῖν, ἐπιτιμᾶν τοῖς ἄλλοις μηδὲν ἐπιδεικνὺς τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ, πειράσομαι περὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ταύτης εἰπεῖν, παραλιπὼν ἅπαντα τὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις εἰρημένα.
16. I will take as the beginning of my discourse the beginning of her family. For although Zeus begat very many of the demigods, of this woman alone he condescended to be called father. While he was devoted most of all to the son of Alcmena and to the sons of Leda, yet his preference for Helen, as compared with Heracles, was so great that, although he conferred upon his son strength of body, which is able to overpower all others by force, yet to her he gave the gift of beauty, which by its nature brings even strength itself into subjection to it.
16. τὴν μὲν οὖν ἀρχὴν τοῦ λόγου ποιήσομαι τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ γένους αὐτῆς. πλείστων γὰρ ἡμιθέων ὑπὸ Διὸς γεννηθέντων μόνης ταύτης γυναικὸς πατὴρ ἠξίωσε κληθῆναι. σπουδάσας δὲ μάλιστα περί τε τὸν ἐξ Ἀλκμήνης καὶ τοὺς ἐκ Λήδας, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον Ἑλένην Ἡρακλέους προὐτίμησεν ὥστε τῷ μὲν ἰσχὺν ἔδωκεν, ἣ βίᾳ τῶν ἄλλων κρατεῖν δύναται, τῇ δὲ κάλλος ἀπένειμεν, ὃ καὶ τῆς ῥώμης αὐτῆς ἄρχειν πέφυκεν.
17. And knowing that all distinction and renown accrue, not from a life of ease, but from wars and perilous combats, and since he wished, not only to exalt their persons to the gods, but also to bequeath to them glory that would be immortal, he gave his son a life of labors and love of perils, and to Helen he granted the gift of nature which drew the admiration of all beholders and which in all men inspired contention.
17. εἰδὼς δὲ τὰς ἐπιφανείας καὶ τὰς λαμπρότητας οὐκ ἐκ τῆς ἡσυχίας, ἀλλʼ ἐκ τῶν πολέμων καὶ τῶν ἀγώνων γιγνομένας, βουλόμενος αὐτῶν μὴ μόνον τὰ σώματʼ εἰς θεοὺς ἀναγαγεῖν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς δόξας ἀειμνήστους καταλιπεῖν, τοῦ μὲν ἐπίπονον καὶ φιλοκίνδυνον τὸν βίον κατέστησε, τῆς δὲ περίβλεπτον καὶ περιμάχητον τὴν φύσιν ἐποίησεν.
18. In the first place Theseus, reputedly the son of Aegeus, but in reality the progeny of Poseidon, seeing Helen not as yet in the full bloom of her beauty, but already surpassing other maidens, was so captivated by her loveliness that he, accustomed as he was to subdue others, and although the possessor of a fatherland most great and a kingdom most secure, thought life was not worth living amid the blessings he already had unless he could enjoy intimacy with her. And when he was unable to obtain her from her guardians—for they were awaiting her maturity and the fulfilment of the oracle which the Pythian priestess had given—scorning the royal power of Tyndareus, disdaining the might of Castor and Pollux, and belittling all the hazards in Lacedaemon, he seized her by force and established her at Aphidna in Attica.
18. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν Θησεύς, ὁ λεγόμενος μὲν Αἰγέως, γενόμενος δʼ ἐκ Ποσειδῶνος, ἰδὼν αὐτὴν οὔπω μὲν ἀκμάζουσαν, ἤδη δὲ τῶν ἄλλων διαφέρουσαν, τοσοῦτον ἡττήθη τοῦ κάλλους ὁ κρατεῖν τῶν ἄλλων εἰθισμένος, ὥσθʼ ὑπαρχούσης αὐτῷ καὶ πατρίδος μεγίστης καὶ βασιλείας ἀσφαλεστάτης ἡγησάμενος οὐκ ἄξιον εἶναι ζῆν ἐπὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀγαθοῖς ἄνευ τῆς πρὸς ἐκείνην οἰκειότητος, ἐπειδὴ παρὰ τῶν κυρίων οὐχ οἷός τʼ ἦν αὐτὴν λαβεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἐπέμενον τήν τε τῆς παιδὸς ἡλικίαν καὶ τὸν χρησμὸν τὸν παρὰ τῆς Πυθίας, ὑπεριδὼν τὴν ἀρχὴν τὴν Τυνδάρεω καὶ καταφρονήσας τῆς ῥώμης τῆς Κάστορος καὶ Πολυδεύκους καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐν Λακεδαίμονι δεινῶν ὀλιγωρήσας, βίᾳ λαβὼν αὐτὴν εἰς Ἄφιδναν τῆς Ἀττικῆς κατέθετο,
20. So grateful was Theseus to Peirithos, his partner in the abduction, that when Peirithos wished to woo Persephon, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, and summoned him to the descent into Hades to obtain her, when Theseus found that he could not by his warnings dissuade his friend, although the danger was manifest he nevertheless accompanied him, for he was of opinion that he owed this debt of gratitude—to decline no task enjoined by Peirithos in return for his help in his own perilous enterprise.
20. καὶ τοσαύτην χάριν ἔσχε Πειρίθῳ τῷ μετασχόντι τῆς ἁρπαγῆς, ὥστε βουληθέντος αὐτοῦ μνηστεῦσαι Κόρην τὴν Διὸς καὶ Δήμητρος, καὶ παρακαλοῦντος ἐπὶ τὴν εἰς Ἅιδου κατάβασιν, ἐπειδὴ συμβουλεύων οὐχ οἷός τʼ ἦν ἀποτρέπειν, προδήλου τῆς συμφορᾶς οὔσης ὅμως αὐτῷ συνηκολούθησε, νομίζων ὀφείλειν τοῦτον τὸν ἔρανον, μηδενὸς ἀποστῆναι τῶν ὑπὸ Πειρίθου προσταχθέντων ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐκεῖνος αὐτῷ συνεκινδύνευσεν.
21. If the achiever of these exploits had been an ordinary person and not one of the very distinguished, it would not yet be clear whether this discourse is an encomium of Helen or an accusation of Theseus; but as it is, while in the case of other men who have won renown we shall find that one is deficient in courage, another in wisdom, and another in some kindred virtue, yet this hero alone was lacking in naught, but had attained consummate virtue.
21. εἰ μὲν οὖν ὁ ταῦτα πράξας εἷς ἦν τῶν τυχόντων ἀλλὰ μὴ τῶν πολὺ διενεγκόντων, οὐκ ἄν πω δῆλος ἦν ὁ λόγος, πότερον Ἑλένης ἔπαινος ἢ κατηγορία Θησέως ἐστίν· νῦν δὲ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων τῶν εὐδοκιμησάντων εὑρήσομεν τὸν μὲν ἀνδρίας, τὸν δὲ σοφίας, τὸν δʼ ἄλλου τινὸς τῶν τοιούτων μερῶν ἀπεστερημένον, τοῦτον δὲ μόνον οὐδʼ ἑνὸς ἐνδεᾶ γενόμενον, ἀλλὰ παντελῆ τὴν ἀρετὴν κτησάμενον.
22. And it seems to me appropriate to speak of Theseus at still greater length; for I think this will be the strongest assurance for those who wish to praise Helen, if we can show that those who loved and admired her were themselves more deserving of admiration than other men. For contemporary events we should with good reason judge in accordance with our own opinions, but concerning events in times so remote it is fitting that we show our opinion to be in accord with the opinion of those men of wisdom who were at that time living.
22. δοκεῖ δέ μοι πρέπειν περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ διὰ μακροτέρων εἰπεῖν· ἡγοῦμαι γὰρ ταύτην μεγίστην εἶναι πίστιν τοῖς βουλομένοις Ἑλένην ἐπαινεῖν, ἢν ἐπιδείξωμεν τοὺς ἀγαπήσαντας καὶ θαυμάσαντας ἐκείνην αὐτοὺς τῶν ἄλλων θαυμαστοτέρους ὄντας. ὅσα μὲν γὰρ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν γέγονεν, εἰκότως ἂν ταῖς δόξαις ταῖς ἡμετέραις αὐτῶν διακρίνοιμεν, περὶ δὲ τῶν οὕτω παλαιῶν προσήκει τοῖς κατʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον εὖ φρονήσασιν ὁμονοοῦντας ἡμᾶς φαίνεσθαι.
23. The fairest praise that I can award to Theseus is this—that he, a contemporary of Heracles, won a fame which rivalled his. For they not only equipped themselves with similar armor, but followed the same pursuits, performing deeds that were worthy of their common origin. For being in birth the sons of brothers, the one of Zeus, the other of Poseidon, they cherished also kindred ambitions; for they alone of all who have lived before our time made themselves champions of human life.
23. κάλλιστον μὲν οὖν ἔχω περὶ Θησέως τοῦτʼ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον Ἡρακλεῖ γενόμενος ἐνάμιλλον τὴν αὑτοῦ δόξαν πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου κατέστησεν. οὐ γὰρ μόνον τοῖς ὅπλοις ἐκοσμήσαντο παραπλησίοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν ἐχρήσαντο τοῖς αὐτοῖς, πρέποντα τῇ συγγενείᾳ ποιοῦντες. ἐξ ἀδελφῶν γὰρ γεγονότες, ὁ μὲν ἐκ Διός, ὁ δʼ ἐκ Ποσειδῶνος, ἀδελφὰς καὶ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας ἔσχον. μόνοι γὰρ οὗτοι τῶν προγεγενημένων ὑπὲρ τοῦ βίου τοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀθληταὶ κατέστησαν. συνέβη δὲ τὸν μὲν ὀνομαστοτέρους καὶ μείζους, τὸν δʼ ὠφελιμωτέρους καὶ τοῖς Ἕλλησιν οἰκειοτέρους ποιήσασθαι τοὺς κινδύνους.
24. It came to pass that Heracles undertook perilous labors more celebrated and more severe, Theseus those more useful, and to the Greeks of more vital importance. For example, Heracles was ordered by Eurystheus to bring the cattle from Erytheia and to obtain the apples of the Hesperides and to fetch Cerberus up from Hades and to perform other labors of that kind, labors which would bring no benefit to mankind, but only danger to himself;
24. τῷ μὲν γὰρ Εὐρυσθεὺς προσέταττε τάς τε βοῦς τὰς ἐκ τῆς Ἐρυθείας ἀγαγεῖν καὶ τὰ μῆλα τὰ τῶν Ἑσπερίδων ἐνεγκεῖν καὶ τὸν Κέρβερον ἀναγαγεῖν καὶ τοιούτους ἄλλους πόνους, ἐξ ὧν ἤμελλεν οὐ τοὺς ἄλλους ὠφελήσειν ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς κινδυνεύσειν·
25. Theseus, however, being his own master, gave preference to those struggles which would make him a benefactor of either the Greeks at large or of his native land. Thus, the bull let loose by Poseidon which was ravaging the land of Attica, a beast which all men lacked the courage to confront, Theseus singlehanded subdued, and set free the inhabitants of the city from great fear and anxiety.
25. ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ κύριος ὢν τούτους προῃρεῖτο τῶν ἀγώνων ἐξ ὧν ἤμελλεν ἢ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἢ τῆς αὑτοῦ πατρίδος εὐεργέτης γενήσεσθαι. καὶ τόν τε ταῦρον τὸν ἀνεθέντα μὲν ὑπὸ Ποσειδῶνος, τὴν δὲ χώραν λυμαινόμενον, ὃν πάντες οὐκ ἐτόλμων ὑπομένειν, μόνος χειρωσάμενος μεγάλου φόβου καὶ πολλῆς ἀπορίας τοὺς οἰκοῦντας τὴν πόλιν ἀπήλλαξεν·
26. And after this, allying himself with the Lapiths, he took the field against the Centaurs, those creatures of double nature, endowed with surpassing swiftness, strength, and daring, who were sacking, or about to sack, or were threatening, one city after another. These he conquered in battle and straightway put an end to their insolence, and not long thereafter he caused their race to disappear from the sight of men.
26. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα Λαπίθαις σύμμαχος γενόμενος, στρατευσάμενος ἐπὶ Κενταύρους τοὺς διφυεῖς, οἳ καὶ τάχει καὶ ῥώμῃ καὶ τόλμῃ διενεγκόντες τὰς μὲν ἐπόρθουν, τὰς δʼ ἤμελλον, ταῖς δʼ ἠπείλουν τῶν πόλεων, τούτους μάχῃ νικήσας εὐθὺς μὲν αὐτῶν τὴν ὕβριν ἔπαυσεν, οὐ πολλῷ δʼ ὕστερον τὸ γένος ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἠφάνισεν.
27. At about the same time appeared the monster reared in Crete, the offspring of Pasipha, daughter of Helius, to whom our city was sending, in accordance with an oracle’s command, tribute of twice seven children. When Theseus saw these being led away, and the entire populace escorting them, to a death savage and foreseen, and being mourned as dead while yet living, he was so incensed that he thought it better to die than to live as ruler of a city that was compelled to pay to the enemy a tribute so lamentable.
27. περὶ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους τὸ τέρας τὸ τραφὲν μὲν ἐν Κρήτῃ, γενόμενον δʼ ἐκ Πασιφάης τῆς Ἡλίου θυγατρός, ᾧ κατὰ μαντείαν δασμὸν τῆς πόλεως δὶς ἑπτὰ παῖδας ἀποστελλούσης, ἰδὼν αὐτοὺς ἀγομένους καὶ πανδημεὶ προπεμπομένους ἐπὶ θάνατον ἄνομον καὶ προῦπτον καὶ πενθουμένους ἔτι ζῶντας, οὕτως ἠγανάκτησεν ὥσθʼ ἡγήσατο κρεῖττον εἶναι τεθνάναι μᾶλλον ἢ ζῆν ἄρχων τῆς πόλεως τῆς οὕτως οἰκτρὸν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς φόρον ὑποτελεῖν ἠναγκασμένης.
28. Having embarked with them for Crete, he subdued this monster, half-man and half-bull, which possessed strength commensurate with its composite origin, and having rescued the children, he restored them to their parents, and thus freed the city from an obligation so savage, so terrible, and so ineluctable.
28. σύμπλους δὲ γενόμενος, καὶ κρατήσας φύσεως ἐξ ἀνδρὸς μὲν καὶ ταύρου μεμιγμένης, τὴν δʼ ἰσχὺν ἐχούσης οἵαν προσήκει τὴν ἐκ τοιούτων σωμάτων συγκειμένην, τοὺς μὲν παῖδας διασώσας τοῖς γονεῦσιν ἀπέδωκε, τὴν δὲ πόλιν οὕτως ἀνόμου καὶ δεινοῦ καὶ δυσαπαλλάκτου προστάγματος ἠλευθέρωσεν.
29. But I am at a loss how to deal with what remains to be said; for, now that I have taken up the deeds of Theseus and begun to speak of them, I hesitate to stop midway and leave unmentioned the lawlessness of Sciron and of Cercyon and of other robbers like them whom he fought and vanquished and thereby delivered the Greeks from many great calamities.
29. ἀπορῶ δʼ ὅ τι χρήσωμαι τοῖς ἐπιλοίποις· ἐπιστὰς γὰρ ἐπὶ τὰ Θησέως ἔργα καὶ λέγειν ἀρξάμενος περὶ αὐτῶν ὀκνῶ μὲν μεταξὺ παύσασθαι καὶ παραλιπεῖν τήν τε Σκίρωνος καὶ Κερκύονος καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν τοιούτων παρανομίαν, πρὸς οὓς ἀνταγωνιστὴς γενόμενος ἐκεῖνος πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων συμφορῶν τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἀπήλλαξεν, αἰσθάνομαι δʼ ἐμαυτὸν ἔξω φερόμενον τῶν καιρῶν καὶ δέδοικα μή τισι δόξω περὶ τούτου μᾶλλον σπουδάζειν ἢ περὶ ἧς τὴν ἀρχὴν ὑπεθέμην.
30. But, on the other hand, I perceive that I am being carried beyond the proper limits of my theme and I fear that some may think that I am more concerned with Theseus than with the subject which I originally chose. In this dilemma I prefer to omit the greater part of what might be said, out of regard for impatient hearers, and to give as concise an account as I can of the rest, that I may gratify both them and myself and not make a complete surrender to those whose habit it is out of jealousy to find fault with everything that is said.
30. ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων οὖν τούτων αἱροῦμαι τὰ μὲν πλεῖστα παραλιπεῖν διὰ τοὺς δυσκόλως ἀκροωμένους, περὶ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ὡς ἂν δύνωμαι συντομώτατα διελθεῖν, ἵνα τὰ μὲν ἐκείνοις, τὰ δʼ ἐμαυτῷ χαρίσωμαι, καὶ μὴ παντάπασιν ἡττηθῶ τῶν εἰθισμένων φθονεῖν καὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις ἅπασιν ἐπιτιμᾶν.
31. His courage Theseus displayed in these perilous exploits which he hazarded alone; his knowledge of war in the battles he fought in company with the whole city; his piety toward the gods in connexion with the supplications of Adrastus and the children of Heracles when, by defeating the Peloponnesians in battle, he saved the lives of the children, and to Adrastus he restored for burial, despite the Thebans, the bodies of those who had died beneath the walls of the Cadmea; and finally, he revealed his other virtues and his prudence, not only in the deeds already recited, but especially in the manner in which he governed our city.
31. τὴν μὲν οὖν ἀνδρίαν ἐν τούτοις ἐπεδείξατο τοῖς ἔργοις ἐν οἷς αὐτὸς καθʼ αὑτὸν ἐκινδύνευσε, τὴν δʼ ἐπιστήμην ἣν εἶχε πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον, ἐν ταῖς μάχαις αἷς μεθʼ ὅλης τῆς πόλεως ἠγωνίσατο, τὴν δʼ εὐσέβειαν τὴν πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς ἔν τε ταῖς Ἀδράστου καὶ ταῖς τῶν παίδων τῶν Ἡρακλέους ἱκετείαις, τοὺς μὲν γὰρ μάχῃ νικήσας Πελοποννησίους διέσωσε, τῷ δὲ τοὺς ὑπὸ τῇ Καδμείᾳ τελευτήσαντας βίᾳ Θηβαίων θάψαι παρέδωκε, τὴν δʼ ἄλλην ἀρετὴν καὶ τὴν σωφροσύνην ἔν τε τοῖς προειρημένοις καὶ μάλιστʼ ἐν οἷς τὴν πόλιν διῴκησεν.
32. For he saw that those who seek to rule their fellow-citizens by force are themselves the slaves of others, and that those who keep the lives of their fellow-citizens in peril themselves live in extreme fear, and are forced to make war, on the one hand, with the help of citizens against invaders from abroad, and, on the other hand, with the help of auxiliaries against their fellow citizens; further, he saw them despoiling the temples of the gods, putting to death the best of their fellow-citizens, distrusting those nearest to them, living lives no more free from care than do men who in prison await their death; he saw that, although they are envied for their external blessings, yet in their own hearts they are more miserable than all other men— for what, pray, is more grievous than to live in constant fear lest some bystander kill you, dreading no less your own guards than those who plot against you?
32. ὁρῶν γὰρ τοὺς βίᾳ τῶν πολιτῶν ἄρχειν ζητοῦντας ἑτέροις δουλεύοντας καὶ τοὺς ἐπικίνδυνον τὸν βίον τοῖς ἄλλοις καθιστάντας αὐτοὺς περιδεῶς ζῶντας, καὶ πολεμεῖν ἀναγκαζομένους μετὰ μὲν τῶν πολιτῶν πρὸς τοὺς ἐπιστρατευομένους, μετὰ δʼ ἄλλων τινῶν πρὸς τοὺς συμπολιτευομένους, ἔτι δὲ συλῶντας μὲν τὰ τῶν θεῶν, ἀποκτείνοντας δὲ τοὺς βελτίστους τῶν πολιτῶν, ἀπιστοῦντας δὲ τοῖς οἰκειοτάτοις, οὐδὲν δὲ ῥᾳθυμότερον ζῶντας τῶν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ συνειλημμένων, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ἔξω ζηλουμένους, αὐτοὺς δὲ παρʼ αὑτοῖς μᾶλλον τῶν ἄλλων λυπουμένους·
34. Theseus, then, despising all these and considering such men to be not rulers, but pests, of their states, demonstrated that it is easy to exercise the supreme power and at the same time to enjoy as good relations as those who live as citizens on terms of perfect equality.
34. τί γάρ ἐστιν ἄλγιον ἢ ζῆν ἀεὶ δεδιότα μή τις αὑτὸν τῶν παρεστώτων ἀποκτείνῃ, καὶ μηδὲν ἧττον φοβούμενον τοὺς φυλάττοντας ἢ τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας; τούτων ἁπάντων καταφρονήσας καὶ νομίσας οὐκ ἄρχοντας ἀλλὰ νοσήματα τῶν πόλεων εἶναι τοὺς τοιούτους, ἐπέδειξεν ὅτι ῥᾴδιόν ἐστιν ἅμα τυραννεῖν καὶ μηδὲν χεῖρον διακεῖσθαι τῶν ἐξ ἴσου πολιτευομένων.
35. In the first place, the scattered settlements and villages of which the state was composed he united, and made Athens into a city-state so great that from then even to the present day it is the greatest state of Hellas: and after this, when he had established a common fatherland and had set free the minds of his fellow-citizens, he instituted for them on equal terms that rivalry of theirs for distinction based on merit, confident that he would stand out as their superior in any case, whether they practised that privilege or neglected it, and he also knew that honors bestowed by high-minded men are sweeter than those that are awarded by slaves. And he was so far from doing anything contrary to the will of the citizens that he made the people masters of the government, and they on their part thought it best that he should rule alone, believing that his sole rule was more to be trusted and more equitable than their democracy.
35. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν τὴν πόλιν σποράδην καὶ κατὰ κώμας οἰκοῦσαν εἰς ταὐτὸν συναγαγὼν τηλικαύτην ἐποίησεν ὥστʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἀπʼ ἐκείνου τοῦ χρόνου μεγίστην τῶν Ἑλληνίδων εἶναι· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα κοινὴν τὴν πατρίδα καταστήσας καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν συμπολιτευομένων ἐλευθερώσας ἐξ ἴσου τὴν ἅμιλλαν αὐτοῖς περὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐποίησε, πιστεύων μὲν ὁμοίως αὐτῶν προέξειν ἀσκούντων ὥσπερ ἀμελούντων, εἰδὼς δὲ τὰς τιμὰς ἡδίους οὔσας τὰς παρὰ τῶν μέγα φρονούντων ἢ τὰς παρὰ τῶν δουλευόντων.