angry with me, whose advice ye followed in going to war, because the
enemy have done such damage as might be expected from them; still
less on account of this unforeseen distemper: I know that this makes
me an object of your special present hatred, though very unjustly,
unless ye will consent to give me credit also for any unexpected
good luck which may occur. Our city derives its particular glory
from unshaken bearing up against misfortune: her power, her name,
her empire of Greeks over Greeks, are such as have never before been
seen: and if we choose to be great, we must take the consequence
of that temporary envy and hatred which is the necessary price of
permanent renown. Behave ye now in a manner worthy of that glory:
display that courage which is essential to protect you against
disgrace at present, as well as to guarantee your honor for the
future. Send no farther embassy to Sparta, and bear your misfortunes
without showing symptoms of distress.”[296]
[294] Thucyd. ii, 60. καίτοι ἐμοὶ τοιούτῳ ἀνδρὶ ὀργίζεσθε, ὃς
οὐδενὸς οἴομαι ἥσσων εἶναι γνῶναί τε τὰ δέοντα, καὶ ἑρμηνεῦσαι
ταῦτα, φιλόπολίς τε καὶ χρημάτων κρείσσων.
[295] Thucyd. ii, 62. δηλώσω δὲ καὶ τόδε, ὅ μοι δοκεῖτε οὔτ᾽
αὐτοὶ πώποτε ἐνθυμηθῆναι ὑπάρχον ὑμῖν μεγέθους πέρι ἐς τὴν ἀρχὴν,
οὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ ἐν τοῖς πρὶν λόγοις· οὐδ᾽ ἂν νῦν ἐχρησάμην κομπωδεστέραν
ἔχοντι τὴν προσποίησιν, εἰ μὴ καταπεπληγμένους ὑμᾶς παρὰ τὸ εἰκὸς
ἑώρων. Οἴεσθε μὲν γὰρ τῶν ξυμμάχων μόνον ἄρχειν—ἐγὼ δὲ ἀποφαίνω
δύο μερῶν τῶν ἐς χρῆσιν φανερῶν, γῆς καὶ θαλάττης, τοῦ ἑτέρου
ὑμᾶς παντὸς κυριωτάτους ὄντας, ἐφ᾽ ὅσον τε νῦν νέμεσθε, καὶ ἢν
ἐπιπλέον βουληθῆτε.
[296] Thucyd. ii, 60-64. I give a general summary of this
memorable speech, without setting forth its full contents, still
less the exact words.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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