§4.1καὶ γάρ τοι Μάρκιος μὲν οὐδὲν ἀπεδείξατο τῇ πόλει στρατηγῶν, ἀλλά τοῖς πολεμίοις κατὰ τῆς πατρίδος· Ἀλκιβιάδου δὲ καὶ στρατευομένου πολλάκις καὶ στρατηγοῦντος ἀπέλαυσαν οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι καὶ παρὼν ἐκράτει τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὅσον ἐβούλετο, καὶ μὴ παρόντος ἴσχυσαν αἱ διαβολαί·
For indeed Marcius performed no achievement for his city as general, but rather for the enemy against his fatherland; whereas of Alcibiades, both when he frequently served in the ranks and when he acted as general, the Athenians enjoyed the benefit, and when he was present, he conquered the enemy as much as he wished, and when he was not present, slanders prevailed.
§4.2Μάρκιος δὲ παρὼν ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων κατεδικάσθη, παρόντα δὲ Οὐολοῦσκοι διέφθειραν, οὐ δικαίως μὲν οὐδʼ ὁσίως, αἰτίαν δὲ τοῦ εὐλόγου παρέσχεν αὐτός, ὅτι δημοσίᾳ τὰς διαλύσεις μὴ προσδεξάμενος, ἰδίᾳ δὲ πεισθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν γυναικῶν οὐκ ἔλυσε τὴν ἔχθραν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ πολέμου μένοντος ἀπώλεσε τὸν καιρὸν καὶ διέφθειρε.
But Marcius was condemned by the Romans when he was present, and the Volscians killed him when he was present, not justly indeed nor holily, but he himself provided the pretext for a reasonable cause, because, while not accepting the public reconciliation, but being privately persuaded by the women, he did not dissolve the enmity, but while the war was still ongoing, he lost and ruined the opportunity.
§4.3πείσαντα γὰρ ἔδει τοὺς πεπιστευκότας ἀπελθεῖν, εἰ τοῦ πρὸς ἐκείνους δικαίου πλεῖστον ἐποιεῖτο λόγον.
For he ought to have persuaded those who had trusted him before withdrawing, if he made the greatest account of justice toward them.
εἰ δὲ μηδὲν ἐφρόντιζεν Οὐολούσκων, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὀργὴν ἐμπλῆσαι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βουλόμενος ἐνῆγε τὸν πόλεμον, εἶτʼ ἔληξεν, οὐ διὰ τὴν μητέρα καλῶς εἶχε φείσασθαι τῆς πατρίδος, ἀλλὰ σὺν τῇ πατρίδι τῆς μητρός· μέρος γὰρ ἦν καὶ ἡ μήτηρ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ τῆς πατρίδος ἦν ἐπολιόρκει.
But if on the other hand he cared nothing for the Volscians, but wishing to satisfy his own anger, pushed on the war and then desisted, it was not well to spare his fatherland for his mother's sake, but rather to spare his mother together with his fatherland; for both his mother and his wife were part of the fatherland which he was besieging.
§4.4τὸ δὲ δημοσίαις ἱκεσίαις καὶ δεήσει πρέσβεων καὶ λιταῖς ἱερέων ἀπηνῶς χρησάμενον εἶτα χαρίσασθαι τῇ μητρὶ τὴν ἀναχώρησιν, οὐ τῆς μητρὸς ἦν τιμὴ, ἀλλʼ ἀτιμία τῆς πατρίδος, οἴκτῳ καὶ παραιτήσει διὰ μίαν γυναῖκα σῳζομένης, ὡς οὐκ ἀξίας σῴζεσθαι διʼ αὑτήν, ἐπίφθονος γὰρ ἡ χάρις καὶ ὠμὴ καὶ ἀχάριστος ἀληθῶς καὶ πρὸς οὐδετέρους ἔχουσα τὸ εὔγνωμον·
But to treat the public supplications, the entreaties of ambassadors, and the prayers of priests harshly, and then to grant the withdrawal to his mother as a favor, was not an honor to his mother, but a dishonor to his fatherland, which was being saved through pity and entreaty because of a single woman, as if it were not worthy of being saved for its own sake.
ἀνεχώρησε γὰρ μήτε πεισθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμουμένων μήτε πείσας τοὺς συμπολεμοῦντας.
For the favor was invidious, cruel, truly thankless, and possessed no reasonableness toward either party; for he withdrew neither because he was persuaded by those whom he opposed, nor after persuading those with whom he fought.
§4.5ὧν αἴτιον ἁπάντων τὸ ἀνομίλητον τοῦ τρόπου καὶ λίαν ὑπερήφανον καὶ αὔθαδες, ὃ καθʼ αὑτὸ μὲν ἐπαχθές ἐστι τοῖς πολλοῖς, τῷ δὲ φιλοτίμῳ προσὸν γίνεται παντάπασιν ἄγριον καὶ ἀπαραίτητον.
The cause of all these things was his unsociable character, which was exceedingly haughty and self-willed, a trait that is offensive to the multitude in itself, but when combined with ambition, becomes altogether savage and inexorable.
οὐ γὰρ θεραπεύουσι τοὺς πολλοὺς ὡς μὴ δεόμενοι τιμῆς, εἶτα χαλεπαίνουσι μὴ τυγχάνοντες. ἐπεὶ τό γε μὴ λιπαρῆ μηδὲ θεραπευτικὸν ὄχλων εἶναι καὶ Μέτελλος εἶχε καὶ Ἀριστείδης καὶ Ἐπαμεινώνδας·
For they do not court the multitude, as if not needing honor, and then they are angry when they do not obtain it; although to be neither importunate nor courtly to crowds was a trait that Metellus also possessed, as well as Aristides and Epaminondas.
§4.6ἀλλὰ τῷ καταφρονεῖν ἀληθῶς ὧν δῆμός ἐστι καὶ δοῦναι καὶ ἀφελέσθαι κύριος, ἐξοστρακιζόμενοι καὶ ἀποχειροτονούμενοι καὶ καταδικαζόμενοι πολλάκις οὐκ ὠργίζοντο τοῖς πολίταις ἀγνωμονοῦσιν, ἀλλʼ ἠγάπων αὖθις μεταμελομένους καὶ διηλλάττοντο παρακαλούντων.
But because they truly looked down upon those things of which the people are master to give and to take away, though they were often ostracized, voted down, and condemned, they did not become angry with their ungrateful citizens, but welcomed them again when they repented, and reconciled with them when they entreated.
τὸν γὰρ ἥκιστα θεραπευτικὸν ἥκιστα πρέπει τιμωρητικὸν εἶναι τῶν πολλῶν, ὡς τὸ χαλεπαίνειν μάλιστα μὴ τυγχάνοντα τῆς τιμῆς ἐκ τοῦ σφόδρα γλίχεσθαι φυόμενον.
For he who is least courtly ought to be least punitive toward the multitude, since to be extremely angry at not obtaining honor grows out of eagerly longing for it.