§9ὥσπερ δὲ παραινῶ τῆς παιδείας τῶν τέκνων μηδὲν ποιεῖσθαι προὐργιαίτερον, οὕτως αὖ πάλιν φημὶ δεῖν τῆς ἀδιαφθόρου καὶ ὑγιαινούσης ἔχεσθαι, τῶν δὲ πανηγυρικῶν λήρων ὡς πορρωτάτω τοὺς υἱεῖς ἀπάγειν.
Just as I advise that nothing should be made of greater importance than the education of children, so on the other hand I declare that one must cling to that which is incorruptible and sound, and lead our sons as far away as possible from public-pleasing nonsense.
τὸ γὰρ τοῖς πολλοῖς ἀρέσκειν τοῖς σοφοῖς ἐστιν ἀπαρέσκειν.
For to please the many is to displease the wise.
μαρτυρεῖ δέ μου τῷ λόγῳ καὶ Εὐριπίδης λέγων
"
ἐγὼ δʼ ἄκομψος εἰς ὄχλον δοῦναι λόγον,
εἰς ἥλικας δὲ κὠλίγους σοφώτερος.
And Euripides also bears witness to my argument, saying: "I am unpolished in delivering a speech to a crowd, but among my peers and the few, I am wiser.
ἔχει δὲ μοῖραν καὶ τόδʼ· οἱ γὰρ ἐν σοφοῖς
φαῦλοι παρʼ ὄχλῳ μουσικώτεροι λέγειν
"
ὁρῶ δʼ ἔγωγε τοὺς τοῖς συρφετώδεσιν ὄχλοις ἀρεστῶς καὶ κεχαρισμένως ἐπιτηδεύοντας λέγειν καὶ τὸν βίον ὡς τὰ πολλὰ ἀσώτους καὶ φιληδόνους ἀποβαίνοντας.
And this also has its portion; for those who are worthless among the wise are more musical in speaking before a crowd." And I myself see those who practice speaking in a way acceptable and pleasing to the vulgar crowds turning out for the most part profligate and pleasure-loving in their lives.
καὶ νὴ Δίʼ εἰκότως.
And, by Zeus, reasonably so.
εἰ γὰρ ἄλλοις ἡδονὰς παρασκευάζοντες ἀμελοῦσι τοῦ καλοῦ, σχολῇ γʼ ἂν τῆς ἰδίας ἡδυπαθείας καὶ τρυφῆς ὑπεράνω τὸ ὀρθὸν καὶ ὑγιὲς ποιήσαιντο ἢ τὸ σῶφρον ἀντὶ τοῦ τερπνοῦ διώξαιεν.
For if, in providing pleasures for others, they neglect what is noble, they would hardly place what is right and sound above their own self-indulgence and luxury, or pursue self-control instead of the pleasurable.
πρὸς δὲ τούτοις τί ἂν τοὺς παῖδας καλὸν γάρ τοι μηδὲν εἰκῇ μήτε λέγειν μήτε πράττειν, καὶ κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν
χαλεπὰ τὰ καλά. οἱ δʼ αὐτοσχέδιοι τῶν λόγων πολλῆς εὐχερείας καὶ ῥᾳδιουργίας εἰσὶ πλήρεις, οὔθʼ ὅθεν ἀρκτέον οὔθʼ ὅπου παυστέον ἐστὶν εἰδότων.
In addition to these, what should we expect of children? Indeed, it is a fine thing to say or do nothing at random, and according to the proverb, "fine things are difficult." But offhand speeches are full of much carelessness and ease of execution, belonging to those who know neither where they must begin nor where they must stop.
χωρὶς δὲ τῶν ἄλλων πλημμελημάτων οἳ ἂν ἐκ τοῦ παραχρῆμα λέγωσιν, εἰς ἀμετρίαν δεινὴν ἐκπίπτουσι καὶ πολυλογίαν.
Apart from other mistakes, those who speak on the spur of the moment fall into terrible disproportion and loquacity.
σκέψις δʼ οὐκ ἐᾷ τῆς ἱκνουμένης συμμετρίας τὸν λόγον ἐκπίπτειν.
But preparation does not allow speech to fall away from its proper proportion.
ὁ Περικλῆς,
ὡς ἡμῖν ἀκούειν παραδέδοται,
καλούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου πολλάκις οὐχ ὑπήκουσε, λέγων ἀσύντακτος εἶναι.
Pericles, as it has been handed down to us to hear, when called upon by the people often did not comply, saying that he was unprepared.
ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ Δημοσθένης ζηλωτὴς τῆς τούτου πολιτείας γενόμενος καλούντων αὐτὸν τῶν Ἀθηναίων σύμβουλον ἀντέβαινεν· οὐ συντέταγμαι
λέγων. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἴσως ἀδέσποτός ἐστι καὶ πεπλασμένη παράδοσις· ἐν δὲ τῷ κατὰ Μειδίου τὴν τῆς σκέψεως ὠφέλειαν ἐναργῶς παρίστησι.
And likewise Demosthenes, who became an imitator of his political conduct, when the Athenians called him as an adviser, opposed them, saying: "I am not prepared." And these things, to be sure, are perhaps an unowned and fabricated tradition; but in the speech Against Meidias he clearly demonstrates the benefit of preparation.
φησὶ γοῦν
ἐγὼ δʼ ἐσκέφθαι μὲν ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι φημὶ κοὐκ ἂν ἀρνηθείην καὶ μεμελετηκέναι γʼ ὡς ἐνῆν μάλιστʼ ἐμοί· καὶ γὰρ ἂν ἄθλιος ἦν, εἰ τοιαῦτα παθὼν καὶ πάσχων ἠμέλουν ὧν περὶ τούτων ἐρεῖν ἔμελλον πρὸς ὑμᾶς. τὸ δὲ δεῖν παντάπασιν ἀποδοκιμάζειν τῶν λόγων τὴν ἑτοιμότητα ἢ πάλιν αὖ ταύτην οὐκ ἐπʼ ἀξίοις ἀσκεῖν οὐ φαίην ἂν ἔγωγε, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἐν φαρμάκου μοίρᾳ τοῦτο ποιητέον ἐστί.
At any rate, he says: "But I, men of Athens, declare that I have prepared and I would not deny it, and indeed that I have rehearsed as much as was possible for me; for I would indeed have been wretched if, having suffered and suffering such things, I neglected what I was about to say to you concerning these matters." But that we must altogether reject readiness of speech, or again, on the other hand, practice this on unworthy occasions, I for my part would not say; rather, this must be done in the manner of a medicine.
μέχρι δὴ τῆς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἡλικίας οὐδὲν ἐκ τοῦ παρατυχόντος ἀξιῶ λέγειν· ἀλλʼ ὅταν τις ῥιζώσῃ τὴν δύναμιν, τότε τοῦτον τῶν καιρῶν καλούντων ἐλευθεριάζειν τοῖς λόγοις προσήκει.
Until, indeed, the age of manhood, I think one should say nothing offhand; but when someone has rooted his power, then, when occasions call, it is fitting for him to give freedom to his words.
ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ πολὺν χρόνον δεθέντες κἂν εἰ λυθεῖεν ὕστερον, ὑπὸ τῆς πολυχρονίου τῶν δεσμῶν συνηθείας οὐ δυνάμενοι βαδίζειν ὑποσκελίζονται, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον οἱ πολλῷ χρόνῳ τὸν λόγον σφίγξαντες, κἂν εἴ ποτε ἐκ τοῦ παραχρῆμα δεήσειεν εἰπεῖν, οὐδὲν ἧττον τὸν αὐτὸν τῆς ἑρμηνείας χαρακτῆρα φυλάττουσι.
For just as those who have been bound for a long time, even if they should be released later, are unable to walk because of the long-standing habit of their bonds and are tripped up, in the same way those who have tightened their speech for a long time, even if at some time there should be a need to speak offhand, nevertheless guard the same character of expression.
τὸ δʼ ἔτι παῖδας ὄντας ἐᾶν ἐπὶ καιροῦ λέγειν ματαιολογίας τῆς ἐσχάτης αἴτιον καθίσταται.
But to allow those who are still children to speak on the spur of the moment becomes the cause of the extreme babbling.
ζωγράφος φασὶν ἄθλιος Ἀπελλῇ δείξας εἰκόνα
ταύτην
ἔφη
νῦν γέγραφα,
ὁ δὲ
καὶ ἢν μὴ λέγῃς,
εἶπεν
οἶδʼ ὅτι ταχὺ γέγραπται· θαυμάζω δὲ πῶς οὐχὶ τοιαύτας πλείους γέγραφας. ὥσπερ τοίνυν ἐπανάγω γὰρ πρὸς τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς τοῦ λόγου ὑπόθεσιν τὴν θεατρικὴν καὶ παρατράγῳδον, οὕτως αὖ πάλιν καὶ τὴν σμικρολογίαν τῆς λέξεως καὶ ταπείνωσιν παραινῶ διευλαβεῖσθαι καὶ φεύγειν· ἡ μὲν γὰρ ὑπέρογκος ἀπολίτευτός ἐστιν, ἡ δʼ ἰσχνὴ λίαν ἀνέκπληκτος.
They say that a wretched painter, having shown Apelles a picture, said, "This I have just painted," and he, "Even if you do not say so," said, "I know that it was painted quickly; but I wonder how you have not painted more such pictures." Just as, then—for I return to the original premise of my argument—I advise to guard against and flee from theatrical and quasi-tragic style, so on the other hand, I advise to beware of and avoid smallness of language and meanness; for the excessive is unsuited for public life, while the overly thin is unimpressive.
καθάπερ δὲ τὸ σῶμα οὐ μόνον ὑγιεινὸν ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐεκτικὸν εἶναι χρή, καὶ τὸν λόγον ὡσαύτως οὐκ ἄνοσον μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ εὔρωστον εἶναι δεῖ.
And just as the body must be not only healthy but also in good condition, so in the same way speech must be not only free from disease but also robust.
τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς ἐπαινεῖται μόνον, τὸ δʼ ἐπικίνδυνον καὶ θαυμάζεται.
For while the safe is merely praised, the perilous is also admired.
τὴν αὐτὴν δὲ τυγχάνω γνώμην ἔχων καὶ περὶ τῆς ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ διαθέσεως.
And I happen to hold the same opinion concerning the disposition in the soul.
οὔτε γὰρ θρασὺν οὔτʼ ἄτολμον καὶ καταπλῆγα προσῆκεν εἶναι· τὸ μὲν γὰρ εἰς ἀναισχυντίαν, τὸ δʼ εἰς ἀνδραποδωδίαν περιίσταται· ἔντεχνον δὲ τὸ τὴν μέσην ἐν ἅπασι τέμνειν ἐμμελές τε.
For one ought to be neither bold nor timid and panic-stricken; for the former turns into impudence, and the latter into slavisness; and it is artistic and harmonious to cut the middle path in all things.
βούλομαι δʼ, ἕως ἔτι μέμνημαι τῆς παιδείας, ὡς ἔχω δόξης περὶ αὐτῆς εἰπεῖν, ὅτι τὸν μονόκωλον λόγον πρῶτον μὲν ἀμουσίας οὐ μικρὸν ποιοῦμαι τεκμήριον· ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἄσκησιν ἁψίκορον καὶ πάντη ἀνεπίμονον εἶναι νομίζω.
And I wish, while I still remember education, to say what opinion I hold concerning it: namely, that I consider the single-styled speech, first of all, to be no small proof of lack of culture; and secondly, I think it is easily tiresome and entirely unsustainable for practice.
μονῳδία γὰρ ἐν ἅπασίν ἐστι πλήσμιον καὶ πρόσαντες, ἡ δὲ ποικιλία τερπνόν, καθάπερ κἀν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν, οἷον ἀκούσμασιν ἢ θεάμασιν.
For monotony in all things is sating and offensive, but variety is delightful, just as in all other things, such as things heard or things seen.