§15πολλὰ τοίνυν ἔχων εἰπεῖν ὧν οἵδε πράξαντες δικαίως ἐπαινεθήσονται, ἐπειδὴ πρὸς αὐτοῖς εἰμι τοῖς ἔργοις, ἀπορῶ τί πρῶτον εἴπω·
Now, although I have many things to say for which these men will be justly praised for their deeds, since I am at the achievements themselves, I am at a loss as to what to say first; for everything presenting itself to me at one and the same time makes the choice among them difficult.
προσιστάμενα γάρ μοι πάντʼ εἰς ἕνα καιρὸν δύσκριτον καθίστησιν τὴν αἵρεσιν αὐτῶν. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ πειράσομαι τὴν αὐτὴν ποιήσασθαι τοῦ λόγου τάξιν ἥπερ ὑπῆρξεν τοῦ βίου τούτοις.
Nevertheless, I shall endeavor to make the order of my speech the very same as that which existed in their lives.
§16οἵδε γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς παιδεύμασιν ἦσαν ἐπιφανεῖς, τὰ πρέποντα καθʼ ἡλικίαν ἀσκοῦντες ἑκάστην, καὶ πᾶσιν ἀρέσκοντες οἷς χρή, γονεῦσιν, φίλοις, οἰκείοις.
For from the beginning, these men were illustrious in all their studies, practicing what was fitting for each age, and pleasing all whom they ought to please—parents, friends, and kinsmen.
τοιγαροῦν ὥσπερ ἴχνη γνωρίζουσα νῦν ἡ τῶν οἰκείων αὐτοῖς καὶ φίλων μνήμη πᾶσαν ὥραν ἐπὶ τούτους φέρεται τῷ πόθῳ, §17πόλλʼ ὑπομνήματα λαμβάνουσα, ἐν οἷς συνῄδει τούτοις ἀρίστοις οὖσιν.
Therefore, as if recognizing their footprints, the memory of their kinsmen and friends now turns toward them with longing at every hour, receiving many reminders in which they were conscious of these men being the best.
ἐπειδὴ δʼ εἰς ἄνδρας ἀφίκοντο, οὐ μόνον τοῖς πολίταις γνώριμον τὴν αὑτῶν φύσιν ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις κατέστησαν.
And when they reached manhood, they made their own nature known not only to their fellow citizens but to all mankind.
ἔστιν γάρ, ἔστιν ἁπάσης ἀρετῆς ἀρχὴ μὲν σύνεσις, πέρας δʼ ἀνδρεία· καὶ τῇ μὲν δοκιμάζεται τί πρακτέον ἐστί, τῇ δὲ σῴζεται.
For indeed, the beginning of all virtue is understanding, and its end is courage; by the former, what must be done is approved, and by the latter, it is preserved.
ἐν τούτοις ἀμφοτέροις οἵδε πολὺ διήνεγκαν.
In both of these, these men excelled greatly.
§18καὶ γὰρ εἴ τις ἐφύετο κοινὸς πᾶσιν κίνδυνος τοῖς Ἕλλησιν, οὗτοι πρῶτοι προείδοντο καὶ πολλάκις εἰς σωτηρίαν ἅπαντας παρεκάλεσαν, ὅπερ γνώμης ἀπόδειξίς ἐστιν εὖ φρονούσης·
For if any danger common to all the Greeks was arising, these men were the first to foresee it and repeatedly summoned everyone to salvation—which is a proof of sound judgment.
καὶ τῆς παρὰ τοῖς Ἕλλησιν ἀγνοίας μεμειγμένης κακίᾳ, ὅτʼ ἐνῆν ταῦτα κωλύειν ἀσφαλῶς, τὰ μὲν οὐ προορώσης τὰ δʼ εἰρωνευομένης, ὅμως, ἡνίχʼ ὑπήκουσαν καὶ τὰ δέοντα ποιεῖν ἠθέλησαν, οὐκ ἐμνησικάκησαν, ἀλλὰ προστάντες καὶ παρασχόντες ἅπαντα προθύμως, καὶ σώματα καὶ χρήματα καὶ συμμάχους, εἰς πεῖραν ἦλθον ἀγῶνος, εἰς ὃν οὐδὲ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐφείσαντο.
And despite the ignorance mixed with malice among the Greeks, which (when it was possible to prevent these things safely) partly failed to foresee and partly ignored them, nevertheless, when they did listen and wished to do what was necessary, these men bore no malice, but standing at the head and eagerly providing everything—bodies, wealth, and allies—they entered the trial of battle, in which they did not even spare their own lives.
§19ἐξ ἀνάγκης δὲ συμβαίνει, ὅταν μάχη γίγνηται, τοῖς μὲν ἡττᾶσθαι, τοῖς δὲ νικᾶν· οὐκ ἂν ὀκνήσαιμι δʼ εἰπεῖν ὅτι μοι δοκοῦσιν οἱ τελευτῶντες ἑκατέρων ἐν τάξει τῆς μὲν ἥττης οὐ μετέχειν, νικᾶν δʼ ὁμοίως ἀμφότεροι.
Now by necessity it happens, when a battle takes place, that some are defeated and others conquer; but I would not hesitate to say that, to me, those on both sides who die in their ranks do not share in the defeat, but both alike conquer.
τὸ μὲν γὰρ κρατεῖν ἐν τοῖς ζῶσιν, ὡς ἂν ὁ δαίμων παραδῷ, κρίνεται· ὃ δʼ εἰς τοῦθʼ ἕκαστον ἔδει παρασχέσθαι, πᾶς ὁ μένων πεποίηκεν.
For victory is judged among the living according as the deity delivers it; but what each man was bound to contribute to this end, everyone who stood his ground has performed.
εἰ δὲ θνητὸς ὢν τὴν εἱμαρμένην ἔσχεν, τῇ τύχῃ πέπονθε τὸ συμβαῖνον, οὐχὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἥττηται τῶν ἐναντίων.
And if, being mortal, he met his destined fate, he suffered what occurred through fortune, but has not been defeated by the enemy in his soul.
§20νομίζω τοίνυν καὶ τοῦ τῆς χώρας ἡμῶν μὴ ἐπιβῆναι τοὺς πολεμίους πρὸς τῇ τῶν ἐναντίων ἀγνωμοσύνῃ τὴν τούτων ἀρετὴν αἰτίαν γεγενῆσθαι· κατʼ ἄνδρα γὰρ πεῖραν εἰληφότες οἱ τότε συμμείξαντες ἐκεῖ, οὐκ ἐβούλοντʼ αὖθις εἰς ἀγῶνα καθίστασθαι τοῖς ἐκείνων οἰκείοις, ὑπολαμβάνοντες ταῖς μὲν φύσεσιν ταῖς ὁμοίαις ἀπαντήσεσθαι, τύχην δʼ οὐκ εὔπορον εἶναι τὴν ὁμοίαν λαβεῖν.
Therefore, I think that the enemy's failure to set foot on our land was caused, in addition to the enemy's own folly, by the virtue of these men; for those who then engaged them there, having experienced them man to man, did not wish to engage in battle again with their kinsmen, supposing that they would meet with similar natures, but that it would not be easy to obtain similar fortune.
δηλοῖ δʼ οὐχ ἥκισθʼ ὅτι ταῦθʼ οὕτως ἔχει καὶ τὰ τῆς γεγονυίας εἰρήνης· οὐ γὰρ ἔνεστʼ εἰπεῖν οὔτʼ ἀληθεστέραν οὔτε καλλίω πρόφασιν τοῦ τῆς τῶν τετελευτηκότων ἀγασθέντʼ ἀρετῆς τὸν τῶν ἐναντίων κύριον φίλον γενέσθαι τοῖς ἐκείνων οἰκείοις βούλεσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ πάλιν τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅλων κίνδυνον ἄρασθαι.
And that this is so is shown not least by the terms of the peace that ensued; for one cannot state a truer or nobler pretext than that, out of admiration for the virtue of those who had died, the master of the enemy wished to become friends with their kinsmen rather than to run the risk over all their interests again.
§21οἶμαι δʼ ἄν, εἴ τις αὐτοὺς τοὺς παραταξαμένους ἐρωτήσειεν πότερʼ ἡγοῦνται ταῖς αὑτῶν ἀρεταῖς ἢ τῇ παραδόξῳ καὶ χαλεπῇ τύχῃ κατωρθωκέναι καὶ τῇ τοῦ προεστηκότος αὑτῶν ἐμπειρίᾳ καὶ τόλμῃ, οὐδένʼ οὔτʼ ἀναίσχυντον οὔτε τολμηρὸν οὕτως εἶναι, ὅντινʼ ἀντιποιήσεσθαι τῶν πεπραγμένων.
And I think that if anyone were to ask those who actually drew up in battle whether they believe they succeeded through their own virtues, or through unexpected and difficult fortune and the experience and daring of their leader, no one would be so shameless or daring as to claim the achievements for themselves.
ἀλλὰ μὴν ὑπὲρ ὧν ὁ πάντων κύριος δαίμων, ὡς ἐβούλετο, ἔνειμε τὸ τέλος, ἅπαντας ἀφεῖσθαι κακίας ἀνάγκη τοὺς λοιπούς, ἀνθρώπους γʼ ὄντας· §22εἰ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔστι τις ἀνθρώπων ὅτῳ περὶ τούτων ἐγκαλέσαι προσήκει, τοῖς ἐπὶ τούτῳ ταχθεῖσιν Θηβαίων, οὐχὶ τοῖς πολλοῖς οὔτʼ ἐκείνων οὔθʼ ἡμῶν ἐγκαλέσειεν ἄν τις εἰκότως· οἳ δύναμιν λαβόντες ἔχουσαν θυμὸν ἀήττητον καὶ ἀπροφάσιστον καὶ φιλοτιμίαν ἐφάμιλλον οὐδενὶ τούτων ὀρθῶς ἐχρήσαντο.
But indeed, as for the end which the deity, the master of all, distributed as he wished, it is necessary that all the remaining people, being but human, be cleared of blame; and if, after all, there is any man whom it is fitting to blame for these matters, one might justly blame those of the Thebans appointed to this leadership, and not the multitude of either their people or ours; for they, having received a power possessing an invincible and unyielding spirit and a rivalry in honor second to none, made no correct use of any of these.