§7.104.1πρὸς ταῦτα Δημάρητος λέγει
ὦ βασιλεῦ, ἀρχῆθεν ἠπιστάμην ὅτι ἀληθείῃ χρεώμενος οὐ φίλα τοι ἐρέω· σὺ δʼ ἐπεὶ ἠνάγκασας λέγειν τῶν λόγων τοὺς ἀληθεστάτους, ἔλεγον τὰ κατήκοντα Σπαρτιήτῃσι.
To this Demaratus replied: "O King, from the very beginning I knew that if I spoke the truth I should not say what is pleasing to you; but since you compelled me to speak the absolute truth, I told you how things stand with the Spartans.
§7.104.2καίτοι ὡς ἐγὼ τυγχάνω τὰ νῦν τάδε ἐστοργὼς ἐκείνους, αὐτὸς μάλιστα ἐξεπίστεαι, οἵ με τιμήν τε καὶ γέρεα ἀπελόμενοι πατρώια ἄπολίν τε καὶ φυγάδα πεποιήκασι, πατὴρ δὲ σὸς ὑποδεξάμενος βίον τέ μοι καὶ οἶκον ἔδωκε. οὔκων οἰκός ἐστι ἄνδρα τὸν σώφρονα εὐνοίην φαινομένην διωθέεσθαι, ἀλλὰ στέργειν μάλιστα.
And yet, how I happen at this present time to 'love' those men, you yourself know best—they who have deprived me of my honor and my ancestral rights, and made me cityless and an exile, whereas your father received me and gave me livelihood and a home. Therefore, it is not reasonable for a wise man to reject goodwill when it is shown to him, but rather to cherish it. And yet, how I happen at this present time to 'love' those men, you yourself know best—they who have deprived me of my honor and my ancestral rights, and made me cityless and an exile, whereas your father received me and gave me livelihood and a home. Therefore, it is not reasonable for a wise man to reject goodwill when it is shown to him, but rather to cherish it.
§7.104.3ἐγὼ δὲ οὔτε δέκα ἀνδράσι ὑπίσχομαι οἷός τε εἶναι μάχεσθαι οὔτε δυοῖσι, ἑκών τε εἶναι οὐδʼ ἂν μουνομαχέοιμι. εἰ δὲ ἀναγκαίη εἴη ἢ μέγας τις ὁ ἐποτρύνων ἀγών, μαχοίμην ἂν πάντων ἥδιστα ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀνδρῶν οἳ Ἑλλήνων ἕκαστος φησὶ τριῶν ἄξιος εἶναι.
Now, I do not promise that I am able to fight with ten men, nor even with two, and of my own free will I would not even fight a single combat. But if there were a necessity, or some great contest urging me on, I would fight most gladly with one of those men who each claim to be a match for three Greeks. Now, I do not promise that I am able to fight with ten men, nor even with two, and of my own free will I would not even fight a single combat. But if there were a necessity, or some great contest urging me on, I would fight most gladly with one of those men who each claim to be a match for three Greeks.
§7.104.4ὣς δὲ καὶ Λακεδαιμόνιοι κατὰ μὲν ἕνα μαχόμενοι οὐδαμῶν εἰσι κακίονες ἀνδρῶν, ἁλέες δὲ ἄριστοι ἀνδρῶν ἁπάντων. ἐλεύθεροι γὰρ ἐόντες οὐ πάντα ἐλεύθεροι εἰσί· ἔπεστι γάρ σφι δεσπότης νόμος, τὸν ὑποδειμαίνουσι πολλῷ ἔτι μᾶλλον ἢ οἱ σοὶ σέ.
In the same way, the Lacedaemonians, when fighting singly, are inferior to no men, but when fighting in a body they are the best of all men. For though they are free, they are not entirely free; for they have a master over them, the Law, which they fear far more than your subjects fear you. In the same way, the Lacedaemonians, when fighting singly, are inferior to no men, but when fighting in a body they are the best of all men. For though they are free, they are not entirely free; for they have a master over them, the Law, which they fear far more than your subjects fear you.
§7.104.5ποιεῦσι γῶν τὰ ἂν ἐκεῖνος ἀνώγῃ· ἀνώγει δὲ τὠυτὸ αἰεί, οὐκ ἐῶν φεύγειν οὐδὲν πλῆθος ἀνθρώπων ἐκ μάχης, ἀλλὰ μένοντας ἐν τῇ τάξι ἐπικρατέειν ἢ ἀπόλλυσθαι. σοὶ δὲ εἰ φαίνομαι ταῦτα λέγων φλυηρέειν, τἆλλα σιγᾶν θέλω τὸ λοιπόν· νῦν τε ἀναγκασθεὶς ἔλεξα. γένοιτο μέντοι κατὰ νόον τοι, βασιλεῦ
At least they do whatever it commands; and its command is ever the same, forbidding them to flee from any multitude of men in battle, but ordering them to remain in their rank and either conquer or die. But if, in your eyes, I seem to talk nonsense in saying these things, I wish to keep silent about other matters for the future; indeed, it was only under compulsion that I spoke now. May things, however, turn out according to your mind, O King. At least they do whatever it commands; and its command is ever the same, forbidding them to flee from any multitude of men in battle, but ordering them to remain in their rank and either conquer or die. But if, in your eyes, I seem to talk nonsense in saying these things, I wish to keep silent about other matters for the future; indeed, it was only under compulsion that I spoke now. May things, however, turn out according to your mind, O King."