§3.1ὥς γε μὴν καὶ ἐμπορεύεσθαι ἡδίστη τε καὶ κερδαλεωτάτη ἡ πόλις, νῦν ταῦτα λέξω.
Indeed, that the city is also most pleasant and profitable for trading, I will now state.
πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ δήπου ναυσὶ καλλίστας καὶ ἀσφαλεστάτας ὑποδοχὰς ἔχει, ὅπου γʼ ἔστιν εἰσορμισθέντας ἀδεῶς ἕνεκα χειμῶνος ἀναπαύεσθαι.
First of all, of course, it has the finest and safest harbors for ships, where indeed it is possible for those who have anchored to rest without fear on account of the storm.
§3.2ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τοῖς ἐμπόροις ἐν μὲν ταῖς πλείσταις τῶν πόλεων ἀντιφορτίζεσθαί τι ἀνάγκη· νομίσμασι γὰρ οὐ χρησίμοις ἔξω χρῶνται· ἐν δὲ ταῖς Ἀθήναις πλεῖστα μὲν ἔστιν ἀντεξάγειν ὧν ἂν δέωνται ἄνθρωποι, ἢν δὲ μὴ βούλωνται ἀντιφορτίζεσθαι, καὶ ἀργύριον ἐξάγοντες καλὴν ἐμπορίαν ἐξάγουσιν.
Moreover, while in most cities merchants are forced to take something in return as cargo—for they use currencies that are not useful outside—in Athens, there is a great abundance of things to export in exchange, which people might need; and if they do not wish to take goods in exchange, by exporting silver they export a fine commodity.
ὅπου γὰρ ἂν πωλῶσιν αὐτό, πανταχοῦ πλέον τοῦ ἀρχαίου λαμβάνουσιν.
For wherever they sell it, they everywhere receive more than its original value.
§3.3εἰ δὲ καὶ τῇ τοῦ ἐμπορίου ἀρχῇ ἆθλα προτιθείη τις ὅστις δικαιότατα καὶ τάχιστα διαιροίη τὰ ἀμφίλογα, ὡς μὴ κωλύεσθαι ἀποπλεῖν τὸν βουλόμενον, πολὺ ἂν καὶ διὰ ταῦτα πλείους τε καὶ ἥδιον ἐμπορεύοιντο.
And if someone were also to offer prizes to the magistracy of the market for whoever should decide disputes most justly and quickly, so that anyone who wishes may not be delayed from sailing away, far more people would trade, and with greater pleasure, for this reason too.
§3.4ἀγαθὸν δὲ καὶ καλὸν καὶ προεδρίαις τιμᾶσθαι ἐμπόρους καὶ ναυκλήρους, καὶ ἐπὶ ξένιά γʼ ἔστιν ὅτε καλεῖσθαι, οἳ ἂν δοκῶσιν ἀξιολόγοις καὶ πλοίοις καὶ ἐμπορεύμασιν ὠφελεῖν τὴν πόλιν.
It is also good and honorable to honor merchants and shipowners with front-seat privileges, and sometimes even to invite them to hospitality, namely those who seem to benefit the city with noteworthy ships and cargoes.
ταῦτα γὰρ τιμώμενοι οὐ μόνον τοῦ κέρδους ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς τιμῆς ἕνεκεν ὡς πρὸς φίλους ἐπισπεύδοιεν ἄν.
For being honored with these things, they would hasten to us as to friends, not only for the sake of profit but also for the sake of honor.
§3.5ὅσῳ γε μὴν πλείους εἰσοικίζοιντό τε καὶ ἀφικνοῖντο, δῆλον ὅτι τοσούτῳ ἂν πλέον καὶ εἰσάγοιτο καὶ ἐξάγοιτο καὶ ἐκπέμποιτο καὶ πωλοῖτο καὶ μισθοφοροῖτο καὶ τελεσφοροίη.
Indeed, the more people settled and arrived, it is clear that so much more would be imported, exported, sent out, sold, paid in wages, and yielded in taxes.
§3.6εἰς μὲν οὖν τὰς τοιαύτας αὐξήσεις τῶν προσόδων οὐδὲ προδαπανῆσαι δεῖ οὐδὲν ἀλλʼ ἢ ψηφίσματά τε φιλάνθρωπα καὶ ἐπιμελείας.
Therefore, for such increases in revenues, there is no need to spend anything in advance except benevolent decrees and measures of care.
ὅσαι δʼ ἂν ἄλλαι δοκοῦσί μοι πρόσοδοι γίγνεσθαι, γιγνώσκω ὅτι ἀφορμῆς δεήσει εἰς αὐτάς.
But as for all the other revenues which seem to me possible to arise, I know that capital will be needed for them.
§3.7οὐ μέντοι δύσελπίς εἰμι τὸ μὴ οὐχὶ προθύμως ἂν τοὺς πολίτας εἰς τὰ τοιαῦτα εἰσφέρειν, ἐνθυμούμενος ὡς πολλὰ μὲν εἰσήνεγκεν ἡ πόλις, ὅτε Ἀρκάσιν ἐβοήθει ἐπὶ Λυσιστράτου ἡγουμένου, πολλὰ δὲ ἐπὶ Ἡγησίλεω.
However, I am not without hope that the citizens will contribute eagerly to such things, reflecting how much the city contributed when it aided the Arcadians under the command of Lysistratus, and how much under Hegesilaus.
§3.8ἐπίσταμαι δὲ καὶ τριήρεις πολλάκις ἐκπεμπομένας σὺν πολλῇ δαπάνῃ, καὶ ταύτας γενομένας, τούτου μὲν ἀδήλου ὄντος εἴτε βέλτιον εἴτε κάκιον ἔσται, ἐκείνου δὲ δήλου ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἀπολήψονται ἃ ἂν εἰσενέγκωσιν οὐδὲ μεθέξουσιν ὧν ἂν εἰσενέγκωσι.
And I know that triremes have often been sent out with great expense, and that these expenses were incurred when, on the one hand, it was uncertain whether the result would be for better or worse, and on the other hand, it was certain that they would never get back what they contributed, nor share in what they had contributed.
§3.9κτῆσιν δὲ ἀπʼ οὐδενὸς ἂν οὕτω καλὴν κτήσαιντο ὥσπερ ἀφʼ οὗ ἂν προτελέσωσιν εἰς τὴν ἀφορμήν·
But from nothing would they acquire so fine a possession as from what they advance for the capital.
ᾧ μὲν γὰρ ἂν δέκα μναῖ εἰσφορὰ γένηται, ὥσπερ ναυτικόν, σχεδὸν ἐπίπεμπτον αὐτῷ γίγνεται, τριώβολον τῆς ἡμέρας λαμβάνοντι· ᾧ δέ γʼ ἂν πέντε μναῖ, πλέον ἢ ἐπίτριτον.
For he whose contribution becomes ten minae, just like maritime interest, gets nearly a fifth of it, receiving three obols a day; and he whose contribution is five minae gets more than a third.
§3.10οἱ δέ γε πλεῖστοι Ἀθηναίων πλείονα λήψονται κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν ἢ ὅσα ἂν εἰσενέγκωσιν.
And indeed, most of the Athenians will receive more annually than they contribute.
οἱ γὰρ μνᾶν προτελέσαντες ἐγγὺς δυοῖν μναῖν πρόσοδον ἕξουσι, καὶ ταῦτα ἐν πόλει, ὃ δοκεῖ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἀσφαλέστατόν τε καὶ πολυχρονιώτατον εἶναι.
For those who have advanced one mina will have an income of nearly two minae, and that too in a city, which seems to be the safest and most durable of human things.
§3.11οἶμαι δὲ ἔγωγε, εἰ μέλλοιεν ἀναγραφήσεσθαι εὐεργέται εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον, καὶ ξένους ἂν πολλοὺς εἰσενεγκεῖν, ἔστι δʼ ἃς ἂν καὶ πόλεις τῆς ἀναγραφῆς ὀρεγομένας.
And I, for my part, think that if they were to be recorded as benefactors for all time, many foreigners too would contribute, and there are even some cities which would desire this inscription.
ἐλπίζω δὲ καὶ βασιλέας ἄν τινας καὶ τυράννους καὶ σατράπας ἐπιθυμῆσαι μετασχεῖν ταύτης τῆς χάριτος.
And I expect that even some kings, tyrants, and satraps would desire to participate in this favor.
§3.12ὁπότε γε μὴν ἀφορμὴ ὑπάρχοι, καλὸν μὲν καὶ ἀγαθὸν ναυκλήροις οἰκοδομεῖν καταγώγια περὶ λιμένας πρὸς τοῖς ὑπάρχουσι, καλὸν δὲ καὶ ἐμπόροις προσήκοντας τόπους ἐπʼ ὠνῇ τε καὶ πράσει, καὶ τοῖς εἰσαφικνουμένοις δὲ δημόσια καταγώγια.
Whenever capital is available, it would be honorable and good to build lodging houses for shipowners around the harbors, in addition to the existing ones, and honorable to build suitable places for buying and selling for merchants, and public lodging houses for those who arrive.
§3.13εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἀγοραίοις οἰκήσεις τε καὶ πωλητήρια κατασκευασθείη καὶ ἐν Πειραιεῖ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἄστει, ἅμα τʼ ἂν κόσμος εἴη τῇ πόλει καὶ πολλαὶ ἂν ἀπὸ τούτων πρόσοδοι γίγνοιντο.
And if dwellings and shops were constructed for those who do business in the marketplace, both in Piraeus and in the city, it would at once be an ornament for the city and many revenues would arise from these.
§3.14ἀγαθὸν δέ μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι πειραθῆναι, εἰ καὶ ὥσπερ τριήρεις δημοσίας ἡ πόλις κέκτηται, οὕτω καὶ ὁλκάδας δημοσίας δυνατὸν ἂν γένοιτο κτήσασθαι καὶ ταύτας ἐκμισθοῦν ἐπʼ ἐγγυητῶν ὥσπερ καὶ τἆλλα δημόσια.
And it seems good to me to make a trial whether, just as the city owns public triremes, so also it might be possible to acquire public merchant vessels and to lease them out on security, just like other public property.
εἰ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο οἷόν τε ὂν φανείη, πολλὴ ἂν καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων πρόσοδος γίγνοιτο.
For if this too should be shown to be possible, a great revenue would arise also from these.