§9.1ταῦτα δὲ ἀναγιγνώσκειν μὲν καὶ ὀλιγάκις ἀρκεῖ, ἐννοεῖν δὲ τὸ παρατυγχάνον αὐτῷ ἀεὶ δεῖ, καὶ πρὸς τὸ παριστάμενον σκοποῦντα τὸ συμφέρον ἐκπονεῖν.
Reading these things even once in a while is sufficient, but one must always reflect on what presents itself to him on each occasion, and, looking to the immediate situation, work out what is advantageous.
γράψαι δὲ πάντα ὁπόσα δεῖ ποιεῖν οὐδὲν μᾶλλον οἷόν τέ ἐστιν ἢ τὰ μέλλοντα πάντα εἰδέναι. §9.2πάντων δὲ τῶν ὑπομνημάτων ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ κράτιστον εἶναι τὸ ὅσα ἂν γνῷ ἀγαθὰ εἶναι ἐπιμελεῖσθαι ὡς ἂν πραχθῇ.
To write down all the things that one must do is no more possible than to know all future events. Of all the recommendations, it seems to me to be the best to take care that whatever things one recognizes to be good are actually carried out.
ὀρθῶς δὲ γιγνωσκόμενα οὐ φέρει καρπὸν οὔτʼ ἐν γεωργίᾳ οὔτʼ ἐν ναυκληρίᾳ οὔτʼ ἐν ἀρχῇ, ἢν μή τις ἐπιμέληται ὡς ἂν ταῦτα σὺν τοῖς θεοῖς ἐκπεραίνηται. §9.3φημὶ δʼ ἐγὼ καὶ τὸ πᾶν ἱππικὸν ὧδʼ ἂν πολὺ θᾶττον ἐκπληρωθῆναι εἰς τοὺς χιλίους ἱππεῖς καὶ πολὺ ῥᾷον τοῖς πολίταις, εἰ διακοσίους ἱππέας ξένους καταστήσαιντο· δοκοῦσι γὰρ ἄν μοι οὗτοι προσγενόμενοι καὶ εὐπειστότερον ἂν πᾶν τὸ ἱππικὸν ποιῆσαι καὶ φιλοτιμότερον πρὸς ἀλλήλους περὶ ἀνδραγαθίας. §9.4οἶδα δʼ ἔγωγε καὶ Λακεδαιμονίοις ἱππικὸν ἀρξάμενον εὐδοκιμεῖν, ἐπεὶ ξένους ἱππέας προσέλαβον.
For things rightly understood bring no fruit either in agriculture or in shipping or in government, unless one takes care that these are brought to completion with the help of the gods. And I assert that the entire cavalry force would thus be much more quickly filled up to the thousand horsemen, and much more easily for the citizens, if they should establish two hundred mercenary cavalrymen; for these, being added, seem to me likely both to make the entire cavalry more obedient and to make them compete more eagerly with one another in valor. And I know that for the Lacedaemonians also their cavalry began to be highly esteemed when they took on foreign cavalry.
καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις δὲ πόλεσι πανταχοῦ τὰ ξενικὰ ὁρῶ εὐδοκιμοῦντα· ἡ γὰρ χρεία μεγάλην προθυμίαν συμβάλλεται. §9.5εἰς δὲ τιμὴν τῶν ἵππων νομίζω ἂν αὐτοῖς χρήματα ὑπάρξαι καὶ παρὰ τῶν σφόδρα ἀπεχομένων μὴ ἱππεύειν, ὅτι καὶ οἷς καθίστησι τὸ ἱππικὸν ἐθέλουσι τελεῖν ἀργύριον ὡς μὴ ἱππεύειν, καὶ παρὰ πλουσίων μέν, ἀδυνάτων δὲ τοῖς σώμασιν, οἴομαι δὲ καὶ παρʼ ὀρφανῶν τῶν δυνατοὺς οἴκους ἐχόντων. §9.6νομίζω δὲ καὶ μετοίκων φιλοτιμεῖσθαι ἄν τινας εἰς ἱππικὸν καθισταμένους· ὁρῶ γὰρ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὁπόσων ἂν καλῶν ὄντων μεταδιδῶσιν αὐτοῖς οἱ πολῖται, φιλοτίμως ἐνίους ἐθέλοντας τὸ προσταχθὲν διαπράττεσθαι. §9.7δοκεῖ δʼ ἄν μοι καὶ πεζὸν σὺν τοῖς ἵπποις ἐνεργότατον εἶναι, εἰ συσταθείη ἐξ ἀνδρῶν τῶν ἐναντιωτάτων τοῖς πολεμίοις. §9.8ταῦτα δὲ πάντα θεῶν συνεθελόντων γένοιτʼ ἄν.
And in other cities everywhere I see that the mercenary forces are in high repute; for necessity contributes great zeal. And as for the cost of the horses, I think money would be available for them even from those who are very averse to serving in the cavalry, because those whom the state appoints to serve in the cavalry are willing to pay money so as not to serve; and also from those who are rich indeed but physically incapacitated, and I think also from orphans who possess wealthy estates. And I think that some of the resident aliens also would show ambition if they were appointed to the cavalry; for I see that in all other honorable activities of which the citizens give them a share, some of them are eager to perform what is commanded of them with ambition. And it seems to me that an infantry force joined with the cavalry would be most effective if it were composed of men who are most hostile to the enemy. But all these things could come about if the gods are willing.
εἰ δέ τις τοῦτο θαυμάζει, ὅτι πολλάκις γέγραπται τὸ σὺν θεῷ πράττειν, εὖ ἴστω ὅτι ἢν πολλάκις κινδυνεύῃ, ἧττον τοῦτο θαυμάσεται, καὶ ἤν γε κατανοῇ ὅτι, ὅταν πόλεμος ᾖ, ἐπιβουλεύουσι μὲν ἀλλήλοις οἱ ἐναντίοι, ὀλιγάκις δὲ ἴσασι πῶς ἔχει τὰ ἐπιβουλευόμενα. §9.9τὰ οὖν τοιαῦτα οὐδʼ ὅτῳ συμβουλεύσεταί τις οἷόν τε εὑρεῖν πλὴν θεῶν· οὗτοι δὲ πάντα ἴσασι καὶ προσημαίνουσιν ᾧ ἂν ἐθέλωσι καὶ ἐν ἱεροῖς καὶ ἐν οἰωνοῖς καὶ ἐν φήμαις καὶ ἐν ὀνείρασιν.
And if anyone wonders at this, that "to act with God's help" is written many times, let him know well that if he often faces danger, he will wonder less at this, and especially if he reflects that, when there is war, adversaries plot against one another, but they rarely know how the plots against them stand. In such matters, then, it is not possible to find anyone to consult except the gods; and they know all things and give signs beforehand to whomever they wish, both in sacrifices, in omens of birds, in voices, and in dreams.
εἰκὸς δὲ μᾶλλον ἐθέλειν αὐτοὺς συμβουλεύειν τούτοις, οἳ ἂν μὴ μόνον ὅταν δέωνται ἐπερωτῶσι τί χρὴ ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ταῖς εὐτυχίαις θεραπεύωσιν ὅ τι ἂν δύνωνται τοὺς θεούς.
And it is natural that they are more willing to give counsel to those who do not only ask what they must do when they are in need, but also in times of prosperity worship the gods as much as they are able.