§13.21.1ὁ μὲν οὖν δῆμος τῶν Ἀθηναίων τῆς ἰδίας ἀνοίας ἀξίαν κεκόμισται τιμωρίαν, πρῶτον μὲν παρὰ θεῶν, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα παρʼ ἡμῶν τῶν ἀδικηθέντων.
The people of the Athenians, therefore, have received a punishment worthy of their own folly, first from the gods, and after this from us who have been wronged.
§13.21.2ἀγαθὸν γάρ ἐστι τὸ θεῖον τοὺς ἀδίκου πολέμου καταρχομένους καὶ τὴν αὑτῶν ὑπεροχὴν οὐκ ἐνεγκόντας ἀνθρωπίνως ἀνελπίστοις περιβαλεῖν συμφοραῖς.
For it is good that the divinity should involve in unexpected misfortunes those who begin an unjust war and do not bear their own superiority in a human manner.
§13.21.3τίς γὰρ ἂν ἤλπισεν Ἀθηναίους, μύρια μὲν εἰληφότας ἐκ Δήλου τάλαντα, τριήρεις δὲ διακοσίας εἰς Σικελίαν ἀπεσταλκότας καὶ τοὺς ἀγωνισομένους ἄνδρας πλείους τῶν τετρακισμυρίων, οὕτως μεγάλαις συμφοραῖς περιπεσεῖσθαι;
For who would have expected that the Athenians, who had received ten thousand talents from Delos, and had dispatched two hundred triremes to Sicily, and more than forty thousand men to fight, would fall into such great misfortunes?
ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς τηλικαύτης παρασκευῆς οὔτε ναῦς οὔτʼ ἀνὴρ οὐθεὶς ἐπανῆλθεν, ὥστε μηδὲ τὸν ἀγγελοῦντα αὐτοῖς τὴν συμφορὰν περιλειφθῆναι.
For from so great an armament, neither ship nor any man returned, so that not even the one who would report the disaster to them was left.
§13.21.4εἰδότες οὖν, ἄνδρες Συρακόσιοι, τοὺς ὑπερηφανοῦντας παρὰ θεοῖς καὶ παρʼ ἀνθρώποις μισουμένους, προσκυνοῦντες τὴν τύχην μηθὲν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον πράξητε.
Knowing therefore, men of Syracuse, that those who are arrogant are hated by gods and men, and reverencing Fortune, do nothing beyond what is human.
τί γὰρ σεμνὸν φονεῦσαι τὸν ὑποπεπτωκότα;
For what is honorable in slaying the one who has fallen at one's feet?
τί δʼ ἔνδοξον τιμωρίᾳ περιβαλεῖν;
And what is glorious in enveloping them in punishment?
ὁ γὰρ ἀμετάθετον ἔχων τὴν περὶ τῶν ἀτυχημάτων ὠμότητα συναδικεῖ τὴν κοινὴν ἀνθρώπων ἀσθένειαν.
For he who maintains an unalterable cruelty towards those in misfortune joins in wronging the common weakness of mankind.
§13.21.5οὐθεὶς γάρ ἐστιν οὕτω φρόνιμος, ὥστε μεῖζον ἰσχῦσαι τῆς τύχης, ἣ φύσει ταῖς ἀνθρωπίναις ἡδομένη συμφοραῖς ὀξείας τῆς εὐδαιμονίας ποιεῖ τὰς μεταβολάς.
For no one is so wise as to have greater power than Fortune, which by nature rejoicing in human misfortunes makes swift changes of prosperity.
ἐροῦσί τινες ἴσως, ἠδίκησαν, καὶ τῆς κατʼ αὐτῶν τιμωρίας ἔχομεν τὴν ἐξουσίαν. §13.21.6οὐκοῦν παρὰ μὲν τοῦ δήμου πολλαπλασίαν εἰλήφατε τιμωρίαν, παρὰ δὲ τῶν αἰχμαλώτων ἱκανὴν ἔχετε κόλασιν;
Some will perhaps say, "They did wrong, and we have the authority for their punishment." Well then, have you not received a manifold punishment from the state, and do you not have a sufficient chastisement from the captives?
παρέδωκαν γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς μετὰ τῶν ὅπλων πιστεύσαντες τῇ τῶν κρατούντων εὐγνωμοσύνῃ· διόπερ οὐκ ἄξιον αὐτοὺς τῆς ἡμετέρας ψευσθῆναι φιλανθρωπίας.
For they surrendered themselves along with their weapons, trusting in the fair-mindedness of the conquerors; wherefore it is not right that they should be disappointed in our humanity.
§13.21.7οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀμετάθετον τὴν ἔχθραν φυλάττοντες μαχόμενοι τετελευτήκασιν, οἱ δʼ ἑαυτοὺς ἡμῖν ἐγχειρίσαντες ἀντὶ πολεμίων γεγόνασιν ἱκέται.
Those, therefore, who kept their enmity unalterable have died fighting, but those who delivered themselves to us have become suppliants instead of enemies.
οἱ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς μάχαις τοῖς ἐναντίοις τὰ σώματα ἐγχειρίζοντες, ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι σωτηρίας τοῦτο πράττουσιν· εἰ δὲ πιστεύσαντες τιμωρίας τεύξονται τηλικαύτης, οἱ μὲν παθόντες ἀναδέξονται τὴν συμφοράν, οἱ δὲ πράξαντες ἀγνώμονες ἂν κληθεῖεν.
For those who in battles deliver their persons to their adversaries do this in the hope of safety; but if, having trusted, they meet with such great punishment, those who suffer will accept their misfortune, but those who acted would be called heartless.
§13.21.8δεῖ δὲ τοὺς τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἀντιποιουμένους, ὦ ἄνδρες Συρακόσιοι, μὴ οὕτως τοῖς ὅπλοις ἑαυτοὺς ἰσχυροὺς κατασκευάζειν, ὡς τοῖς τρόποις ἐπιεικεῖς παρέχεσθαι.
And those who lay claim to leadership, men of Syracuse, ought not to make themselves so strong by arms as to show themselves reasonable in their character.