§13.25.1εἰ δʼ, ὅπερ εἰκός ἐστι, παύσεσθε πολεμοῦντες, τίνα καλλίω καιρὸν εὑρήσετε τοῦ νῦν ὑπάρχοντος, ἐν ᾧ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἐπταικότας φιλανθρωπίαν ἀφορμὴν τῆς φιλίας ποιήσεσθε;
And if, as is likely, you will cease waging war, what fairer opportunity will you find than the present one, in which you will make your humanity toward those who have stumbled the starting-point of friendship?
μὴ γὰρ οἴεσθε τὸν τῶν Ἀθηναίων δῆμον τελέως ἐξησθενηκέναι διὰ τὴν ἐν Σικελίᾳ συμφοράν, ὃς κρατεῖ σχεδὸν τῶν τε κατὰ τὴν Ἑλλάδα νήσων ἁπασῶν, καὶ τῆς παραλίου τῆς τε κατὰ τὴν Εὐρώπην καὶ τὴν Ἀσίαν ἔχει τὴν ἡγεμονίαν.
For do not think that the people of the Athenians has been completely weakened because of the disaster in Sicily, who rules over almost all the islands throughout Greece, and holds the hegemony of the coast, both that of Europe and that of Asia.
§13.25.2καὶ γὰρ πρότερον περὶ τὴν Αἴγυπτον τριακοσίας τριήρεις αὐτάνδρους ἀπολέσας τὸν δοκοῦντα κρατεῖν βασιλέα συνθήκας ἀσχήμονας ποιεῖν ἠνάγκασε, καὶ πάλιν ὑπὸ Ξέρξου τῆς πόλεως κατασκαφείσης μετʼ ὀλίγον κἀκεῖνον ἐνίκησε καὶ τῆς Ἑλλάδος τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἐκτήσατο.
For previously too, having lost three hundred triremes with their crews near Egypt, it forced the King who was thought to be dominant to make ignominious treaties, and again, when their city had been razed by Xerxes, shortly afterward it conquered even him and acquired the hegemony of Greece.
§13.25.3ἀγαθὴ γὰρ ἡ πόλις ἐν τοῖς μεγίστοις ἀτυχήμασι μεγίστην ἐπίδοσιν λαβεῖν καὶ μηδέποτε ταπεινὸν μηδὲν βουλεύεσθαι.
For the city is capable of making the greatest progress in the midst of the greatest misfortunes, and of never planning anything lowly.
καλὸν οὖν ἀντὶ τοῦ τὴν ἔχθραν ἐπαύξειν συμμάχους αὐτοὺς ἔχειν φεισαμένους τῶν αἰχμαλώτων.
It is honorable, therefore, instead of increasing enmity, to have them as allies, by having spared the captives.
§13.25.4ἀνελόντες μὲν γὰρ αὐτοὺς τῷ θυμῷ μόνον χαριούμεθα, τὴν ἄκαρπον ἐπιθυμίαν ἐκπληροῦντες, φυλάξαντες δὲ παρὰ μὲν τῶν εὖ παθόντων τὴν χάριν ἕξομεν, παρὰ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων τὴν εὐδοξίαν.
For if we destroy them, we shall only gratify our anger, fulfilling a fruitless desire, but if we preserve them, we shall have gratitude from those who have been well treated, and good repute from all other men.