§13.27.1ὅσοι μὲν γὰρ λόγου καὶ παιδείας ἐν τῇ πόλει μετεσχήκατε, δότε τὸν ἔλεον τοῖς τὴν πατρίδα κοινὸν παιδευτήριον παρεχομένοις πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις· ὅσοι δὲ τῶν ἁγνοτάτων μυστηρίων μετειλήφατε, σώσατε τοὺς μυήσαντας, οἱ μὲν ἤδη μετεσχηκότες τῶν φιλανθρωπιῶν τὴν χάριν διδόντες τῆς εὐεργεσίας, οἱ δὲ μέλλοντες μεταλήψεσθαι μὴ παραιρούμενοι τῷ θυμῷ τὴν ἐλπίδα. §13.27.2ποῖος γὰρ τόπος τοῖς ξένοις βάσιμος εἰς παιδείαν ἐλευθέριον τῆς Ἀθηναίων πόλεως ἀνῃρημένης;
For all of you who have shared in speech and education in the city, grant mercy to those who present their fatherland as a common school for all mankind; and all of you who have participated in the most holy mysteries, save those who initiated you, those who have already shared in their humanity giving gratitude for the benefit, and those who are about to participate not allowing their hope to be taken away by anger. For what place will be accessible to foreigners for a liberal education if the city of the Athenians is destroyed?
βραχὺ τὸ διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μῖσος, μεγάλα δὲ καὶ πολλὰ τὰ πρὸς εὔνοιαν αὐτοῖς εἰργασμένα.
The hatred because of their error is small, but the great and many deeds they performed out of goodwill are abundant.
χωρὶς δὲ τῆς περὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐντροπῆς καὶ κατʼ ἰδίαν ἄν τις τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἐξετάζων εὕροι δικαίως ἐλέου τυγχάνοντας.
And apart from respect for the city, if anyone should examine the captives individually, he would find them justly receiving mercy.
οἱ μὲν γὰρ σύμμαχοι τῇ τῶν κρατούντων ὑπεροχῇ βιασθέντες ἠναγκάσθησαν συστρατεύειν. §13.27.3διόπερ εἰ τοὺς ἐξ ἐπιβολῆς ἀδικήσαντας δίκαιόν ἐστι τιμωρεῖσθαι, τοὺς ἀκουσίως ἐξαμαρτάνοντας προσῆκον ἂν εἴη συγγνώμης ἀξιοῦν.
For the allies, forced by the superiority of those in power, were compelled to campaign with them. Therefore, if it is just to punish those who did wrong deliberately, it would be fitting to deem those who erred involuntarily worthy of forgiveness.
τί λέγω Νικίαν, ὃς ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς τὴν πολιτείαν ὑπὲρ Συρακοσίων ἐνστησάμενος μόνος ἀντεῖπεν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς Σικελίαν στρατείας, ἀεὶ δὲ τῶν παρεπιδημούντων Συρακοσίων φροντίζων καὶ πρόξενος ὢν διατετέλεκεν; §13.27.4ἄτοπον οὖν Νικίαν κολάζεσθαι τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν Ἀθήνησι πεπολιτευμένον, καὶ διὰ μὲν τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς εὔνοιαν μὴ τυχεῖν φιλανθρωπίας, διὰ δὲ τὴν ἐν τοῖς κοινοῖς ὑπηρεσίαν ἀπαραιτήτῳ περιπεσεῖν τιμωρίᾳ, καὶ τὸν μὲν ἐπαγαγόντα τὸν πόλεμον ἐπὶ Συρακοσίους Ἀλκιβιάδην ἅμα καὶ παρʼ ἡμῶν καὶ παρʼ Ἀθηναίων ἐκφυγεῖν τὴν τιμωρίαν, τὸν δʼ ὁμολογουμένως φιλανθρωπότατον Ἀθηναίων γεγενημένον μηδὲ τοῦ κοινοῦ τυχεῖν ἐλέου. §13.27.5διόπερ ἔγωγε τὴν τοῦ βίου μεταβολὴν θεωρῶν ἐλεῶ τὴν τύχην.
Why do I speak of Nicias, who from the beginning conducted his public life on behalf of the Syracusans, alone spoke against the expedition to Sicily, and has continuously cared for the visiting Syracusans and acted as their diplomatic representative? It is therefore absurd that Nicias, who conducted public affairs in Athens on our behalf, should be punished, and while because of his goodwill toward us he obtains no humanity, because of his service in public offices he should fall into unalterable punishment; and that Alcibiades, who brought the war upon the Syracusans, should escape punishment both from us and from the Athenians, while Nicias, who has admittedly been the most humane of the Athenians, should not even obtain common mercy. Therefore, I at least, beholding the change of life, pity his fortune.
πρότερον μὲν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἐπισημοτάτοις τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὑπάρχων καὶ διὰ τὴν καλοκἀγαθίαν ἐπαινούμενος μακαριστὸς ἦν καὶ περίβλεπτος κατὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν· §13.27.6νυνὶ δʼ ἐξηγκωνισμένος καὶ ἐν ἀσχήμονί χιτῶνι προσόψει τῶν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας οἰκτρῶν πεπείραται, καθαπερεὶ τῆς τύχης ἐν τῷ τούτου βίῳ τὴν ἑαυτῆς δύναμιν ἐπιδείξασθαι βουλομένης.
For formerly, being among the most distinguished of the Greeks and praised for his nobility of character, he was deemed blessed and was admired in every city; but now, with his hands bound behind him and in a wretched tunic, he has experienced the pitiful sights of captivity, just as if fortune wished to display her own power in this man's life.
ἧς τὴν εὐημερίαν ἀνθρωπίνως ἡμᾶς ὑπενεγκεῖν προσήκει καὶ μὴ βάρβαρον ὠμότητα πρὸς ὁμοεθνεῖς ἀνθρώπους ἐνδείξασθαι.
It is fitting that we bear her prosperity in a human manner and not display barbarian cruelty toward men of the same race.