§4.83.1τίσιν οὖν ἀφορμαῖς εἰς τὰ πράγματα χρησόμεθα καὶ ποίαις συμμαχίαις;
What resources, then, shall we use for our enterprise and what alliances?
τοῦτο γὰρ λοιπὸν εἰπεῖν.
For this remains to be told.
πρώταις μὲν ταῖς παρὰ τῶν θεῶν ἐλπίσιν, ὧν ἱερὰ καὶ τεμένη καὶ βωμοὺς μιαίνει Ταρκύνιος ταῖς αἱμοφύρτοις χερσὶ καὶ παντὸς ἐμφυλίου γεμούσαις ἄγους θυσιῶν καὶ σπονδῶν καταρχόμενος· ἔπειτα ταῖς ἐξ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν οὔτʼ ὀλίγων ὄντων οὔτʼ ἀπείρων πολέμου· πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ταῖς παρὰ τῶν συμμάχων ἐπικουρίαις, οἳ μὴ καλούντων μὲν ἡμῶν οὐδὲν ἀξιώσουσι πολυπραγμονεῖν, ἐὰν δʼ ἀρετῆς ὁρῶσι μεταποιουμένους ἄσμενοι συναροῦνται τοῦ πολέμου· τυραννὶς γὰρ ἅπασιν ἐχθρὰ τοῖς βουλομένοις ἐλευθέροις εἶναι.
First, the hopes we have from the gods, whose temples, sacred precincts, and altars Tarquinius defiles with his blood-stained hands, full of every domestic pollution, as he begins sacrifices and libations; next, the hopes from ourselves, who are neither few in number nor inexperienced in war; and in addition to these, the assistance from our allies, who, if we do not call upon them, will not think fit to meddle, but if they see us striving for virtue, will gladly join in the war; for tyranny is hateful to all who wish to be free.
§4.83.2εἰ δέ τινες ὑμῶν τοὺς ἐπὶ στρατοπέδου συνόντας ἅμα Ταρκυνίῳ πολίτας δεδοίκασιν, ὡς ἐκείνῳ μὲν συναγωνιουμένους, ἡμῖν δὲ πολεμήσοντας, οὐκ ὀρθῶς δεδοίκασι.
And if some of you fear the citizens who are with Tarquinius in the camp, on the ground that they will fight on his side and make war against us, they fear incorrectly.
βαρεῖα γὰρ κἀκείνοις ἡ τυραννὶς καὶ ἔμφυτος ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις ὁ τῆς ἐλευθερίας πόθος, καὶ πᾶσα μεταβολῆς πρόφασις τοῖς διʼ ἀνάγκην ταλαιπωροῦσιν ἱκανή· οὕς, εἰ ψηφιεῖσθε τῇ πατρίδι βοηθεῖν, οὐ φόβος ὁ καθέξων ἔσται παρὰ τοῖς τυράννοις, οὐ χάρις, οὐχ ἕτερόν τι τῶν βιαζομένων ἢ πειθόντων ἀνθρώπους τὰ §4.83.3μὴ δίκαια πράττειν.
For to them also the tyranny is heavy, and the desire for freedom is innate in all men, and any pretext for change is sufficient for those who suffer of necessity; whom, if you vote to aid your country, no fear will keep on the side of the tyrants, nor gratitude, nor any other of those things which force or persuade men to do unjust things.
εἰ δέ τισιν αὐτῶν ἄρα διὰ κακὴν φύσιν ἢ πονηρὰς τροφὰς τὸ φιλοτύραννον ἐμπέφυκεν οὐ πολλοῖς οὖσι μὰ Δία, μεγάλαις καὶ τούτους ἀνάγκαις ἐνζεύξομεν, ὥστʼ ἐκ πονηρῶν γενέσθαι χρηστούς· ὅμηρα γὰρ αὐτῶν ἔχομεν ἐν τῇ πόλει τέκνα καὶ γυναῖκας καὶ γονεῖς, ἃ τιμιώτερα τῆς ἰδίας ἐστὶν ἑκάστῳ ψυχῆς.
And if, after all, in some of them, owing to a bad nature or evil upbringing, a love of tyranny is ingrained—who are not many, by Zeus—we shall bind even these with great constraints, so as to make them good instead of bad; for we hold as hostages in the city their children, wives, and parents, which are dearer to each than his own life.
ταῦτά τʼ οὖν αὐτοῖς ἀποδώσειν, ἐὰν ἀποστῶσι τῶν τυράννων, ὑπισχνούμενοι καὶ ἄδειαν ὧν ἥμαρτον ψηφιζόμενοι ῥᾳδίως πείσομεν.
By promising, therefore, to restore these to them if they revolt from the tyrants, and by voting an amnesty for their past errors, we shall easily persuade them.
§4.83.4ὥστε θαρροῦντες, ὦ δημόται, καὶ ἀγαθὰς ἔχοντες ὑπὲρ τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίδας χωρεῖτε πρὸς τὸν ἀγῶνα, κάλλιστον ὧν πώποτε ἤρασθε πολέμων τόνδε ὑποστησόμενοι.
Therefore, O citizens, taking courage and having good hopes for the future, advance to the struggle, ready to undergo this war, the noblest of any you have ever undertaken.
ἡμεῖς μὲν οὖν, ὦ θεοὶ πατρῷοι, φύλακες ἀγαθοὶ τῆσδε τῆς γῆς, καὶ δαίμονες, οἳ τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν λελόγχατε, καὶ πόλις θεοφιλεστάτη πόλεων, ἐν ᾗ γενέσεώς τε καὶ τροφῆς ἐτύχομεν, ἀμυνοῦμεν ὑμῖν καὶ γνώμαις καὶ λόγοις καὶ χερσὶ καὶ ψυχαῖς, καὶ πάσχειν ἕτοιμοι πᾶν, ὅ τι ἂν ὁ δαίμων καὶ τὸ χρεὼν φέρῃ.
We, then, O ancestral gods, good guardians of this land, and divinities who have received our ancestors as your portion, and city most beloved of gods, in which we received our birth and nurture, will defend you with our minds, words, hands, and souls, and are ready to suffer whatever the divinity and fate may bring.
§4.83.5μαντεύομαι δὲ καλοῖς ἐγχειρήμασιν εὐτυχὲς ἀκολουθήσειν τέλος.
And I divine that a fortunate end will follow these noble undertakings.
εἴη δὲ τούτοις ἅπασι ταὐτὸ λαβοῦσι θάρσος καὶ μιᾷ γνώμῃ χρησαμένοις, σώζειν θʼ ἡμᾶς καὶ σώζεσθαι ὑφʼ ἡμῶν.
May it be that all these, taking the same courage and using one mind, save us and are saved by us.