§65ὄντων τῶν διδομένων αὐτοῖς, χαλεπῶν δὲ καὶ φοβερῶν εἰ μὴ τοσαῦτα λαμβάνοιεν, καὶ ἔτι πλείω τῶν διδομένων αὐτοῖς, οὐχ ὅπως ἐπηύξησε τὰς ἐπιθυμίας αὐτῶν, ἀλλʼ ὁρίσας τὸ δέον τοὺς μὲν στρατιώτας πρὸς τοὺς πόνους καὶ τὴν ἄσκησιν τῶν σωμάτων ἀμείνους ἐποίησεν, οὐκέτι τῷ λαμβάνειν αὐτοὺς ἐάσας προσέχειν, ἀλλὰ τὴν μελέτην τῶν πολεμικῶν αὐτοῖς συνήθη ποιήσας, οὐδὲ ἐν ἡδυπαθείᾳ καὶ τρυφῇ ὄντας διάγειν, ἀλλʼ ὅπως μηδένα καιρὸν ἕξουσιν ἐπιθυμίας τῆς τοιαύτης.
Although the things given to them were many and countless, and although they were harsh and fearsome if they did not receive so many things, and even more than what was given to them, far from increasing their desires, he defined what was necessary and made the soldiers better in respect to labors and the training of their bodies, no longer allowing them to give their attention to receiving, but making the practice of military matters customary for them, nor allowing them to spend their time in luxury and indulgence, but ensuring that they would have no opportunity for such desire.
τοῦτο ποιήσας ἐπήμυνε μὲν ταῖς τῶν ἀρχομένων ἐνδείαις, ἐπεμελήθη δὲ τῆς εὐταξίας τῶν στρατιωτῶν, τῶν δὲ χρημάτων βεβαιοτέραν ἐποίησε τὴν πρόσοδον.
By doing this, he on the one hand relieved the wants of his subjects, and on the other hand cared for the discipline of the soldiers, and made the revenue of money more secure.
τούτων οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο μείζω τεκμήρια ἀνδρείας ἅμα καὶ εὐβουλίας.
Of these things there could be no greater proofs of courage and at the same time of good counsel.
καὶ μὴν δεινότητος καὶ σοφίας τοῦτʼ ἄν τις τεκμήριον εἰκότως αὐτὸ ποιήσαιτο.
Indeed, one might reasonably make this very thing a proof of skill and wisdom.
τὸ μὲν γὰρ βιασάμενον καὶ καταναγκάσαντα στέργειν παρασκευάσαι φόβῳ καὶ οὐ γνώμης περιουσίᾳ ἔστιν οὕτως ἔχειν αὐτοὺς πεποιηκέναι, τὸ δὲ ἀπλήστως πρὸς χρήματα καὶ τὸ λαμβάνειν διακειμένους πεῖσαι μετριάζειν οὐκ ἂν, οἶμαι, ῥᾳδίως ἠδυνήθη, εἰ μὴ νοῆσαι καὶ εἰπεῖν ὑπὲρ ἅπαντας ἦν.
For to force and compel them to acquiesce by fear, and not by abundance of intellect, is merely to have made them behave in this way; but to persuade those who are greedily disposed toward money and receiving to moderate themselves is something that, I think, he could not easily have done, had he not been able to think and speak beyond all men.
φρονήσεως δὲ πολλὰ μὲν καὶ ἄλλα ἔργα ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ παρέσχηται, κάλλιστον δὲ καὶ πλείστου ἐπαίνου ἄξιον ἡ πρὸς τοὺς πολέμους εὐβουλία τε καὶ σύνεσις τοῦ βασιλέως, ὅτι ὁρῶν ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις τοὺς δεινοὺς καὶ πολεμικοὺς εἶναι δοκοῦντας οἰομένους δεῖν τῷ μάχεσθαι νικᾶν, ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ τῷ καλῶς βουλεύεσθαι, οὐκ ἐμιμήσατο ἐκείνους οὐδὲ ἐζήλωσεν, ἡγούμενος δεῖν πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ὁμοίους χρῆσθαι τοῖς ὅπλοις· καλὸν γὰρ τοὺς τοιούτους ἀνδρείᾳ νικᾶν· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς βαρβάρους τῷ εὖ βουλεύεσθαι.
As for wisdom, he has displayed many other deeds in his reign, but the most beautiful and worthy of the greatest praise is the king's good counsel and intelligence regarding wars, because seeing that in wars those who seem to be clever and warlike think they must win by fighting, and not by counseling well, he did not imitate them nor envy them, thinking that against those who are similar one must use arms—for it is noble to conquer such men by courage—but against the barbarians, by counseling well.
ᾔδει γὰρ, οἶμαι, καὶ τὸν τὰς πολλὰς μυριάδας ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἀγαγόντα καὶ ὃν οὔτε γῆ οὔτε θάλαττα ἐχώρει ἱκανῶς ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γνώμης ἡττηθέντα.
For he knew, I think, that even the one who led the many myriads against the Greeks, and whom neither land nor sea could sufficiently hold, was defeated by the intellect of one man.
ὅπου γὰρ ἔστι βουλευσάμενον περιγενέσθαι, τί δεῖ ἐνταῦθα κινδύνων; §66ἔτι τοίνυν τὸ μὲν νικᾶν ἐν ταῖς μάχαις καὶ τοῖς φαύλοις πολλάκις περιγίγνεται, φρονήσει δὲ καὶ σοφίᾳ κρατεῖν δύνασθαι μόνων ἐστὶ τῶν εἰδότων βουλεύεσθαι.
For where it is possible to prevail by counseling, what need is there for dangers?\n Moreover, while conquering in battles often falls even to worthless men, to be able to rule by prudence and wisdom belongs only to those who know how to counsel.
καὶ μὴν οἱ μὲν τὴν ἀνδρείαν ἐπὶ παντὸς καιροῦ καὶ πάσης προφάσεως ἐπιδείκνυσθαι βουλόμενοι τυχόντες μὲν κατώρθωσαν, ἡττηθέντες δὲ συμφοραῖς μεγίσταις ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοὺς φίλους περιβάλλουσιν, οἱ δὲ γιγνώσκοντες τὰ δέοντα καὶ λογιζόμενοι κατορθώσαντες μὲν τυγχάνουσιν οὐδὲν ἧττον ὧν ἐβουλήθησαν, διαμαρτόντες δὲ οὐδὲν βλάπτονται.
Indeed, those who wish to display their courage on every occasion and every pretext, if they succeed, they prosper, but if they are defeated, they plunge themselves and their friends into the greatest misfortunes; whereas those who know what is necessary and calculate, if they succeed, they achieve no less than they wished, and if they fail, they suffer no harm.
ἃ δὴ γιγνώσκων καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς οὐκ οἴεται δεῖν μιμεῖσθαι τοὺς ἀνοήτους καὶ ῥιψοκινδύνους τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ τῷ εὖ βουλεύεσθαι ἀσφαλὴς εἶναι πρὸς τοὺς βαρβάρους.
Knowing these things, the king also does not think he ought to imitate the foolish and reckless among men, but by counseling well to be secure against the barbarians.
καὶ μὴν οὐδʼ ἐν ταῖς μάχαις καὶ τοῖς ὅπλοις αὐτὸν ἐμέμψαντο οἱ πολέμιοι, ἀλλʼ ἐπέδειξεν αὐτοῖς οὐ μόνον συνέσει καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ παιδείᾳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνδρείᾳ κρατεῖν αὐτῶν δυνάμενος.
Indeed, not even in battles and arms did the enemies find fault with him, but he demonstrated to them that he was able to conquer them not only by intelligence and other education, but also by courage.
ὅπου γὰρ Κελτοὶ μὲν οἱ μέγιστοι καὶ φονικώτατοι τῶν ὑφʼ ἡλίῳ πολλὰ δὴ καὶ παντοῖα τολμήσαντες νῦν προσκυνοῦσι τὸν δεσπότην, γνόντες τὸ τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν ὡς ἄμεινον ἦν καὶ ποιεῖν τὸ προσταττόμενον τοῦ πολεμεῖν, τοῦτο δὲ τὸ ὄνομα λείπεται μόνον τοῦ γένους· πᾶν δὲ ὅσον Εὐφράτου τε καὶ Τίγρητος ἐπέκεινα πρὸς ἀνατολὰς οἰκεῖ διακινηθὲν καὶ δὴ κατήρτισταί τε καὶ πεπαίδευται τοὺς κρείττους εἰδέναι· ἡσυχάζει δὲ πᾶσα ἡ ἤπειρος, γῆ δὲ καὶ θάλαττα τὸν προστάτην στεφανοῦσιν, Ἕλληνες δὲ καὶ βάρβαροι ταυτὸν ἤδη φθέγγονται, ἡ δὲ ἀρχὴ καθάπερ ναῦς τις ἢ τεῖχος ἐπεσκεύασταί τε καὶ ὠχύρωται καὶ τὸ αὑτῆς βεβαίως κεκόμισται ἀγαθὸν, τίνα ταῦτα οὐχ ὑπερβέβληκεν ἀνδρείαν, ἢ τίς ἀμείνων καὶ λυσιτελεστέρα γένοιτʼ ἂν ταύτης κατάστασις;
For where the Celts, the greatest and most murderous of those under the sun, after having dared many and various things, now bow down before the master, having recognized how much better it was to keep quiet and do what is commanded than to wage war—and of this race only the name is now left; and all that dwells beyond the Euphrates and Tigris toward the east, having been shaken, has indeed been set in order and trained to recognize those who are superior; and the whole continent is at peace, and land and sea crown the protector, and Greeks and barbarians now speak the same voice, and the empire, just like a ship or a wall, has been repaired and fortified, and has securely secured its own good—how has this not surpassed all courage, or what better and more profitable state could there be than this?
οὐ πᾶσα μὲν ἄδεια πᾶσιν ὅπη βούλεταί τις, §67πάντες δὲ οἱ πανταχοῦ λιμένες ἐνεργοὶ, οὐ τὰ μὲν ὄρη τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει τοῖς ὁδεύουσιν ἥνπερ αἱ πόλεις τοῖς οἰκοῦσιν αὐτὰς ἀσφάλειαν, χάρις δὲ πάντα ἐπέχει πεδία, πᾶς δὲ διὰ πάντων λέλυται φόβος;
Is there not complete safety for everyone wherever one wishes,\n and are not all harbors everywhere active, and do not the mountains offer the same safety to travelers as cities do to those who dwell in them, and does not grace occupy all plains, and has not all fear been dispelled from all people?
ποῖοι μὲν γὰρ πόροι ποταμῶν κεκώλυνται διελθεῖν;
For what crossings of rivers have been prevented from being crossed?
τίνες δὲ θαλάττης ἀποκέκλεινται πορθμοί;
What straits of the sea have been closed?
νῦν καὶ πανηγύρεις φαιδρότεραι καὶ ἑορταὶ θεοφιλέστεραι.
Now indeed festivals are more brilliant and holidays more pleasing to the gods.
νῦν καὶ τὸ Δήμητρος πῦρ λαμπρότερον καὶ ἱερώτερον.
Now also the fire of Demeter is brighter and more sacred.
ὦ φῶς τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης εὐδαιμονίας.
O light of human happiness!
νῦν ἅπαντες ἄνθρωποι τὴν ἀληθῆ εὐδαιμονίαν εὑρηκέναι δοκοῦσιν.
Now all men seem to have found true happiness.
ὦ πάντας βασιλέας παρεληλυθὼς, σοφίᾳ μὲν τοὺς σοφοὺς, ἀνδρείᾳ δὲ τοὺς ἀνδρείους, εὐσεβείᾳ δὲ τοὺς ἐπὶ ταύτῃ διαφέροντας, εὐτυχίᾳ δὲ τοὺς εὐτυχεστάτους· ἀνθʼ ὧν οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο ἀξία σοι χάρις παρʼ ἡμῶν οὔτʼ ἐν ἐπαίνοις οὔτʼ ἐν ἄλλῃ οὐδεμιᾷ τιμῇ.
O you who have surpassed all kings, in wisdom the wise, in courage the brave, in piety those who excel in it, and in good fortune the most fortunate; in return for which no worthy gratitude could come from us to you, neither in praises nor in any other honor.
σὲ δὲ, ὦ παῖ γενναῖε γενναίων, κατʼ ἴχνος εἴη βαίνειν τοῦ πατρός.
And as for you, O noble son of noble parents, may you walk in the footsteps of your father.
τοῦτο γὰρ ὥς γε ἐν βραχεῖ πλεῖστον εἰρήσθω.
For let this be said as the greatest thing in brief."