§231ἀλλὰ τί δεῖ περὶ ταῦτα τρίβεσθαι;
But why is it necessary to waste time on these things?
αἷς μὲν γάρ ἐστι τῶν πόλεων ἐν μύθοις ἢ διηγήσεσιν ἡ φιλοτιμία, εἰς ταῦτα εἰκὸς ἀναχωρεῖν, ἥτις δὲ εὐθὺς ὀφθεῖσα χειροῦται καὶ οὐκ ἐᾷ ζητεῖν τὰ ἀρχαῖα, τί δεῖ ταύτην σεμνύνειν ἀπὸ τῶν παρελθόντων, ἀλλʼ οὐ περιηγεῖσθαι καθαπερεὶ τῆς χειρὸς ἔχοντα, μάρτυρα τὸν θεατὴν τῶν λόγων ποιούμενον;
For while it is natural for those of the cities whose source of pride is in myths or narrations to retreat to these, for a city which, as soon as it is seen, conquers and does not allow one to search for ancient things, why is it necessary to dignify this one from past events, rather than to lead one around as if holding them by the hand, making the spectator the witness of the words?
οἶμαι γὰρ, εἴ τινος εἴδωλον πόλεως ἔδει φαίνεσθαι κατʼ οὐρανὸν, ὥσπερ τὸν στέφανόν φασι τὸν Ἀριάδνης καὶ ἄλλα εἴδωλα ποταμῶν τε καὶ ζώων, ὅσα πρὸς θεῶν ἐτιμήθη, τὸ τῆσδε ἂν φαίνεσθαι νικῆσαι.
For I think that, if the image of any city had to appear in heaven, just as they say the crown of Ariadne does, and other images of rivers and animals, as many as were honored by the gods, that of this city would have appeared to win.
οὕτως μοι δοκεῖ πεφυκέναι παράδειγμα πόλεως, καὶ οὔτε τοῦ πολίτου ποιητοῦ προμνωμένου προσδεῖσθαι οὔτε ἄλλης τέχνης εἰς ἔπαινον, ἀλλʼ αὐτὴ προξενεῖν τὸν ἔρωτα αὑτῆς πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις καὶ αὐτὴ καταναγκάζειν, ὀφθαλμοὺς, οὐχὶ ὦτα πείθουσα.
So it seems to me to be born as a pattern of a city, and to need neither a citizen poet to court it, nor any other art for praise, but itself to procure its own love in all men and itself to compel them, persuading eyes, not ears.
τέταται γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῆς θαλάττης, ἄνθος ὥρας ἀφιεῖσα διηνεκὲς, ὥσπερ οὐ κατὰ μικρὸν πολισθεῖσα, ἀλλʼ εἰσάπαξ ἀνασχοῦσα τῆς γῆς, οὐ πρὸς ἀνάγκην οὐδʼ ἠπειγμένον τὸ μέγεθος παρεχομένη, ἀλλὰ πανταχοῦ πολλὴ καὶ παραπλησία.
For it is stretched above the sea, sending forth a continuous bloom of beauty, as if not having been built little by little, but having risen up from the earth all at once, presenting its size not out of necessity nor in a hurried fashion, but everywhere abundant and similar.
καὶ ἔστιν αὐτῇ τὸ μέγεθος κάλλους περιουσία.
And its size is for her an abundance of beauty.
οὐδʼ ἂν φαίης εἶναι πόλεις πολλὰς κατὰ μικρὸν διεσπαρμένας, ἀλλὰ μίαν μὲν πολλῶν ἀντίρροπον, μίαν δʼ οὖν ὁμόχρουν καὶ σύμφωνον ἑαυτῇ, καθάπερ ἀνθρώπου σῶμα συμβαίνοντα τῷ ὅλῳ τὰ μέρη παρεχομένην.
Nor would you say that there are many cities scattered little by little, but one equal to many, and one of a single color and in harmony with itself, presenting parts that agree with the whole, just like a human body.
κόσμοι δὲ οἵ τε ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ οἱ περὶ αὐτὴν ἐξ ἴσου πολλοί τε καὶ λαμπροὶ καὶ ποθεινοτέρους οὐχὶ λελοιπότες.
And the adornments, both those in it and those around it, are equally many and brilliant, and have left nothing more desirable.
ἀλλʼ ἐστὶν ἅπασα ὥσπερ διʼ ἀγαλμάτων, ὥσπερ οἱ κατάπαστοι χιτῶνες.
Rather, the whole is as if decorated with statues, like embroidered tunics.
ἀπὸ ἑσπέρας μὲν πρὸς ἕω βαδίζων ἐκ νεώ τε εἰς νεὼν ἥξεις καὶ ἐκ κολωνοῦ πρὸς κολωνὸν διʼ ἑνὸς στενωποῦ καλλίονος ἢ κατὰ τοὔνομα.
Walking from west to east, you will come from temple to temple, and from hill to hill, through a single street more beautiful than its name.
στάντι δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκροπόλεως ἡ μὲν θάλαττα ὑπορρεῖ, τὰ δὲ προάστεια ὑφορμεῖ· καταμιγνυμένη δὲ ἀμφοτέροις ἡ πόλις διὰ τριῶν τῶν ἡδίστων θεαμάτων ἐκχεῖ τὴν ψυχὴν, οὐδὲ ἔστιν εὑρεῖν §232οὗ τις ἐρείσει τὸν ὀφθαλμόν· ἕλκει γὰρ ἐφʼ ἑαυτὸ ἕκαστον ὥσπερ ἐν ὅρμῳ ποικίλῳ.
To one standing on the acropolis, the sea flows below, and the suburbs lie at anchor below; and the city, mixing with both, pours out its soul through three of the most delightful sights, nor is it possible to find where one may rest his eye; for each thing draws the eye to itself, as if in a varied harbor.
κατιόντα δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀκροπόλεως τὰ ἑῷα ἐκδέχεται, ναῶν τε ὁ κάλλιστος αὖθις τῆς εἰληχυίας θεοῦ τὴν πόλιν, καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τούτοις ἔργον καὶ πρεσβύτῃ μνησθῆναι κοσμίως.
And to one coming down from the acropolis, the eastern parts receive him, and again the most beautiful of temples of the goddess who has obtained the city by lot, and the things after these would be a task even for an old man to mention in an orderly fashion.
πάντα γὰρ ἤδη μέχρι τῆς παραλίας καταλάμπεται γυμνασίοις, ἀγοραῖς, θεάτροις, περιβόλοις, λιμέσι, κάλλεσιν αὐτοφυέσι καὶ χειροποιήτοις ἁμιλλωμένοις.
For already everything down to the coast is illuminated with gymnasia, market-places, theaters, precincts, harbors, with natural and handmade beauties contending with one another.
ἀργὸν δὲ οὐδέν ἐστι θεάματος οὐδὲ χρείας.
And nothing is idle either for sight or for use.
λουτρὰ μέν γε τοσαῦτα ὥστε ἀπορήσαις ἂν οὗ λούσαιο, δρόμοι δὲ ἁπάσης ἰδέας, οἱ μὲν ἐν βάθει τῆς πόλεως, οἱ δʼ ἐπὶ τέρμασιν, ἄλλος ἄλλον κωλύων τὸν κάλλιστον εἶναι, κρῆναι δὲ καὶ πηγαὶ κατʼ οἰκίας τε καὶ πλείους ἢ κατʼ οἰκίαν, καὶ στενωποὶ ἀντʼ ἀγορῶν καὶ στενωποὶ τέτραχα σχίζοντες ἀλλήλους εἰς ὑποδοχὴν τοῦ ἡλίου, μικροῦ δέω λέγειν ὃ πρόσθεν ἠρνούμην, πολλὰς πόλεις ποιοῦντες τῇ περιγραφῇ, μίμημα τῆς πάσης ἑκάστην.
Baths indeed are so many that you would be at a loss where to bathe, and racecourses of every form, some in the deep part of the city, others at the limits, each preventing the other from being the most beautiful, and fountains and springs in houses and more numerous than the houses, and streets instead of market-places, and streets splitting into four directions meeting each other for the reception of the sun, making—I am close to saying what I just denied—many cities by their outline, each a mimicry of the whole.
αὖραι δὲ ἠριναί τε καὶ θεριναὶ λιγυρώτεραι τῶν παρὰ ποιηταῖς ἀηδόνων καὶ τεττίγων, ἄλλαι διʼ ἄλλων διᾴττουσαι τόπων ἅπασαν τὴν πόλιν ἀντὶ ἄλσους καθιστᾶσι.
And breezes, both of spring and summer, are sweeter-sounding than the nightingales and cicadas in the poets, darting through different places, rendering the whole city like a grove.
ποίας γραφῆς ἢ πλάσματος οὐ βελτίω ταῦτα μιμήσασθαι;
What kind of painting or sculpture is better to imitate these things?
ἀεὶ δὲ ὥσπερ εἰς πομπὴν ἐνιαύσιον κεκοσμημένη ταῖς τε ἰδίαις καὶ ταῖς δημοσίαις κατασκευαῖς ὡραΐζεται, σκηνῆς Μηδικῆς θέαμα ἁβρότερον.
And always adorned as if for an annual procession, she beautifies herself with both private and public structures, a sight more delicate than a Persian tent.
θυμηδίαι δὲ αὐτὴν οὔποτε λείπουσιν, οὐδʼ ὅσαι Μοῦσαι πόλεις ἀνθρώπων ἐπέρχονται οὐδεμία ἐξοικεῖ.
And delights never leave her, nor does any of the Muses who visit the cities of men depart.
πολλὴ μὲν γὰρ ἡ ἐγχώριος, πολλὴ δὲ ἡ ἔπηλυς· φαίης ἂν ἑστίαν εἶναι τῆς ἠπείρου παιδείας ἕνεκα.
For abundant is the native Muse, and abundant is the foreign; you would say she is the hearth of the continent for the sake of education.
θεάτρων τε πάντων κατά τε ἀγῶνας καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἐπιδείξεις ἀμύθητος ἡ ἀφθονία.
And of all theaters, both for contests and other exhibitions, the abundance is unspeakable.
πρὸς δὲ τούτοις χειρῶν ἔργα παντοῖα καὶ φορὰ γῆς καὶ θαλάττης ἐφάμιλλος.
And in addition to these, handiworks of all kinds, and a rival crop of land and sea.
συνελόντι δʼ εἰπεῖν, ἑκατέρῳ τῷ ἔθνει μία δὴ πόλις αὕτη μετριωτάτη, ὅσοι τε ἐπὶ ῥᾳστώνης τὸν βίον διανύσαι προείλοντο καὶ ὅσοι φιλοσοφεῖν ἀδόλως ἀξιοῦσιν.
To speak in brief, for each of the two classes of men, this one city is indeed the most appropriate, both for those who have chosen to pass their life in ease, and for those who deem it worthy to philosophize without guile.
ἀντιπάλους γὰρ τῶν πόνων τὰς
For as rivals to their labors, the...