§244παῖδες κατʼ εὐχὴν ἐγένοντο.
they became children of them especially in accordance with prayers.
πρέποντα δέ μοι δοκοῦσι καὶ τῷ τύπῳ τῆς πολιτείας διανοηθῆναι· μόνη γὰρ αὕτη πόλεων μετέβαλε τὸν νόμον.
And they seem to me to have conceived things fitting also to the character of the constitution; for this city alone of all cities changed the law.
οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοι πάντες καὶ Ἕλληνες καὶ βάρβαροι ὅσοι κατὰ μικρὸν δυναστείας προσήψαντο, ἓν τοῦτο ἐσκέψαντο, ὅπως μηδεὶς τῶν αὐτῶν ἀπολαύσεται, ἀλλʼ ὡς οἷόν τε μάλιστα ἅπαντες ἀπελαθήσονται.
For all the others, both Greeks and barbarians, as many as attained power even in a small degree, considered this one thing, how no one else should enjoy the same benefits, but rather that all should be excluded as much as possible.
μόνοι δὲ πάντων οὗτοι κοινὰ τἀγαθὰ προὔθεσαν εἰς μέσον, ὥσπερ ἆθλα τοῖς βελτίστοις, καὶ οὔτε Εὐρώπην ἢ Ἀσίαν ἢ Λιβύην οἰκεῖν διαφέρει οὔτε ἔστιν ὅρος διείργων οὐδεὶς, οὐ Τάναϊς, οὐ λίμνη Μαιῶτις, οὐκ Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, οὐχ ὅ τι εἴποι τις, ἀλλὰ πάντες ἄνθρωποι καὶ πάντα γένη προσήκει τῇ πόλει, καὶ πᾶσιν ἔξεστιν ἄρχειν τὰ γιγνόμενα.
But they alone of all placed the common goods in the midst, like prizes for the best, and it makes no difference whether one inhabits Europe or Asia or Libya, nor is there any dividing boundary, neither the Tanais, nor Lake Maeotis, nor the island of Atlantis, nor whatever anyone might mention, but all men and all races belong to the city, and it is permitted to all to govern the offices that arise.
ὥσπερ οὖν τῶν ἐν μέρει κοινὴν τὴν μετουσίαν ἅπασι καταστησαμένους ᾔδεσαν τοὺς προγόνους τοῖς ἀξίοις, οὕτως αὐτοὶ πλεῖστον ὑπερφέροντες ἁπάντων εἰς ἀρετὴν κοινὴν τὴν ἀρχὴν τῶν ὅλων ἐποιήσαντο.
Just as, therefore, they knew that their ancestors had established for the worthy a common participation for all in offices held in turn, so they themselves, far surpassing all in virtue, made the dominion of the whole world common.
καὶ τό γε ἥδιστον τῆς ἐπινοίας, ὥσπερ γὰρ πρότερον τοὺς κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν ἄρχοντας κατὰ συζυγίαν παρείχοντο ὀνομάζειν τοῖς ἔξω, οὕτω νῦν τοὺς διηνεκεῖς ἔξεστιν ὁμοῦ πατρόθεν τε καὶ σὺν ἀλλήλοις ὀνομάζειν.
And to mention the most delightful part of the conception, just as previously they provided those outside with the opportunity to name the annual magistrates in pairs, so now it is possible to name the perpetual rulers together, both by their father's name and alongside one another.
οὕτως καὶ τῆς πάσης πολιτείας ἀκόλουθα ἐσκέψαντο καὶ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν ἐλπίδος κρείττω παρέσχοντο.
Thus they considered things consistent with the whole constitution and provided an excess greater than hope.
καὶ μὴν Ὅμηρος μὲν ἔφη που σεμνύνων τοὺς βασιλέας
"θυμὸς δὲ μέγας ἐστὶ διοτρεφέων βασιλήων· "
οἱ δὲ οὐ θυμοῦ ῥώμην οὐδὲ ὀργῆς ἀμετρίαν τὰ ἐπίσημα τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐποιήσαντο, ἀλλὰ φιλανθρωπίας καὶ μεγαλοψυχίας τὰ κράτιστα εἰσηνέγκαντο, καὶ τῷ ὄντι ἐδήλωσαν τὴν τροφὴν θείαν οὖσαν ἑαυτῶν.
And indeed Homer said somewhere, honoring the kings, "Great is the wrath of Zeus-cherished kings"; but they made neither the strength of wrath nor the excess of anger the insignia of their rule, but introduced the best parts of philanthropy and high-mindedness, and in truth showed that their own upbringing was divine.
ὁ γοῦν λογισμὸς αὐτῶν θεῖος καὶ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἄνωθεν ἔχων τὸ παράδειγμα καὶ πρὸς ἐκείνην ὁρῶν τὴν πολιτείαν, εἰ δεῖ κεφάλαιον εἰπεῖν· ἐπεὶ καὶ θεοὺς αὐτοὺς καὶ τὸν σύμπαντα δὴ κόσμον τε καὶ οὐρανὸν φιλίαν καὶ κοινωνίαν φασὶν εἶναι τὴν συνέχουσαν, καὶ διὰ τούτων τὸν ἀεὶ χρόνον ἀσφαλῶς ἅπαντα §245πορεύεσθαι, φθόνον δὲ καὶ δυσμένειαν ἐν θεῶν οἴκοις οὐδʼ ἐν ἤθεσιν οὔτε εἶναί ποτε οὔτε γίγνεσθαι.
At all events, their reasoning is divine and truly holds its model from above, looking toward that celestial constitution, if one must speak summarily; since people say that even the gods themselves and the entire universe and heaven are held together by friendship and partnership, and through these all things safely, for all time, proceed, and that envy and ill-will neither ever exist nor arise in the dwellings of the gods or in their characters.
οἱ μὲν τοίνυν χαρακώματα καὶ τείχη προσλαμβάνοντες μικροῖς τισι καὶ θνητοῖς ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐπαύξουσι τὰς ἀρχὰς, οἱ δὲ ἀρετῆς καὶ δικαιοσύνης καὶ φιλίας, οὕτω λαμπρὰ καὶ θαυμαστὰ πᾶσιν ἐξενεγκόντες ὁρᾶν παραδείγματα, οὗτοι τὴν νίκην ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐκ θεῶν κέκτηνται, οὗτοι τῷ ἀθανάτῳ στεφάνῳ κεκόσμηνται, τούτους καὶ θεῶν φίλους ὥσπερ ἀλλήλων εἰκὸς εἶναι καὶ ἀνθρώπων εὐεργέτας καθαρῶς νομίζεσθαι.
Therefore, while those who add palisades and walls increase their empires by truly small and mortal means, they, by displaying to all such brilliant and wondrous examples of virtue, justice, and friendship, have truly acquired victory from the gods, and are adorned with the immortal crown; and it is fitting that they are considered friends of the gods, just as they are of each other, and pure benefactors of men.
ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ γράφειν ἀγαθοὶ διὰ τῶν πινάκων τῶν ὑπὲρ κορυφῆς μεθʼ ὑπερβολῆς δεικνύουσι τὰ γράμματα ὡς μέγιστα καὶ ὡς κάλλιστα γραφόμενοι τοῖς παισὶ μιμεῖσθαι τὸ εἰς δύναμιν τὴν ἑαυτῶν, οὕτως οὗτοι τὰ κάλλιστα τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις διὰ τοῦ μεγίστου τῶν παραδειγμάτων ἐξέφηναν, ὥστʼ ἔχειν ἕκαστον εἰς δύναμιν εἶναι μιμεῖσθαι καὶ καθάπερ διδασκάλων τῶν βασιλέων ἀπολαύειν εἰς τὰ αὑτῶν πράγματα.
For just as excellent writing masters show on the top of tablets, with exaggeration, the letters written as large and as beautiful as possible for the children to imitate to the extent of their ability, so they have revealed the most beautiful things among men through the greatest of examples, so that each person may be able to imitate them to the best of their power and benefit from the kings as teachers in their own affairs.
ποῖαι ταῦτα Σεσώστριδος στῆλαι δύναιντʼ ἂν ὑπερβαλέσθαι, ἃς ἐκεῖνος ἐπʼ ἀμφοτέραις ἵστη περιιὼν, μᾶλλον δὲ τούτων ἐγγὺς εἶναι δόξαι;
What pillars of Sesostris could surpass these, which he set up on both continents as he went around, or rather, could seem to be close to them?
τίς ἀνθρώπων ἅμα τοσοῦτόν τε ἐνίκησε καὶ οὕτω λυσιτελῆ τοῖς νικωμένοις;
Who among men at once conquered so much and was so beneficial to the conquered?
καὶ γάρ τοι τοῖς μὲν ἄλλοις ὁ φόβος οἰκειοῖ τοὺς ἀρχομένους, ὑπὲρ δὲ τούτων εὐχαὶ καὶ χάριτες κοιναὶ παρὰ πάντων οὐκ εὐπρεπείᾳ μόνον εἰς τὸ μέσον γιγνόμεναι, ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ τοῦ καθαρωτάτου τῆς γνώμης.
For indeed, while fear wins over the subjects for other rulers, on behalf of these, common prayers and gratitude come from all, not being brought into the midst for appearance's sake only, but from the purest disposition of mind.
εἰσέρχεται δὲ ἔμοιγε καὶ τὰ τῶν δύο τῶν σωτήρων θεῶν, οἳ τὴν γῆν ἅπασαν κατειληφότες σώζουσι κοινῇ καὶ συνεργάζονται, παρʼ ἀλλήλους τε πέμποντες καὶ τὰς εὐεργεσίας τὰς παρʼ ἑαυτῶν καὶ τὰς παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων εὐχαριστίας κοινὰς ποιούμενοι·
And there comes into my mind also the matter of the two savior gods, who, having encompassed the entire earth, preserve it in common and cooperate, sending to one another, and making common both the benefactions from themselves and the gratitude from men.
παρʼ οἷς τίνας μᾶλλον τούτων εἰκὸς εὐδοκιμεῖν, ἢ τίνας ἐν πλείονι τῆς σωτηρίας εἶναι λόγῳ, οἵτινες ὥσπερ προφῆται καὶ μίμημα τῆς ἐκείνων γνώμης γεγόνασι, τὴν καλλίστην φιλίαν ἐπʼ ὠφελείᾳ τοῦ κοινοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων συνθέμενοι γένους;
In whose presence who is more likely to be well-esteemed than these, or who is to be in greater account of salvation, who have become like prophets and an imitation of their mind, having established the most beautiful friendship for the benefit of the common race of men?
ἄξιον οὖν τοῖς μὲν θεοῖς χάριν εἰδέναι, τοῖς δὲ
Therefore, it is worthy to show gratitude to the gods, and to the...