§246βασιλεῦσι συγχαίρειν τε καὶ συνεύχεσθαι, μακαρίζειν δʼ αὑτοὺς τοῦ χρόνου, καὶ πρὸς τῷ μακαρίζειν ἀπολαύειν τῆς ἀρχῆς τὰ γιγνόμενα.
It is fitting to rejoice and pray with the kings, to congratulate themselves on this time, and in addition to this congratulation, to enjoy the fruits of their rule.
καλοὶ μὲν γὰρ καὶ οἱ τῶν οἰκοδομημάτων οὗτοι κόσμοι καὶ θαυμαστῶς πιθανοὶ τοῖς πλήθεσιν, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνο ἤδη τέλειον καὶ θεοῦ τινος ὡς ἀληθῶς δωρεὰ, ὅταν ἀμφότεροι συνᾴδωσιν οἱ κόσμοι, οἵ τε ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς καὶ οἱ τῶν οἰκοδομημάτων.
For while these adornments of buildings are beautiful and wondrously persuasive to the multitudes, that is already perfect and truly a gift of some god when both adornments, those in the souls and those of the buildings, harmonize with each other.
ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τούτοις τὰς ἁρμονίας ἐπαινοῦμεν καὶ τὸ σώζειν ἕκαστα τὴν γιγνομένην τάξιν πρὸς ἄλληλα, οὕτω καὶ ζῆν εἰς κάλλος τοῦτʼ εἶναι χρὴ δοκεῖν, ὅταν ἁρμονία καὶ τάξις διὰ πάντων κρατῇ.
For just as in these we praise the harmonies and the preservation of the arising order of each part toward one another, so also we must believe that living for beauty is this, whenever harmony and order rule through all.
οὗτος ὁ τῶν πόλεων ὡς ἀληθῶς κόσμος οἰκεῖος, οὗτος καὶ ἄνδρα ἰδίᾳ καὶ πόλιν σώζει, τοῦτον οὐδὲν δεῖ πρίασθαι χρημάτων δαπάνης οὐδὲ χρόνων τριβῆς οὐδʼ ὑπηρετῶν, οὐδὲ μηχανήματα ἱστάντας πραγματεύεσθαι, ἀλλʼ αὐτόν τινα ἕκαστον ἑαυτὸν δεῖ πεῖσαι προελέσθαι τὰ βελτίω.
This is the truly proper adornment of cities; this preserves both the individual in private and the city. To purchase this, there is no need for expense of money, nor for waste of time, nor for servants, nor to busy oneself by setting up machines; rather, each individual must persuade himself to choose the better things.
καὶ μὴ θαυμάσητε εἰ μηδὲν ἔχων ἐπιτιμᾶν εἶτα παραινεῖν ἀξιῶ, μηδὲ τῶν ἐπʼ αἰτίᾳ παριόντων μόνον τὴν παραίνεσιν εἶναι νομίσητε.
And do not wonder if, having nothing to censure, I then deem it worthy to exhort; nor think that exhortation belongs only to those who come forward under accusation.
ἀλλʼ ἐστὶ καὶ τοῖς ἐπαινοῦσι προσήκουσα· δῆλον δὲ ἐκ τοῦ παλαιοῦ τοῦ περὶ τῶν δρομέων θρυλουμένου λόγου.
But it is fitting also for those who praise; and this is clear from the ancient story commonly told about runners.
οὐδεὶς γὰρ ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν προτρέπει τοὺς ὑστάτους αὐτῶν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὅλως ἀπολειπομένους, ἀλλʼ οὓς ἂν ἐγγὺς ὄντας τῆς νίκης ὁρᾷ.
For no one, so to speak, encourages the last of them or those who are completely left behind, but rather those whom one sees to be near victory.
οἶμαι δὲ καὶ τοὺς στρατηγοὺς τοὺς παρακλητικοὺς τῶν λόγων οὐ πρὸς τούτους ἀναλίσκειν τῶν στρατιωτῶν οἷς ἂν ταυτὸν ᾖ πολλά τε καὶ μηδὲν εἰπεῖν, ἀλλʼ οἷς ἂν εἰς δέον μέλλῃ μάλιστα γίγνεσθαι.
And I think that generals too do not spend their exhortatory words on those soldiers for whom it is the same whether one says much or nothing, but on those for whom it is most likely to be of real service.
ὣς δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς νῦν οὐδὲν ποικίλον οὐδὲ σοφὸν λέγομεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἀλλὰ σχεδὸν ταῦθʼ ἃ ποιεῖτε καὶ ἐν οἷς τέτραφθε, ταῦτα δʼ ἐστὶν ἀρχόντων αἰδὼς, νόμων τιμὴ, ταὐτὰ φρονεῖν, ἀεὶ μὲν δή ποτε εὐδοκιμοῦν πρᾶγμα, τοῖς δὲ παροῦσι καιροῖς καὶ σφόδρα συμβαῖνον.
And so we too now speak nothing complex or clever to you, but almost these very things that you are doing and in which you are occupied; and these are respect for rulers, honor of laws, having the same mind, which is always a well-reputed thing indeed, but exceedingly suited to the present times.
νῦν χρὴ πάσας τὰς πόλεις ἀδελφὰς ἀλλήλαις ὑπολαμβάνειν, νῦν στάσεις μὲν καὶ ταραχὰς καὶ §247φιλονεικίας καὶ τὸ μικρολογεῖσθαι περὶ τῶν ματαίων ἐκποδὼν ἀνελεῖν, νομίσαντας θηρίων εἶναι νοσήματα ταῦτα κἀκείνοις αὐτὰ παρεῖναι δεῖν, εἰρήνην δὲ ἀληθινὴν καὶ φιλίαν ἄδολον καὶ δικαιοσύνην καὶ τὴν διὰ πάντων εἰ οἷόν τε κοινωνίαν μέγιστον κερδῶν ὑπολαβεῖν, ἐν μὲν ταῖς ἐπιμιξίαις ταῖς παρʼ ἀλλήλους τοῦτο δὴ τὸ πάλαι λεχθὲν ἐπισταμένους, ξένους εἶναι, ἐν δὲ ταῖς τῶν ξένων ὑποδοχαῖς ἐλάττω τῆς ἐξουσίας ποιοῦντας, εἰδότας ἔστιν οὗ καὶ ἧτταν νίκης εὐσχημονεστέραν οὖσαν καὶ πλείονος ἀξίαν.
Now all cities must consider one another as sisters, now they must take out of the way factions and turmoils and rivalries and small-mindedness about vain matters, believing these to be diseases of wild beasts and that they should be left to them, and they must regard true peace, sincere friendship, justice, and community through all, if possible, as the greatest of gains, understanding in their mutual intercourse indeed that ancient saying, that they are guests, and in their receptions of guests behaving with less than their full authority, knowing that sometimes a defeat is more graceful than victory and of greater value.
ταῦτα γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὰ κράτιστα καὶ τοῖς παροῦσι καιροῖς προσήκοντα καὶ παρʼ αὑτῶν εὐθὺς οἴκοθεν τὴν ὠφέλειαν ἔχοντα καὶ πρὸς τὴν παρὰ τῶν βασιλέων τιμὴν θαυμαστὸν ὅσον διαφέροντα.
For these things are from the beginning the best and suitable to the present times, and having utility directly from themselves at home, and differing wondrously much in relation to the honor from the kings.
ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν ὅπως ἂν μᾶλλον αὐτοῖς χαρίζοισθε ἢ οὕτως δρῶντες, ἢ ὅπως ἂν μᾶλλον παρʼ αὐτῶν ὑμῖν ἃ βούλεσθε γίγνοιτο ἢ εἰ παρέχοιτε ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ὁποίους ἂν ἐκεῖνοι μάλιστα βούλοιντο.
Since there is no way you could please them more than by acting thus, nor how what you wish could come to you from them more than if you present yourselves such as they would most wish.
σχεδὸν δὲ, ὥσπερ ἔφην, οὐδὲν ἀλλοῖον ὧν ποιεῖτε παρῄνεσα, ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ τὸν νεὼν ἐπῄνεσα βλέψας εἰς αὐτὸν καὶ οὐδὲν οἴκοθεν εὑρὼν, οὕτω καὶ νῦν ἴδιον μὲν οὐδὲν οὔτε εὕρηκα οὔτʼ εἴρηκα, ἃ δὲ ὁρῶ ποιοῦντας, ταῦτʼ ἐπῄνεσα καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀγαθοῦ χάριν τοῦ συμβόλου, ὅπως μηδὲν ἐλλείποι τῷ λόγῳ τῶν προσηκόντων παρεῖναι.
And almost, as I said, I exhorted nothing other than what you are doing; but just as I praised the temple after looking at it and finding nothing of my own invention, so also now I have neither found nor spoken anything of my own, but praised those things which I see you doing, and this for the sake of a good omen, so that nothing of the fitting things should be lacking to be present in the speech.
τοσαῦτα καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑμῖν εἰς τὴν πανήγυριν ὡς ἐκ τοῦ παραχρῆμα συμβαλλόμεθα, καὶ ἴσως μετρίως ἔχει.
These things we too contribute to you for the festival as from the moment, and perhaps it is sufficient.