§394πανταχῆ κρείττους τῶν ἀνταγωνιστῶν εἶναι δόξομεν.
We shall appear in every way superior to our rivals.
μὴ τοίνυν ἐξὸν ἅπασι κρατεῖν, καὶ ἐν οἷς νενικήκαμεν καὶ ἐν οἷς προειλόμεθα, ταῦτʼ εἰς ἄδηλον τρέψωμεν.
Therefore, when it is open to us to prevail in all things, both in those where we have conquered and in those we have chosen, let us not turn these advantages into uncertainty.
ἡσυχασάντων μὲν γὰρ ἡμῶν αἵ τʼ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων εὐπραξίαι βεβαιοῦνται τό τε σωφρονεῖν πανταχῆ προσγίγνεται, ἂν δʼ ἀφορμὰς τῷ πολέμῳ δῶμεν, ὅσπερ εἴωθε νεωτερίζειν, δέδοιχʼ ὅπως μὴ ζητοῦντες πλείω ποιῆσαι τὰ κατορθώματα τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς ὑπάρχουσι φιλοτιμίαν ἀποβάλωμεν.
For if we remain quiet, our successes in action are made secure, and prudence is added to us in every way; but if we give fresh starting-points to war, which is ever accustomed to make revolutions, I fear lest, in seeking to make our achievements greater, we may lose the honor we have for what we already possess.
οἶμαι δʼ οὐ τοῖς ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς πράττουσι προσήκειν φιλοκινδύνως ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοῖς ὥσπερ οὗτοι διακειμένοις.
I think indeed that it is not fitting for those who fare as we do to be fond of danger, but much rather for those who are situated as our enemies are.
τοῖς μὲν γὰρ, εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἄλλο προσκαταπράξαιεν, ἔκ γε τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ἔξεστιν εὐδοκιμεῖν καὶ τῆς κρείττονος εἶναι τύχης, οἷς δʼ ἡσυχάσασι μὲν αἰσχύνη καὶ βέβαια τὰ τῆς συμφορᾶς, ἕτερον δʼ ἀναρρίπτουσι κίνδυνον ἐλπὶς ἀπαλλαγῆναι τῶν παρόντων, ἐὰν ἄμεινον ἀγωνίσωνται, οὐδὲν ἀπεικὸς ἐγχειρεῖν, λογιζομένους ὡς ἐν μὲν τῷ σφαλῆναι παραπλησίως πράττειν ᾗ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ, κρατήσασι δὲ πάντων ἔστιν ἀπηλλάχθαι τῶν κακῶν.
For to the former (ourselves), even if they should accomplish nothing further, it is possible to enjoy a good reputation from their existing possessions and to remain in their superior fortune; whereas for the latter (themselves), who find in keeping quiet only shame and the certainty of misfortune, but in running another risk have a hope of riddance from their present troubles if they fight better, it is in no way unreasonable to make the attempt, since they calculate that in case of failure they will fare much the same as before, but if they prevail they can be rid of all their evils.
καὶ μὴν ὅτι μὲν τὸ μέλλον ἄδηλον ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις οὐδεὶς ἀγνοεῖ.
And indeed, that the future is uncertain to all men, no one is ignorant.
ὅπου γὰρ οὔτε τυραννὶς ἰσχυρὸν οὔτε πλοῦτος βέβαιον, μυρίαι δὲ αἱ μεταβολαὶ καὶ ἰδίᾳ καὶ δημοσία καὶ νὴ Δία γʼ οὐ πόλεσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅλοις ἔθνεσι, τί τις ἂν προϊδεῖν ἔχοι;
For where neither despotism is strong nor wealth secure, and where the changes are countless both in private and public life—and, by Zeus, not to cities alone, but also to whole nations—what could anyone foresee?
ἔστι δʼ εὖ φρονούντων ἐπʼ ἀμφότερʼ ἐξετάζοντας οὕτω τίθεσθαι πρὸς τὸ συμβαῖνον.
It is the part of wise men, examining both possibilities, to dispose themselves accordingly toward what may happen.
ἡμεῖς τοίνυν κρατήσαντες μὲν Λακεδαιμονίους καὶ παραστησάμενοι τὴν Πελοπόννησον τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐξήσομεν, ὡς ἔοικεν, εἰ δʼ, ὃ μὴ γένοιτο, σφαλείημεν, τοῖς οὖσι κινδυνεύσομεν.
We, therefore, if we conquer the Lacedaemonians and bring the Peloponnesus to our side, shall, as it seems, increase our empire; but if, which heaven forbid, we should fail, we shall run a risk with what we already possess.
οὐκοῦν ὅτʼ ἔλαττον τοῦ δυσχεροῦς τἀγαθὸν, κρεῖττον διηλλάχθαι.
Therefore, when the good to be gained is less than the potential disaster, it is better to have made peace.
καὶ μὴν τὸ μὲν ἐξὸν ὅλως κρατῆσαι τραπέσθαι πρὸς τὴν εἰρήνην ἀντίρροπον τῆς πλεονεξίας ἔχει τὴν δόξαν τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ τὸ κοινῇ βέλτιστον ᾑρῆσθαι καὶ περὶ πλείονος ποιεῖσθαι τὸ τὴν Ἑλλάδα σῶσαι τοῦ διαφθεῖραι τοὺς ἀνταγωνιστὰς, τὸ δʼ ἄδηλον τοῦ μέλλοντος συμβήσεσθαι μὴ φυλάξασθαι πάσης ἔξω παραμυθίας ἐστίν.
And indeed, while having it in our power to prevail entirely, to turn toward peace brings, as a counterpoise to greed, the glory of having chosen what is best for the common interest and of having set a higher value on saving Greece than on destroying our rivals; but not to guard against the uncertainty of what is to happen in the future is beyond all excuse.
οὕτω τὸ μὲν τὴν εἰρήνην ἑλέσθαι πρὸς ἀμφότερα ὀρθῶς ἔχει, τὸ δὲ τῷ πολέμω πεπιστευκέναι πλείω τὴν §395βλάβην τῆς ὠφελείας ἔχει παρʼ ἄλληλα θεωμένους.
Thus, to choose peace is right on both accounts, while to have trusted in war brings more harm than benefit when they are viewed side by side.
θαυμάζω δʼ εἰ παραστησάμενοι μὲν τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐπιστήσεσθε φείσασθαι, ἐξὸν δὲ καὶ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἅμα καὶ τούτων φείσασθαι νῦν οὐ τολμήσετε.
But I wonder that, if you are resolved to spare the Lacedaemonians after you have brought them to submission, you will not venture now to spare both yourselves and them when it is in your power.
καὶ τί φήσετε, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι;
And what will you say, Athenians?
ὅτε μὲν γὰρ Πελοπόννησον περιεπλεῖτε, καὶ ἀποβάσεις ἐποιεῖσθε εἰς τὴν χώραν καὶ Πύλον ταυτηνὶ κατελαμβάνετε καὶ τἄλλα ἐπραγματεύεσθε, εἴ τις ἔροιθʼ ὑμᾶς ἀντὶ τοῦ ταῦτα ποιεῖτε, ἦν εἰπεῖν ὅτι ἠναγκασμένοι καὶ ὅτι βουλομένων ἡμῶν ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν Λακεδαιμονίοις οὐ συνέδοξεν, ἀλλʼ εἰς ὅπλα καὶ πόλεμον προὐκαλοῦντο·
For when you were sailing around the Peloponnesus, making landings on their territory, capturing this Pylus, and busying yourselves with the rest, if anyone had asked you why you did these things, you could have said that you were forced to do so, because, though we wished to keep quiet, it did not seem good to the Lacedaemonians, but they were challenging us to arms and war.
νῦν δὲ τί φήσομεν, εἴ τις ἔροιθʼ ἡμᾶς, ἢ πλέοντας ἰδὼν ἢ κατὰ γῆν ἐξιόντας ἢ ὅλως ἕν τι τῶν αὐτῶν πράττοντας;
But now, what shall we say if anyone should ask us, seeing us either sailing or marching out by land, or doing any of these same things at all?
πότερον ὡς ἠναγκάσμεθα;
Shall we say that we are forced?
ἀλλʼ οἱ τότʼ ἐκεῖνα ἐπαιρόμενοι νῦν ἥκουσι τὴν εἰρήνην προτείνοντες.
But those who then stirred up those actions have now come offering peace.
ἀλλʼ ὡς ἐλαττώσεσθέ τι ταῦτʼ ἐὰν δέξησθε;
Or that you will suffer some loss if you accept these terms?
ἀλλʼ οὔτε τὴν Αἴγιναν οὐδεὶς ὑμᾶς ἀφιέναι κελεύει νῦν οὔτʼ ἐκ Ποτιδαίας ἀπιέναι οὔτε δέχεσθαι Μεγαρέας, ἐάν τε βούλησθʼ ἐάν τε μὴ, οὔτʼ ἔνεστι πολυπραγμοσύνης οὐδὲν τοῖς δρωμένοις, ἀλλὰ κύριον μὲν τὸ πινάκιον, βέβαιος δʼ ἡ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἀρχὴ, πάντα δὲ σῶα τὰ χωρία καὶ λιμένες καὶ ἵπποι καὶ τριήρεις καὶ τὸ βουλεύεσθαι περὶ αὐτῶν.
But no one is now bidding you to give up Aegina, or to depart from Potidaea, or to receive the Megarians, whether you wish to or not; nor is there any troublesome interference in what is being proposed, but the treaty remains valid, your empire over the Greeks is secure, and all your territories, harbors, horses, triremes, and the right to deliberate about them are safe.
οἱ δὲ τὰς σεμνὰς ἐκείνας ἐπαγγελίας ἐπαγγελλόμενοι καὶ δελεάζοντες τοὺς Ἕλληνας τῷ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ὀνόματι, οὗτοι νῦν ἐὰν αὐτοῖς αὐτονόμοις ἐξῇ τὴν ἑαυτῶν οἰκεῖν, ἀγαπᾶν ὁμολογοῦσι καὶ οἱ περὶ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἀμφισβητήσαντες ὑμῖν βεβαιωταὶ μᾶλλον αὐτῆς γεγόνασι.
And those who used to make those solemn promises and entice the Greeks with the name of liberty, now confess they are content if they are allowed to inhabit their own land in autonomy, and those who contested the leadership with you have become rather the confirmers of it.
πρὶν μὲν γὰρ ὅπλα κινῆσαι τάχα ἄν τις καὶ προσεδόκησεν αὐτοὺς ἐπιέναι, ἐγχειρήσαντες δὲ ἐναντιοῦσθαι, κᾆτʼ ἀποστάντες, οὔθʼ ὡς ἀδίκως κέκτησθε τὴν ἀρχὴν οὔθʼ ὡς κωλύειν δύνανται λέγειν ἕξουσιν, ὥστʼ ἔργῳ τὴν ψῆφον οἴσουσιν ὡς εἰκότως ἔχετε αὐτὴν καὶ παραδώσουσι τοὺς Ἕλληνας ὑμῖν πολὺ μᾶλλον ἢ ὅτε Παυσανίαν μὲν ἀπαλλαξάντων, ὑμᾶς δʼ ἑλομένων, συνεχώρησαν αὐτοί.
For before they took up arms, someone might perhaps have expected them to attack; but having attempted to oppose you and then desisted, they will have nothing to say, either that you possess your empire unjustly or that they are able to prevent you, so that by their deeds they will cast their vote that you hold it with good reason, and will deliver the Greeks to you far more surely than when they themselves agreed, after ridiculing Pausanias and choosing you.
καίτοι εἰ ταύτην τὴν γνώμην ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ἔσχον Λακεδαιμόνιοι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, τί τῶν ἁπάντων ἂν ὑμᾶς
And yet, if the Lacedaemonians had held this opinion toward you from the beginning, what in the world would have...