§396προήγαγεν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον τουτονί;
...driven you into this war?
πότερον ὡς τὰς σπονδὰς παρὰ φαῦλον ἐποιήσασθε ἄν;
Was it that you would have treated the truce lightly?
καὶ τίνες ὑμῶν ἀμείνους θεραπεύειν τὰ θεῖα;
And who among you is better at serving the gods?
ἀλλʼ ὡς οὐδὲν ὑμῖν ἀπόχρη δύναιτʼ ἄν τις εἰπεῖν;
Or that someone could say that nothing is enough for you?
ἀλλὰ ταῦτα Κορίνθιοι μὲν ἐβλασφήμουν, ὑμῖν δʼ οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων σύνοιδεν.
But these were the slanders of the Corinthians, whereas no man among you is conscious of such a thing.
εἶθʼ ὧν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑμῖν ὑπαρξάντων οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ ἤρασθε τὸν πόλεμον, εἰ νῦν ταῦτʼ ἔχειν ἔξεστιν, οὐχὶ παύσεσθε, ἀλλʼ ἄκοντες φάσκοντες πολεμῆσαι ἑκόντες οὐ τρέψεσθε πρὸς τὴν εἰρήνην;
If, then, you would never have undertaken the war had those very conditions been yours from the beginning, will you not, now that it is possible to have them, make an end? And while claiming to have made war unwillingly, will you not willingly turn to peace?
τίνος ἕνεκα;
For what reason?
ὅτι νὴ Δία εὐτυχήσαμεν οἷα ἂν εὐξάμεθα;
Because, by Zeus, we have obtained such fortune as we would have prayed for?
οὐκοῦν αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ βέλτιστόν ἐστιν.
Then this very thing is indeed the best.
ἀπόλωλε μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἡμῖν τῶν ὑπαρξάντων, προσγέγονε δʼ ἡ τοῦ νενικηκέναι δόξα, καὶ τὸ μηδʼ αὖθις εἶναί τινι θαρρούντως ἡμᾶς ἀδικῆσαι.
For none of our existing possessions has been lost, while the glory of having conquered has been added, and the certainty that no one will again have the confidence to wrong us.
ὥστʼ εἰ τότʼ ἐστέργομεν οἷς εἴχομεν, πῶς οὐ νῦν γε κἀκείνοις καὶ τοῖς προσυπάρξασι στέρξαι προσήκει;
So if we were content then with what we had, how is it not fitting now to be content both with those and with what has been added?
τοὺς δʼ ὑπερδιατεινομένους τουτουσὶ καὶ μέχρι παντὸς ἐπεξιέναι κελεύοντας ἐρωτᾶτε τίς ὑμῖν ἐγγυητὴς ἔσται τοσούτου πράγματος.
As for these who over-exert themselves and urge us to go on to the very end, ask them who will be your guarantor for so great an enterprise.
οὐ γὰρ περὶ Σφακτηρίαν γε ἀεὶ πολεμήσομεν οὐδʼ ἐφʼ ἕτοιμα τοῖς στρατηγοῖς ἐξέσται πλεῖν οὐδʼ ἐκ προρρήσεως ἄγειν τοὺς πολεμίους, ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἃ καὶ ἀγῶνος φανεῖται δεόμενα.
For we shall not always be fighting around Sphacteria, nor will it be possible for the generals to sail for ready prey, or to bring off the enemy by prearrangement, but there will appear matters that require a real struggle.
καὶ εἰ μὲν αὐτοὶ ταῦτʼ ἐγγυᾶσθαι φήσουσι, μαινομένων λόγον, οὐχ ὑγιαινόντων ἐροῦσιν.
And if they themselves say they guarantee this, they will speak the language of madmen, not of the sane.
ἔτι δʼ εἰ μὲν τούτοις ἔμελλεν ὁ κίνδυνος ἔσεσθαι μόνοις, ἀλλʼ οὐ σύμπασιν, ἦν ἄν τι τοῦτο· ὅτε δʼ οἱ πεισθέντες πρότεροι δώσομεν τὴν δίκην, τί τὸ κέρδος λαμβάνειν ὕστερον καὶ ζημιοῦσθαι μετὰ τούτων, ἐξὸν ὁμοῦ καὶ ἡμᾶς καὶ τούτους ἀσφαλεῖς εἶναι;
Furthermore, if the danger were to be for them alone, and not for all of us, there would be something in it; but when we, who were persuaded, are to pay the penalty first, what is the profit in accepting later and suffering damage along with them, when it is open to us both to be safe together?
ἀλλὰ μὴν εἴ γε μηδʼ ἂν οὗτοι φήσαιεν, ἔχοι δʼ ἐγγυήσασθαί τις, πῶς ὑμῖν καλῶς ἔχει ταῦτα πιστεῦσαι ἃ τούτοις ὑποσχέσθαι τῶν αἰσχρῶν εἶναι δοκεῖ;
And indeed, even if they themselves would not say so, but someone else were able to guarantee it, how is it honorable for you to trust in things which to promise seems disgraceful to them?
καὶ ἃ λόγῳ μόνον εἰπεῖν κουφότης, ἦ που βλακεία ταῦτʼ ἔργῳ πάντως θεῖναι γενησόμενα.
And to regard as certain to happen in deed things which it is mere levity to express in word, is surely the height of folly.
τότε γὰρ χρὴ, κἂν ἄδηλον ᾖ τὸ μέλλον, αἱρεῖσθαι κινδυνεύειν, ὅταν τὸ τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν φανερῶς χεῖρον ᾖ.
For it is then that we must choose to run risks, even if the future is uncertain, when keeping quiet is manifestly worse.
οἷον ὅθʼ ἡμῖν ἐπῄεσαν οἱ βάρβαροι, κινδυνεύειν ἔδει.
As when the barbarians came against us, it was necessary to run risks.
διὰ τί;
Why?
ὅτι δουλεύειν ἦν, εἰ μὴ τοῦτʼ §397ἐποιήσαμεν.
Because we were to be enslaved if we did not do this.
πάλιν ἡνίχʼ οὗτοι προσέταττον ἃ δεξαμένοις οὐ καλῶς ἔμελλε σχήσειν.
Again, when these men imposed commands which, if accepted, would not turn out well for us.
ὅτε δὲ ἐν μὲν τῇ ἡσυχίᾳ δόξα μετὰ ἀσφαλείας, ἐν δὲ τῷ πολεμεῖν οὐ μόνον περὶ τῶν ὄντων, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ αὐτῆς τῆς δόξης ὁ κίνδυνος, τί δεῖ τετυφωμένως οὕτω φιλονεικεῖν, ὥσπερ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς οὐχ ἧττον ἢ τούτοις χαλεπαίνοντας;
But when in keeping quiet there is glory with safety, while in making war there is danger not only about our possessions but also about glory itself, why must we be so blindly contentious, as though you were angry with yourselves no less than with them?
σκέψασθε γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο, ὅτι τὴν μὲν εἰρήνην ὡς ἀκίνδυνον ἐπιεικῶς πάντες ἀσπάζονται, τοὺς πολέμους δʼ ὑπὲρ εὐδοξίας οἵ γε ἐπιεικεῖς ὑφίστασθαι δοκοῦσιν.
For consider this also, that while all men naturally welcome peace as free from danger, the worthy are thought to undergo wars for the sake of good reputation.
ὥσθʼ ὑπὲρ μὲν τούτων γένοιτʼ ἂν ἴσως ἔρις καὶ βουλεύσαιντʼ ἂν ἕκαστοι πρὸς τὸν αὑτῶν τρόπον, οἱ μὲν τὴν ἀσφάλειαν, οἱ δὲ τὸ κρεῖττον προαιρούμενοι· νυνὶ δὲ οὐκ ἔνεστι χωρίσαι, ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ θεῶν τινὸς ὑμῖν δεικνύντος ὅτι χρὴ τὴν εἰρήνην δέχεσθαι, καὶ μετὰ μὲν ταύτης ἅμα τʼ ἀσφαλῶς οἰκεῖν καὶ φιλοτιμεῖσθαι, τὸν πόλεμον δʼ αἱρουμένοις οὐχ ἧττον ἀδοξεῖν ἢ κινδυνεύειν ὑπάρχει.
So about these things there might perhaps be strife, and each might deliberate according to their own character, some choosing safety, others the better part; but now it is not possible to separate them, but as though some god were showing you that you must accept peace, with which it is possible both to live safely and to be honored, while for those who choose war there is no less disgrace than danger.
τί δή ποτε;
Why so?
ὅτι τὰς μὲν διαλλαγὰς οὐ φόβῳ περὶ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ποιεῖσθαι δόξομεν, ἀλλὰ φιλανθρωπίᾳ· τοῦτο δʼ οὐ μικρὸν εἰς ἀρετῆς λόγον· τοῦ πολέμου δʼ ἐχόμενοι τριῶν τῶν χειρίστων δόξαν οἰσόμεθα, ἀπληστίας, ὠμότητος, ἀβουλίας.
Because we shall seem to make the treaty not out of fear for ourselves, but out of humanity—and this is no small thing in the account of virtue; whereas if we cling to war, we shall win the reputation of the three worst things, greed, cruelty, and folly.
καὶ γὰρ πλειόνων ἢ δεῖ γλίχεσθαι καὶ ταῖς τῶν Ἑλλήνων συμφοραῖς ἐπιχαίρειν καὶ μὴ ἐπίστασθαι βουλεύσασθαι περὶ πραγμάτων ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῷ.
For to grasp at more than is fitting, to rejoice in the misfortunes of the Greeks, and not to know how to deliberate about affairs, are inherent in it.
καίτοι τούτων οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ ἐναντιώτερα τῇ φύσει τῆς πόλεως ὀνείδη γένοιτο.
And yet, there could never be reproaches more contrary to the nature of our city than these.
εἰ δὲ καὶ πταῖσαι προσέσται, τί τίς ἂν λέγοι;
But if failure is also to be added, what could anyone say?
μὴ τοίνυν ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν ἀναμείνητε, ἐν ᾗ κατʼ ἀνάγκας δόξετε τῆς εἰρήνης ἐπιθυμεῖν, ἀλλὰ βουλήθητε ἐν ὅσῳ κύριοι καθέστατε καὶ πολεμεῖν καὶ τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν χαρίσασθαι τοῖς Ἕλλησιν, εἰ καὶ μὴ τούτοις, παραδείγμασιν οὐ τοῖς παροῦσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς πρότερον χρώμενοι.
Do not then wait for that day on which you will seem to desire peace by necessity, but resolve, while you remain masters of both making war and keeping quiet, to grant peace to the Greeks, even if not to these men, using examples not only from the present but also from the past.
κρατήσαντες γὰρ τῶν βαρβάρων καὶ ζητοῦντες ὡς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐξελθεῖν, πλεύσαντες εἰς Αἴγυπτον πεντήκοντα καὶ διακοσίας τριήρεις δυοῖν στόλοιν ἀπεβάλομεν.
For after conquering the barbarians and seeking to advance as far as possible, we sailed to Egypt with two expeditions and lost two hundred and fifty triremes.
καὶ μὴν ὅτι πολλῷ ῥᾷον τῶν βαρβάρων ἢ Λακεδαιμονίων κρατεῖν τίς οὐκ οἶδεν;
And indeed, who does not know that it is far easier to conquer the barbarians than the Lacedaemonians?
ἃ χρὴ λογίζεσθαι καὶ
These things we must consider, and...