HIERO

By Xenophon

Translation by H. G. Dakyns

 Xenophon the Athenian was born 431 B. C. He was a pupil of Socrates. He marched with the Spartans, and was exiled from Athens. Sparta gave him land and property in Scillus, where he lived for many years before having to move once more, to settle in Corinth. He died in 354 B. C. 

PREPARER'S NOTE

This was typed from Dakyns' series, "The Works of Xenophon, " afour-volume set. The complete list of Xenophon's works (though there isdoubt about some of these) is:

 Work Number of books

 The Anabasis 7 The Hellenica 7 The Cyropaedia 8 The Memorabilia 4 The Symposium 1 The Economist 1 On Horsemanship 1 The Sportsman 1 The Cavalry General 1 The Apology 1 On Revenues 1 The Hiero 1 The Agesilaus 1 The Polity of the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians 2

Text in brackets "{}" is my transliteration of Greek text into Englishusing an Oxford English Dictionary alphabet table. The diacritical markshave been lost. 

HIERO

The Hiero is an imaginary dialogue, c. 474 B. C. , between Simonides ofCeos, the poet; and Hieron, of Syracuse and Gela, the despot. 

HIERO, or "THE TYRANT"

A Discourse on Despotic Rule

I

Once upon a time Simonides the poet paid a visit to Hiero the "tyrant, "(1) and when both obtained the leisure requisite, Simonides began thisconversation:

 (1) Or, "came to the court of the despotic monarch Hiero. " For the "dramatis personae" see Dr. Holden's Introduction to the "Hieron" of Xenophon. 

Would you be pleased to give me information, Hiero, upon certainmatters, as to which it is likely you have greater knowledge thanmyself? (2)

 (2) Or, "would you oblige me by explaining certain matters, as to which your knowledge naturally transcends my own?"

And pray, what sort of things may those be (answered Hiero), of which Ican have greater knowledge than yourself, who are so wise a man?

I know (replied the poet) that you were once a private person, (3) andare now a monarch. It is but likely, therefore, that having tested bothconditions, (4) you should know better than myself, wherein the life ofthe despotic ruler differs from the life of any ordinary person, lookingto the sum of joys and sorrows to which flesh is heir. 

 (3) Or, "a common citizen, " "an ordinary mortal, " "a private individual. "

 (4) Or, "having experienced both lots in life, both forms of existence. "

Would it not be simpler (Hiero replied) if you, on your side, (5) whoare still to-day a private person, would refresh my memory by recallingthe various circumstances of an ordinary mortal's life? With thesebefore me, (6) I should be better able to describe the points ofdifference which exist between the one life and the other. 

 (5) Simonides is still in the chrysalis or grub condition of private citizenship; he has not broken the shell as yet of ordinary manhood. 

 (6) Lit. "in that case, I think I should best be able to point out the 'differentia' of either. "

Thus it was that Simonides spoke first: Well then, as to privatepersons, for my part I observe, (7) or seem to have observed, thatwe are liable to various pains and pleasures, in the shape of sights, sounds, odours, meats, and drinks, which are conveyed through certainavenues of sense--to wit, the eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth. And thereare other pleasures, those named of Aphrodite, of which the channels arewell known. While as to degree of heat and cold, things hard andsoft, things light and heavy, the sense appealed to here, I ventureto believe, is that of the whole body; (8) whereby we discern theseopposites, and derive from them now pain, now pleasure. But with regardto things named good and evil, (9) it appears to me that sometimes themind (or soul) itself is the sole instrument by which we register ourpains and pleasures; whilst at other times such pains and pleasuresare derived conjointly through both soul and body. (10) There are somepleasures, further, if I may trust my own sensations, which are conveyedin sleep, though how and by what means and when precisely, are mattersas to which I am still more conscious of my ignorance. Nor is it tobe wondered at perhaps, if the perceptions of waking life in some waystrike more clearly on our senses than do those of sleep. (11)

 (7) Or, "if I may trust my powers of observation I would say that common men are capable of pains and pleasures conveyed through certain avenues of sense, as sight through our eyes, sounds through our ears, smells through our noses, and meats and drinks through our mouths. "

 (8) Cf. Cic. "de N. D. " ii. 56, S. 141. 

 (9) Reading {edesthai te kai lupeisthai... } or if with Breit reading {ote d' au lupeisthai}, transl. "then as to good and evil we are affected pleasurably or painfully, as the case may be: sometimes, if I am right in my conclusion, through the mind itself alone; at other times... "

 (10) Or, "they are mental partly, partly physical. "

 (11) Lit. "the incidents of waking life present sensations of a more vivid character. "

To this statement Hiero made answer: And I, for my part, O Simonides, would find it hard to state, outside the list of things which you havenamed yourself, in what respect the despot can have other channels ofperception. (12) So that up to this point I do not see that the despoticlife differs in any way at all from that of common people. 

 (12) i. E. "being like constituted, the autocratic person has no other sources of perception: he has no claim to a wider gamut of sensation, and consequently thus far there is not a pin to choose between the life of the despot and that of a private person. "

Then Simonides: Only in this respect it surely differs, in that thepleasures which the "tyrant" enjoys through all these several avenuesof sense are many times more numerous, and the pains he suffers are farfewer. 

To which Hiero: Nay, that is not so, Simonides, take my word for it; thefact is rather that the pleasures of the despot are far fewer thanthose of people in a humbler condition, and his pains not only far morenumerous, but more intense. 

That sounds incredible (exclaimed Simonides); if it were really so, howdo you explain the passionate desire commonly displayed to wield thetyrant's sceptre, and that too on the part of persons reputed to be theablest of men? Why should all men envy the despotic monarch?

For the all-sufficient reason (he replied) that they form conclusions onthe matter without experience of the two conditions. And I will tryto prove to you the truth of what I say, beginning with the faculty ofvision, which, unless my memory betrays me, was your starting-point. 

Well then, when I come to reason (13) on the matter, first of all I findthat, as regards the class of objects of which these orbs of vision arethe channel, (14) the despot has the disadvantage. Every region ofthe world, each country on this fair earth, presents objects worthy ofcontemplation, in quest of which the ordinary citizen will visit, as thehumour takes him, now some city (for the sake of spectacles), (15) oragain, the great national assemblies, (16) where sights most fitted toentrance the gaze of multitudes would seem to be collected. (17) But thedespot has neither part nor lot in these high festivals, (18) seeing itis not safe for him to go where he will find himself at the mercy of theassembled crowds; (19) nor are his home affairs in such security that hecan leave them to the guardianship of others, whilst he visits foreignparts. A twofold apprehension haunts him: (20) he will be robbed ofhis throne, and at the same time be powerless to take vengeance on hiswrongdoer. (21)

 (13) {logizomenos}, "to apply my moral algebra. "

 (14) {en tois dia tes opseos theamasi}. See Hartman, "An. Xen. Nova, " p. 246. {theamasi} = "spectacular effects, " is perhaps a gloss on "all objects apprehensible through vision. " Holden (crit. App. ) would rather omit {dia tes opseos} with Schneid. 

 (15) The words are perhaps a gloss. 

 (16) e. G. The games at Olympia, or the great Dionysia at Athens, etc. 

 (17) Omitting {einai}, or if with Breit. {dokei einai... Sunageiresthai}, transl. "in which it is recognised that sights are to be seen best fitted to enchain the eyes and congregate vast masses. " For other emendations see Holden, crit. App. ; Hartm. Op. Cit. P. 258. 

 (18) "Religious embassies"; it. "Theories. " See Thuc. Vi. 16; "Mem. " IV. Viii. 2. 

 (19) Lit. "not stronger than those present. "

 (20) Or, "The dread oppresses him, he may be deprived of his empire and yet be powerless. "

 (21) Cf. Plat. "Rep. " ix. 579 B: "His soul is dainty and greedy; and yet he only of all men is never allowed to go on a journey, or to see things which other free men desire to see; but he lives in his hole like a woman hidden in the house, and is jealous of any other citizen who goes into foreign parts and sees things of interest" (Jowett). 

Perhaps you will retort: "Why should he trouble to go abroad to seek forsuch things? They are sure to come to him, although he stops at home. "Yes, Simonides, that is so far true; a small percentage of them nodoubt will, and this scant moiety will be sold at so high a price tothe despotic monarch, that the exhibitor of the merest trifle looksto receive from the imperial pocket, within the briefest interval, tentimes more than he can hope to win from all the rest of mankind in alifetime; and then he will be off. (22)

 (22) Lit. "to get from the tyrant all in a moment many times more than he will earn from all the rest of mankind in a whole lifetime, and depart. "

To which Simonides: Well, granted you have the worst of it in sights andsightseeing; yet, you must admit you are large gainers through the senseof hearing; you who are never stinted of that sweetest of all sounds, (23) the voice of praise, since all around you are for ever praisingeverything you do and everything you say. Whilst, conversely, to thatmost harsh and grating of all sounds, the language of abuse, your earsare sealed, since no one cares to speak evil against a monarch to hisface. 

 (23) Cf. Cic. "pro Arch. " 20, "Themistoclem illum dixisse aiunt cum ex eo quaereretur, 'quod acroama aut cujus vocem libentissime audiret': 'ejus, a quo sua virtus optime praedicaretur. '"

Then Hiero: And what pleasure do you suppose mere abstinence from evilwords implies, when it is an open secret that those silent persons arecherishing all evil thoughts against the tyrant? (24) What mirth, do youimagine, is to be extracted from their panegyrics who are suspected ofbestowing praise out of mere flattery?

 (24) "One knows plainly that these dumb attendants stand there like mutes, but harbour every evil thought against their autocratic lord. "

Simonides made answer: Yes, I must indeed admit, I do concede to you, that praise alone is sweetest which is breathed from lips of free menabsolutely free. But, look you, here is a point: you will find it hardto persuade another, that you despots, within the limits of those thingswhereby we one and all sustain our bodies, in respect, that is, of meatsand drinks, have not a far wider range of pleasures. 

Yes, Simonides (he answered), and what is more, I know the explanationof the common verdict. The majority have come to the conclusion that wemonarchs eat and drink with greater pleasure than do ordinary people, because they have got the notion, they themselves would make a betterdinner off the viands served at our tables than their own. And doubtlesssome break in the monotony gives a fillip of pleasure. And that explainswhy folk in general look forward with pleasure to high days and holydays--mankind at large, but not the despot; his well-stocked tablegroaning from day to day under its weight of viands admits of no stateoccasions. So that, as far as this particular pleasure, to begin with, goes, the pleasure of anticipation, the monarch is at disadvantagecompared with private people. 

And in the next place (he continued), I am sure your own experience willbear me out so far: the more viands set before a man at table (beyondwhat are sufficient), (25) the more quickly will satiety of eatingovertake him. So that in actual duration of the pleasure, he with hismany dishes has less to boast of than the moderate liver. 

 (25) {ta peritta ton ikanon}. These words Hartm. Op. Cit. P. 254, regards as an excrescence. 

Yes, but good gracious! surely (broke in Simonides), during the actualtime, (26) before the appetite is cloyed, the gastronomic pleasurederived from the costlier bill of fare far exceeds that of the cheaperdinner-table. 

 (26) Lit. "so long as the soul (i. E. The appetite) accepts with pleasure the viands"; i. E. There's an interval, at any rate, during which "such as my soul delights in" can still apply and for so long. 

But, as a matter of plain logic (Hiero retorted), should you notsay, the greater the pleasure a man feels in any business, the moreenthusiastic his devotion to it?

That is quite true (he answered). 

Hiero. Then have you ever noticed that crowned heads display morepleasure in attacking the bill of fare provided them, than privatepersons theirs?

No, rather the reverse (the poet answered); if anything, they show aless degree of gusto, (27) unless they are vastly libelled. 

 (27) "No, not more pleasure, but exceptional fastidiousness, if what people say is true. " {agleukesteron}, said ap. Suid. To be a Sicilian word = "more sourly. "

Well (Hiero continued), and all these wonderfully-made dishes whichare set before the tyrant, or nine-tenths of them, perhaps you haveobserved, are combinations of things acid to the taste, or pungent, orastringent, or akin to these? (28)

 (28) Lit. "and their congeners, " "their analogues, " e. G. "curries, pickles, bitters, peppery condiments. "

To be sure they are (he answered), unnatural viands, one and all, in myopinion, most alien to ordinary palates. (29)

 (29) Or, "unsuited to man's taste, " "'caviare to the general' I name them. "

Hiero. In fact, these condiments can only be regarded as the cravings(30) of a stomach weakened by luxurious living; since I am quite surethat keen appetites (and you, I fancy, know it well too) have not theslightest need for all these delicate made things. 

 (30) Cf. Plat. "Laws, " 687 C; "Hipp. " ii. 44. Lit. "can you in fact regard these condiments as other than... " See Holden ad loc. (ed. 1888); Hartm. Op. Cit. P. 259, suggests {enthumemata}, "inventions. "

It is true, at any rate (observed Simonides), about those costlyperfumes, with which your persons are anointed, that your neighboursrather than yourselves extract enjoyment from them; just as theunpleasant odour of some meats is not so obvious to the eater as tothose who come in contact with him. 

Hiero. Good, and on this principle we say of meats, that he who isprovided with all sorts on all occasions brings no appetite to any ofthem. He rather to whom these things are rarities, that is the man who, when some unfamiliar thing is put before him, will take his fill of itwith pleasure. (31)

 (31) {meta kharas}. Cf. Aesch. Fr. 237, {stomatos en prote khara}, of a hungry man; "Od. " xvii. 603. 

It looks very much (interposed Simonides) as if the sole pleasure leftyou to explain the vulgar ambition to wear a crown, must be that namedafter Aphrodite. For in this field it is your privilege to consort withwhatever fairest fair your eyes may light on. 

Hiero. Nay, now you have named that one thing of all others, take myword for it, in which we princes are worse off than lesser people. (32)

 (32) Reading {saph' isthi}, or if as Cobet conj. {saphestata}, transl. "are at a disadvantage most clearly by comparison with ordinary folk. "

To name marriage first. I presume a marriage (33) which is contractedwith some great family, superior in wealth and influence, bears awaythe palm, since it confers upon the bridegroom not pleasure only butdistinction. (34) Next comes the marriage made with equals; and last, wedlock with inferiors, which is apt to be regarded as degrading anddisserviceable. 

 (33) Cf. "Hunting, " i. 9. Holden cf. Eur. "Rhes. " 168; "Androm. " 1255. 

 (34) Cf. Dem. "in Lept. " S. 69, p. 499. See Plat. "Rep. " 553 C. 

Now for the application: a despotic monarch, unless he weds some foreignbride, is forced to choose a wife from those beneath him, so that theheight of satisfaction is denied him. (35)

 (35) Al. "supreme content, the quintessential bliss, is quite unknown to him. "

The tender service of the proudest-souled of women, wifely rendered, howsuperlatively charming! (36) and by contrast, how little welcome issuch ministration where the wife is but a slave--when present, barelynoticed; or if lacking, what fell pains and passions will it notengender!

 (36) Or, "the gentle ministrations of loftiest-thoughted women and fair wives possess a charm past telling, but from slaves, if tendered, the reverse of welcome, or if not forthcoming... "

And if we come to masculine attachments, still more than in thosewhose end is procreation, the tyrant finds himself defrauded of suchmirthfulness, (37) poor monarch! Since all of us are well aware, Ifancy, that for highest satisfaction, (38) amorous deeds need love'sstrong passion. (39)

 (37) "Joys sacred to that goddess fair and free in Heaven yclept Euphrosyne. "

 (38) For {polu diapherontos} cf. Browning ("Abt Vogler"), not indeed of Aphrodisia conjoined with Eros, but of the musician's gift:

 That out of three sounds he frame not a fourth sound, but a star. 

 (39) i. E. "Eros, the Lord of Passion, must lend his hand. " "But, " he proceeds, "the god is coy; he has little liking for the breasts of kings. He is more likely to be found in the cottage of the peasant than the king's palace. "

But least of all is true love's passion wont to lodge in the hearts ofmonarchs, for love delights not to swoop on ready prey; he needs thelure of expectation. (40)

 (40) Or, "even on the heels of hoped-for bliss he follows. "

Well then, just as a man who has never tasted thirst can hardly be saidto know the joy of drinking, (41) so he who has never tasted Passion isignorant of Aphrodite's sweetest sweets. 

 (41) Reading with Holden (after H. Steph. ) {osper oun an tis... } or with Hartm. (op. Cit. P. 259) {osper ouk an tis... }

So Hiero ended. 

Simonides answered laughingly: How say you, Hiero? What is that? Love'sstrong passion for his soul's beloved incapable of springing up in anymonarch's heart? What of your own passion for Dailochus, surnamed of men"most beautiful"?

Hiero. That is easily explained, Simonides. What I most desire of him isno ready spoil, as men might reckon it, but rather what it is least ofall the privilege of a tyrant to obtain. (42) I say it truly, I--thelove I bear Dailochus is of this high sort. All that the constitution ofour souls and bodies possibly compels a man to ask for at the hands ofbeauty, that my fantasy desires of him; but what my fantasy demands, Ido most earnestly desire to obtain from willing hands and under seal oftrue affection. To clutch it forcibly were as far from my desire as todo myself some mortal mischief. 

 (42) Lit. "of tyrant to achieve, " a met. From the chase. Cf. "Hunting, " xii. 22. 

Were he my enemy, to wrest some spoil from his unwilling hands wouldbe an exquisite pleasure, to my thinking. But of all sweet favours thesweetest to my notion is the free-will offering of a man's beloved. Forinstance, how sweet the responsive glance of love for love; how sweetthe questions and the answers; (43) and, most sweet of all, mostlove-enkindling, the battles and the strifes of faithful lovers. (44)But to enjoy (45) one's love perforce (he added) resembles more an actof robbery, in my judgment, than love's pastime. And, indeed, the robberderives some satisfaction from the spoils he wins and from the pain hecauses to the man he hates. But to seek pleasure in the pain of onewe love devoutly, to kiss and to be hated, to touch (46) and to beloathed--can one conceive a state of things more odious or more pitiful?For, it is a certainty, the ordinary person may accept at once eachservice rendered by the object of his love as a sign and token ofkindliness inspired by affection, since he knows such ministry is freefrom all compulsion. Whilst to the tyrant, the confidence that he isloved is quite foreclosed. On the contrary, (47) we know for certainthat service rendered through terror will stimulate as far as possiblethe ministrations of affection. And it is a fact, that plots andconspiracies against despotic rulers are oftenest hatched by those whomost of all pretend to love them. (48)

 (43) "The 'innere Unterhaltung'"; the {oarismos}. Cf. Milton, "P. L. ":

 With thee conversing, I forget all time. 

 (44) Cf. Ter. "Andr. " iii. 3. 23, "amantium irae amoris intergratiost. "

 (45) "To make booty of. "

 (46) For {aptesthai} L. & S. Cf. Plat. "Laws, " 840 A; Aristot. "H. A. " v. 14. 27; Ep. 1 Cor. Vii. 1. 

 (47) Reading {au}. "If we do know anything it is this, that, " etc. 

 (48) Or, "do oftenest issue from treacherous make-believe of warmest friendship. " Cf. Grote, "H. G. " xi. 288; "Hell. " VI. Iv. 36. 

II

To these arguments Simonides replied: Yes, but the topics you have namedare to my thinking trifles; drops, as it were, in the wide ocean. Howmany men, I wonder, have I seen myself, men in the deepest sense, (1)true men, who choose to fare but ill in respect of meats and drinks anddelicacies; ay, and what is more, they voluntarily abstain from sexualpleasures. No! it is in quite a different sphere, which I will name atonce, that you so far transcend us private citizens. (2) It is in yourvast designs, your swift achievements; it is in the overflowing wealthof your possessions; your horses, excellent for breed and mettle; thechoice beauty of your arms; the exquisite finery of your wives; thegorgeous palaces in which you dwell, and these, too, furnished withthe costliest works of art; add to which the throng of your retainers, courtiers, followers, not in number only but accomplishments a mostprincely retinue; and lastly, but not least of all, in your supremeability at once to afflict your foes and benefit your friends. 

 (1) Lit. "many among those reputed to be men. " Cf. "Cyrop. " V. V. 33; "Hell. " i. 24, "their hero"; and below, viii. 3. Aristoph. "Ach. " 78, {oi barbaroi gar andras egountai monous} | {tous pleista dunamenous phagein te kai piein}: "To the Barbarians 'tis the test of manhood: there the great drinkers are the greatest men" (Frere); id. "Knights, " 179; "Clouds, " 823; so Latin "vir. " See Holden ad loc. 

 (2) "Us lesser mortals. "

To all which Hiero made answer: That the majority of men, Simonides, should be deluded by the glamour of a despotism in no respect astonishesme, since it is the very essence of the crowd, if I am not mistaken, to rush wildly to conjecture touching the happiness or wretchedness ofpeople at first sight. 

Now the nature of a tyrrany is such: it presents, nay flaunts, a showof costliest possessions unfolded to the general gaze, which rivets theattention; (3) but the real troubles in the souls of monarchs it keepsconcealed in those hid chambers where lie stowed away the happiness andthe unhappiness of mankind. 

 (3) There is some redundancy in the phraseology. 

I repeat then, I little marvel that the multitude should be blinded inthis matter. But that you others also, you who are held to see withthe mind's eye more clearly than with the eye of sense the mass ofcircumstances, (4) should share its ignorance, does indeed excite mywonderment. Now, I know it all too plainly from my own experience, Simonides, and I assure you, the tyrant is one who has the smallestshare of life's blessings, whilst of its greater miseries he possessesmost. 

 (4) Lit. "the majority of things"; al. "the thousand details of a thing. "

For instance, if peace is held to be a mighty blessing to mankind, thenof peace despotic monarchs are scant sharers. Or is war a curse? If so, of this particular pest your monarch shares the largest moiety. For, look you, the private citizen, unless his city-state should chance to beengaged in some common war, (5) is free to travel wheresoe'er he chooseswithout fear of being done to death, whereas the tyrant cannot stirwithout setting his foot on hostile territory. At any rate, nothing willpersuade him but he must go through life armed, and on all occasionsdrag about with him armed satellites. In the next place, the privatecitizen, even during an expedition into hostile territory, (6) cancomfort himself in the reflection that as soon as he gets back home hewill be safe from further peril. Whereas the tyrant knows precisely thereverse; as soon as he arrives in his own city, he will find himselfin the centre of hostility at once. Or let us suppose that an invadingarmy, superior in force, is marching against a city: however much theweaker population, whilst they are still outside their walls, may feelthe stress of danger, yet once within their trenches one and all expectto find themselves in absolute security. But the tyrant is not out ofdanger, even when he has passed the portals of his palace. Nay! thereof all places most, he feels, he must maintain the strictist watch. (7)Again, to the private citizen there will come eventually, either throughtruce or terms of peace, respite from war; but for the tyrant, the dayof peace will never dawn. What peace can he have with those over whomhe exercises his despotic sway? (8) Nor have the terms of truce been yetdevised, on which the despotic ruler may rely with confidence. (9)

 (5) {koinon}, i. E. Making demands upon the energies of all the citizens in common, as opposed to the personal character of war as conducted by a despot = "public, " "patriotic, " "national" war. Al. Borne by the particular {polis} as member of a league, whether of states united for the time being in a {summakhia}, or permanently in a confederacy = a "federal" war. 

 (6) "Even if serving on a campaign in the enemy's country. "

 (7) Or, "he has to exercise the utmost vigilance. "

 (8) "With those who are 'absolutely governed, ' not to say tyrannically ruled. "

 (9) Or, "which the tyrant may accept in faith and go his way rejoicing. "

Wars doubtless there are, (10) wars waged by states and wars waged byautocratic monarchs against those whom they have forcibly enslaved, andin respect of these wars there is no hardship which any member of thestates at war (11) can suffer but the tyrant will feel it also. Thatis to say, both must alike be under arms, keep guard, run risks; andwhatever the pains of defeat may be, they are equally sustained by both. Up to this point there is no distinction. The "bitters" are equal. Butwhen we come to estimate the "sweets" derivable from warfare betweenstates, (12) the parallel ceases. The tyrant, if he shared the painsbefore, no longer shares the pleasures now. What happens when a statehas gained the mastery in battle over her antagonist? It would be hard(I take it) to describe the joy of that occurrence: joy in the rout, joy in the pursuit, joy in the slaughter of their enemies; and in whatlanguage shall I describe the exultation of these warriors at theirfeats of arms? With what assumption they bind on their browsthe glittering wreath of glory; (13) with what mirth and jollitycongratulate themselves on having raised their city to newer heightsof fame. Each several citizen claims to have shared in the plan of thecampaign, (14) and to have slain the largest number. Indeed it wouldbe hard to find where false embellishment will not creep in, (15) thenumber stated to be the slain exceeding that of those that actuallyperished. So truly glorious a thing it seems to them to have won a greatvictory. (16)

 (10) Lit. "and further, wars there are, waged against forcibly-subjected populations whether by free states"--e. G. Of Olynthus, "Hell. " V. Ii. 23, or Athens against her "subject allies" during the Pel. War--"or by despotic rules"--Jason of Pherae ("Hell. " VI. ) Al. "wars waged by free states against free states, and wars waged by tyrants against enslaved peoples. "

 (11) Does {o en tais polesi} = "the citizen"? So some commentators; or (sub. {polemos}) = "the war among states" (see Hartman, op. Cit. P. 248)? in which case transl. "all the hardships involved in international war come home to the tyrant also. " The same obscurity attaches to {oi en tais polesi} below (the commonly adopted emend. Of the MS. {oi sunontes polesi}) = "the citizens, " or else = "international wars. "

 (12) "The pleasures incidental to warfare between states"; al. "the sweets which citizens engaged in warfare as against rival states can count upon. "

 (13) Reading {analambanousin}, or, if after Cobet, etc. , {lambanousin}, transl. "what brilliant honour, what bright credit they assume. "

 (14) "To have played his part in counsel. " See "Anab. " passim, and M. Taine, "Essais de Critique, " "Xenophon, " p. 128. 

 (15) Lit. "they do not indulge in false additions, pretending to have put more enemies to death than actually fell. "

 (16) Cf. "Hipparch, " viii. 11; "Cyrop. " VIII. Iii. 25; "Thuc. " i. 49. 

But the tyrant, when he forebodes, or possibly perceives in actual fact, some opposition brewing, and puts the suspects (17) to the sword, knowshe will not thereby promote the welfare of the state collectively. Thecold clear fact is, he will have fewer subjects to rule over. (18) Howcan he show a cheerful countenance? (19) how magnify himself on hisachievement? On the contrary, his desire is to lessen the proportionsof what has taken place, as far as may be. He will apologise for whathe does, even in the doing of it, letting it appear that what he haswrought at least was innocent; (20) so little does his conduct seemnoble even to himself. And when those he dreaded are safely in theirgraves, he is not one whit more confident of spirit, but still more onhis guard than heretofore. That is the kind of war with which the tyrantis beset from day to day continually, as I do prove. (21)

 (17) See Hold. (crit. App. ); Hartman, op. Cit. P. 260. 

 (18) Cf. "Mem. " I. Ii. 38. 

 (19) Cf. "Anab. " II. Vi. 11; "Hell. " VI. Iv. 16. 

 (20) "Not of malice prepense. "

 (21) Or, "Such then, as I describe it, is the type of war, " etc. 

III

Turn now and contemplate the sort of friendship whereof it is given totyrants to partake. And first, let us examine with ourselves and see iffriendship is truly a great boon to mortal man. 

How fares it with the man who is beloved of friends? See with whatgladness his friends and lovers hail his advent! delight to do himkindness! long for him when he is absent from them! (1) and welcome himmost gladly on his return! (2) In any good which shall betide him theyrejoice together; or if they see him overtaken by misfortune, they rushto his assistance as one man. (3)

 (1) Reading {an ate}, or if {an apie}, transl. "have yearning hearts when he must leave them. "

 (2) See Anton Rubinstein, "Die Musik and ihre Meister, " p. 8, "Some Remarks on Beethoven's Sonata Op. 81. "

 (3) Cf. "Cyrop. " I. Vi. 24 for a repetition of the sentiment and phraseology. 

Nay! it has not escaped the observation of states and governments thatfriendship is the greatest boon, the sweetest happiness which men maytaste. At any rate, the custom holds (4) in many states "to slay theadulterer" alone of all "with impunity, " (5) for this reason clearlythat such miscreants are held to be destroyers of that friendship (6)which binds the woman to the husband. Since where by some untowardchance a woman suffers violation of her chastity, (7) husbands do notthe less honour them, as far as that goes, provided true affection stillappear unsullied. (8)

 (4) Lit. "many of the states have a law and custom to, " etc. Cf. "Pol. Lac. " ii. 4. 

 (5) Cf. Plat. "Laws, " 874 C, "if a man find his wife suffering violence he may kill the violator and be guiltless in the eye of the law. " Dem. "in Aristocr. " 53, {ean tis apokteine en athlois akon... E epi damarti, k. T. L.... Touton eneka me pheugein kteinanta}. 

 (6) See Lys. "de caed Eratosth. " S. 32 f. , {outos, o andres, tous biazomenous elattonos zemias axious egesato einai e tous peithontas. Ton men gar thanaton kategno, tois de diplen epoiese ten blaben, egoumenos tous men diaprattomenous bia upo ton biasthenton miseisthai, tous de peisantas outos aution tas psukhas diaphtheirein ost' oikeioteras autois poiein tas allotrias gunaikas e tois andrasi kai pasan ep' ekeinois ten oikian gegonenai kai tous paidas adelous einai opoteron tugkhanousin ontes, ton andron e ton moikhon. Anth' on o ton nomon titheis thanaton autois epoiese ten zemian}. Cf. "Cyrop. " III. I. 39; "Symp. " viii. 20; Plut. "Sol. " xxiii. , {olos de pleisten ekhein atopian oi peri ton gunaikon nomoi to Soloni dokousi. Moikhon men gar anelein tio labonti dedoken, ean d' arpase tis eleutheran gunaika kai biasetai zemian ekaton drakhmas etaxe' kan proagogeue drakhmas aikosi, plen osai pephasmenos polountai, legon de tas etairas. Autai gar emphanos phoitosi pros tous didontas}, "Solon's laws in general about women are his strangest, for he permitted any one to kill an adulterer that found him in the act; but if any one forced a free woman, a hundred drachmas was the fine; if he enticed her, twenty;--except those that sell themselves openly, that is, harlots, who go openly to those that hire them" (Clough, i. P. 190). 

 (7) Or, "fall a victim to passion through some calamity, " "commit a breach of chastity. " Cf. Aristot. "H. A. " VII. I. 9. 

 (8) Or, "if true affection still retain its virgin purity. " As to this extraordinary passage, see Hartman, op. Cit. P. 242 foll. 

So sovereign a good do I, for my part, esteem it to be loved, that I doverily believe spontaneous blessings are outpoured from gods and men onone so favoured. 

This is that choice possession which, beyond all others, the monarch isdeprived of. 

But if you require further evidence that what I say is true, look at thematter thus: No friendship, I presume, is sounder than that which bindsparents to their children and children to their parents, brothers andsisters to each other, (9) wives to husbands, comrade to comrade. 

 (9) Or, "brothers to brothers. "

If, then, you will but thoughtfully consider it, you will discover it isthe ordinary person who is chiefly blest in these relations. (10) Whileof tyrants, many have been murderers of their own children, many bytheir children murdered. Many brothers have been murderers of oneanother in contest for the crown; (11) many a monarch has been done todeath by the wife of his bosom, (12) or even by his own familiar friend, by him of whose affection he was proudest. (13)

 (10) Or, "that these more obvious affections are the sanctities of private life. "

 (11) Or, "have caught at the throats of brothers"; lit. "been slain with mutually-murderous hand. " Cf. Pind. Fr. 137; Aesch. "Sept. C. Theb. " 931; "Ag. " 1575, concerning Eteocles and Polynices. 

 (12) See Grote, "H. G. " xi. 288, xii. 6; "Hell. " VI. Iv. 36; Isocr. "On the Peace, " 182; Plut. "Dem. Pol. " iii. (Clough, v. P. 98); Tac. "Hist. " v. 8, about the family feuds of the kings of Judaea. 

 (13) "It was his own familiar friend who dealt the blow, the nearest and dearest to his heart. "

How can you suppose, then, that being so hated by those whom naturepredisposes and law compels to love him, the tyrant should be loved byany living soul beside?

IV

Again, without some moiety of faith and trust, (1) how can a man notfeel to be defrauded of a mighty blessing? One may well ask: Whatfellowship, what converse, what society would be agreeable withoutconfidence? What intercourse between man and wife be sweet apartfrom trustfulness? How should the "faithful esquire" whose faith ismistrusted still be lief and dear? (2)

 (1) "How can he, whose faith's discredited, the moral bankrupt... "

 (2) Or, "the trusty knight and serving-man. " Cf. "Morte d'Arthur, " xxi. 5, King Arthur and Sir Bedivere. 

Well, then, of this frank confidence in others the tyrant has thescantiest share. (3) Seeing his life is such, he cannot even trusthis meats and drinks, but he must bid his serving-men before the feastbegins, or ever the libation to the gods is poured, (4) to taste theviands, out of sheer mistrust there may be mischief lurking in the cupor platter. (5)

 (3) Or, "from this... Is almost absolutely debarred. "

 (4) "Or ever grace is said. "

 (5) Cf. "Cyrop. " I. Iii. 4. 

Once more, the rest of mankind find in their fatherland a treasure worthall else beside. The citizens form their own body-guard (6) without payor service-money against slaves and against evil-doers. It is theirsto see that none of themselves, no citizen, shall perish by a violentdeath. And they have advanced so far along the path of guardianship (7)that in many cases they have framed a law to the effect that "not theassociate even of one who is blood-guilty shall be accounted pure. " Sothat, by reason of their fatherland, (8) each several citizen can liveat quiet and secure. 

 (6) "Are their own 'satellites, ' spear-bearers. " Cf. Thuc. I. 130; Herod. Ii. 168; vii. 127. 

 (7) "Pushed so far the principle of mutual self-aid. "

 (8) "Thanks to the blessing of a fatherland each citizen may spend his days in peace and safety. "

But for the tyrant it is again exactly the reverse. (9) Instead ofaiding or avenging their despotic lord, cities bestow large honourson the slayer of a tyrant; ay, and in lieu of excommunicating thetyrannicide from sacred shrines, (10) as is the case with murderers ofprivate citizens, they set up statues of the doers of such deeds (11) intemples. 

 (9) "Matters are once more reversed precisely, " "it is all 'topsy-turvy. '"

 (10) "And sacrifices. " Cf. Dem. "c. Lept. " 137, {en toinun tois peri touton nomois o Drakon... Katharon diorisen einai}. "Now in the laws upon this subject, Draco, although he strove to make it fearful and dreadful for a man to slay another, and ordained that the homicide should be excluded from lustrations, cups, and drink-offerings, from the temples and the market-place, specifying everything by which he thought most effectually to restrain people from such a practice, still did not abolish the rule of justice, but laid down the cases in which it should be lawful to kill, and declared that the killer under such circumstances should be deemed pure" (C. R. Kennedy). 

 (11) e. G. Harmodius and Aristogeiton. See Dem. Loc. Cit. 138: "The same rewards that you gave to Harmodius and Aristogiton, " concerning whom Simonides himself wrote a votive couplet:

 {'E meg' 'Athenaioisi phoos geneth' enik' 'Aristogeiton 'Ipparkhon kteine kai 'Armodios. }

But if you imagine that the tyrant, because he has more possessions thanthe private person, does for that reason derive greater pleasure fromthem, this is not so either, Simonides, but it is with tyrants as withathletes. Just as the athlete feels no glow of satisfaction in assertinghis superiority over amateurs, (12) but annoyance rather when hesustains defeat at the hands of any real antagonist; so, too, the tyrantfinds little consolation in the fact (13) that he is evidently richerthan the private citizen. What he feels is pain, when he reflects thathe has less himself than other monarchs. These he holds to be his trueantagonists; these are his rivals in the race for wealth. 

 (12) Or, "It gives no pleasure to the athlete to win victories over amateurs. " See "Mem. " III. Viii. 7. 

 (13) Or, "each time it is brought home to him that, " etc. 

Nor does the tyrant attain the object of his heart's desire more quicklythan do humbler mortals theirs. For consider, what are their objects ofambition? The private citizen has set his heart, it may be, on a house, a farm, a servant. The tyrant hankers after cities, or wide territory, or harbours, or formidable citadels, things far more troublesome andmore perilous to achieve than are the pettier ambitions of lesser men. 

And hence it is, moreover, that you will find but few (14) privatepersons paupers by comparison with the large number of tyrants whodeserve the title; (15) since the criterion of enough, or too much, is not fixed by mere arithmetic, but relatively to the needs of theindividual. (16) In other words, whatever exceeds sufficiency is much, and what falls short of that is little. (17)

 (14) Reading as vulg. {alla mentoi kai penetas opsei oukh outos oligous ton idioton os pollous ton turannon}. Lit. "however that may be, you will see not so few private persons in a state of penury as many despots. " Breitenbach del. {oukh}, and transl. , "Daher weist du auch in dem Masse wenige Arme unter den Privat-leuten finden, als viele unter den Tyrannen. " Stob. , {penetas opsei oligous ton idioton, pollous de ton turannon}. Stob. MS. Par. , {alla mentoi kai plousious opsei oukh outos oligous ton idioton os penetas pollous ton turannon}. See Holden ad loc. And crit. N. 

 (15) Cf. "Mem. " IV. Ii. 37. 

 (16) Or, "not by the number of things we have, but in reference to the use we make of them. " Cf. "Anab. " VII. Vii. 36. 

 (17) Dr. Holden aptly cf. Addison, "The Spectator, " No. 574, on the text "Non possidentem multa vocaveris recte beatum... "

And on this principle the tyrant, with his multiplicity of goods, isless well provided to meet necessary expenses than the private person;since the latter can always cut down his expenditure to suit his dailyneeds in any way he chooses; but the tyrant cannot do so, seeing thatthe largest expenses of a monarch are also the most necessary, beingdevoted to various methods of safeguarding his life, and to cut down anyof them would be little less than suicidal. (18)

 (18) Or, "and to curtail these would seem to be self-slaughter. "

Or, to put it differently, why should any one expend compassion on aman, as if he were a beggar, who has it in his power to satisfy byjust and honest means his every need? (19) Surely it would be moreappropriate to call that man a wretched starveling beggar rather, who through lack of means is driven to live by ugly shifts and basecontrivances. 

 (19) i. E. "to expend compassion on a man who, etc. , were surely a pathetic fallacy. " Al. "Is not the man who has it in his power, etc. , far above being pitied?"

Now it is your tyrant who is perpetually driven to iniquitous spoilationof temples and human beings, through chronic need of money wherewith tomeet inevitable expenses, since he is forced to feed and support an army(even in times of peace) no less than if there were actual war, or elsehe signs his own death-warrant. (20)

 (20) "A daily, hourly constraint is laid upon him to support an army as in war time, or--write his epitaph!"

V

But there is yet another sore affliction to which the tyrant is liable, Sinmonides, which I will name to you. It is this. Tyrants no less thanordinary mortals can distinguish merit. The orderly, (1) the wise, thejust and upright, they freely recognise; but instead of admiring them, they are afraid of them--the courageous, lest they should venturesomething for the sake of freedom; the wise, lest they invent somesubtle mischief; (2) the just and upright, lest the multitude shouldtake a fancy to be led by them. 

 (1) The same epithets occur in Aristoph. "Plut. " 89:

 {ego gar on meirakion epeiles' oti os tous dikaious kai sophous kai kosmious monous badioimen. }

 Stob. Gives for {kasmious} {alkimous}. 

 (2) Or, "for fear of machinations. " But the word is suggestive of mechanical inventions also, like those of Archimedes in connection with a later Hiero (see Plut. "Marcel. " xv. Foll. ); or of Lionardo, or of Michael Angelo (Symonds, "Renaissance in Italy, " "The Fine Arts, " pp. 315, 393). 

And when he has secretly and silently made away with all such peoplethrough terror, whom has he to fall back upon to be of use to him, saveonly the unjust, the incontinent, and the slavish-natured? (3) Of these, the unjust can be trusted as sharing the tyrant's terror lest the citiesshould some day win their freedom and lay strong hands upon them;the incontinent, as satisfied with momentary license; and theslavish-natured, for the simple reason that they have not themselves theslightest aspiration after freedom. (4)

 (3) Or, "the dishonest, the lascivious, and the servile. "

 (4) "They have no aspiration even to be free, " "they are content to wallow in the slough of despond. " The {adikoi} (unjust) correspond to the {dikaioi} (just), {akrateis} (incontinent) to the {sophoi} (wise) (Breit. Cf. "Mem. " III. Ix. 4, {sophian de kai sophrosunen ou diorizen}), {andrapododeis} (servile) to the {kasmioi}, {andreioi} (orderly, courageous). 

This, then, I say, appears to me a sore affliction, that we should lookupon the one set as good men, and yet be forced to lean upon the other. 

And further, even a tyrant cannot but be something of a patriot--alover of that state, without which he can neither hope for safety norprosperity. On the other hand, his tyrrany, the exigencies of despoticrule, compel him to incriminate his fatherland. (5) To train hiscitizens to soldiery, to render them brave warriors, and well armed, confers no pleasure on him; rather he will take delight to make hisforeigners more formidable than those to whom the state belongs, andthese foreigners he will depend on as his body-guard. 

 (5) Or, "depreciate the land which gave him birth. " Holden cf. "Cyrop. " VII. Ii. 22. See Sturz, s. V. 

Nay more, not even in the years of plenty, (6) when abundance of allblessings reigns, not even then may the tyrant's heart rejoice amid thegeneral joy, for the greater the indigence of the community the humblerhe will find them: that is his theory. 

 (6) "In good seasons, " "seasons of prosperity. " Cf. Aristot. "Pol. " v. 6. 17. 

VI

He continued: I desire to make known to you, Simonides, (1) those diverspleasures which were mine whilst I was still a private citizen, butof which to-day, nay, from the moment I became a tyrant, I find myselfdeprived. In those days I consorted with my friends and fellows, to ourmutual delectation; (2) or, if I craved for quietude, (3) I chose myselffor my companion. Gaily the hours flitted at our drinking-parties, ofttimes till we had drowned such cares and troubles as are common tothe life of man in Lethe's bowl; (4) or ofttimes till we had steepedour souls in song and dance (5) and revelry; ofttimes till the flame ofpassion kindled in the breasts of my companions and my own. (6) But now, welladay, I am deprived of those who took delight in me, because Ihave slaves instead of friends as my companions; I am robbed of myonce delightful intercourse with them, because I discern no vestigeof goodwill towards me in their looks. And as to the wine-cup andslumber--these I guard against, even as a man might guard against anambuscade. Think only! to dread a crowd, to dread solitude, to dread theabsence of a guard, to dread the very guards that guard, to shrink fromhaving those about one's self unarmed, and yet to hate the sight ofarmed attendants. Can you conceive a more troublesome circumstance? (7)But that is not all. To place more confidence in foreigners than in yourfellow-citizens, nay, in barbarians than in Hellenes, to be consumedwith a desire to keep freemen slaves and yet to be driven, will henill he, to make slaves free, are not all these the symptoms of a minddistracted and amazed with terror?

 (1) Or, "I wish I could disclose to you (he added) those heart-easing joys. " For {euphrosunas} cf. "Od. " vi. 156; Aesch. "P. V. " 540; Eur. "Bacch. " 376. A favourite word with our author; see "Ages. " ix. 4; "Cyrop. " passim; "Mem. " III. Viii. 10; "Econ. " ix. 12. 

 (2) Lit. "delighting I in them and they in me. "

 (3) Or, "when I sought tranquility I was my own companion. "

 (4) Or, "in sheer forgetfulness. "

 (5) Or, "absorbed our souls in song and festal cheer and dance. " Cf. "Od. " viii. 248, 249, {aiei d' emin dais te phile kitharis te khoroi te} | {eimata t' exemoiba loetra te therma kau eunai}, "and dear to us ever is the banquet and the harp and the dance, and changes of raiment, and the warm bath, and love and sleep" (Butcher and Lang). 

 (6) Reading as vulg. {epithumias}. Breit. Cf. "Mem. " III. Ix. 7; Plat. "Phaed. " 116 E, "he has eaten and drunk and enjoyed the society of his beloved" (Jowett). See "Symp. " the finale; or if, after Weiske and Cobet, {euthumias}, transl. "to the general hilarity of myself and the whole company" (cf. "Cyrop. " I. Iii. 12, IV. V. 7), but this is surely a bathos rhetorically. 

 (7) Or, "a worse perplexity. " See "Hell. " VII. Iii. 8. 

For terror, you know, not only is a source of pain indwelling in thebreast itself, but, ever in close attendance, shadowing the path, (8)becomes the destroyer of all sweet joys. 

 (8) Reading {sumparakolouthon lumeon}. Stob. Gives {sumparomarton lumanter}. For the sentiment cf. "Cyrop. " III. I. 25. 

And if you know anything of war, Simonides, and war's alarms; if it wasyour fortune ever to be posted close to the enemy's lines, (9) try torecall to mind what sort of meals you made at those times, with whatsort of slumber you courted rest. Be assured, there are no pains youthen experienced, no horrors to compare with those that crowd upon thedespot, who sees or seems to see fierce eyes of enemies glare at him, not face to face alone, but from every side. 

 (9) Or, "in the van of battle, opposite the hostile lines. "

He had spoken so far, when Simonides took up the thread of thediscourse, replying: Excellently put. A part I must admit, of what yousay; since war is terrible. Yet, Hiero, you forget. When we, at anyrate, are out campaigning, we have a custom; we place sentinels at theoutposts, and when the watch is set, we take our suppers and turn inundauntedly. 

And Hiero answered: Yes, I can well believe you, for the laws are thetrue outposts, (10) who guard the sentinels, keeping their fears aliveboth for themselves and in behalf of you. Whereas the tyrant hires hisguards for pay like harvest labourers. (11) Now of all functions, allabilities, none, I presume, is more required of a guard than that offaithfulness; and yet one faithful man is a commodity more hard to findthan scores of workmen for any sort of work you like to name; (12) andthe more so, when the guards in question are not forthcoming except formoney's sake; (13) and when they have it in their power to get far morein far less time by murdering the despot than they can hope to earn bylengthened service in protecting him. 

 (10) Or, "beyond the sentinels themselves is set the outpost of the laws, who watch the watch. "

 (11) Or, "ten-day labourers in harvest-time. "

 (12) Or, "but to discover one single faithful man is far more difficult than scores of labourers in any field of work you please. "

 (13) Or, "are merely hirelings for filthy lucre's sake. "

And as to that which roused your envy--our ability, as you call it, tobenefit our friends most largely, and beyond all else, to triumph overour foes--here, again, matters are not as you suppose. 

How, for instance, can you hope to benefit your friends, when you mayrest assured the very friend whom you have made most your debtor will bethe happiest to quit your sight as fast as may be? since nobody believesthat anything a tyrant gives him is indeed his own, until he is wellbeyond the donor's jurisdiction. 

So much for friends, and as to enemies conversely. How can you say "mostpower of triumphing over our enemies, " when every tyrant knows full wellthey are all his enemies, every man of them, who are despotically ruledby him? And to put the whole of them to death or to imprison them ishardly possible; or who will be his subjects presently? Not so, butknowing they are his enemies, he must perform this dexterous feat: (14)he must keep them at arm's length, and yet be compelled to lean uponthem. 

 (14) Lit. "he must at one and the same moment guard against them, and yet be driven also to depend upon them. "

But be assured, Simonides, that when a tyrant fears any of his citizens, he is in a strait; it is ill work to see them living and ill work to putthem to the death. Just as might happen with a horse; a noble beast, butthere is that in him makes one fear he will do some mischief presentlypast curing. (15) His very virtue makes it hard to kill the creature, and yet to turn him to account alive is also hard; so careful must onebe, he does not choose the thick of danger to work irreparable harm. Andthis, further, doubtless holds of all goods and chattels, which are atonce a trouble and a benefit. If painful to their owners to possess, they are none the less a source of pain to part with. 

 (15) Lit. "good but fearful (i. E. He makes one fear), he will some day do some desperate mischief. "

VII

Now when he had heard these reasonings, Simonides replied: O Hiero, there is a potent force, it would appear, the name of which is honour, so attractive that human beings strain to grasp it, (1) and in theeffort they will undergo all pains, endure all perils. It would furtherseem that even you, you tyrants, in spite of all that sea of troublewhich a tyranny involves, rush headlong in pursuit of it. You must behonoured. All the world shall be your ministers; they shall carry outyour every injunction with unhesitating zeal. (2) You shall be thecynosure of neighbouring eyes; men shall rise from their seats at yourapproach; they shall step aside to yield you passage in the streets. (3)All present shall at all times magnify you, (4) and shall pay homage toyou both with words and deeds. Those, I take it, are ever the kind ofthings which subjects do to please the monarch, (5) and thus they treateach hero of the moment, whom they strive to honour. (6)

 (1) Lit. "that human beings will abide all risks and undergo all pains to clutch the bait. "

 (2) Cf. "Cyrop. " II. Iii. 8; VIII. I. 29. 

 (3) Cf. "Mem. " II. Iii. 16; "Cyrop. " VII. V. 20. 

 (4) {gerairosi}, poetic. Cf. "Cyrop. " VIII. I. 39; "Hell. " I. Vii. 33; "Econ. " iv. 8; "Herod. " v. 67; Pind. "O. " iii. 3, v. 11; "N. " v. 15; "Od. " xiv. 437, 441; "Il. " vii. 321; Plat. "Rep. " 468 D, quoting "Il. " vii. 321. 

 (5) Reading {tois turannois}, or if {tous turannous}, after Cobet, "That is how they treat crowned heads. "

 (6) Cf. Tennyson, "Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington":

 With honour, honour, honour to him, Eternal honour to his name. 

Yes, Hiero, and herein precisely lies the difference between a man andother animals, in this outstretching after honour. (7) Since, it wouldseem, all living creatures alike take pleasure in meats and drinks, insleep and sexual joys. Only the love of honour is implanted neither inunreasoning brutes (8) nor universally in man. But they in whose heartsthe passion for honour and fair fame has fallen like a seed, theseunmistakably (9) are separated most widely from the brutes. These mayclaim to be called men, (10) not human beings merely. So that, in mypoor judgment, it is but reasonable you should submit to bear the painsand penalties of royalty, since you are honoured far beyond all othermortal men. And indeed no pleasure known to man would seem to be nearerthat of gods than the delight (11) which centres in proud attributes. 

 (7) Or, "in this strong aspiration after honour. " Holden aptly cf. "Spectator, " No. 467: "The love of praise is a passion deeply fixed in the mind of every extraordinary person; and those who are most affected with it seem most to partake of that particle of the divinity which distinguishes mankind from the inferior creation. "

 (8) {alogous}, i. E. "without speech and reason"; cf. Modern Greek {o alogos} = the horse (sc. The animal par excellence). See "Horsemanship, " viii. 14. 

 (9) {ede}, "ipso facto. "

 (10) See "Anab. " I. Vii. 4; Frotscher ap. Breit. Cf. Cic. "ad Fam. " v. 17. 5, "ut et hominem te et virum esse meminisses. "

 (11) Or, "joyance. "

To these arguments Hiero replied: Nay, but, Simonides, the honours andproud attributes bestowed on tyrants have much in common with theirlove-makings, as I described them. Like honours like loves, the pair areof a piece. 

For just as the ministrations won from loveless hearts (12) are felt tobe devoid of grace, and embraces forcibly procured are sweet no longer, so the obsequious cringings of alarm are hardly honours. Since how shallwe assert that people who are forced to rise from their seats do reallyrise to honour those whom they regard as malefactors? or that theseothers who step aside to let their betters pass them in the street, desire thus to show respect to miscreants? (13) And as to gifts, it isnotorious, people commonly bestow them largely upon those they hate, andthat too when their fears are gravest, hoping to avert impending evil. Nay, these are nothing more nor less than acts of slavery, and they mayfairly be set down as such. 

 (12) Or, "the compliance of cold lips where love is not reciprocated is... "

 (13) Or, "to rank injustice. "

But honours have a very different origin, (14) as different to mymind as are the sentiments to which they give expression. See how, forinstance, men of common mould will single out a man, who is a man, (15)they feel, and competent to be their benefactor; one from whom they hopeto reap rich blessings. His name lives upon their lips in praise. Asthey gaze at him, each one among them sees in him a private treasure. Spontaneously they yield him passage in the streets. They rise fromtheir seats to do him honour, out of love not fear; they crown him forhis public (16) virtue's sake and benefactions. They shower gifts uponhim of their own free choice. These same are they who, if my definitionholds, may well be said to render honour to their hero by such service, whilst he that is held worthy of these services is truly honoured. Andfor my part I can but offer my congratulations to him. "God bless him, "say I, perceiving that so far from being the butt of foul conspiracy, heis an object of anxiety to all, lest evil should betide him; and so hepursues the even tenour of his days in happiness exempt from fearsand jealousy (17) and risk. But the current of the tyrant's life runsdifferently. Day and night, I do assure you, Simonides, he lives likeone condemned by the general verdict of mankind to die for his iniquity. 

 (14) Lit. "Honours would seem to be the outcome and expression of conditions utterly remote from these, in fact their very opposites. "

 (15) Cf. Napoleon's accost of Goethe, "Vous etes un homme, " and "as Goethe left the room, Napoleon repeated to Berthier and Daru, 'Voila un homme!'" ("The Life of Goethe, " Lewes, p. 500). 

 (16) Reading {koines}, which ought to mean "common to them and him"; if with Cobet {koine}, "in public crown him for his virtue's sake, a benefactor. "

 (17) Or, "without reproach. "

Now when Simonides had listened to these reasonings to the end, (18)he answered: How is it, Hiero, if to play the tyrant is a thing sovillainous, (19) and that is your final judgment, how comes it you arenot quit of so monstrous an evil? Neither you, nor, for that matter, anymonarch else I ever heard of, having once possessed the power, did everof his own free will divest himself of sovereignty. How is that, Hiero?

 (18) Cf. "Econ. " xi. 1. 

 (19) Or, "if to monarchise and play the despot. "

For one simple reason (the tyrant answered), and herein lies the suprememisery of despotic power; it is not possible even to be quit of it. (20)How could the life of any single tyrant suffice to square the account?How should he pay in full to the last farthing all the moneys of allwhom he has robbed? with what chains laid upon him make requital to allthose he has thrust into felons' quarters? (21) how proffer lives enoughto die in compensation of the dead men he has slain? how die a thousanddeaths?

 (20) Holden aptly cf. Plut. "Sol. " 14, {kalon men einai ten torannida khorion, ouk ekhein de apobasin}, "it was true a tyrrany was a very fair spot, but it had no way down from it" (Clough, i. P. 181). 

 (21) Or, "how undergo in his own person the imprisonments he has inflicted?" Reading {antipaskhoi}, or if {antiparaskhoi}, transl. "how could he replace in his own person the exact number of imprisonments which he has inflicted on others?"

Ah, no! Simonides (he added), if to hang one's self outright be evergainful to pour mortal soul, then, take my word for it, that is thetyrant's remedy: there's none better suited (22) to his case, since healone of all men is in this dilemma, that neither to keep nor lay asidehis troubles profits him. 

 (22) Or, "nought more profitable to meet the case. " The author plays on {lusitelei} according to his wont. 

VIII

Here Simonides took up the thread of the discourse (1) as follows: Thatfor the moment, Hiero, you should be out of heart regarding tyranny (2)I do not wonder, since you have a strong desire to be loved by humanbeings, and you are persuaded that it is your office which balks therealisation of your dream. 

 (1) Al. "took up the speaker thus. "

 (2) "In reference to despotic rule. "

Now, however, I am no less certain I can prove to you that government(3) implies no obstacle to being loved, but rather holds the advantageover private life so far. And whilst investigating if this be really so, let us not embarrass the inquiry by asking whether in proportion to hisgreater power the ruler is able to do kindness on a grander scale. Butput it thus: Two human beings, the one in humble circumstances, (4) theother a despotic ruler, perform a common act; which of these twain will, under like conditions, (5) win the larger thanks? I will begin withthe most trifling (6) examples; and first a simple friendly salutation, "Good day, " "Good evening, " dropped at sight of some one from thelips of here a ruler, there a private citizen. In such a case, whosesalutation will sound the pleasanter to him accosted?

 (3) {to arkhein}. Cf. "Cyrop. " passim. 

 (4) "A private person. "

 (5) Lit. "by like expenditure of power. "

 (6) {arkhomai soi}. Lit. "I'll begin you with quite commonplace examples. " Holden cf. Shakesp. "Merry Wives, " i. 4. 97, "I'll do you your master what good I can"; "Much Ado, " ii. 3. 115, "She will sit you. " For the distinction between {paradeigmaton} = examples and {upodeigmata} = suggestions see "Horsem. " ii. 2. 

Or again, (7) let us suppose that both should have occasion to pronouncea panegyric. Whose compliments will carry farther, in the way ofdelectation, think you? Or on occasion of a solemn sacrifice, supposethey do a friend the honour of an invitation. (8) In either case it isan honour, but which will be regarded with the greater gratitude, themonarch's or the lesser man's?

 (7) "Come now. "

 (8) Cf. "Mem. " II. Iii. 11 as to "sacrifices as a means of social enjoyment. " Dr. Holden cf. Aristot. "Nic. Eth. " VIII. Ix. 160, "And hence it is that these clan communities and hundreds solemnise sacrifices, in connection with which they hold large gatherings, and thereby not only pay honour to the gods, but also provide for themselves holiday and amusement" (R. Williams). Thuc. Ii. 38, "And we have not forgotten to provide for our weary spirits many relaxations from toil; we have regular games and sacrifices throughout the year" (Jowett). Plut. "Them. " v. , {kai gar philothuten onta kai lampron en tais peri tous xenous dapanais ... } "For loving to sacrifice often, and to be splendid in his entertainment of strangers, he required a plentiful revenue" (Clough, i. 236). To which add Theophr. "Char. " xv. 2, "The Shameless Man": {eita thusas tois theois autos men deipnein par' etero, ta de krea apotithenai alsi pasas, k. T. L. }, "then when he has been sacrificing to the gods, he will put away the salted remains, and will himself dine out" (Jebb). 

Or let a sick man be attended with a like solicitude by both. It isplain, the kind attentions of the mighty potentate (9) arouse in thepatient's heart immense delight. (10)

 (9) "Their mightinesses, " or as we might say, "their serene highnesses. " Cf. Thuc. Ii. 65. 

 (10) "The greatest jubilance. "

Or say, they are the givers of two gifts which shall be like in allrespects. It is plain enough in this case also that "the graciousfavour" of his royal highness, even if halved, would more thancounterbalance the whole value of the commoner's "donation. " (11)

 (11) Or, "half the great man's 'bounty' more than outweighs the small man's present. " For {dorema} cf. Aristot. "N. E. " I. Ix. 2, "happiness... A free gift of God to men. "

Nay, as it seems to me, an honour from the gods, a grace divine, is shedabout the path of him the hero-ruler. (12) Not only does command itselfennoble manhood, but we gaze on him with other eyes and find the fairwithin him yet more fair who is to-day a prince and was but yesterday aprivate citizen. (13) Again, it is a prouder satisfaction doubtlessto hold debate with those who are preferred to us in honour than withpeople on an equal footing with ourselves. 

 (12) Lit. "attends the footsteps of the princely ruler. " Cf. "Cyrop. " II. I. 23, Plat. "Laws, " 667 B, for a similar metaphorical use of the word. 

 (13) {to arkhein}, "his princely power makes him more noble as a man, and we behold him fairer exercising rule than when he functioned as a common citizen. " Reading {kallio}, or if {edion}, transl. "we feast our eyes more greedily upon him. "

Why, the minion (with regard to whom you had the gravest fault to findwith tyranny), the favourite of a ruler, is least apt to quarrel (14)with gray hairs: the very blemishes of one who is a prince soon cease tobe discounted in their intercourse. (15)

 (14) Lit. "feels least disgust at age"; i. E. His patron's years and wrinkles. 

 (15) Cf. Plat. "Phaedr. " 231 B. 

The fact is, to have reached the zenith of distinction in itself lendsornament, (16) nay, a lustre effacing what is harsh and featureless andrude, and making true beauty yet more splendid. 

 (16) Or, "The mere prestige of highest worship helps to adorn. " See Aristot. "N. E. " xi. 17. As to {auto to tetimesthai m. S. } I think it is the {arkhon} who is honoured by the rest of men, which {time} helps to adorn him. Others seem to think it is the {paidika} who is honoured by the {arkhon}. If so, transl. : "The mere distinction, the privilege alone of being highly honoured, lends embellishment, " etc. 

Since then, by aid of equal ministrations, you are privileged to win notequal but far deeper gratitude: it would seem to follow, consideringthe vastly wider sphere of helpfulness which lies before you asadministrators, and the far grander scale of your largesses, I say itnaturally pertains to you to find yourselves much more beloved thanordinary mortals; or if not, why not?

Hiero took up the challenge and without demur made answer: For this goodreason, best of poets, necessity constrains us, far more than ordinarypeople, to be busybodies. We are forced to meddle with concerns whichare the very fount and springhead of half the hatreds of mankind. 

We have moneys to exact if we would meet our necessary expenses. Guardsmust be impressed and sentinels posted wherever there is need of watchand ward. We have to chastise evil-doers; we must put a stop to thosewho would wax insolent. (17) And when the season for swift action comes, and it is imperative to expedite a force by land or sea, at such acrisis it will not do for us to entrust the affair to easy-goers. 

 (17) Or, "curb the over-proud in sap and blood. "

Further than that, the man who is a tyrant must have mercenaries, and ofall the burdens which the citizens are called upon to bear there is nonemore onerous than this, since nothing will induce them to believe thesepeople are supported by the tyrant to add to his and their prestige, (18) but rather for the sake of his own selfishness and greed. 

 (18) Reading with Breit. {eis timas}, or if the vulg. {isotimous}, transl. "as equal merely to themselves in privilege"; or if with Schenkl (and Holden, ed. 3) {isotimias}, transl. "their firm persuasion is these hirelings are not supported by the tyrant in the interests of equality but of undue influence. "

IX

To these arguments Simonides in turn made answer: Nay, Hiero, I am farfrom stating that you have not all these divers matters to attend to. They are serious duties, (1) I admit. But still, what strikes me is, if half these grave responsibilities do lend themselves undoubtedly tohatred, (2) the remaining half are altogether gratifying. Thus, to teachothers (3) arts of highest virtue, and to praise and honour eachmost fair performance of the same, that is a type of duty not to bedischarged save graciously. Whilst, on the other hand, to scold atpeople guilty of remissness, to drive and fine and chasten, these areproceedings doubtless which go hand in hand with hate and bitterness. 

 (1) Cf. "Econ. " vii. 41. 

 (2) Or, "tend indisputably to enmity. "

 (3) Or, "people, " "the learner. "

What I would say then to the hero-ruler is: Wherever force is needed, the duty of inflicting chastisement should be assigned to others, butthe distribution of rewards and prizes must be kept in his own hands. (4)

 (4) Cf. "Cyrop. " VIII. Ii. 27; ib. I. 18; "Hipparch, " i. 26. 

Common experience attests the excellence of such a system. (5) Thus whenwe (6) wish to set on foot a competition between choruses, (7) it is thefunction of the archon (8) to offer prizes, whilst to the choregoi (9)is assigned the duty of assembling the members of the band; (10) andto others (11) that of teaching and applying force to those who comebehindhand in their duties. There, then, you have the principle at once:The gracious and agreeable devolves on him who rules, the archon; therepellent counterpart (12) on others. What is there to prevent theapplication of the principle to matters politic in general? (13)

 (5) Or, "current incidents bear witness to the beauty of the principle. "

 (6) {emin}. The author makes Simonides talk as an Athenian. 

 (7) Lit. "when we wish our sacred choirs to compete. "

 (8) Or, "magistrate"; at Athens the Archon Eponymos. See Boeckh, "P. E. A. " p. 454 foll. Al. The {athlethetai}. See Pollux, viii. 93; cf. Aeschin. "c. Ctes. " 13. 

 (9) Or more correctly at Athens the choragoi = leaders of the chorus. 

 (10) i. E. The choreutai. 

 (11) Sc. The choro-didaskaloi, or chorus-masters. 

 (12) {ta antitupa}, "the repellent obverse, " "the seamy side. " Cf. Theogn. 1244, {ethos ekhon solion pistios antitupon}. "Hell. " VI. Iii. 11. 

 (13) Or, "Well then, what reason is there why other matters of political concern--all other branches of our civic life, in fact--should not be carried out on this same principle?"

All states as units are divided into tribes ({thulas}), or regiments({moras}), or companies ({lokhous}), and there are officers({arkhontes}) appointed in command of each division. (14)

 (14) e. G. Attica into ten phylae, Lacedaemon into six morae, Thebes and Argos into lochi. See Aristot. "Pol. " v. 8 (Jowett, i. 166); "Hell. " VI. Iv. 13; VII. Ii. 4. 

Well then, suppose that some one were to offer prizes (15) to thesepolitical departments on the pattern of the choric prizes justdescribed; prizes for excellence of arms, or skill in tactics, orfor discipline and so forth, or for skill in horsemanship; prizesfor prowess (16) in the field of battle, bravery in war; prizes foruprightness (17) in fulfilment of engagements, contracts, covenants. If so, I say it is to be expected that these several matters, thanks toemulous ambition, will one and all be vigorously cultivated. Vigorously!why, yes, upon my soul, and what a rush there would be! How in thepursuit of honour they would tear along where duty called: with whatpromptitude pour in their money contributions (18) at a time of crisis. 

 (15) See "Revenues, " iii. 3; A. Zurborg, "de. Xen. Lib. Qui {Poroi} inscribitur, " p. 42. 

 (16) Cf. "Hell. " III. Iv. 16; IV. Ii. 5 foll. 

 (17) "In reward for justice in, etc. " See "Revenues, " l. C. ; and for the evil in question, Thuc. I. 77; Plat. "Rep. " 556. 

 (18) {eispheroien}, techn. Of the war-tax at Athens. See "Revenues, " iii. 7 foll. ; iv. 34 foll. ; Thuc. Iii. 19; Boeckh, "P. E. A. " pp. 470, 539. Cf. Aristot. "Pol. " v. 11. 10, in illustration of the tyrant's usual method of raising money. 

And that which of all arts is the most remunerative, albeit the leastaccustomed hitherto to be conducted on the principle of competition(19)--I mean agriculture--itself would make enormous strides, if someone were to offer prizes in the same way, "by farms and villages, " tothose who should perform the works of tillage in the fairest fashion. Whilst to those members of the state who should devote themselveswith might and main to this pursuit, a thousand blessings would be theresult. The revenues would be increased; and self-restraint be foundfar more than now, in close attendance on industrious habits. (20) Nayfurther, crimes and villainies take root and spring less freely amongbusy workers. 

 (19) Al. "and what will be the most repaying... Being a department of things least wont, " etc. 

 (20) Or, "soundness of soul much more be found allied with occupation. "

Once more, if commerce (21) is of any value to the state, then let themerchant who devotes himself to commerce on the grandest scale receivesome high distinction, and his honours will draw on other traders in hiswake. 

 (21) Cf. "Revenues, " l. C. 

Or were it made apparent that the genius who discovers a new source ofrevenue, which will not be vexatious, will be honoured, by the state, a field of exploration will at once be opened, which will not longcontinue unproductive. (22)

 (22) Lit. "that too is an inquiry which will not long lie fallow. "

And to speak compendiously, if it were obvious in each departmentthat the introducer of any salutary measure whatsoever will not remainunhonoured, that in itself will stimulate a host of pople who will makeit their business to discover some good thing or other for the state. Wherever matters of advantage to the state excite deep interest, ofnecessity discoveries are made more freely and more promptly perfected. But if you are afraid, O mighty prince, that through the multitudeof prizes offered (23) under many heads, expenses also must be muchincreased, consider that no articles of commerce can be got more cheaplythan those which people purchase in exchange for prizes. Note in thepublic contests (choral, equestrian, or gymnastic) (24) how small theprizes are and yet what vast expenditure of wealth and toil, and painfulsupervision these elicit. (25)

 (23) Reading {protithemenon} with Cobet. 

 (24) Lit. "hippic, gymnic, and choregic contests. "

 (25) e. G. "in the choral dances (1) money on the part of the choragoi; (2) pains on the part of the choreutai; (3) supervising care on the part of the choro-didaskoi, and so mutatis mutandis of the hippic and gymnic. "

X

And Hiero replied: Thus far you reason prettily, methinks, Simonides;but about these mercenary troops have you aught to say? Can you suggesta means to avoid the hatred of which they are the cause? Or will youtell me that a ruler who has won the affection of his subjects has noneed for body-guards?

Nay, in good sooth (replied Simonides), distinctly he will need themnone the less. I know it is with certain human beings as with horses, some trick of the blood they have, some inborn tendency; the more theirwants are satisfied, the more their wantonness will out. Well then, tosober and chastise wild spirits, there is nothing like the terror ofyour men-at-arms. (1) And as to gentler natures, (2) I do not know bywhat means you could bestow so many benefits upon them as by means ofmercenaries. 

 (1) Lit. "spear-bearers"; the title given to the body-guard of kings and tyrants. 

 (2) Lit. "the beautiful and good, " the {kalois kagathois}. See "Econ. " vi. 11 foll. 

Let me explain: You keep them, I presume, in the first instance, foryourself, as guards of your own person. But for masters, owners ofestates and others, to be done to death with violence by their ownslaves is no unheard-of thing. Supposing, then, the first and foremostduty laid on mercenary troops were this: they are the body-guards of thewhole public, and bound as such to come to the assistance of all membersof the state alike, in case they shall detect some mischief brewing (3)(and miscreants do spring up in the hearts of states, as we all know);I say then, if these mercenary troops were under orders to act asguardians of the citizens, (4) the latter would recognise to whom theywere indebted. 

 (3) "If they become aware of anything of that sort. " Is not this modelled on the {krupteia}? See Pater, "Plato and Platonism, " ch. Viii. "Lacedaemon, " p. 186. 

 (4) Or, "as their police. " {toutous}, sc. "the citizens"; al. "the evil-doers. " If so, transl. "to keep watch and ward on evil-doers; the citizens would soon recognise the benefit they owe them for that service. "

But in addition to these functions, such a body might with reason beexpected to create a sense of courage and security, by which the countrylabourers with their flocks and herds would greatly benefit, a benefitnot limited to your demesne, but shared by every farm throughout therural district. 

Again, these mercenaries, if set to guard strategic points, (5) wouldleave the citizens full leisure to attend to matters of more privateinterest. 

 (5) Or, "as garrisons of critical positions, " like Phyle or Decelia near Athens. 

And again, a further function: Can you conceive a service betterqualified to gain intelligence beforehand and to hinder the secretsudden onslaughts of a hostile force, than a set of troopers alwaysunder arms and fully organised? (6)

 (6) Or, "trained to act as one man. " See Sturz, s. V. 

Moreover, on an actual campaign, where will you find an arm of greaterservice to the citizens than these wage-earning troops? (7) than whom, it is likely, there will none be found more resolute to take the lion'sshare of toil or peril, or do outpost duty, keeping watch and ward whileothers sleep, brave mercenaries. 

 (7) The author is perhaps thinking of some personal experiences. He works out his theory of a wage-earning militia for the protection of the state in the "Cyropaedia. " See esp. VII. V. 69 foll. 

And what will be the effect on the neighbour states conterminous withyours? (8) Will not this standing army lead them to desire peace beyondall other things? In fact, a compact force like this, so organised, will prove most potent to preserve the interests of their friends and todamage those of their opponents. 

 (8) Or, "that lie upon your borders, " as Thebes and Megara were "nigh-bordering" to Athens. Cf. Eur. "Rhes. " 426; Soph. "Fr. " 349. 

And when, finally, the citizens discover it is not the habit of thesemercenaries to injure those who do no wrong, but their vocation ratheris to hinder all attempts at evil-doing; whereby they exercise a kindlyprovidence and bear the brunt of danger on behalf of the community, I say it must needs be, the citizens will rejoice to pay the expenseswhich the force entails. At any rate, it is for objects of far lessimportance that at present guards (9) are kept in private life. 

 (9) "Police or other. "

XI

But, Hiero, you must not grudge to spend a portion of your privatesubstance for the common weal. For myself, I hold to the opinion thatthe sums expended by the monarch on the state form items of disbursementmore legitimate (1) than those expended on his personal account. But letus look into the question point by point. 

 (1) {eis to deon}. Holden cf. "Anab. " I. Iii. 8. Aristoph. "Clouds, " 859, {osper Periklees eis to deon apolesa}: "Like Pericles, for a necessary purpose, I have lost them. "

First, the palace: do you imagine that a building, beautified in everyway at an enormous cost, will afford you greater pride and ornament thana whole city ringed with walls and battlements, whose furniture consistsof temples and pillared porticoes, (2) harbours, market-places?

 (2) Reading {parastasi}, properly "pillasters" (Poll. I. 76. 10. 25) = "antae, " hence "templum in antis" (see Vitruv. Iii. 2. 2); or more widely the entrance of a temple or other building. (Possibly the author is thinking of "the Propylea"). Cf. Eur. "Phoen. " 415; "I. T. " 1159. = {stathmoi}, Herod. I. 179; Hom. "Il. " xiv. 167; "Od. " vii. 89, {stathmoi d' argureoi en khalkeo estasan oudio}. 

 The brazen thresholds both sides did enfold Silver pilasters, hung with gates of gold (Chapman). 

 Al. {pastasi}, = colonnades. 

Next, as to armaments: Will you present a greater terror to the foe ifyou appear furnished yourself from head to foot with bright emlazonrieand horrent arms; (3) or rather by reason of the warlike aspect of awhole city perfectly equipped?

 (3) Or, "with armour curiously wrought a wonder and a dread. " {oplois tois ekpaglotatois}, most magnificent, awe-inspiring, a poetical word which appears only in this passage in prose (Holden). L. & S. Cf. Hom. "Il. " i. 146, xxi. 589, of persons; "Od. " xiv. 552, of things. Pind. "Pyth. " iv. 140; "Isth. " 7 (6), 30. 

And now for ways and means: On which principle do you expect yourrevenues to flow more copiously--by keeping your own private capital (4)employed, or by means devised to make the resources of the entire state(5) productive?

 (4) Reading {idia}, al. {idia}, = "your capital privately employed. "

 (5) Lit. "of all citizens alike, " "every single member of the state. "

And next to speak of that which people hold to be the flower ofinstitutions, a pursuit both noble in itself and best befitting a greatman--I mean the art of breeding chariot-horses (6)--which would reflectthe greater lustre on you, that you personally (7) should train and sendto the great festal gatherings (8) more chariots than any Hellene else?or rather that your state should boast more racehorse-breeders than therest of states, that from Syracuse the largest number should enter tocontest the prize?

 (6) Cf. Plat. "Laws, " 834 B. 

 (7) Breit. Cf. Pind. "Ol. " i. 82; "Pyth. " i. 173; ii. 101; iii. 96. 

 (8) "Our solemn festivals, " e. G. Those held at Olympia, Delphi, the Isthmus, Nemea. 

Which would you deem the nobler conquest--to win a victory by virtue ofa chariot, or to achieve a people's happiness, that state of which youare the head and chief? And for my part, I hold it ill becomes a tyrantto enter the lists with private citizens. For take the case he wins, hewill not be admired, but be envied rather, when is is thought how manyprivate fortunes go to swell the stream of his expenditure; while if heloses, he will become a laughing-stock to all mankind. (9)

 (9) Or, "you will be mocked and jeered at past all precedence, " as historically was the fate of Dionysus, 388 or 384 B. C. (?); and for the possible connection between that incident and this treatise see Lys. "Olymp. "; and Prof. Jebb's remarks on the fragment, "Att. Or. " i. P. 203 foll. Grote, "H. G. " xi. 40 foll. ; "Plato, " iii. 577. 

No, no! I tell you, Hiero, your battlefield, your true arena is with thechampion presidents of rival states, above whose lesser heads be it yourdestiny to raise this state, of which you are the patron and supremehead, to some unprecedented height of fortune, which if you shallachieve, be certain you will be approved victorious in a contest thenoblest and the most stupendous in the world. 

Since what follows? In the first place, you will by one swift strokehave brought about the very thing you have set your heart on, you willhave won the affection of your subjects. Secondly, you will need noherald to proclaim your victory; not one man only, but all mankind, shall hymn your virtue. 

Wherever you set foot you shall be gazed upon, and not by individualcitizens alone, but by a hundred states be warmly welcomed. You shall bea marvel, not in the private circle only, but in public in the sight ofall. 

It shall be open to you, so far as safety is concerned, to take yourjourney where you will to see the games or other spectacles; or it shallbe open to you to bide at home, and still attain your object. 

Before you shall be gathered daily an assembly, a great company ofpeople willing to display whatever each may happen to possess of wisdom, worth, or beauty; (10) and another throng of persons eager to do youservice. Present, regard them each and all as sworn allies; or absent, know that each and all have one desire, to set eyes on you. 

 (10) Or, "to display their wares of wisdom, beauty, excellence. "

The end will be, you shall not be loved alone, but passionately adored, by human beings. You will not need to woo the fair but to endure theenforcement of their loving suit. 

You shall not know what fear is for yourself; you shall transfer it tothe hearts of others, fearing lest some evil overtake you. You will haveabout you faithful lieges, willing subjects, nimble servitors. You shallbehold how, as a matter of free choice, they will display a providentialcare for you. And if danger threatens, you will find in them not simplyfellow-warriors, but champions eager to defend you with their lives. (11)

 (11) Not {summakhoi}, but {promakhoi}. 

Worthy of many gifts you shall be deemed, and yet be never at a loss forsome well-wisher with whom to share them. You shall command a world-wideloyalty; a whole people shall rejoice with you at your good fortunes, a whole people battle for your interests, as if in very deed and truththeir own. Your treasure-houses shall be coextensive with the garneredriches of your friends and lovers. 

Therefore be of good cheer, Hiero; enrich your friends, and you willthereby heap riches on yourself. Build up and aggrandise your city, forin so doing you will gird on power like a garment, and win allies forher. (12)

 (12) Some commentators suspect a lacuna at this point. 

Esteem your fatherland as your estate, the citizens as comrades, yourfriends as your own children, and your sons even as your own soul. Andstudy to excel them one and all in well-doing; for if you overcome yourfriends by kindness, your enemies shall nevermore prevail against you. 

Do all these things, and, you may rest assured, it will be yours to ownthe fairest and most blessed possession known to mortal man. You shallbe fortunate and none shall envy you. (13)

 (13) Al. "It shall be yours to be happy and yet to escape envy. " The concluding sentence is gnomic in character and metrical in form. See "Pol. Lac. " xv. 9.