Page:History of Greece Vol VI.djvu/168

 146 HISTORY OF GREECE. in the proper season : nor is it disgraceful to any one who is poor to confess his poverty, though he may rather incur reproach for not actually keeping himself out of poverty. The magistrates who discharge public trusts fulfil their domestic duties also, the private citizen, while engaged in professional business, has com- petent knowledge on public affairs : for we stand alone in regard- ing the man who keeps aloof from these latter, not as harmless, but as useless. Moreover, we always hear and pronounce on public matters, when discussed by our leaders, or perhaps strike out for ourselves correct reasonings about them : far from accounting discussion an impediment to action, we complain only if we are not told what is to be done before it becomes our duty to do it. For, in truth, we combine in the most remarkable man- ner these two qualities, extreme boldness in execution, Avith full debate beforehand on that which we are going about : whereas, with others, ignorance alone imparts boldness, debate intro duces hesitation. Assuredly, those men are properly to be re- garded as the stoutest of heart, who, knowing most precisely both the terrors of war and the sweets of peace, are still not the less willing to encounter peril. " In fine, I affirm that our city, considered as a Avhole, is the schoolmistress of Greece j 1 while, viewed individually, we enable the same man to furnish himself out and suffice to himself in the greatest variety of ways, and with the most complete grace and refinement. This is no empty boast of the moment, but genuine reality : and the power of the city, acquired through the disposi- tions just indicated, exists to prove it. Athens alone, of all cities, stands forth in actual trial greater than her reputation: her enemy, when he attacks her, will not have his pride wounded by suffering defeat from feeble hands, her snbjects will not think themselves degraded as if their obedience were paid to an un- worthy superior. 2 Having thus put forward our power, not 1 Thucyd. ii, 41. VVE%.UV TE Aeyw, TT/V TE nuaav TTO/UV xaidevaiv flvai, /cat /ca$' t/caarov doKEiv uv (JLOL rbv aiirbv avtipa Trap'' TJJJ.HIV tTU Tractor' uv eldjj /cat peru %aptTuv /zu/Ucrr' uv evrpaTreXuf rb cupa alrap Kef irapixea&ai. The abstract word Kaidevatv, in place of the concrete iraidev-pia, seemi to soften the arrogance of the affirmation.
 * Thucyd. ii, 41. jiovi] yap TUV vvv uitoris Kpeiaauv if KEtpav