Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/323

 36, 37] SPEECH OF CLEON 207 their decision. An assembly was again summoned, and different opinions were expressed by different speakers. In the former assembly, Cleon the son of Cieaenetus had carried the decree condemning the Mytilenaeans to death. He was the most violent of the citizens, and at that time exercised by far the greatest influence over the peopled And now he came ^'^P^'"'/ C^'o»- forward a second time and spoke as follows : — ' I have remarked again and again that a democracy 37 cannot manage an empire, but never ,,, , , , * 1 oti do not kuow how more than now, when I see you re- to mmmge an empire; gretting your condemnation of the :»'"" «'<? foolishly kind Mytilenaeans. Having no fear or *" /,"'"' "'^' '"K" ^ . . ° . twt love you ; andivith suspicion of one another in daily life b, your quick wits are you deal with your allies upon the "^^'^cys changing your same principle, and you do not con- """ ■** sider that whenever 3'ou yield to them out of pity or are misled by their specious tales, you are guilty of a weak- ness dangerous to yourselves, and receive no thanks from them. You should remember that your empire is a des- potism c exercised over unwilling subjects, who are always conspiring against you ; they do not obey in return for any kindness which you do them to 3'our own injury, but in so far as you are their masters ; they have no love of you, but they are held down by force. Besides, what can be more detestable than to be perpetually changing our minds? We forget that a state in which the laws, though imperfect, are inviolable, is better off than one in which the laws are good but ineffective ^. Dullness and modesty are a more useful combination than cleverness and licence ; and the more simple sort generally make better citizens than the more astute. For the latter desire to be thought wiser than the laws*; they want to be always getting their own way in public discussions ; they think that they can Cp. iv. 21 med. '' Cp. i. 68 init. " Cp. ii. 63 med. «• Cp. vi. 18 fin. ' Cp. i. 84 med.