Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/246

 238 SPEECH OF HERMOCRATES [vi agreeable to an individual state they do it all the mischief which they can. And does any one suppose that, if his countryman at a distance perishes, the danger will not reach him, or that he who suffers first will have no com- panions in ruin ? •78 * If any one fancies that not he, but the Syracusan, is, ^ ,,. ^ the enemy of the Athenian, and asks Injiglitmgforusyoti •> ,it-i m are fighting for your- indignantly " Why should I risk myself selves. You might like for you?" let him consider that in us to be humbled, but ^^^^^ for ^y country he will be at vott cannot secure the 00 j j • r u* 'right amount ofhumi- the Same time fighting in mine for his liation ; and ivhen «r own ". And he wiU fight with IcSS are fallen yoxi will ivant ^ bccaUSe I shall Still be in to have us back, iou ^ ' should have offered existence ; he will not carry on the help, and not have struggle alone, for he will have me for waited to be asked. ^^ ^jj^v, ^et him consider that the Athenian is not really seeking to chastise the enmity of the Syracusan, but under pretence of attacking me may be quite as desirous of drawing hard and fast the bonds of friendship with him. And if any one from envy, or possibly from fear (for greatness is exposed to both), would have Syracuse suffer that we may receive a lesson, but survive for his own security, he is asking to have a thing which human power cannot compass. For a man may regulate his own desires, but he is not the dispenser of fortune •=; the time may come when he will find himself mistaken, and while mourning over his own ruin he may possibly wish that he could still have my prosperity to envy. But he cannot bring me back again when he has once abandoned me and has refused to take his share in the common danger, which, far from being imaginary, is only too real. For though in name you may be saving me, in reality you will be saving yourselves. And you especially, Camarinaeans, who are our next neighbours, and on whom the danger will fall next, should have • Cp. iii. 13 med. '' Reading (ptjiioi. " Cp. iv. 64 init.