7.5so that it is hard to decide which of these lots one should prefer to bequeath to one's own children. For we shall find that from a lot which seems to be inferior men's fortunes generally advance to a better condition, note whereas from one which appears to be superior they are wont to change to a worse.
7.6Of this truth I might cite examples without number from the lives of individual men, since these are subject to the most frequent vicissitudes; but instances which are more important and better known to my hearers may be drawn from the experiences of our city and of the Lacedaemonians. As for the Athenians, after our city had been laid waste by the barbarians, we became, because we were anxious about the future and gave attention to our affairs, the foremost of the Hellenes; note whereas, when we imagined that our power was invincible, we barely escaped being enslaved. note
7.7Likewise the Lacedaemonians, after having set out in ancient times from obscure and humble cities, made themselves, because they lived temperately and under military discipline, masters of the Peloponnesus; note whereas later, when they grew overweening and seized the empire both of the sea and of the land, they fell into the same dangers as ourselves. note
7.8
Whoever, therefore, knowing that such great vicissitudes have taken place and that such mighty powers have been so quickly brought to naught, yet trusts in our present circumstances, is all too foolish, note especially since Athens is now in a much less favorable condition than she was at that time, while the hatred note of us among the Hellenes and the enmity note of the great King, which then brought disaster to our arms, have been again revived.
7.9
I am in doubt whether to suppose that you care nothing for the public welfare or that you are concerned about it, but have become so obtuse that you fail to see into what utter confusion our city has fallen. For you resemble men in that state of mind—you who have lost all the cities in Thrace, note squandered to no purpose more than a thousand talents on mercenary troops, note
7.10provoked the ill-will of the Hellenes and the hostility of the barbarians, and, as if this were not enough, have been compelled to save the friends of the Thebans note at the cost of losing our own allies note; and yet to celebrate the good news of such accomplishments we have twice now offered grateful sacrifices to the gods, note and we deliberate about our affairs more complaisantly than men whose actions leave nothing to be desired!
7.11
And it is to be expected that acting as we do we should fare as we do; for nothing can turn out well for those who neglect to adopt a sound policy for the conduct of their government as a whole. On the contrary, even if they do succeed in their enterprises now and then, either through chance or through the genius of some man, note they soon after find themselves in the same difficulties as before, as anyone may see from what happened in our own history.
7.12For when all Hellas fell under the power of Athens, after the naval victory of Conon and the campaign of Timotheus, we were not able to hold our good fortune any time at all, but quickly dissipated and destroyed it. note For we neither possess nor do we honestly seek to obtain a polity which can properly deal with our affairs.
7.13And yet we all know that success does not visit and abide with those who have built around themselves the finest and the strongest walls, note nor with those who have collected the greatest population in one place, but rather with those who most nobly and wisely govern their state.
