Greek Texts & Translations

Certainly.

Is it not also probable that they would suppose this to be a stable arrangement, and likely to continue quite a long time, 686asince they had shared together many toils and dangers, and were marshalled under leaders of a single family (their princes being brothers), and since, moreover, they had consulted a number of diviners and, amongst others, the Delphian Apollo?

That is certainly probable.

But it seems that these great expectations speedily vanished, except only, as we said, in regard to that small fraction, your State of Laconia; 686band ever since, up to the present day, this fraction has never ceased warring against the other two. For if the original intention had been realized, and if they had been in accord about their policy, it would have created a power invincible in war.

It certainly would.

How then, and by what means, was it destroyed? Is it not worth while to enquire by what stroke of fortune so grand a confederacy was wrecked?

Yes for, if one passed over these examples, 686cone would not be likely to find elsewhere either laws or constitutions which preserve interests thus fair and great, or, on the contrary, wreck them totally.

Thus by a piece of good luck, as it seems, we have embarked on an enquiry of some importance.

Undoubtedly.

Now, my dear sir, do not men in general, like ourselves at the present moment, unconsciously fancy that every fine object they set eyes on would produce marvellous results, if only a man understood the right way to make a fine use of it? 686dBut for us to hold such an idea in regard to the matter before us would possibly be both wrong and against nature; and the same is true of all other cases where men hold such ideas.

What is it you mean? And what shall we say is the special point of your remarks ?

Why, my dear sir, I had a laugh at my own expense just now. For when I beheld this armament of which we are speaking, I thought it an amazingly fine thing, and that, if anyone had made a fine use of it at that time, it would have proved, as I said, 686ea wonderful boon to the Greeks.

And was it not quite right and sensible of you to say this, and of us to endorse it?

Possibly; I conceive, however, that everyone, when he beholds a thing that is large, powerful and strong, is instantly struck by the conviction that, if its possessor knew how to employ an instrument of that magnitude and quality, he could make himself happy by many wonderful achievements. 687a

Is not that a right conviction? Or what is your view?

Just consider what one ought to have in view in every instance, in order to justify the bestowal of such praise. And first, with regard to the matter now under discussion,—if the men who were then marshalling the army knew how to organize it properly, how would they have achieved success? Must it not have been by consolidating it firmly and by maintaining it perpetually, so that they should be both free themselves and masters over all others whom they chose, and so that both they and their children should do 687bin general just what they pleased throughout the world of Greeks and barbarians alike? Are not these the reasons why they would be praised?

Certainly.

And in every case where a man uses the language of eulogy on seeing great wealth or eminent family distinctions or anything else of the kind, would it not be true to say that, in using it, he has this fact specially in mind,—that the possessor of such things is likely, just because of this, to realize all, or at least the most and greatest, of his desires.

That is certainly probable.