History of the Peloponnesian War

And again, whatever distinction I gain at home by my [*]( On the whole subject of the χορηγίαι, see Böckh Public Econ. of Athens, vol. ii. p. 207, Eng. Trans.) exhibitions of choruses, or in any other way, it is naturally envied by my fellow—citizens, but for foreigners [*]( Arnold translates this,—and Bloomfield borrows his version,— this appears to be even strength: but the position of the καί seems to me to be incompatible with such a sense; reading, as they both ZZZ instead of αὐτή.) this too has an appearance of power. And this is no useless folly, when a man benefits at his own costs, not himself only, but his country also. Nor is it unfair for one who prides himself on his own prosperity, to refuse to be on an equality with the mass;

since in the same way he who is unfortunate shares his calamities with no one else. But as we are not courted when in adversity, by the same rule let a man also submit to be slighted by the prosperous; or let him treat the unfortunate as on an equal footing, [when he is in prosperity,] and so claim the like treatment in return, [when he is himself in adversity].

I know, however, that men in such circumstances, and all who ever surpassed others in splendour of any kind, though disliked in their own life—time, most of all in their dealings with their equals, and then with the rest of the world also, have yet left to some of those who came after them a desire to claim connexion with them, even where there were no grounds for it; and a subject for glorying to the country they belonged to, not as for aliens, or offenders, but as for countrymen, who had achieved glorious things.

And in my case, who aim at such things, and am therefore in private assailed with clamour, consider, with regard to public affairs, whether I administer them in a manner inferior to any one else, or not. For having united the most powerful states of the Peloponnese, without any great danger or expense to you, I brought the Lacedaemonians to a single day's struggle for their all at Mantinea; in consequence of which, although they were victorious in the battle, they do not ever now feel any firm confidence in themselves.