To Philip

For because they were persuaded by him to covet the sovereignty of the sea, they lost even their leadership on land; so that if one were to assert that they became subject to the dominion of their present ills[*](For this play of words— a)rxh/“beginning,” a)rxh/“dominion” — cf. Isoc. 4.119, Isoc. 3.28, Isoc. 8.101.) when they attempted to seize the dominion of the sea, he could not be convicted of falsehood. Alcibiades, however, after having caused these great calamities, was restored to his city, having won a great reputation, though not, indeed, enjoying the commendation of all.[*](At length Alcibiades fell out with Athens' enemies, and began to intrigue in her favor; and so effectively did he work that his services were recognized at home and he was welcomed back to take again a leading part in the life of Athens, 408 B.C. There appears to have been no open opposition to his return. The many who distrusted him probably thought him less dangerous at home than in exile.)

The career of Conon,[*](See Isoc. 4.142 ff.) not many years later, is a counterpart to that of Alcibiades. After his defeat in the naval engagement in the Hellespont,[*](The battle of Aegospotami.) for which not he but his fellow commanders were responsible, he was too chagrined to return home; instead he sailed to Cyprus, where he spent some time attending to his private interests.[*](See Isoc. 9.52 ff.) But learning that Agesilaus had crossed over into Asia with a large force[*](See 86, 87, and Isoc. Letter 9.13-14.) and was ravaging the country, he was so dauntless of spirit

that, although he possessed no resource whatever save his body and his wits, he was yet confident that he could conquer the Lacedaemonians, albeit they were the first power in Hellas on both land and sea; and, sending word to the generals of the Persian king, he promised that he would do this. What need is there to tell more of the story? For he collected a naval force off Rhodes, won a victory over the Lacedaemonians in a sea-fight,[*](Battle of Cnidus, 394 B.C. There is a dramatic significance in the fact that Conon fought in the battle of Aegospotami which gave Sparta the supremacy and in the battle of Cnidus which took it from her.) deposed them from their sovereignty, and set the Hellenes free.[*](From Spartan rule.)

And not only did he rebuild the walls of his country,[*](He restored the walls which had been torn down as one of the terms imposed upon Athens after the battle of Aegospotami. Xen. Hell. 4.8.9 ff.) but he restored Athens to the same high repute from which she had fallen. And yet who could have expected that a man whose own fortunes had fallen so low would completely reverse the fortunes of Hellas, degrading some of the Hellenic states from places of honor and raising others into prominence?

Again, there is the case of Dionysius[*](Dionysius, the Elder, tyrant of Syracuse, 406-367 B.C.)(for I desire you to be convinced by many instances that the course of action to which I am urging you is an easy one). He was a person of small account among the Syracusans in birth,[*](See Dio. Sic. 13.96.) in reputation, and in all other respects;[*](Yet Isocrates once wrote to him a most respectful letter ( Isoc. Letter 1).) yet, being inspired by a mad and unreasoning passion for monarchy, and having the hardihood to do anything which advanced him to this goal, he made himself master of Syracuse, conquered all the states in Sicily which were of Hellenic origin, and surrounded himself with a power on both land and sea[*](A navy of three hundred and ten ships, Dio. Sic. 14.42, and an army of a hundred thousand men more or less, Dio. Sic. 2.5.) greater than any man before his time had possessed.