the polity of the athenians and the lacedaemonians-第3章

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e　of　dress；　the　Athenians　have　adopted　a　composite　type；＇7＇　to　which　all　sections　of　Hellas；　and　the　foreigner　alike；　have　contributed。

＇1＇　Reading　after　Kirchhoff；　｛ettous　ge　。　。　。　kan　ei　meizon　en；　ton　　　　　dia　k。t。l。｝　See　Thuc。　i。　143；　Isocr。　〃de　Pace；〃　169　A；　Plut。　　　　　〃Them。〃　4　（Clough；　i。　235）。

＇2＇　Lit。　〃they　are　superior　to　their　allies。〃

＇3＇　Reading　with　Kirchhoff；　｛dia　khreian　。　。　。　dia　deos｝。

＇4＇　Or；　〃the　army　marching　along　the　seaboard　to　the　rescue。〃

＇5＇　Or；　〃a　variety　of　dialects。〃

＇6＇　Or；　〃maintain　somewhat　more。〃

＇7＇　Or；　〃have　contracted　a　mixed　style；　bearing　traces　of　Hellenic　and　　　　　foreign　influence　alike。〃　See　Mahaffy；　〃Hist。　of　Greek　Lit。〃　vol。　　　　　ii。　ch。　x。　p。　257　（1st　ed。）；　cf。　Walt　Whitman；　〃Preface　to〃　　　　　original　edition　of　〃Leaves　of　Grass；〃　p。　29〃The　English　　　　　language　befriends　the　grand　American　expression：　it　is　brawny　　　　　enough　and　limber　and　full　enough；　on　the　tough　stock　of　a　race；　　　　　who　through　all　change　of　circumstances　was　never　without　the　idea　　　　　of　a　political　liberty；　which　is　the　animus　of　all　liberty；　it　has　　　　　attracted　the　terms　of　daintier　and　gayer　and　subtler　and　more　　　　　elegant　tongues。〃

As　regards　sacrifices　and　temples　and　festivals　and　sacred　enclosures；　the　People　sees　that　it　is　not　possible　for　every　poor　citizen　to　do　sacrifice　and　hold　festival；　or　to　set　up＇8＇　temples　and　to　inhabit　a　large　and　beautiful　city。　But　it　has　hit　upon　a　means　of　meeting　the　difficulty。　They　sacrificethat　is；　the　whole　state　sacrificesat　the　public　cost　a　large　number　of　victims；　but　it　is　the　People　that　keeps　holiday　and　distributes　the　victims　by　lot　amongst　its　members。　Rich　men　have　in　some　cases　private　gymnasia　and　baths　with　dressing…　rooms；＇9＇　but　the　People　takes　care　to　have　built　at　the　public　cost＇10＇　a　number　of　palaestras；　dressing…rooms；　and　bathing　establishments　for　its　own　special　use；　and　the　mob　gets　the　benefit　of　the　majority　of　these；　rather　than　the　select　few　or　the　well…to…　do。

＇8＇　Reading　with　Kirchhoff；　｛istasthai｝。

＇9＇　See　Jebb；　〃Theophr。　Char。〃　vii。　18；　p。　202。

＇10＇　Reading　with　Kirchhoff；　｛demosia｝。

As　to　wealth；　the　Athenians　are　exceptionally　placed　with　regard　to　Hellenic　and　foreign　communities　alike；＇11＇　in　their　ability　to　hold　it。　For；　given　that　some　state　or　other　is　rich　in　timber　for　shipbuilding；　where　is　it　to　find　a　market＇12＇　for　the　product　except　by　persuading　the　ruler　of　the　sea？　Or；　suppose　the　wealth　of　some　state　or　other　to　consist　of　iron；　or　may　be　of　bronze；＇13＇　or　of　linen　yarn；　where　will　it　find　a　market　except　by　permission　of　the　supreme　maritime　power？　Yet　these　are　the　very　things；　you　see；　which　I　need　for　my　ships。　Timber　I　must　have　from　one；　and　from　another　iron；　from　a　third　bronze；　from　a　fourth　linen　yarn；　from　a　fifth　wax；　etc。　Besides　which　they　will　not　suffer　their　antagonists　in　those　parts＇14＇　to　carry　these　products　elsewhither；　or　they　will　cease　to　use　the　sea。　Accordingly　I；　without　one　stroke　of　labour；　extract　from　the　land　and　possess　all　these　good　things；　thanks　to　my　supremacy　on　the　sea；　whilst　not　a　single　other　state　possesses　the　two　of　them。　Not　timber；　for　instance；　and　yarn　together；　the　same　city。　But　where　yarn　is　abundant；　the　soil　will　be　light　and　devoid　of　timber。　And　in　the　same　way　bronze　and　iron　will　not　be　products　of　the　same　city。　And　so　for　the　rest；　never　two；　or　at　best　three；　in　one　state；　but　one　thing　here　and　another　thing　there。　Moreover；　above　and　beyond　what　has　been　said；　the　coast…line　of　every　mainland　presents；　either　some　jutting　promontory；　or　adjacent　island；　or　narrow　strait　of　some　sort；　so　that　those　who　are　masters　of　the　sea　can　come　to　moorings　at　one　of　these　points　and　wreak　vengeance＇15＇　on　the　inhabitants　of　the　mainland。

＇11＇　Or；　〃they　have　a　practical　monopoly。〃

＇12＇　Or；　〃how　is　it　to　dispose　of　the　product？〃

＇13＇　Or；　〃coppert。〃

＇14＇　Reading　｛ekei｝。　For　this　corrupt　passage　see　L。　Dindorf；　ad。　　　　　loc。；　also　Boeckh；　〃P。　E。　A。〃　I。　ix。　p。　55。　Perhaps　（as　my　friend　　　　　Mr。　J。　R。　Mozley　suggests）　the　simplest　supposition　is　to　suppose　　　　　that　there　is　an　ellipsis　before　｛e　ou　khresontai　te　thalatte｝：　　　　　thus；　〃Besides　which　they　will　not　suffer　their　antagonists　to　　　　　transport　goods　to　countries　outside　Attica；　they　must　yield；　or　　　　　they　shall　not　have　the　use　of　the　sea。〃

＇15＇　｛lobasthai｝。　This　〃poetical〃　word　comes　to　mean　〃harry；〃　　　　　〃pillage；〃　in　the　common　dialect。

There　is　just　one　thing　which　the　Athenians　lack。　Supposing　that　they　were　the　inhabitants　of　an　island；＇16＇　and　were　still；　as　now；　rulers　of　the　sea；　they　would　have　had　it　in　their　power　to　work　whatever　mischief　they　liked；　and　to　suffer　no　evil　in　return　（as　long　as　they　kept　command　of　the　sea）；　neither　the　ravaging　of　their　territory　nor　the　expectation　of　an　enemy's　approach。　Whereas　at　present　the　farming　portion　of　the　community　and　the　wealthy　landowners　are　ready＇17＇　to　cringe　before　the　enemy　overmuch；　whilst　the　People；　knowing　full　well　that；　come　what　may；　not　one　stock　or　stone　of　their　property　will　suffer；　nothing　will　be　cut　down；　nothing　burnt；　lives　in　freedom　from　alarm；　without　fawning　at　the　enemy's　approach。　Besides　this；　there　is　another　fear　from　which　they　would　have　been　exempt　in　an　island　home　the　apprehension　of　the　city　being　at　any　time　betrayed　by　their　oligarchs＇18＇　and　the　gates　thrown　open；　and　an　enemy　bursting　suddenly　in。　How　could　incidents　like　these　have　taken　place　if　an　island　had　been　their　home？　Again；　had　they　inhabited　an　island　there　would　have　been　no　stirring　of　sedition　against　the　people；　whereas　at　present；　in　the　event　of　faction；　those　who　set　it　in　foot　base　their　hopes　of　success　on　the　introduction　of　an　enemy　by　land。　But　a　people　inhabiting　an　island　would　be　free　from　all　anxiety　on　that　score。　Since；　however；　they　did　not　chance　to　inhabit　an　island　from　the　first；　what　they　now　do　is　thisthey　deposit　their　property　in　the　islands；＇19＇　trusting　to　their　command　of　the　sea；　and　they　suffer　the　soil　of　Aticca　to　be　ravaged　without　a　sigh。　To　expend　pity　on　that；　they　know；　would　be　to　deprive　themselves　of　other　blessings　still　more　precious。＇20＇

＇16＇　See　Thuc。　i。　143。　Pericles　says：　〃Reflect；　if　we　were　islanders；　　　　　who　would　be　more　invulnerable？　Let　us　imagine　that　we　are。〃

＇17＇　Or；　〃are　the　more　ready　to　cringe。〃　See；　for　the　word　　　　　｛uperkhontai｝；　〃Pol。　Lac。〃　viii。　2；　Plat。　〃Crit。〃　53　E；　　　　　Rutherford；　〃New　Phrynichus；〃　p。　110。

＇18＇　Or；　〃by　the　minority〃；　or；　〃by　a　handful　of　people。〃

＇19＇　As　they　did　during　the　Peloponnesian　war；　and　earlier　still；　　　　　before　the　battle　of　Salamis；　in　the　case　of　that　one　island。

＇20＇　Or；　〃but　mean　the　forfeiture　of　others。〃

Further；　states　oligarchically　governed　are　forced　to　ratify　their　alliances　and　solemn　oaths；　and　if　they　fail　to　abide　by　their　contracts；　the　offence；　by　whomsoever　committed；＇21＇　lies　nominally　at　the　door　of　the　oligarchs　who　entered　upon　the　contract。　But　in　the　case　of　engagements　entered　into　by　a　democracy　it　is　open　to　the　People　to　throw　the　blame　on　the　single　individual　who　spoke　in　favour　of　some　measure；　or　put　it　to　the　vote；　and　to　maintain　to　the　rest　of　the　world；　〃I　was　not　present；　nor　do　I　approve　of　the　terms　of　the　agreement。〃　Inquiries　are　made　in　a　full　meeting　of　the　People；　and　should　any　of　these　things　be　disapproved　of；　it　can　at　once　discover　ten　thousand　excuses　to　avoid　doing　whatever　they　do　not　wish。　And　if　any　mischief　should　spring　out　of　any　resolutions　which　the　People　has　passed　in　council；　the　People　can　readily　shift　the　blame　from　its　own　shoulders。　〃A　handful　of　oligarchs＇22＇　acting　against　the　interests　of　the　People　have　ruined　us。〃　But　if　any　good　result　ensue；　they；　the　People；　at　once　take　the　credit　of　that　to　themselves。

＇21＇　Reading　｛uph　otououn　adikeitai　onomati　upo　ton　oligon｝；　which　I　　　　　suggest　as　a　less　violent　emendation　of　this　corrupt　passage　than　　　　　any　I　have　seen；　or；　reading　with　Sauppe；　｛uph　otou　adikei　　　　　anomeitai　apo　ton　oligon｝；　〃the　illegality　lies　at　the　door　of。〃

＇22＇　Or；　〃a　few　insignificant　fellows。〃

In　the　same　spirit　it　is　not　allowed　to　caricature　on　the　comic　stage＇23＇　or　otherwise　libel　the　People；　because＇24＇　they　do　not　care　to　hear　themselves　ill　spoken　of。　But　if　any　one　has　a　desire　to　satirise　his　neighbour　he　has　full　leave　to　do　so。　And　this　because　they　are　well　aware　that；　as　a　general　rule；　this　person　caricatured＇25＇　does　not　belong　to　the　People；　or　the　masses。　He　is　more　likely　to　be　some　wealthy　or　well…born　person；　or　man　of　means　and　influence。　In　fact；　but　few　poor　people　and　of　the　popular　stamp　incur　the　comic　lash；　or　if　they　do　they　have　brought　it　on　themselves　by　excessive　love　of　meddling　or　some　covetous　self…seeking　at　the　expense　of　the　People；　so　that　no　particular　annoyance　is　felt　at　seeing　such　folk　satirised。

＇23＇　See　Grote；　〃H。　G。〃　viii。　446；　especially　p。　449；　〃growth　and　　　　　development　of　comedy　at　Athens〃；　Curtius；　〃H。　G。〃　iii。　pp。　242；　　　　　243；　Thirlwall；　〃H。　G。〃　ch。　xviii。　vol。　iii。　p。　42。

＇24＇　Or；　more　lit。　〃it　would　not　do　for　the　People　to　hear；〃　etc。

＇25＇　Or；　〃the　butt　of　comedy。〃

What；　then；　I　venture　to　assert　is；　that　the　People　of　Athens　has　no　difficulty　in　recognising　which　of　its　citizens　are　of　the　better　sort　and　which　the　opposite。＇26＇　And　so　recognising　those　who　are　serviceable　and　advantageous＇27＇　to　itself；　even　though　they　be　base；　the　People　loves　them；　but　the　good　folk　they　are　disposed　rather　to　hate。　This　virtue　of　theirs；　the　People　holds；　is　not　engrained　in　their　nature　for　any　good　to　itself；　but　rather　for　its　injury。　In　direct　opposition　to　this；　there　are　some　persons　who；　being＇28＇　born　of　the　People；　are　yet　by　natural　instinct　not　commoners。　For　my　part　I　pardon　the　People　its　own　democracy；　as；　indeed；　it　is　pardonable　in　any　one　to　do　good　to　himself。＇29＇　But　the　man　who；　not　being　himself　one　of　the　People；　prefers　to　live　in　a　state　democratically　governed　rather　than　in　an　oligarchical　state　may　be　said　to　smooth　his　own　path　towards　iniquity。　He　knows　that　a　bad　man　has　a　better　chance　of　slipping　through　the　fingers　of　justice　in　a　democratic　than　in　an　oligarchical　state。

＇26＇　Or；　〃and　which　are　good　for　nothing。〃

＇27＇　Or；〃its　own　friends　and　supporters。〃

＇28＇　Reading　｛ontes｝　or　（if　｛gnontes｝）；　〃who；　recognising　the　nature　　　　　of　the　People；　have　no　popular　leaning。〃　Gutschmidt　conj。　｛enioi　　　　　egguoi　ontes｝；　i。e。　Pericles。

＇29＇　On　the　principle　that　〃the　knee　is　nearer　than　the　shin…bone；〃　　　　　｛gonu　knemes｝；　or；　as　we　say；　〃charity　begins　at　home。〃



III

I　repeat　that　my　position　concerning　the　polity　of　the　Athenians　is　this：　the　type＇1＇　of　polity　is　not　to　my　taste；　but　given　that　a　democratic　form　of　government　has　been　agreed　upon；　they　do　seem　to　me　to　go　the　right　way　to　preserve　the　democracy　by　the　adoption　of　the　particular　type＇2＇　which　I　have　set　forth。

＇1＇　Or；　〃manner。〃

＇2＇　Or；　〃manner。〃

But　there　are　other　objections　brought；　as　I　am　aware；　against　the　Athenians；　by　certain　people；　and　to　this　effect。　It　not　seldom　happens；　they　tell　us；　that　a　man　is　unable　to　transact　a　piece　of　business　with　the　senate　or　the　People；　even　if　he　sit　waiting　a　whole　year。　Now　this　does　hap