which they hold large gatherings, and thereby not only pay honour to the gods, but also provide for themselves holiday and amusement' (R. Williams). Thuc. ii. 38, 'And we have not forgotten to provide for our weary spirits many relaxations from toil; we have regular games and sacrifices throughout the year' (Jowett). Plut. 'Them.' v., {kai gar philothuten onta kai lampron en tais peri tous xenous dapanais . . .} 'For loving to sacrifice often, and to be splendid in his entertainment of strangers, he required a plentiful revenue' (Clough, i. 236). To which add Theophr. 'Char.' xv. 2, 'The Shameless Man': {eita thusas tois theois autos men deipnein par' etero, ta de krea apotithenai alsi pasas, k.t.l.}, 'then when he has been sacrificing to the gods, he will put away the salted remains, and will himself dine out' (Jebb).
Or let a sick man be attended with a like solicitude by both. It is plain, the kind attentions of the mighty potentate[9] arouse in the patient's heart immense delight.[10]
[9] 'Their mightinesses,' or as we might say, 'their serene highnesses.' Cf. Thuc. ii. 65.
[10] 'The greatest jubilance.'
Or say, they are the givers of two gifts which shall be like in all respects. It is plain enough in this case also that 'the gracious favour' of his royal highness, even if halved, would more than counterbalance the whole value of the commoner's 'donation.'[11]
[11] Or, 'half the great man's 'bounty' more than outweighs the small man's present.' For {dorema} cf. Aristot. 'N. E.' I. ix. 2, 'happiness . . . a free gift of God to men.'
Nay, as it seems to me, an honour from the gods, a grace divine, is shed about the path of him the hero-ruler. [12] Not only does command itself ennoble manhood, but we gaze on him with other eyes and find the fair within him yet more fair who is to-day a prince and was but yesterday a private citizen.[13] Again, it is a prouder satisfaction doubtless to hold debate with those who are preferred to us in honour than with people on an equal footing with ourselves.
[12] Lit. 'attends the footsteps of the princely ruler.' Cf. 'Cyrop.' II. i. 23, Plat. 'Laws,' 667 B, for a similar metaphorical use of the word.
[13] {to arkhein}, 'his princely power makes him more noble as a man, and we behold him fairer exercising rule than when he functioned as a common citizen.' Reading {kallio}, or if {edion}, transl. 'we feast our eyes more greedily upon him.'
Why, the minion (with regard to whom you had the gravest fault to find with tyranny), the favourite of a ruler, is least apt to quarrel[14] with gray hairs: the very blemishes of one who is a prince soon cease to be discounted in their intercourse.[15]
[14] Lit. 'feels least disgust at age'; i.e. his patron's years and wrinkles.
[15] Cf. Plat. 'Phaedr.' 231 B.
The fact is, to have reached the zenith of distinction in itself lends ornament,[16] nay, a lustre effacing what is harsh and featureless and rude, and making true beauty yet more splendid.
[16] Or, 'The mere prestige of highest worship helps to adorn.' See Aristot. 'N. E.' xi. 17. As to {auto to tetimesthai m. s.} I think it is the {arkhon} who is honoured by the rest of men, which {time} helps to adorn him. Others seem to think it is the {paidika} who is honoured by the {arkhon}. If so, transl.: 'The mere distinction, the privilege alone of being highly honoured, lends embellishment,' etc.
Since then, by aid of equal ministrations, you are privileged to win not equal but far deeper gratitude: it would seem to follow, considering the vastly wider sphere of helpfulness which lies before you as administrators, and the far grander scale of your largesses, I say it naturally pertains to you to find yourselves much more beloved than ordinary mortals; or if not, why not?
Hiero took up the challenge and without demur made answer: For this good reason, best of poets, necessity constrains us, far more than ordinary people, to be busybodies. We are forced to meddle with concerns which are the very fount and springhead of half the hatreds of mankind.
We have moneys to exact if we would meet our necessary expenses. Guards must be impressed and sentinels posted wherever there is need of watch and ward. We have to chastise evil-doers; we must put a stop to those who would wax insolent.[17] And when the season for swift action comes, and it is imperative to expedite a force by land or sea, at such a crisis it will not do for us to entrust the affair to easy- goers.
[17] Or, 'curb the over-proud in sap and blood.'
Further than that, the man who is a tyrant must have mercenaries, and of all the burdens which the citizens are called upon to bear there is none more onerous than this, since nothing will induce them to believe these people are supported by the tyrant to add to his and their prestige,[18] but rather for the sake of his own selfishness and greed.
[18] Reading with Breit. {eis timas}, or if the vulg. {isotimous}, transl. 'as equal merely to themselves in privilege'; or if with Schenkl (and Holden, ed. 3) {isotimias}, transl. 'their firm persuasion is these hirelings are not supported by the tyrant in the interests of equality but of undue influence.'
IX
To these arguments Simonides in turn made answer: Nay, Hiero, I am far from stating that you have not all these divers matters to attend to. They are serious duties,[1] I admit. But still, what strikes me is, if half these grave responsibilities do lend themselves undoubtedly to hatred,[2] the remaining half are altogether gratifying. Thus, to teach others[3] arts of highest virtue, and to praise and honour each most fair performance of the same, that is a type of duty not to be discharged save graciously. Whilst, on the other hand, to scold at people guilty of remissness, to drive and fine and chasten, these are proceedings doubtless which go hand in hand with hate and bitterness.
[1] Cf. 'Econ.' vii. 41.
[2] Or, 'tend indisputably to enmity.'
[3] Or, 'people,' 'the learner.'
What I would say then to the hero-ruler is: Wherever force is needed, the duty of inflicting chastisement should be assigned to others, but the distribution of rewards and prizes must be kept in his own hands.[4]
[4] Cf. 'Cyrop.' VIII. ii. 27; ib. i. 18; 'Hipparch,' i. 26.
Common experience attests the excellence of such a system.[5] Thus when we[6] wish to set on foot a competition between choruses,[7] it is the function of the archon[8] to offer prizes, whilst to the choregoi[9] is assigned the duty of assembling the members of the band;[10] and to others[11] that of teaching and applying force to those who come behindhand in their duties. There, then, you have the principle at once: The gracious and agreeable devolves on him who rules, the archon; the repellent counterpart[12] on others. What is there to prevent the application of the principle to matters politic in general?[13]
[5] Or, 'current incidents bear witness to the beauty of the principle.'
[6] {emin}. The author makes Simonides talk as an Athenian.
[7] Lit. 'when we wish our sacred choirs to compete.'
[8] Or, 'magistrate'; at Athens the Archon Eponymos. See Boeckh, 'P. E. A.' p. 454 foll. Al. the {athlethetai}. See Pollux, viii. 93; cf. Aeschin. 'c. Ctes.' 13.
[9] Or more correctly at Athens the choragoi = leaders of the chorus.
[10] i.e. the choreutai.
[11] Sc. the choro-didaskaloi, or chorus-masters.
[12] {ta antitupa}, 'the repellent obverse,' 'the seamy side.' Cf. Theogn. 1244, {ethos ekhon solion pistios antitupon}. 'Hell.' VI. iii. 11.
[13] Or, 'Well then, what reason is there why other matters of political concern--all other branches of our civic life, in fact-- should not be carried out on this same principle?'
All states as units are divided into tribes ({thulas}), or regiments ({moras}), or companies ({lokhous}), and there are officers ({arkhontes}) appointed in command of each division.[14]
[14] e.g. Attica into ten phylae, Lacedaemon into six morae, Thebes and Argos into lochi. See Aristot. 'Pol.' v. 8 (Jowett, i. 166); 'Hell.' VI. iv. 13; VII. ii. 4.
Well then, suppose that some one were to offer prizes[15] to these political departments on the pattern of the choric prizes just described; prizes for excellence of arms, or skill in tactics, or for discipline and so forth, or for skill in horsemanship; prizes for prowess[16] in the field of battle, bravery in war; prizes for uprightness[17] in fulfilment of engagements, contracts, covenants. If so, I say it is to be expected that these several matters, thanks to emulous ambition, will one and all be vigorously cultivated. Vigorously! why, yes, upon my soul, and what a rush there would be! How in the pursuit of honour they would tear along where duty called: with what promptitude pour
