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gymnastic）＇24＇ how small the prizes are and yet what vast expenditure
of wealth and toil； and painful supervision these elicit。＇25＇
＇23＇ Reading ｛protithemenon｝ with Cobet。
＇24＇ Lit。 〃hippic； gymnic； and choregic contests。〃
＇25＇ e。g。 〃in the choral dances （1） money on the part of the choragoi；
（2） pains on the part of the choreutai； （3） supervising care on
the part of the choro…didaskoi； and so mutatis mutandis of the
hippic and gymnic。〃
X
And Hiero replied： Thus far you reason prettily； methinks； Simonides；
but about these mercenary troops have you aught to say？ Can you
suggest a means to avoid the hatred of which they are the cause？ Or
will you tell me that a ruler who has won the affection of his
subjects has no need for body…guards？
Nay； in good sooth （replied Simonides）； distinctly he will need them
none the less。 I know it is with certain human beings as with horses；
some trick of the blood they have； some inborn tendency； the more
their wants are satisfied； the more their wantonness will out。 Well
then； to sober and chastise wild spirits； there is nothing like the
terror of your men…at…arms。＇1＇ And as to gentler natures；＇2＇ I do not
know by what means you could bestow so many benefits upon them as by
means of mercenaries。
＇1＇ Lit。 〃spear…bearers〃； the title given to the body…guard of kings
and tyrants。
＇2＇ Lit。 〃the beautiful and good；〃 the ｛kalois kagathois｝。 See 〃Econ。〃
vi。 11 foll。
Let me explain： You keep them； I presume； in the first instance； for
yourself； as guards of your own person。 But for masters； owners of
estates and others； to be done to death with violence by their own
slaves is no unheard…of thing。 Supposing； then； the first and foremost
duty laid on mercenary troops were this： they are the body…guards of
the whole public； and bound as such to come to the assistance of all
members of the state alike； in case they shall detect some mischief
brewing＇3＇ （and miscreants do spring up in the hearts of states； as we
all know）； I say then； if these mercenary troops were under orders to
act as guardians of the citizens；＇4＇ the latter would recognise to
whom they were indebted。
＇3＇ 〃If they become aware of anything of that sort。〃 Is not this
modelled on the ｛krupteia｝？ See Pater； 〃Plato and Platonism；〃 ch。
viii。 〃Lacedaemon；〃 p。 186。
＇4＇ Or； 〃as their police。〃 ｛toutous｝； sc。 〃the citizens〃； al。 〃the
evil…doers。〃 If so； transl。 〃to keep watch and ward on evil…doers；
the citizens would soon recognise the benefit they owe them for
that service。〃
But in addition to these functions； such a body might with reason be
expected to create a sense of courage and security； by which the
country labourers with their flocks and herds would greatly benefit； a
benefit not limited to your demesne； but shared by every farm
throughout the rural district。
Again； these mercenaries； if set to guard strategic points；＇5＇ would
leave the citizens full leisure to attend to matters of more private
interest。
＇5＇ Or； 〃as garrisons of critical positions；〃 like Phyle or Decelia
near Athens。
And again； a further function： Can you conceive a service better
qualified to gain intelligence beforehand and to hinder the secret
sudden onslaughts of a hostile force； than a set of troopers always
under arms and fully organised？＇6＇
＇6＇ Or； 〃trained to act as one man。〃 See Sturz； s。v。
Moreover； on an actual campaign； where will you find an arm of greater
service to the citizens than these wage…earning troops？＇7＇ than whom；
it is likely； there will none be found more resolute to take the
lion's share of toil or peril； or do outpost duty； keeping watch and
ward while others sleep； brave mercenaries。
＇7＇ The author is perhaps thinking of some personal experiences。 He
works out his theory of a wage…earning militia for the protection
of the state in the 〃Cyropaedia。〃 See esp。 VII。 v。 69 foll。
And what will be the effect on the neighbour states conterminous with
yours？＇8＇ Will not this standing army lead them to desire peace beyond
all other things？ In fact； a compact force like this； so organised；
will prove most potent to preserve the interests of their friends and
to damage those of their opponents。
＇8＇ Or； 〃that lie upon your borders；〃 as Thebes and Megara were 〃nigh…
bordering〃 to Athens。 Cf。 Eur。 〃Rhes。〃 426； Soph。 〃Fr。〃 349。
And when； finally； the citizens discover it is not the habit of these
mercenaries to injure those who do no wrong； but their vocation rather
is to hinder all attempts at evil…doing； whereby they exercise a
kindly providence and bear the brunt of danger on behalf of the
community； I say it must needs be； the citizens will rejoice to pay
the expenses which the force entails。 At any rate； it is for objects
of far less importance that at present guards＇9＇ are kept in private
life。
＇9＇ 〃Police or other。〃
XI
But； Hiero； you must not grudge to spend a portion of your private
substance for the common weal。 For myself； I hold to the opinion that
the sums expended by the monarch on the state form items of
disbursement more legitimate＇1＇ than those expended on his personal
account。 But let us look into the question point by point。
＇1＇ ｛eis to deon｝。 Holden cf。 〃Anab。〃 I。 iii。 8。 Aristoph。 〃Clouds；〃
859； ｛osper Periklees eis to deon apolesa｝： 〃Like Pericles； for a
necessary purpose； I have lost them。〃
First； the palace： do you imagine that a building； beautified in every
way at an enormous cost； will afford you greater pride and ornament
than a whole city ringed with walls and battlements； whose furniture
consists of temples and pillared porticoes；＇2＇ harbours； market…
places？
＇2＇ Reading ｛parastasi｝； properly 〃pillasters〃 （Poll。 i。 76。 10。 25） =
〃antae；〃 hence 〃templum in antis〃 （see Vitruv。 iii。 2。 2）； or more
widely the entrance of a temple or other building。 （Possibly the
author is thinking of 〃the Propylea〃）。Cf。 Eur。 〃Phoen。〃 415； 〃I。
T。〃 1159。 = ｛stathmoi｝； Herod。 i。 179； Hom。 〃Il。〃 xiv。 167； 〃Od。〃
vii。 89； ｛stathmoi d' argureoi en khalkeo estasan oudio｝。
The brazen thresholds both sides did enfold
Silver pilasters； hung with gates of gold （Chapman）。
Al。 ｛pastasi｝； = colonnades。
Next； as to armaments： Will you present a greater terror to the f