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to be given to them； as is meet and by law ordained。 For noble words are a
memorial and a crown of noble actions； which are given to the doers of them
by the hearers。 A word is needed which will duly praise the dead and
gently admonish the living； exhorting the brethren and descendants of the
departed to imitate their virtue； and consoling their fathers and mothers
and the survivors； if any； who may chance to be alive of the previous
generation。 What sort of a word will this be； and how shall we rightly
begin the praises of these brave men？ In their life they rejoiced their
own friends with their valour； and their death they gave in exchange for
the salvation of the living。 And I think that we should praise them in the
order in which nature made them good； for they were good because they were
sprung from good fathers。 Wherefore let us first of all praise the
goodness of their birth； secondly； their nurture and education； and then
let us set forth how noble their actions were； and how worthy of the
education which they had received。
And first as to their birth。 Their ancestors were not strangers； nor are
these their descendants sojourners only； whose fathers have come from
another country； but they are the children of the soil； dwelling and living
in their own land。 And the country which brought them up is not like other
countries； a stepmother to her children； but their own true mother； she
bore them and nourished them and received them； and in her bosom they now
repose。 It is meet and right； therefore； that we should begin by praising
the land which is their mother； and that will be a way of praising their
noble birth。
The country is worthy to be praised； not only by us； but by all mankind；
first； and above all； as being dear to the Gods。 This is proved by the
strife and contention of the Gods respecting her。 And ought not the
country which the Gods praise to be praised by all mankind？ The second
praise which may be fairly claimed by her； is that at the time when the
whole earth was sending forth and creating diverse animals； tame and wild；
she our mother was free and pure from savage monsters； and out of all
animals selected and brought forth man； who is superior to the rest in
understanding； and alone has justice and religion。 And a great proof that
she brought forth the common ancestors of us and of the departed； is that
she provided the means of support for her offspring。 For as a woman proves
her motherhood by giving milk to her young ones （and she who has no
fountain of milk is not a mother）； so did this our land prove that she was
the mother of men； for in those days she alone and first of all brought
forth wheat and barley for human food； which is the best and noblest
sustenance for man； whom she regarded as her true offspring。 And these are
truer proofs of motherhood in a country than in a woman； for the woman in
her conception and generation is but the imitation of the earth； and not
the earth of the woman。 And of the fruit of the earth she gave a plenteous
supply； not only to her own； but to others also； and afterwards she made
the olive to spring up to be a boon to her children； and to help them in
their toils。 And when she had herself nursed them and brought them up to
manhood； she gave them Gods to be their rulers and teachers； whose names
are well known； and need not now be repeated。 They are the Gods who first
ordered our lives； and instructed us in the arts for the supply of our
daily needs； and taught us the acquisition and use of arms for the defence
of the country。
Thus born into the world and thus educated； the ancestors of the departed
lived and made themselves a government； which I ought briefly to
commemorate。 For government is the nurture of man； and the government of
good men is good； and of bad men bad。 And I must show that our ancestors
were trained under a good government； and for this reason they were good；
and our contemporaries are also good； among whom our departed friends are
to be reckoned。 Then as now； and indeed always； from that time to this；
speaking generally； our government was an aristocracya form of government
which receives various names； according to the fancies of men； and is
sometimes called democracy； but is really an aristocracy or government of
the best which has the approval of the many。 For kings we have always had；
first hereditary and then elected； and authority is mostly in the hands of
the people； who dispense offices and power to those who appear to be most
deserving of them。 Neither is a man rejected from weakness or poverty or
obscurity of origin； nor honoured by reason of the opposite； as in other
states； but there is one principlehe who appears to be wise and good is a
governor and ruler。 The basis of this our government is equality of birth；
for other states are made up of all sorts and unequal conditions of men；
and therefore their governments are unequal； there are tyrannies and there
are oligarchies； in which the one party are slaves and the others masters。
But we and our citizens are brethren； the children all of one mother； and
we do not think it right to be one another's masters or servants； but the
natural equality of birth compels us to seek for legal equality； and to
recognize no superiority except in the reputation of virtue and wisdom。
And so their and our fathers； and these； too； our brethren； being nobly
born and having been brought up in all freedom； did both in their public
and private capacity many noble deeds famous over the whole world。 They
were the deeds of men who thought that they ought to fight both against
Hellenes for the sake of Hellenes on behalf of freedom； and against
barbarians in the common interest of Hellas。 Time would fail me to tell of
their defence of their country against the invasion of Eumolpus and the
Amazons； or of their defence of the Argives against the Cadmeians； or of
the Heracleids against the Argives； besides； the poets have already
declared in song to all mankind their glory； and therefore any
commemoration of their deeds in prose which we might attempt would hold a
second place。 They already have their reward； and I say no more of them；
but there are other worthy deeds of which no poet has worthily sung； and
which are still wooing the poet's muse。 Of these I am bound to make
honourable mention； and shall invoke others to sing of them also in lyric
and other strains； in a manner becoming the actors。 And first I will tell
how the Persians； lords of Asia； were enslaving Europe； and how the
children of this land； who were our fathers； held them back。 Of these I
will speak first； and praise their valour； as is meet and fitting。 He who
would rightly estimate them should place himself in thought at that time；
when the whole of Asia was subject to the third king of Persia。 The first
king； Cyrus； by his valour freed the Persians； who were his countrymen； and
subjected the Medes； who were their l