Delphi Complete Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 79)

by Dionysius of Halicarnassus

  [5] Look you, with what heart would I now betray these men by whom I have been decked with such honours, when I have suffered no injury, great or small, at their hands? Unless, indeed, their favours are injurious to me, as mine are to you! A fine reputation forsooth, throughout all the world will such double treachery bring me, when it shall be known! Who would not praise me on hearing that when I found my friends, from whom I had the right to expect kindness, to be my enemies, and my foes, by whom I should have been put to death, to be my friends, instead of hating those who hate me and loving those who love me, I took the opposite view!

  [1] ἴθι δὴ σκόπει καὶ τὰ παρὰ θεῶν, Μηνύκιε, οἷά μοι νῦν τ᾽ ἀπήντηται καί, ἐὰν ἄρα πεισθεὶς ὑμῖν προδῶ τὴν τούτων πίστιν, οἷα τὸν λοιπὸν ὑπάρξει μοι βίον. νῦν μέν γε πάσης πράξεως, ἧς ἂν ἅψωμαι καθ᾽ ὑμῶν, συλλαμβάνουσί μοι, καὶ οὐδεμιᾶς πείρας ἀποτυγχάνω.

  [33.1] “Come now, Minucius, consider next the matter of the gods’ treatment of me, what it has shown itself to be at present and, if I do let you persuade me to betray the trust reposed in me by these people, what it will be for the rest of my life. At present they assist me in every enterprise I undertake against you and in no attempt am I unsuccessful.

  [2] καὶ τοῦτο πηλίκον οἴεσθε εἶναι τεκμήριον εὐσεβείας τῆς ἐμῆς; εἰ γὰρ δὴ κατὰ τῆς πατρίδος [p. 173] οὐχ ὅσιον ἐγὼ πόλεμον ἐνεστησάμην, ἅπαντα χρῆν ἐναντία μοι γίνεσθαι τὰ παρὰ θεῶν: ὁπότε δ᾽ οὐρίῳ πνεούσῃ κέχρημαι τῇ περὶ τοὺς πολέμους τύχῃ, καὶ ὁπόσοις ἂν ἐπιβάλωμαι πράγμασι κατ᾽ ὀρθὸν ἅπαντά μοι χωρεῖ, δῆλον ὅτι εὐσεβής εἰμι ἀνὴρ καὶ

  [2] And how weighty a testimony to my piety do you consider that? For surely, if I had undertaken an impious war against my country, the gods ought to have opposed me in everything; but since I enjoy the favouring breeze of Fortune in the wars I wage and everything that I attempt goes steadily forward for me, it is evident that I am a pious man and that my choice of conduct has been honourable.

  [3] πράξεις προῄρημαι καλάς. τί οὖν, ἐὰν μεταβάλωμαι καὶ τὰ μὲν ὑμέτερα αὔξειν, τὰ δὲ τούτων ταπεινὰ ποιεῖν ζητῶ, γενήσεταί μοι; ἆρ᾽ οὐχὶ τἀναντία, καὶ πονηρὰν νέμεσιν ἕξω παρὰ τοῦ δαιμονίου τοῖς ἠδικημένοις τιμωρόν, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκ ταπεινοῦ μέγας διὰ τοὺς θεοὺς ἐγενόμην, οὕτως αὖθις ἐκ μεγάλου ταπεινὸς γενήσομαι, καὶ τἀμὰ παθήματα παιδεύματα γενήσεται τοῖς ἄλλοις;

  [3] What, then, will be my fate if I change my course and endeavour to increase your power and humble theirs? Will it not be just the reverse, and shall I not incur the dire wrath of Heaven which avenges the injured, and just as by the help of the gods I from a low estate have become great, shall I not in turn from a being be brought again to a low estate, and my sufferings become lessons to the rest of the world?

  [4] ἐμοὶ μὲν ταῦτα παρίσταται περὶ τοῦ δαιμονίου φρονεῖν, καὶ πείθομαί γε τὰς ἐρινύας ἐκείνας τὰς φοβερὰς καὶ ἀπαραιτήτους τοῖς ἀνόσιόν τι διαπραξαμένοις, ὧν καὶ σὺ ἐμνήσθης, ὦ Μηνύκιε, τότε μοι παρακολουθήσειν ψυχήν τε καὶ σῶμα αἰκιζομένας, ὅταν ἐγκαταλίπω καὶ προδῶ τοὺς σώσαντάς με ἀπολωλότα ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν καὶ μετὰ τοῦ σῶσαι πολλὰς καὶ καλὰς προσθέντας εὐεργεσίας, οἷς ἐγγυητὰς ἔδωκα θεούς, ὡς ἐπ᾽ οὐδενὶ κακῷ τὴν ἄφιξιν ποιησάμενος καὶ φυλάξων τὴν εἰς τόδε χρόνου καθαρὰν καὶ ἀμίαντον συνοῦσάν μοι πίστιν.

  [4] these are the thoughts that occur to me concerning the gods; and I am persuaded that those Furies you mentioned, Minucius, so frightful and inexorable toward those who have committed any impious deed, will dog my steps and torment both my soul and body only when I abandon and betray those who preserved me after you had ruined me, and, at the same time as they preserved me, conferred upon me many fine marks of their favour, and to whom I gave the gods as guarantors of my pledge that I had not come among them with the purpose of doing them any injury and that I would keep with them the faith which I have hitherto preserved pure and untarnished.

  [1] ὅταν δὲ φίλους ἔτι καλῇς, ὦ Μηνύκιε, τοὺς ἐξελάσαντάς με καὶ πατρίδα τὴν ἀπαρνησαμένην, φύσεώς τε νόμους ἀνακαλῇ καὶ περὶ τῶν ὁσίων διαλέγῃ, [p. 174] φαίνῃ μοι τὰ κοινότατα καὶ ὑπὸ μηδενὸς ἀγνοούμενα μόνος ἀγνοεῖν: ὅτι τὸ φίλιον ἢ πολέμιον οὔτ᾽ ὄψεως ὁρίζει χαρακτὴρ οὔτ᾽ ὀνόματος θέσις, ἀλλὰ ταῖς χρείαις καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις δηλοῦται τούτων ἑκάτερον, φιλοῦμέν τε πάντες τὰ ὠφελοῦντα καὶ μισοῦμεν τὰ βλάπτοντα, οὐκ ἀνθρώπων τινῶν ἡμῖν τόνδε θεμένων τὸν νόμον, οὐδὲ ἀνελούντων ποτὲ αὐτόν, ἐὰν τἀναντία αὐτοῖς δοκῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῆς κοινῆς φύσεως ἐξ ἅπαντος τοῦ χρόνου πᾶσι τοῖς αἰσθήσεως μετειληφόσι κείμενον καὶ εἰς ἀεὶ διαμενοῦντα παραλαβόντες:

  [34.1] “When you call those still my friends, Minucius, who banished me and that nation my country which has renounced me, when you appeal to the laws of Nature and discuss the obligations of religion, you seem to me to be ignorant of the most common facts, of which no one but you is ignorant — namely, that a friend or an enemy is not determined either by the lineaments of a face or by the giving of a name, but both are made manifest by their services and by their deeds, and that we all love those who do us good and hate those who do us harm. No men laid down this law for us nor will men ever annul it if the opposite course seems to them better; on the contrary, it has been enacted from the beginning of time by the universal nature for all creatures endowed with sense, a heritage of man to remain in force forever.

  [2] καὶ διὰ τοῦτο φίλους τ᾽ ἀπαρνούμεθα, ὅταν ἀδικήσωσι, καὶ ἐχθροὺς φίλους ποιούμεθα, ὅταν τις ἡμῖν παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ὑπάρξῃ χάρις, πόλιν τε τὴν γειναμένην ἡμᾶς, ὅταν μὲν ὠφελῇ, στέργομεν, ὅταν δὲ βλάπτῃ, καταλείπομεν, οὐ διὰ τὸν τόπον ἀγαπῶντες αὐτήν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ συμφέρον.

  [2] For this reason we renounce our friends when they injure us and make friends of our enemies when some kindly service is done for us by them; and we cherish the country that gave us birth when it helps us, but abandon it when it harms us, since our affection is based, not on the place, but on the benefit it confers.

  [3] καὶ οὐχὶ τοῖς μὲν ἰδιώταις οὕτως ἐπέρχεται καθ᾽ ἕνα φρονεῖν, οὐχὶ δὲ καὶ πόλεσιν ὅλαις καὶ ἔθνεσιν, ὥστε ὁ ταύτῃ τῇ γνώμῃ χρώμενος οὐδὲν ἔξω τῶν θείων ἀξιοῖ νομίμων, οὐδὲ παρὰ τὴν κοινὴν ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων ποιεῖ δικαίωσιν. ἐγὼ μὲν δὴ ταῦτα πράττοντα ἐμαυ�
�ὸν τά τε δίκαια ἡγοῦμαι πράττειν καὶ τὰ συμφέροντα καὶ τὰ καλὰ καὶ ἅμα ταῦτα καὶ τὰ πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς ὁσιώτατα: καὶ οὐ δέομαι δικαστὰς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν λαβεῖν τοὺς εἰκασμῷ καὶ δόξῃ τεκμαιρομένους τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀνθρώπους, ἐπειδὴ θεοῖς ἀρέσκοντα πράττω. οὐ γὰρ [p. 175] ἀδυνάτοις ἐπιχειρεῖν ὑπολαμβάνω πράγμασι θεοὺς ἔχων αὐτῶν ἡγεμόνας, εἴγε δεῖ τεκμαίρεσθαι τοῖς γεγονόσιν ἤδη τὰ μέλλοντα.

  [3] These are the sentiments not merely of individual persons in private life, but of whole cities and nations. Consequently, whoever applies this principle demands nothing not sanctioned by religious usage and does nothing that contravenes the common judgement of all mankind. I, therefore, consider that in doing these things I am doing what is just, advantageous and honourable, and at the same time what is most holy in the eyes of the gods; and I do not care to take as judges of my conduct mere men who infer the truth from guesswork and opinion, since the gods are pleased with what I do. Nor do I agreed that I am undertaking impossible things when I have the gods as my guides therein — not, at least, if one is to judge of the future by the past.

  [1] περὶ δὲ τῆς μετριότητος, ἐφ᾽ ἣν παρακαλεῖτέ με, καὶ τοῦ μὴ πρόρριζον ἀνελεῖν τὸ Ῥωμαίων γένος μηδ᾽ ἐκ βάθρων ὅλην ἀναστῆσαι τὴν πόλιν, εἶχον μέν, ὦ Μηνύκιε, λέγειν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐγὼ τούτου κύριος οὐδὲ πρὸς ἐμὲ ὁ περὶ τούτων ἐστὶ λόγος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ στρατηγός εἰμι τῆς δυνάμεως, πολέμου δὲ καὶ εἰρήνης οὗτοι κύριοι: ὥστε παρὰ τούτων αἰτεῖσθέ γ᾽

  [35.1] “As regards the moderation which you recommend to me and your plea that I should not utterly destroy the Roman race or overthrow the city from its foundations, I might answer, Minucius, that this is not in my power to decide, nor should your plea be addressed to me. No, I am general of the army, but as to war and peace these men here have the decision; so apply to them for a truce as a step toward reconciliation, and not to me.

  [2] ἀνοχὰς ἐπὶ διαλλαγαῖς, ἀλλὰ μὴ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ. οὐ μὴν ταύτην γε δίδωμι τὴν ἀπόκρισιν ἀλλὰ καὶ θεοὺς σέβων τοὺς πατρῴους καὶ τάφους αἰδούμενος προγόνων καὶ γῆν, ἐξ ἧς ἔφυν, γυναῖκάς τε καὶ παῖδας ὑμῶν ἐλεῶν, οἷς οὐκ ἐπιτηδείοις οὖσι τὰ πατέρων καὶ ἀνδρῶν ἥξει σφάλματα, καὶ οὐχ ἥκιστα τῶν ἄλλων καὶ δἰ ὑμᾶς, ὦ Μηνύκιε, τοὺς προχειρισθέντας ὑπὸ τῆς πόλεως, τάδε ἀποκρίνομαι: ἐὰν ἀποδῶσι Ῥωμαῖοι Οὐολούσκοις χώραν τε ὅσην αὐτοὺς ἀφῄρηνται καὶ πόλεις ὅσας κατέχουσιν ἀνακαλεσάμενοι τοὺς ἐποίκους, φιλίαν τε ποιήσωνται πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν ἀεὶ χρόνον καὶ ἰσοπολιτείας μεταδῶσιν ὥσπερ Λατίνοις ὅρκους καὶ ἀρὰς κατὰ τῶν παραβαινόντων τὰ συγκείμενα ποιησάμενοι, [p. 176] διαλύσομαι πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὸν πόλεμον, πρότερον δὲ οὔ.

  [2] Nevertheless, because I revere the gods of my fathers and respect the sepulchres of my ancestors and the land which gave me birth, and feel compassion for your wives and children, on whom, though undeserving, will fall the errors of their fathers and husbands, and, not least of all, on account of you men, Minucius, who have been chosen envoys by the commonwealth, I answer as follows: If the Romans will return to the Volscians the land they have taken from them and the cities they hold, first recalling their colonists, and if they will enter into a league of perpetual friendship with them and give them equal rights of citizenship, as they have done in the case of the Latins, confirming their covenant by oaths and by imprecations against those who may violate it, I will put an end to the war against them, and not until then.

  [3] ταῦτ᾽ οὖν ἀπαγγέλλετε αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ὅνπερ πρὸς ἐμὲ καὶ πρὸς ἐκείνους περὶ τοῦ δικαίου πάνυ ἐπιστρεφῶς ταῦτα διαλέγεσθε: καλόν τοι τὰς ἰδίας ἕκαστον ἔχοντα κτήσεις ἐν εἰρήνῃ ζῆν, καὶ πολλοῦ ἄξιον τὸ μηθένα δεδοικέναι μήτ᾽ ἐχθρὸν μήτε καιρόν, αἰσχρὸν δὲ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων περιεχομένους οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον πόλεμον ὑπομένειν, ἐν ᾧ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἰδίων ἁπάντων κινδυνεύσουσιν ἀγαθῶν: τά τ᾽ ἆθλα ἐπιδείκνυτε αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἴσα κατορθοῦσί τε καὶ μὴ τυχοῦσι γινόμενα γῆς ἀλλοτρίας γλιχομένοις, εἰ δὲ βούλεσθε, προστίθετε καὶ τὰς πόλεις τῶν ἠδικημένων προσλαβεῖν βουλομένοις, ἐὰν μὴ κρατῶσι, καὶ τὴν ἑαυτῶν γῆν τε καὶ πόλιν ἀφαιρεθῆναι, καὶ ἔτι πρὸς τούτῳ γυναῖκας ἐπιδεῖν τὰ αἴσχιστα πασχούσας καὶ παῖδας εἰς ὕβριν ἀγομένους καὶ γονεῖς δούλους ἀντ᾽ ἐλευθέρων ἐπὶ γήρως ὀδῷ γινομένους.

  [3] So carry this report back to them, and discuss very earnestly with them also, in the same way as you have with me, these considerations of justice — how fine a thing it is for everyone to enjoy his own possessions and to live in peace, but how disgraceful it is for a people, by clinging to the possessions of others, to expose themselves to an unnecessary war, in which they will run the hazard of losing even all their own blessings. Point out to them also how unequal are the prizes that reward success and failure when men covet the territory of others. Add too, if you please, that people who desire to seize the cities of those they have wronged, if they do not overcome them, are deprived of both their own territory and city, and in addition to this see their wives suffer the greatest indignities, their children led away to contumely, and their parents upon the threshold of old age become slaves instead of free men.

  [4] καὶ ἅμα διδάσκετε τὴν βουλήν, ὅτι τούτων τῶν κακῶν οὐκ ἂν ἔχοιεν αἰτιάσασθαι Μάρκιον, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀφροσύνην. παρὸν γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὰ δίκαια ποιεῖν καὶ μηδενὶ δεινῷ περιπεσεῖν τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐσχάτων κίνδυνον ἀναιρήσονται μέχρι παντὸς φιλοχωροῦντες ἐν τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις.

  [4] And at the same time point out to the senators that they would not be able to impute the blame for these evils to Marcius, but to their own folly; for though they have it in their power to practise justice and to incur no disaster, they will hazard their all by their continual fondness for the possessions of others.

  [5] ἔχετε τὰς ἀποκρίσεις: τούτων οὐθὲν ἂν εὕροισθε παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ πλέον, ἀλλ᾽ ἄπιτε καὶ σκοπεῖτε, ὅ [p. 177] τι πρακτέον ὑμῖν: ἕως δὲ βουλεύσησθε, δίδωμι χρόνον ὑμῖν ἡμερῶν τριάκοντα. ἐν δὲ τῷ μεταξὺ χρόνῳ σήν τε χάριν, ὦ Μηνύκιε, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὑμῶν ἕνεκα τὴν στρατιὰν ἐκ τῆς χώρας ἀπάξω: μεγάλα γὰρ ἂν βλάπτοισθε μενούσης αὐτῆς ἐνθάδε. τῇ δὲ τριακοστ
ῇ προσδέχεσθέ με ἡμέρᾳ τὰς ἀποκρίσεις ληψόμενον.

  [5] “You have my answer, and you will get nothing further from me. Depart, then, and consider what you must do. I will allow you thirty days for your deliberation. In the meantime, to show my regard for you, Minucius, as well as for the rest of you envoys, I will withdraw my army from your territory, since it would cause you great injury if it remained here. And on the thirtieth day expect my return in order to receive your answer.”

  [1] ταῦτ᾽ εἰπὼν ἀνέστη καὶ διέλυσε τὸν σύλλογον. τῇ δ᾽ ἐπιούσῃ νυκτὶ περὶ τὴν τελευταίαν φυλακὴν ἀναστήσας τὴν στρατιὰν ἦγεν ἐπὶ τὰς λοιπὰς τῶν Λατίνων πόλεις εἴτε κατ᾽ ἀλήθειαν πεπυσμένος, ὅτι μέλλοι τις ἐκεῖθεν ἐπικουρία Ῥωμαίοις ἀφικέσθαι, ὡς τότε δημηγορῶν ἔφησεν, εἴτ᾽ αὐτὸς πλασάμενος τὸν λόγον, ἵνα μὴ δόξειε χαριζόμενος τοῖς ἐχθροῖς καταλελοιπέναι τὸν πόλεμον.