[31,120] καίτοι πότερον θῇ τις αὐτοὺς ἀνταγωνιστὰς ὑμῶν, ὥσπερ ἀξιοῦσιν, ἢ μᾶλλον, ὃ τῷ παντὶ βέλτιον καὶ δικαιότερον, καὶ τούτους καὶ τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους καὶ πάντας τοὺς ὁμοίους μέρος ὑμέτερον ἢ ὑμᾶς ἐκείνων; ἀλλ´ οὔτε τοὺς ἀνταγωνιστὰς ἁμαρτάνοντας εὔλογόν ἐστι μιμεῖσθαι, τοὐναντίον δὲ τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον κατορθοῦν, ἵνα τῷ παντὶ φαίνησθε προέχοντες αὐτῶν, καὶ μὴ μόνον διὰ τὴν ἐκείνων κακίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὴν αὑτῶν ἀρετὴν εὐδοκιμῆτε· οὔτε τοὺς οἰκείους καὶ προσήκοντας, ἀλλὰ μάλιστα μὲν κωλύειν, εἰ δ´ οὖν, αὐτούς γε πειρᾶσθαι τοῖς ἑαυτῶν ἔργοις τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἐκείνων ἐλάττω ποιεῖν. (31,121) ἔτι δ´ εἰ μὲν ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις μηδὲν αὐτῶν διεφέρετε, οὐδὲν ἴσως ἔδει καθ´ ἓν τοῦτο φιλοτιμεῖσθαι καὶ σκοπεῖν ὅπως κρείττους δόξετε. νῦν δὲ οὐθέν ἐστιν ἐφ´ ὅτῳ τῶν ἐκεῖ γιγνομένων οὐκ ἂν αἰσχυνθείη τις. οἷον εὐθὺς τὰ περὶ τοὺς μονομάχους οὕτω σφόδρα ἐζηλώκασι Κορινθίους, μᾶλλον δ´ ὑπερβεβλήκασι τῇ κακοδαιμονίᾳ κἀκείνους καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας, ὥστε οἱ Κορίνθιοι μὲν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως θεωροῦσιν ἐν χαράδρᾳ τινί, πλῆθος μὲν δυναμένῳ δέξασθαι τόπῳ, ῥυπαρῷ δὲ ἄλλως καὶ ὅπου μηδεὶς ἂν μηδὲ θάψειε μηδένα τῶν ἐλευθέρων, Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ ἐν τῷ θεάτρῳ θεῶνται τὴν καλὴν ταύτην θέαν ὑπ´ αὐτὴν τὴν ἀκρόπολιν, οὗ τὸν Διόνυσον ἐπὶ τὴν ὀρχήστραν τιθέασιν· ὥστε πολλάκις ἐν αὐτοῖς τινα σφάττεσθαι τοῖς θρόνοις, οὗ τὸν ἱεροφάντην καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἱερεῖς ἀνάγκη καθίζειν. (31,122) καὶ τὸν εἰπόντα περὶ τούτου φιλόσοφον καὶ νουθετήσαντα αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἀπεδέξαντο οὐδὲ ἐπῄνεσαν, ἀλλ´ οὕτως ἐδυσχέραναν, ὥστε ἐκεῖνον ὄντα μὲν γένει Ῥωμαίων μηδενὸς ὕστερον, δόξαν δὲ τηλικαύτην ἔχοντα ἡλίκης οὐδεὶς ἐκ πάνυ πολλοῦ τετύχηκεν, ὁμολογούμενον δὲ μόνον μάλιστα μετὰ τοὺς ἀρχαίους ἀκολούθως βεβιωκέναι τοῖς λόγοις, καταλιπεῖν τὴν πόλιν καὶ μᾶλλον ἑλέσθαι διατρίβειν ἀλλαχόσε τῆς Ἑλλάδος. ἀλλ´ οὐκ ἂν ὑμεῖς, ἄνδρες Ῥόδιοι, τοιοῦτον οὐθὲν ὑπομείναιτε, παρ´ οἷς νόμος ἐστὶ τὸν δημόσιον μηδέποτε εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν πόλιν. (31,123) τίνος οὖν ἕνεκα ἐπεμνήσθην; οὐ μὰ τὸν Δία λοιδορῆσαι βουλόμενος τοὺς Ἀθηναίους· τοὐναντίον γὰρ πᾶσιν ἐλεεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐπέρχεται τοῖς μετρίοις· ἀλλ´ ὅπως εἰδῆθ´ ὅτι λοιπὸν ὑμῖν οὐ πρὸς ἐκείνους ἐστὶν ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς καὶ τῶν ἄλλων εἴ τις σωφρονεῖ. καίτοι πάντα ὅσα ἂν εἴποι τις κατὰ Ἀθηναίων ἢ κατὰ Λακεδαιμονίων ἢ καθ´ ὧν δήποτε, παρ´ οἷς ἄλλα τινὰ φαύλως ἔχει καὶ σφόδρα ὀλιγώρως, ἐμοὶ συναγωνιεῖται· τὸ γὰρ τῶν εἰκόνων οὐκ ἔστι παρ´ αὐτοῖς ἰδεῖν οὕτω γιγνόμενον· ὥσθ´ ὅ γε μηδὲ .παρ´ ἐκείνοις ἁμαρτάνεται τοῖς ἐσχάτως ἀπολωλόσι πῶς οὐκ ἂν ὑπερβολήν τινα ἔχοι τῆς ἀτοπίας; (31,124) ἔτι δὲ μᾶλλον αὐτὰ τὰ περὶ τὰς τιμὰς παρατεθέντα ἀποδείκνυσι τοῦτο. εἰ γὰρ τὸ τῶν νῦν τινα παραστῆσαι τῶν ἀρχαίων τινὶ δοκεῖ δεινόν, πόσῳ δεινότερον τὸ οὕτως ἀφελέσθαι τινὰ ἐκείνων τῆς τιμῆς, ὥστε ἑτέρῳ δοῦναι; καὶ εἰ τὸ ὄνομα ἐπιγράψαι τινὸς ἄλλῳ τῳ πολὺ ἐλάττονι τηλικαύτην κατάγνωσιν φέρει, τὸ ἐξαλεῖψαι καὶ ἀνελεῖν τὸ τοῦ κρείττονος, ἐὰν οὕτω τύχῃ, ποῖόν τι φαίνεσθαι νομίζετε; καὶ μὴν εἴ τις ὑμᾶς Καυνίοις ἢ Μυνδίοις ὁμοίους εἶναι λέγοι, σφόδρα ὀργιεῖσθε καὶ βλασφημεῖν αὐτὸν ἡγήσεσθε κατὰ τῆς πόλεως· πῶς ἂν οὖν ἔθ´ ὑμῖν ἀπολογίαν τινὰ φέροι περί τινος τῶν παρ´ ὑμῖν τὸ καὶ παρ´ ἐκείνοις αὐτὸ γίγνεσθαι; (31,125) καθάπερ εἰ καὶ τὰ τείχη τις οἴοιτο δεῖν λῦσαι τὰ παρ´ ὑμῖν ἢ καὶ καταπίπτοντα ἐᾶν, ὅτι καὶ παρ´ ἑτέροις πέπτωκε, μᾶλλον δὲ πᾶσι τοῖς ἄλλοις σχεδόν. καίτοι τὰ μὲν τείχη διὰ τὴν εἰρήνην καὶ τὴν δουλείαν ἐᾶται παρ´ αὐτοῖς, ὧν τὸ μὲν ἅπαντες εὔχονται, τὴν εἰρήνην, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν οὐκ ἔστι κακίας σημεῖον· τὸ δὲ τοῖς παλαιοῖς τῶν εὐεργετῶν οὕτω προσφέρεσθαι δι´ ἀχαριστίαν γίγνεται. φαίην δ´ ἂν ἔγωγε παρὰ τούτοις μηδὲ εὐεργέτας ἀδικεῖσθαι. τίς γὰρ παρὰ Καυνίοις γέγονε γενναῖος ἀνήρ; ἢ τίς πώποτε ἐκείνους ἀγαθόν τι πεποίηκεν; οἵ γε δουλεύουσιν οὐχ ὑμῖν μόνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ῥωμαίοις, δι´ ὑπερβολὴν ἀνοίας καὶ μοχθηρίας διπλῆν αὑτοῖς τὴν δουλείαν κατασκευάσαντες. ταῦτα δὲ καὶ περὶ ἄλλων τις ἂν εἴποι τῶν ὁμοδόξων. (31,126) ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ καθόλου τοὺς τηλικοῦτον ἐφ´ αὑτοῖς φρονοῦντας ἡλίκον ὑμεῖς δικαίως οὐ πρὸς ἑτέρους ἀποβλέπειν οἴομαι δεῖν ἐν οἷς πράττουσιν, ἄλλως τε τοὺς τοσοῦτον χείρονας, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτῶν δόξαν καὶ τὸ τῆς πόλεως ἀξίωμα. γελοῖον γὰρ ἂν ἦν, εἰ τῶν ὑμετέρων τις πολιτῶν, Δωριεὺς ἐκεῖνος ἢ Λεωνίδας, οὓς τοσαυτάκις φασὶν Ὀλυμπίασι νικῆσαι, πρὸς ἄλλον τινὰ ὁρῶν ἐγυμνάζετο, καὶ ταῦτά γε μηδέποτε στεφανωθέντα. τοῖς μέντοι Λακεδαιμονίοις ἢ τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις εἰ βούλεσθε ἀντεξετάζεσθαι, συγχωρῶ τοῖς τότε οὖσιν, ὅτε αὐτοῖς εἰκότως ἄν τις τῶν ὁμοίων ὑμῖν συνεκρίνετο. (31,127) καὶ γὰρ τὸν ἀθλητὴν τὸν φιλοτιμούμενον ἔτι καὶ μηδέπω παραχωροῦντα τῆς ἰσχύος οὐ τοὺς νοσοῦντας εὔλογόν ἐστι προκαλεῖσθαι τῶν καθ´ αὑτὸν ἐνδόξων οὐ δὲ τοὺς τεθνεῶτας, ἀλλ´ εἰ μὲν εἶέν τινες ἐρρωμένοι, πρὸς ἐκείνους ἀγωνίζεσθαι περὶ τῆς νίκης· εἰ δὲ μή, τοιοῦτόν τι πρᾶξαι ζητεῖν, ὃ μηδενὸς αὐτὸν ἀσθενέστερον δείξει τῶν πρότερον. ὁ μὲν οὖν ὑγιὴς οὗτός ἐστι περὶ τῶν τοιούτων λόγος. εἰ δὲ ἄρα παρεῖναί τι δεῖ, μήτε πρὸς τοὺς τότε, οἳ ἦσαν κράτιστοι, παραβάλλοντες ἐξετάζετε τὸ πρᾶγμα, μήτε πρὸς τοὺς νῦν, οἳ μηδενὸς τῶν φαυλοτάτων διαφέρουσιν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοὺς μέσους αὐτῶν ἢ καὶ τοὺς ἔτι τούτων ἐλάττονας. (31,128) παρὰ τοίνυν τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις κατὰ Φίλιππον μάλιστα, ὅτε τῆς ἡγεμονίας παρακεχωρήκεσαν, τῆς δ´ ἐλευθερίας μόνης λοιπὸν ἀντείχοντο, Λεπτίνης τις εἰσήνεγκε νόμον ὡς χρὴ τὰς ἀτελείας ἀφελέσθαι τοὺς ἔχοντας παρὰ τοῦ δήμου, δίχα τῶν ἀφ´ Ἁρμοδίου καὶ Ἀριστογείτονος, καὶ μηκέτι τὸ λοιπὸν ἐξεῖναι διδόναι μηδενὶ τὴν δωρεὰν ταύτην. τί οὖν; ἔσθ´ ὅπως παρεδέξαντο τὸν νόμον; οὐμενοῦν, ἀλλ´ ἑάλω γραφῆς. (31,129) φέρε τοίνυν συμβάλετε τοῦτο τὸ ἔθος ἐκείνῳ τῷ νόμῳ, κἂν μὲν ὑμῖν κατά τι βέλτιον φαίνηται, φυλάξατε αὐτὸ καὶ ποιήσατε ἰσχυρότερον πρὸς τὸ λοιπόν· ὅπερ ἐξ ἀνάγκης γένοιτ´ ἄν, εἰ μὴ λυθήσεται νῦν· ἐὰν δὲ πανταχῇ σκοπούμενοι χεῖρον εὑρίσκητε, μιμήσασθε τοὺς κατ´ ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον Ἀθηναίους καὶ τὸ μᾶλλον ἄτοπον τοῦ τότε λυθέντος ὑπ´ ἐκείνων καὶ ὑμεῖς νῦν λύσατε.

[31,120] And yet, let me ask, shall anyone class the Athenians as your rivals, as these persons demand, or rather — and this is in every way better and fairer — hold both them and the Spartans and all others like them to be your co-partners, or you theirs? But it is not sensible to imitate your rivals when they err, but on the contrary to endeavour so much the more to do right yourselves, in order that you may be found superior to them in every respect and ever win credit, not only on account of their demerits, but also on account of your own virtue; nor should you copy your friends and relatives, but should try to check them if possible, or, if you do copy them, should by the merit of your own conduct try to minimize their shortcomings. 121 Moreover, if you were no whit superior to the Athenians in other respects, perhaps you would not find it necessary to feel any jealousy of them in this one matter and to consider how you might have a reputation better than theirs. But as matters now stand, there is no practice current in Athens which would not cause any man to feel ashamed. For instance, in regard to the gladiatorial shows the Athenians have so zealously emulated the Corinthians, or rather, (p127) have so surpassed both them and all others in their mad infatuation, that whereas the Corinthians watch these combats outside the city in a glen, a place that is able to hold a crowd but otherwise is dirty and such that no one would even bury there any freeborn citizen, the Athenians look on at this fine spectacle in their theatre under the very walls of the Acropolis, in the place where they bring their Dionysus into the orchestra and stand him up, so that often a fighter is slaughtered among the very seats in which the Hierophant and the other priests must sit. 122 And the philosopher who spoke about this matter and rebuked them they refused to obey and did not even applaud; on the contrary, they were so incensed that, although in blood he was inferior to no Roman, but enjoyed a reputation greater than any one man has attained for generations, and was admittedly the only man who since the time of the ancients had lived most nearly in conformity with reason, this man was forced to leave the city and preferred to go and live somewhere else in Greece. But you, O men of Rhodes, would not tolerate any such thing as that, since among you there is a law which (p129) prescribes that the executioner must never enter the city. 123 What, then, was my object in mentioning this? Not, I assure you, any desire to abuse the Athenians; for, on the contrary, all decent men instinctively feel pity for them; it was rather in order that you might know that from this time on your reckoning is not with them but your own selves and with all others who are sober- minded. And yet everything that might be said in criticism of the Athenians or of the Spartans or any other peoples among whom are found other practices which are bad and due to gross carelessness, will reinforce my argument; for in the matter of statues you can find no such abuse among them as prevails here; must we not, therefore, of necessity conclude that this particular form of wrongdoing, which is not practiced even among those we have mentioned who are utterly lost to shame, is beyond all exaggeration monstrous? 124 And this characterization becomes still more convincing if some few details of what happens in connection with the honours you grant are brought into comparison by themselves. If, for instance, it is considered an outrage to place any man of the present day beside any of the ancients, how much more of an outrage is it to deprive, as you are doing, an ancient of his honour for the purpose of bestowing it upon another? And if the inscribing of one person's name over that of another and a much inferior person brings so great condemnation, completely to erase and remove the name of the better man, if it so happens — in what sort of light do you think this act appears? (p131) Moreover, if anyone says that you are no better than the Caunians or Myndians, you will be very angry and think that he is slandering your city; how, then, could any man any longer bring forward before you in defence of any practice prevalent among you the argument that that very thing is done by those other peoples also? 125 It is just as if a person thought that you ought to demolish your own walls, or let them lie when they fall, simply because they lie fallen in the other cities, or rather, in practically all the others. Yet with them the walls are neglected because of their condition of peace and servitude, one of which everybody welcomes, to wit, peace, whereas the other is no longer a sign of baseness; but when people treat in this way their benefactors of long ago, the reason is ingratitude. But I for my part venture to assert that even among your neighbours yonder wrong is not done to benefactors! For who among the Caunians has ever proved himself a noble man? Or who has ever conferred any benefaction upon them? Why, they are in a state of abject slavery, not alone to you but also to the Romans, on account of their excessive folly and wickedness having made their slavery a double one. And this one might also say about others who have the same reputation. 126 But, speaking generally, I think that a people who take such pride in themselves as you justly do should not, in shaping their conduct, keep their eyes on these (p133) others, especially on those who are so much their inferiors, but rather upon their own reputation and the proud position of their city. It would have been absurd if one of your own citizens, that famous Dorieus, or Leonidas, men who are said to have won so many victories at Olympia, had done his training with his eye on some other athlete, and him a man who had never been crowned. However, if you wish to measure yourselves against the Spartans or the Athenians, I concede the point in regard to the Athenians of the olden days, when any people similar to yourselves might with good reason have tried to be comparable to them. 127 Take, for instance, the athlete: If he is still eager for honours and is not yet declining in bodily vigour, it is not sensible for him to challenge the famous prize-winners of his own time who are sick, nor yet the dead, nay rather, if there are any who are at the top of their strength, he should select these and strive with them for the victory; but if none such are available, he should aim to achieve an exploit of such a kind as will show that he is no whit inferior in strength to any athlete of former times. That is sound reasoning about such matters. But if after all it is necessary to make some concession, do not test the question by making a comparison with the peoples who in former times were the strongest, nor yet with those of the present day who are no better than any people of the most worthless sort, but measure yourselves against those who are in between, or against those who are still lower in the scale than they. (p135) 128 Well then, among the Athenians of the time of Philip, and at very near the time when they had given up the primacy among the Greeks and their liberty was the only thing to which they still clung, there was a certain Leptines who proposed a law to the effect that all should be deprived of the privileges of exemption from public duties who had received it from the people, with the exception of the descendants of Harmodius and Aristogeiton, and that for the future it will be no longer permissible to grant to any one this gift. Well, what happened? Did they by any chance accept that law? They did not, but the law's proposer was convicted on an indictment for introducing an illegal measure. 129 Come then, compare this custom with that law, and if it seems to you in any way better, retain it and make it stronger for the future — which is bound to happen if it is not abolished now — but if after considering it on all sides you find it to be inferior, then imitate the Athenians of that early period and abolish now that practice which is more monstrous than the one abolished formerly by them.