[31,150] εἶτα Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν καὶ Νέρων οὕτω τὰ παρ´ ὑμῖν ἐτήρησαν καὶ σεμνὰ ἔκριναν· ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐ φυλάξετε; καὶ Νέρων μὲν ὁ τῶν βασιλέων σφοδρότατος καὶ πλεῖστον αὑτῷ διδοὺς καὶ πρὸς ἅπασαν ἐξουσίαν πάντ´ ἐλάττω νενομικὼς οὐδενὸς ἀφείλετο τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν παρὰ μόνοις Ῥοδίοις τιμηθέντων· αὐτοὶ δ´ ὑμεῖς ἀφαιρεῖσθε; {καὶ πόσῳ κρεῖττον ἦν κἀνθάδε ταὐτὸ γεγονέναι; παρὰ μὲν γὰρ τοῖς ἄλλοις μένει τὰ τῶν τιμηθέντων ὀνόματα καὶ τὰς ἐπιγραφὰς οὐδεὶς ἂν ἀπαλείψειεν· ὑμεῖς δ´ ὥσπερ κακόν τι πεπονθότες ὑπ´ αὐτῶν ἐκχαράττετε.} (31,151) καίτοι φαίη τις ἄν, εἰ καὶ παρὰ τῶν βασιλέων ἀνῃροῦντο, μηδὲν οὕτως ἀδικεῖσθαι τοὺς ἄνδρας. οὐ γὰρ ὡς δώσοντες ἑτέροις, ἀλλὰ κόσμου δεόμενοι μετέφερον, ὥστ´ οὐδεὶς ἂν αὐτῶν ἀφῄρει τὸ ὄνομα, οὐδ´ αὖ χεῖρον ἀπήλλαττον ἀντὶ Μεγάρων καὶ Ἐπιδαύρου καὶ τῆς Ἀνδρίων ἢ Μυκονίων ἀγορᾶς ἐν τοῖς Ῥωμαίων ἱεροῖς ἀνακείμενοι. κἂν ταῦτ´ ἀφῇ τις, βέλτιον ἦν τό γε καθ´ ὑμᾶς οὕτως αὐτῶν ἠφανίσθαι τὰς τιμάς. οὐδὲν γὰρ ὑπῆρχεν ἁμάρτημα ὑμέτερον, οὐδ´ αὐτοὶ τοὺς εὐεργέτας ἂν τοὺς ἑαυτῶν ἠδικεῖτε καὶ τοὺς ἥρωας, ἀλλ´, εἴπερ ἄρα, συνηδικεῖσθε αὐτοῖς. (31,152) καὶ μὴν εἴ τις ὑμῶν πύθοιτο, εἰ καὶ δόξει γελοιότερον, τί δήποτε οὔθ´ ὑμεῖς οὔτ´ ἄλλος οὐθεὶς πηλίνους ποιεῖσθε τὰς εἰκόνας τῶν κριθέντων ἀξίων εἶναι τῆς δωρεᾶς ταύτης, εὐχερέστερον δήπουθεν ὂν καὶ μηδεμίαν ἢ παντελῶς μικρὰν δαπάνην ἔχον· φαίητ´ ἂν οἶμαι· {οὐ} διὰ τὸ {μὴ} ὑβρίζεσθαι {ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὸ} διαμένειν, εἰ δυνατόν, εἰς ἀεὶ τὰς τιμὰς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν. νῦν τοίνυν ἐπίστασθε τοὺς ἀνδριάντας ὑμῖν ἅπαντας κηρίνων ὄντας ἀσθενεστέρους. οὐ γὰρ εἰ τὸν ἥλιον φέρουσι, τοῦτο δεῖ σκοπεῖν. ὑπὸ γὰρ τῆς κολακείας τῆς πρὸς ἑτέρους διαφθείρονται, κἂν τῷ δεῖνι δόξῃ καὶ τῷ δεῖνι δι´ ἡνδήποτ´ αἰτίαν, οὐκέτ´ εἰσὶν οἱ πρότερον. (31,153) πολὺ δὲ χείρων ἡ τοιαύτη διαφθορά. τότε μὲν γὰρ ἠλέγχετ´ ἂν ἡ τῆς ὕλης ἀσθένεια, νυνὶ δὲ ἡ κακία τῆς πόλεως {φαίνεσθαι δοκεῖ}. τοιγαροῦν ὁμοίως δίδοτε τοὺς ἀνδριάντας, ὥσπερ οἱ τὰς κόρας ταύτας ὠνούμενοι τοῖς παισίν. καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι διδόασιν οὕτως, ὥστε μηδὲν λυπεῖσθαι μετ´ ὀλίγον συντριβέντων. ἆρα ἀγνοεῖτε τὴν προσοῦσαν αἰσχύνην τῷ πράγματι καὶ πόσον γέλωτα ὄφλετε δημοσίᾳ ψευδόμενοι, καὶ ταῦτα φανερῶς οὕτως; (31,154) ἐν γοῦν τοῖς ψηφίσμασι γράφετε, στῆσαι δὲ εἰκόνα τοῦ δεῖνος. Πῶς, εἴποι τις ἂν ὑμῖν, ἄνδρες Ῥόδιοι, στῆσαι γράφετε τὴν ἑστῶσαν, ἐὰν οὕτω τύχῃ, πρὸ πεντακοσίων ἐτῶν; εἶτα τῶν μὲν γυναικῶν τὰς ὑποβαλλομένας παιδία πονηρὰς κρίνετε καὶ δεινόν τι ποιεῖν ἡγεῖσθε καταψευδομένας· αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ αἰσχύνεσθε τοῦτο ποιοῦντες ἐπὶ τῶν εἰκόνων, καὶ τοὺς ἀνδριάντας, ὧν οὐκ εἰσί, τούτων εἶναι λέγοντες, καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ὄντες ἀνήκοοι τῶν κατὰ τῆς πόλεως σκωμμάτων; (31,155) φασὶ γοῦν πολλοὶ τοὺς Ῥοδίων ἀνδριάντας ὁμοίους εἶναι τοῖς ὑποκριταῖς. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκείνων ἕκαστον ἄλλοτε ἄλλον εἰσιέναι, καὶ τοὺς ἀνδριάντας ὑμῖν ἄλλοτε ἄλλα λαμβάνειν πρόσωπα καὶ μικροῦ δεῖν ὑποκρινομένους ἑστάναι. τὸν γὰρ αὐτὸν νῦν μὲν εἶναι Ἕλληνα, νῦν δὲ Ῥωμαῖον, πάλιν δ´, ἂν οὕτω τύχῃ, Μακεδόνα ἢ Πέρσην· καὶ ταῦτ´ ἐπ´ ἐνίων οὕτως ὥστε τὸν ἰδόντα εὐθὺς εἰδέναι. καὶ γὰρ ἐσθὴς καὶ ὑπόδεσις καὶ τοιαῦθ´ ἕτερα τὸ ψεῦσμα ἐλέγχει. (31,156) καὶ μυρία ἐῶ τῶν γιγνομένων, οἷον τὸ πολλάκις ἀνδρὸς σφόδρα γέροντος εἰκόνι νέου τινὸς τὸ ὄνομα ἐπιγράφειν, θαυμαστήν τινα οἶμαι δωρεὰν εὑρηκότων ὑμῶν, εἰ μετά γε τῆς τιμῆς καὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν δίδοτε· καὶ πάλιν ἀθλητοῦ τινος ἀνδριάντα ἑστάναι, ὡς ὄντα ἀνθρώπου παντελῶς ἀσθενοῦς καὶ μετρίου τὸ σῶμα. τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἱππεύοντα τὸν δεῖνα ὁρᾶσθαι παρ´ ὑμῖν ἢ πολεμίῳ συνεστῶτα ἢ στράτευμα ἐκτάσσοντα ἄνθρωπον οὐδεπώποτε τῆς γῆς ἁψάμενον τοῖς αὑτοῦ ποσὶν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ὤμων καταβάντα τῶν φερόντων οὐδὲν ἴσως ἄτοπον· ἀλλ´ ὁ δεῖνά γε ἕστηκε πυκτεύων παρ´ ὑμῖν. (31,157) καὶ λέγω ταῦτα μὰ τὸν Δία οὐκ ἀπεχθάνεσθαι βουλόμενος ὑμῖν οὐδὲ διασύρων τὴν πόλιν, ἀλλ´ ὅπως μηδὲν ἀνάξιον ἑαυτῆς μηδὲ ἀλλότριον τῆς ἄλλης εὐκοσμίας καὶ τῆς πολιτείας φαίνηται ποιοῦσα. καί μοι δοκεῖ τις ἂν εἰκότως προαχθῆναι διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἅπαντας εὔνοιαν τοὺς Ἕλληνας, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὴν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, εἴ τι ἄρα ἐνθάδε ἔχοι μὴ καλῶς, εἰπεῖν καὶ μηνῦσαι. πρότερον μὲν γὰρ ἐκ πολλῶν συνειστήκει τὸ κοινὸν ἀξίωμα καὶ πολλοὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα ηὖξον, ὑμεῖς, Ἀθηναῖοι, Λακεδαιμόνιοι, Θηβαῖοι, χρόνον τινὰ Κορίνθιοι, τὸ παλαιὸν Ἀργεῖοι. (31,158) νυνὶ δὲ τὸ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων οὐθέν ἐστιν. οἱ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν ὅλως ἀνῄρηνται καὶ ἀπολώλασιν, οἱ δὲ ἀσχημονοῦσι πράττοντες οἷα ἀκούετε καὶ πάντα τρόπον τὴν παλαιὰν δόξαν ἀφανίζοντες, οἰόμενοι τρυφᾶν οἱ ἀνόητοι καὶ κέρδος ἀριθμοῦντες τὸ μηθένα κωλύειν αὐτοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας. λοιποὶ δὲ ὑμεῖς ἐστε· καὶ γὰρ μόνοις ὑμῖν ὑπάρχει τὸ δοκεῖν ὄντως τινὰς γεγονέναι καὶ μὴ τελέως καταπεφρονῆσθαι. διὰ μὲν γὰρ τοὺς οὕτω χρωμένους ταῖς ἑαυτῶν πατρίσιν, ὡς ἀληθεύοντες ἔνιοι λέγουσιν, οὐθὲν ἐκώλυε πάλαι Φρυγῶν πάντας ἢ Θρᾳκῶν ἀτιμοτέρους γεγονέναι τοὺς Ἕλληνας. (31,159) ὥσπερ οὖν οἰκίας ἠρημωμένης εὐδαίμονος καὶ μεγάλης, ὅταν εἷς ἔτι λοιπὸς ᾖ διάδοχος, ἐν ἐκείνῳ πάντα ἐστί, κἂν οὗτος ἁμαρτάνῃ τι καὶ ἀκούῃ κακῶς, τὴν ὅλην δόξαν ἀφανίζει τῆς οἰκίας καὶ πάντας καταισχύνει τοὺς πρότερον· οὕτως τὰ ὑμέτερα νῦν ἔχει πρὸς τὴν Ἑλλάδα. μὴ γὰρ οἴεσθε πρωτεύειν αὐτῆς, ἄνδρες Ῥόδιοι, μὴ οἴεσθε. τῶν γὰρ ζώντων ἔτι καὶ τῶν αἰσθανομένων τιμῆς ἢ ἀδοξίας ἔστι πρώτους εἶναι. τὰ δὲ ἐκείνης οἴχεται καὶ πάντα τρόπον αἰσχρῶς καὶ ἐλεεινῶς διέφθαρται· καὶ οὐδὲ ἐπινοῆσαι λοιπὸν ἔστι τὴν ὑπεροχὴν καὶ τὴν λαμπρότητα τῶν πόλεων εἴς γε τοὺς ἄνδρας ὁρῶντα.

[31,150] So then, when the Romans and Nero guarded your possessions so scrupulously and esteemed them inviolate, shall you yourselves fail to protect them? Nero, that most immoderate of emperors, who took the most liberties and considered everything subject to his own unlimited power, took away the statue of no one of those who had received honour from the people of Rhodes, and from them only. And do you, your own selves, rob these men? Yet how much better it would have been, had the same thing happened here also! I mean that whereas elsewhere the names of the men who have been honoured are left and no one would think of erasing the inscriptions, you chisel them out just as if the men had done you some wrong. 151 And yet, one might say even if your statues were being carried off by the emperors, the men were not being so grievously wronged as at present; for the emperors were engaged in removing such things, not (p155) with the intention of giving them to others, but because they wanted objects of embellishment, so that none of them would think of removing the name, nor would persons be any the worse off because, instead of being set up as offerings at Megara or Epidaurus or in the market-place of Andros or of Myconos, they were set up in the sacred places of the Romans. But dismissing these considerations, it would have been better, so far as you are concerned, had these men's tokens of honour been thus obliterated. For then there would have been no fault on your part, nor would you yourselves be wronging your own benefactors and your heroes, but, if there were any wrong at all, you would be suffering it in common with them. 152 And further, if anyone should inquire of you, absurd though it may seem, why on earth do neither you nor anyone else make of clay the statues of those who have been adjudged worthy of this gift, since that, no doubt, is easier to manage and involves very little or no expense, you would reply, I suppose: "Not only to avoid giving insult but also in order that the honours which are given to good men may abide forever if that is possible." Yes, but as the case stands, I would have you know that all your statues are less permanent than waxen ones. For it is not a question of whether they can endure the sun, since it is the desire to flatter another group of men which ruins them; and if it seems good to this or that magistrate for any reason whatsoever, the honoured men of former times are no more! (p157) 153 And this sort of distinction is much worse; for in the old days the fragility of the material would be blamed, but now men think it is the city's moral weakness that is being brought to light. And so you go on handing out your statues very much as parents do who buy for their children these cheap dolls. For they too are so casual about their gifts that very soon there is sorrow — when the gifts have fallen to pieces! Can it be that you are unaware of the shame which attaches to this practice, and how ridiculous you make yourselves by this deception practised by your state, and that too so openly? 154 For instance, in your decrees you propose 'to erect a statue of So- and-so.' "But just how," someone might ask you, "do you propose, men of Rhodes, to 'erect' the statue that has been erected possibly for the last five hundred years?" After doing that, can you adjudge those women who palm off other women's children as their own to be wicked and regard their deception as a horrible thing, while you yourselves are not ashamed of doing the same thing with your images by saying that the statues belong to those to whom they do not belong, and that too when you cannot help hearing of the jests with which your city is reviled? 155 For instance, many people assert that the statues of the Rhodians are like actors. For just as every actor makes his entrance as one character at one time and at another as another, so likewise your statues assume different rôles at different times and stand almost as if they were acting a part. For instance, one and the same statue, they say, is at (p159) one time a Greek, at another time a Roman, and later on, if it so happens, a Macedonian or a Persian; and what is more, with some statues the deception is so obvious that the beholder at once is aware of the deceit. For in fact, clothing, foot-gear, and everything else of that kind expose the fraud. 156 And I pass over countless instances of what happens, such as that often the name of some young man is inscribed on the statue of a very old man — a most wonderful gift, methinks, you have discovered, if along with the honour you can also make a present of youth; and again, we hear of a statue of a certain athlete which stands here, that it represents an utter weakling of a man, quite ordinary of body. For while we admit that there is perhaps no incongruity in your having before everybody's eyes in your city the figure of So-and-so mounted upon a horse in the act either of grappling with a foeman or of marshalling an army, even though he was a fellow who never touched the earth with his own feet or descended from the shoulders of the carriers who bore him; but what can one say of So-and-so, who stands in your midst in the pose of a boxer! 157 Now I say all this, I assure you, with no desire to incur your hatred or to disparage your city, but in order to prevent its being found doing anything unworthy of itself or alien to the general decorum of its public life. And it seems to me that anyone would have good reason for being moved, by his good will toward all the Hellenes, and not alone toward you, if in fact there should be any practice here in Rhodes that is not as it should be, to mention it and (p161) make it known to you. For in the past, indeed, many elements contributed to the high standing in which we all share, and many peoples exalted Hellas — you, the Athenians, the Spartans, the Thebans, the Corinthians for a while, and in ancient times the Argives; 158 but at the present time all the rest count for naught. For while some of them have been utterly destroyed and have perished, others disgrace themselves by doing the sort of things of which you hear and in every way blotting out their ancient glory, thinking that they are having an easy life, fools that they are, and counting it gain that there is no one to keep them from erring. But you are left, for you alone still are believed to have proved yourselves to be in truth a people of consequence and not utterly despised. In fact, because of those who treat as they do their native countries, there was nothing to prevent the Hellenic race from having become long since — as some men are saying with perfect truth — more despised than the Phrygians or Thracians. 159 Therefore, just as, when a prosperous and great family has been left desolate and only one male descendant survives, everything depends upon him, and if he errs in any way and bears a bad name, he destroys all the glory of his family and puts shame upon all who preceded him, so too is your position now in respect to Hellas. For you must not take it for granted, Rhodians, that you hold first place in Hellas, nay you must not. For it is only those Hellenes who still live and are sensible of the difference between honour and dishonour of whom it is possible for any to be first. But all the former are past and gone, have perished in an utterly shameful (p163) and pitiable way; and as to the rest, it is no longer possible to form a conception of the pre-eminence and splendour of their deeds and, as well, their sufferings, by looking at the men of the present time.