the polity of the athenians and the lacedaemonians-第3节

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。　They　have　learnt　their　business；　some　in　piloting　a　small　craft；　others　a　merchant　vessel；　whilst　others　have　been　drafted　off　from　these　for　service　on　a　ship…of…war。　So　that　the　majority　of　them　are　able　to　row　the　moment　they　set　foot　on　board　a　vessel；　having　been　in　a　state　of　preliminary　practice　all　their　lives。

＇50＇　See　〃Mem。〃　II。　viii。　1。

＇51＇　See　〃Hell。〃　VII。　i。　4。



II

As　to　the　heavy　infantry；　an　arm　the　deficiency　of　which　at　Athens　is　well　recognised；　this　is　how　the　matter　stands。　They　recognise　the　fact　that；　in　reference　to　the　hostile　power；　they　are　themselves　inferior；　and　must　be；　even　if　their　heavy　infantry　were　more　numerous。＇1＇　But　relatively　to　the　allies；　who　bring　in　the　tribute；　their　strength　even　on　land　is　enormous。　And　they　are　persuaded　that　their　heavy　infantry　is　sufficient　for　all　purposes；　provided　they　retain　this　superiority。＇2＇　Apart　from　all　else；　to　a　certain　extent　fortune　must　be　held　responsible　for　the　actual　condition。　The　subjects　of　a　power　which　is　dominant　by　land　have　it　open　to　them　to　form　contingents　from　several　small　states　and　to　muster　in　force　for　battle。　But　with　the　subjects　of　a　naval　power　it　is　different。　As　far　as　they　are　groups　of　islanders　it　is　impossible　for　their　states　to　meet　together　for　united　action；　for　the　sea　lies　between　them；　and　the　dominant　power　is　master　of　the　sea。　And　even　if　it　were　possible　for　them　to　assemble　in　some　single　island　unobserved；　they　would　only　do　so　to　perish　by　famine。　And　as　to　the　states　subject　to　Athens　which　are　not　islanders；　but　situated　on　the　continent；　the　larger　are　held　in　check　by　need＇3＇　and　the　small　ones　absolutely　by　fear；　since　there　is　no　state　in　existence　which　does　not　depend　upon　imports　and　exports；　and　these　she　will　forfeit　if　she　does　not　lend　a　willing　ear　to　those　who　are　masters　by　sea。　In　the　next　place；　a　power　dominant　by　sea　can　do　certain　things　which　a　land　power　is　debarred　from　doing；　as　for　instance；　ravage　the　territory　of　a　superior；　since　it　is　always　possible　to　coast　along　to　some　point；　where　either　there　is　no　hostile　force　to　deal　with　or　merely　a　small　body；　and　in　case　of　an　advance　in　force　on　the　part　of　the　enemy　they　can　take　to　their　ships　and　sail　away。　Such　a　performance　is　attended　with　less　difficulty　than　that　experienced　by　the　relieving　force　on　land。＇4＇　Again；　it　is　open　to　a　power　so　dominating　by　sea　to　leave　its　own　territory　and　sail　off　on　as　long　a　voyage　as　you　please。　Whereas　the　land　power　cannot　place　more　than　a　few　days'　journey　between　itself　and　its　own　territory；　for　marches　are　slow　affairs；　and　it　is　not　possible　for　an　army　on　the　march　to　have　food　supplies　to　last　for　any　great　length　of　time。　Such　an　army　must　either　march　through　friendly　territory　or　it　must　force　a　way　by　victory　in　battle。　The　voyager　meanwhile　has　it　in　his　power　to　disembark　at　any　point　where　he　finds　himself　in　superior　force；　or；　at　the　worst；　to　coast　by　until　he　reaches　either　a　friendly　district　or　an　enemy　too　weak　to　resist。　Again；　those　diseases　to　which　the　fruits　of　the　earth　are　liable　as　visitations　from　heaven　fall　severely　on　a　land　power；　but　are　scarcely　felt　by　the　navel　power；　for　such　sicknesses　do　not　visit　the　whole　earth　everywhere　at　once。　So　that　the　ruler　of　the　sea　can　get　in　supplies　from　a　thriving　district。　And　if　one　may　descend　to　more　trifling　particulars；　it　is　to　this　same　lordship　of　the　sea　that　the　Athenians　owe　the　discovery；　in　the　first　place；　of　many　of　the　luxuries　of　life　through　intercourse　with　other　countries。　So　that　the　choice　things　of　Sicily　and　Italy；　of　Cyprus　and　Egypt　and　Lydia；　of　Pontus　or　Peloponnese；　or　wheresoever　else　it　be；　are　all　swept；　as　it　were；　into　one　centre；　and　all　owing；　as　I　say；　to　their　maritime　empire。　And　again；　in　process　of　listening　to　every　form　of　speech；＇5＇　they　have　selected　this　from　one　place　and　that　from　anotherfor　themselves。　So　much　so　that　while　the　rest　of　the　Hellenes　employ＇6＇　each　pretty　much　their　own　peculiar　mode　of　speech；　habit　of　life；　and　style　of　dress；　the　Athenians　have　adopted　a　composite　type；＇7＇　to　which　all　sections　of　Hellas；　and　the　foreigner　alike；　have　contributed。

＇1＇　Reading　after　Kirchhoff；　｛ettous　ge　。　。　。　kan　ei　meizon　en；　ton　　　　　dia　k。t。l。｝　See　Thuc。　i。　143；　Isocr。　〃de　Pace；〃　169　A；　Plut。　　　　　〃Them。〃　4　（Clough；　i。　235）。

＇2＇　Lit。　〃they　are　superior　to　their　allies。〃

＇3＇　Reading　with　Kirchhoff；　｛dia　khreian　。　。　。　dia　deos｝。

＇4＇　Or；　〃the　army　marching　along　the　seaboard　to　the　rescue。〃

＇5＇　Or；　〃a　variety　of　dialects。〃

＇6＇　Or；　〃maintain　somewhat　more。〃

＇7＇　Or；　〃have　contracted　a　mixed　style；　bearing　traces　of　Hellenic　and　　　　　foreign　influence　alike。〃　See　Mahaffy；　〃Hist。　of　Greek　Lit。〃　vol。　　　　　ii。　ch。　x。　p。　257　（1st　ed。）；　cf。　Walt　Whitman；　〃Preface　to〃　　　　　original　edition　of　〃Leaves　of　Grass；〃　p。　29〃The　English　　　　　language　befriends　the　grand　American　expression：　it　is　brawny　　　　　enough　and　limber　and　full　enough；　on　the　tough　stock　of　a　race；　　　　　who　through　all　change　of　circumstances　was　never　without　the　idea　　　　　of　a　political　liberty；　which　is　the　animus　of　all　liberty；　it　has　　　　　attracted　the　terms　of　daintier　and　gayer　and　subtler　and　more　　　　　elegant　tongues。〃

As　regards　sacrifices　and　temples　and　festivals　and　sacred　enclosures；　the　People　sees　that　it　is　not　possible　for　every　poor　citizen　to　do　sacrifice　and　hold　festival；　or　to　set　up＇8＇　temples　and　to　inhabit　a　large　and　beautiful　city。　But　it　has　hit　upon　a　means　of　meeting　the　difficulty。　They　sacrificethat　is；　the　whole　state　sacrificesat　the　public　cost　a　large　number　of　victims；　but　it　is　the　People　that　keeps　holiday　and　distributes　the　victims　by　lot　amongst　its　members。　Rich　men　have　in　some　cases　private　gymnasia　and　baths　with　dressing…　rooms；＇9＇　but　the　People　takes　care　to　have　built　at　the　public　cost＇10＇　a　number　of　palaestras；　dressing…rooms；　and　bathing　establishments　for　its　own　special　use；　and　the　mob　gets　the　benefit　of　the　majority　of　these；　rather　than　the　select　few　or　the　well…to…　do。

＇8＇　Reading　with　Kirchhoff；　｛istasthai｝。

＇9＇　See　Jebb；　〃Theophr。　Char。〃　vii。　18；　p。　202。

＇10＇　Reading　with　Kirchhoff；　｛demosia｝。

As　to　wealth；　the　Athenians　are　exceptionally　placed　with　regard　to　Hellenic　and　foreign　communities　alike；＇11＇　in　their　ability　to　hold　it。　For；　given　that　some　state　or　other　is　rich　in　timber　for　shipbuilding；　where　is　it　to　find　a　market＇12＇　for　the　product　except　by　persuading　the　ruler　of　the　sea？　Or；　suppose　the　wealth　of　some　state　or　other　to　consist　of　iron；　or　may　be　of　bronze；＇13＇　or　of　linen　yarn；　where　will　it　find　a　market　except　by　permission　of　the　supreme　maritime　power？　Yet　these　are　the　very　things；　you　see；　which　I　need　for　my　ships。　Timber　I　must　have　from　one；　and　from　another　iron；　from　a　third　bronze；　from　a　fourth　linen　yarn；　from　a　fifth　wax；　etc。　Besides　which　they　will　not　suffer　their　antagonists　in　those　parts＇14＇　to　carry　these　products　elsewhither；　or　they　will　cease　to　use　the　sea。　Accordingly　I；　without　one　stroke　of　labour；　extract　from　the　land　and　possess　all　these　good　things；　thanks　to　my　supremacy　on　the　sea；　whilst　not　a　single　other　state　possesses　the　two　of　them。　Not　timber；　for　instance；　and　yarn　together；　the　same　city。　But　where　yarn　is　abundant；　the　soil　will　be　light　and　devoid　of　timber。　And　in　the　same　way　bronze　and　iron　will　not　be　products　of　the　same　city。　And　so　for　the　rest；　never　two；　or　at　best　three；　in　one　state；　but　one　thing　here　and　another　thing　there。　Moreover；　above　and　beyond　what　has　been　said；　the　coast…line　of　every　mainland　presents；　either　some　jutting　promontory；　or　adjacent　island；　or　narrow　strait　of　some　sort；　so　that　those　who　are　masters　of　the　sea　can　come　to　moorings　at　one　of　these　points　and　wreak　vengeance＇15＇　on　the　inhabitants　of　the　mainland。

＇11＇　Or；　〃they　have　a　practical　monopoly。〃

＇12＇　Or；　〃how　is　it　to　dispose　of　the　product？〃

＇13＇　Or；　〃coppert。〃

＇14＇　Reading　｛ekei｝。　For　this　corrupt　passage　see　L。　Dindorf；　ad。　　　　　loc。；　also　Boeckh；　〃P。　E。　A。〃　I。　ix。　p。　55。　Perhaps　（as　my　friend　　　　　Mr。　J。　R。　Mozley　suggests）　the　simplest　supposition　is　to　suppose　　　　　that　there　is　an　ellipsis　before　｛e　ou　khresontai　te　thalatte｝：　　　　　thus；　〃Besides　which　they　will　not　suffer　their　antagonists　to　　　　　transport　goods　to　countries　outside　Attica；　they　must　yield；　or　　　　　they　shall　not　have　the　use　of　the　sea。〃

＇15＇　｛lobasthai｝。　This　〃poetical〃　word　comes　to　mean　〃harry；〃　　　　　〃pillage；〃　in　the　common　dialect。

There　is　just　one　thing　which　the　Athenians　lack。　Supposing　that　they　were　the　inhabitants　of　an　island；＇16＇　and　were　still；　as　now；　rulers　of　the　sea；　they　would　have　had　it　in　their　power　to　work　whatever　mischief　they　liked；　and　to　suffer　no　evil　in　return　（as　long　as　they　kept　command　of　the　sea）；　neither　the　ravaging　of　their　territory　nor　the　expectation　of　an　enemy's　approach。　Whereas　at　present　the　farming　portion　of　the　community　and　the　wealthy　landowners　are　ready＇17＇　to　cringe　before　the　enemy　overmuch；　whilst　the　People；　knowing　full　well　that；　come　what　may；　not　one　stock　or　stone　of　their　property　will　suffer；　nothing　will　be　cut　down；　nothing　burnt；　lives　in　freedom　from　alarm；　without　fawning　at　the　en