Xenophon - Hiero

8/10/2019 Xenophon - Hiero

1/32

Hiero

by Xenophon

Translation by H. G. Dakyns

The Hiero is an imaginary dialogue, c. 474 B.C.,beteen !imonides o" Ceos, the poet# and Hieron,

o" !yracuse and Gela, the despot.

H$%&', or (TH% T)&*+T(

* Discourse on Despotic &ule

$

'nce upon a time !imonides the poet paid a isit to Hiero the(tyrant,(-/ and hen both obtained the liesure re0uisite, !imonides

began this conersation1

-/ 'r, (came to the court o" the despotic monarch Hiero.( 2or the

(dramatis personae( see Dr. Holden3s $ntroduction to the (Hieron(

o" Xenophon.

ould you be pleased to gie me in"ormation, Hiero, upon certain

matters, as to hich it is likely you hae greater knoledge than

mysel"5-6/

-6/ 'r, (ould you oblige me by eplaining certain matters, as to

hich your knoledge naturally transcends my on5(

*nd pray, hat sort o" things may those be 8ansered Hiero9, o" hich$ can hae greater knoledge than yoursel", ho are so ise a man5

$ kno 8replied the poet9 that you ere once a priate person,-:/ and

are no a monarch. $t is but likely, there"ore, that haing testedboth conditions,-4/ you should kno better than mysel", herein the

li"e o" the despotic ruler di""ers "rom the li"e o" any ordinary

person, looking to the sum o" ;oys and sorros to hich "lesh is heir.

-:/ 'r, (a common citi


2/32

manhood.

-?/ @it. (in that case, $ think $ should best be able to point out the

3di""erentia3 o" either.(

Thus it as that !imonides spoke "irst1 ell then, as to priatepersons, "or my part $ obsere,-7/ or seem to hae obsered, that e

are liable to arious pains and pleasures, in the shape o" sights,

sounds, odours, meats, and drinks, hich are coneyed through certainaenues o" sense>>to it, the eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth. *nd there

are other pleasures, those named o" *phrodite, o" hich the channels

are ell knon. hile as to degree o" heat and cold, things hard and

so"t, things light and heay, the sense appealed to here, $ enture tobeliee, is that o" the hole body#-A/ hereby e discern these

opposites, and derie "rom them no pain, no pleasure. But ith

regard to things named good and eil,-/ it appears to me that

sometimes the mind 8or soul9 itsel" is the sole instrument by hich eregister our pains and pleasures# hilst at other times such pains and

pleasures are deried con;ointly through both soul and body.-/ There

are some pleasures, "urther, i" $ may trust my on sensations, hich

are coneyed in sleep, though ho and by hat means and hen

precisely, are matters as to hich $ am still more conscious o" myignorance. +or is it to be ondered at perhaps, i" the perceptions o"

aking li"e in some ay strike more clearly on our senses than do

those o" sleep.-/

-7/ 'r, (i" $ may trust my poers o" obseration $ ould say that

common men are capable o" pains and pleasures coneyed through

certain aenues o" sense, as sight through our eyes, sounds through our ears, smells through our noses, and meats and drinks

through our mouths.(

-A/ C". Cic. (de +. D.( ii. =?, !. 4.

-/ &eading edesthai te kai lupeisthai . . .E or i" ith Breit

reading ote d3 au lupeisthaiE, transl. (then as to good and eil

e are a""ected pleasurably or pain"ully, as the case may be1 sometimes, i" $ am right in my conclusion, through the mind itsel"

alone# at other times . . .(

-/ 'r, (they are mental partly, partly physical.(

-/ @it. (the incidents o" aking li"e present sensations o" a more

iid character.(

To this statement Hiero made anser1 *nd $, "or my part, ' !imonides,

ould "ind it hard to state, outside the list o" things hich you hae

named yoursel", in hat respect the despot can hae other channels o"

perception.-6/ !o that up to this point $ do not see that thedespotic li"e di""ers in any ay at all "rom that o" common people.

-6/ i.e. (being like constituted, the autocratic person has no other

sources o" perception1 he has no claim to a ider gamut o" sensation, and conse0uently thus "ar there is not a pin to choose

beteen the li"e o" the despot and that o" a priate person.(

Then !imonides1 'nly in this respect it surely di""ers, in that thepleasures hich the (tyrant( en;oys through all these seeral aenues

o" sense are many times more numerous, and the pains he su""ers are


3/32

"ar "eer.

To hich Hiero1 +ay, that is not so, !imonides, take my ord "or it#

the "act is rather that the pleasures o" the despot are "ar "eer than

those o" people in a humbler condition, and his pains not only "ar

more numerous, but more intense.

That sounds incredible 8eclaimed !imonides9# i" it ere really so,

ho do you eplain the passionate desire commonly displayed to ieldthe tyrant3s sceptre, and that too on the part o" persons reputed to

be the ablest o" men5 hy should all men eny the despotic monarch5

2or the all>su""icient reason 8he replied9 that they "orm conclusionson the matter ithout eperience o" the to conditions. *nd $ ill try

to proe to you the truth o" hat $ say, beginning ith the "aculty o"

ision, hich, unless my memory betrays me, as your starting>point.

ell then, hen $ come to reason-:/ on the matter, "irst o" all $

"ind that, as regards the class o" ob;ects o" hich these orbs o"

ision are the channel,-4/ the despot has the disadantage. %ery

region o" the orld, each country on this "air earth, presents ob;ects

orthy o" contemplation, in 0uest o" hich the ordinary citi


4/32

yet he only o" all men is neer alloed to go on a ;ourney, or to

see things hich other "ree men desire to see# but he lies in his hole like a oman hidden in the house, and is ;ealous o" any other

citi


5/32

pleasure, to begin ith, goes, the pleasure o" anticipation, the

monarch is at disadantage compared ith priate people.

*nd in the net place 8he continued9, $ am sure your on eperience

ill bear me out so "ar1 the more iands set be"ore a man at table

8beyond hat are su""icient9,-6=/ the more 0uickly ill satiety o"eating oertake him. !o that in actual duration o" the pleasure, he

ith his many dishes has less to boast o" than the moderate lier.

-6=/ ta peritta ton ikanonE. These ords Hartm. op. cit. p. 6=4,

regards as an ecrescence.

)es, but good graciousK surely 8broke in !imonides9, during the actualtime,-6?/ be"ore the appetite is cloyed, the gastronomic pleasure

deried "rom the costlier bill o" "are "ar eceeds that o" the cheaper

dinner>table.

-6?/ @it. (so long as the soul 8i.e. the appetite9 accepts ith

pleasure the iands(# i.e. there3s an interal, at any rate,

during hich (such as my soul delights in( can still apply and "or

so long.

But, as a matter o" plain logic 8Hiero retorted9, should you not say,

the greater the pleasure a man "eels in any business, the more

enthusiastic his deotion to it5

That is 0uite true 8he ansered9.

Hiero. Then hae you eer noticed that croned heads display morepleasure in attacking the bill o" "are proided them, than priate

persons theirs5

+o, rather the reerse 8the poet ansered9# i" anything, they sho aless degree o" gusto,-67/ unless they are astly libelled.

-67/ (+o, not more pleasure, but eceptional "astidiousness, i" hat

people say is true.( agleukesteronE, said ap. !uid. to be a !icilian ord F (more sourly.(

ell 8Hiero continued9, and all these onder"ully>made dishes hich

are set be"ore the tyrant, or nine>tenths o" them, perhaps you haeobsered, are combinations o" things acid to the taste, or pungent, or

astringent, or akin to these5-6A/

-6A/ @it. (and their congeners,( (their analogues,( e.g. (curries, pickles, bitters, peppery condiments.(

To be sure they are 8he ansered9, unnatural iands, one and all, in

my opinion, most alien to ordinary palates.-6/

-6/ 'r, (unsuited to man3s taste,( (3caiare to the general3 $ name

them.(

Hiero. $n "act, these condiments can only be regarded as the

craings-:/ o" a stomach eakened by luurious liing# since $ am

0uite sure that keen appetites 8and you, $ "ancy, kno it ell too9

hae not the slightest need "or all these delicate made things.

-:/ C". Ilat. (@as,( ?A7 C# (Hipp.( ii. 44. @it. (can you in "act


6/32

regard these condiments as other than . . .( !ee Holden ad loc.

8ed. AAA9# Hartm. op. cit. p. 6=, suggests enthumemataE, (inentions.(

$t is true, at any rate 8obsered !imonides9, about those costly

per"umes, ith hich your persons are anointed, that your neighboursrather than yourseles etract en;oyment "rom them# ;ust as the

unpleasant odour o" some meats is not so obious to the eater as to

those ho come in contact ith him.

Hiero. Good, and on this principle e say o" meats, that he ho is

proided ith all sorts on all occasions brings no appetite to any o"

them. He rather to hom these things are rarities, that is the manho, hen some un"amiliar thing is put be"ore him, ill take his "ill

o" it ith pleasure.-:/

-:/ meta kharasE. C". *esch. 2r. 6:7, stomatos en prote kharaE, o" a hungry man# ('d.( ii. ?:.

$t looks ery much 8interposed !imonides9 as i" the sole pleasure le"t

you to eplain the ulgar ambition to ear a cron, must be that named

a"ter *phrodite. 2or in this "ield it is your priilege to consortith hateer "airest "air your eyes may light on.

Hiero. +ay, no you hae named that one thing o" all others, take myord "or it, in hich e princes are orse o"" than lesser people.-:6/

-:6/ &eading saph3 isthiE, or i" as Cobet con;. saphestataE, transl.

(are at a disadantage most clearly by comparison ith ordinary "olk.(

To name marriage "irst. $ presume a marriage-::/ hich is contracted

ith some great "amily, superior in ealth and in"luence, bears aaythe palm, since it con"ers upon the bridegroom not pleasure only but

distinction.-:4/ +et comes the marriage made ith e0uals# and last,

edlock ith in"eriors, hich is apt to be regarded as degrading and

dissericeable.

-::/ C". (Hunting,( i. . Holden c". %ur. (&hes.( ?A# (*ndrom.( 6==.

-:4/ C". Dem. (in @ept.( !. ?, p. 4. !ee Ilat. (&ep.( ==: C.

+o "or the application1 a despotic monarch, unless he eds some

"oreign bride, is "orced to choose a i"e "rom those beneath him, so

that the height o" satis"action is denied him.-:=/

-:=/ *l. (supreme content, the 0uintessential bliss, is 0uite unknon

to him.(

The tender serice o" the proudest>souled o" omen, i"ely rendered,

ho superlatiely charmingK-:?/ and by contrast, ho little elcome is

such ministration here the i"e is but a slae>>hen present, barely

noticed# or i" lacking, hat "ell pains and passions ill it notengenderK

-:?/ 'r, (the gentle ministrations o" lo"tiest>thoughted omen and

"air ies possess a charm past telling, but "rom slaes, i" tendered, the reerse o" elcome, or i" not "orthcoming . . .(


7/32

*nd i" e come to masculine attachments, still more than in those

hose end is procreation, the tyrant "inds himsel" de"rauded o" suchmirth"ulness,-:7/ poor monarchK !ince all o" us are ell aare, $

"ancy, that "or highest satis"action,-:A/ amorous deeds need loe3s

strong passion.-:/

-:7/ (Joys sacred to that goddess "air and "ree in Heaen yclept

%uphrosyne.(

-:A/ 2or polu diapherontosE c". Broning 8(*bt ogler(9, not indeed

o" *phrodisia con;oined ith %ros, but o" the musician3s gi"t1

That out o" three sounds he "rame not a "ourth sound, but a star.

-:/ i.e. (%ros, the @ord o" Iassion, must lend his hand.( (But,( he

proceeds, (the god is coy# he has little liking "or the breasts o" kings. He is more likely to be "ound in the cottage o" the peasant

than the king3s palace.(

But least o" all is true loe3s passion ont to lodge in the hearts o"

monarchs, "or loe delights not to soop on ready prey# he needs thelure o" epectation.-4/

-4/ 'r, (een on the heels o" hoped>"or bliss he "ollos.(

ell then, ;ust as a man ho has neer tasted thirst can hardly be

said to kno the ;oy o" drinking,-4/ so he ho has neer tasted

Iassion is ignorant o" *phrodite3s seetest seets.

-4/ &eading ith Holden 8a"ter H. !teph.9 osper oun an tis . . .E or

ith Hartm. 8op. cit. p. 6=9 osper ouk an tis . . .E

!o Hiero ended.

!imonides ansered laughingly1 Ho say you, Hiero5 hat is that5

@oe3s strong passion "or his soul3s beloed incapable o" springing upin any monarch3s heart5 hat o" your on passion "or Dailochus,

surnamed o" men (most beauti"ul(5

Hiero. That is easily eplained, !imonides. hat $ most desire o" himis no ready spoil, as men might reckon it, but rather hat it is least

o" all the priilege o" a tyrant to obtain.-46/ $ say it truly, $>>the

loe $ bear Dailochus is o" this high sort. *ll that the constitution

o" our souls and bodies possibly compels a man to ask "or at the handso" beauty, that my "antasy desires o" him# but hat my "antasy

demands, $ do most earnestly desire to obtain "rom illing hands and

under seal o" true a""ection. To clutch it "orcibly ere as "ar "rom

my desire as to do mysel" some mortal mischie".

-46/ @it. (o" tyrant to achiee,( a met. "rom the chase. C".

(Hunting,( ii. 66.

ere he my enemy, to rest some spoil "rom his unilling hands ould

be an e0uisite pleasure, to my thinking. But o" all seet "aours the

seetest to my notion is the "ree>ill o""ering o" a man3s beloed.

2or instance, ho seet the responsie glance o" loe "or loe# hoseet the 0uestions and the ansers#-4:/ and, most seet o" all, most

loe>enkindling, the battles and the stri"es o" "aith"ul loers.-44/


8/32

But to en;oy-4=/ one3s loe per"orce 8he added9 resembles more an act

o" robbery, in my ;udgment, than loe3s pastime. *nd, indeed, therobber deries some satis"action "rom the spoils he ins and "rom the

pain he causes to the man he hates. But to seek pleasure in the pain

o" one e loe deoutly, to kiss and to be hated, to touch-4?/ and to

be loathed>>can one conceie a state o" things more odious or morepiti"ul5 2or, it is a certainty, the ordinary person may accept at

once each serice rendered by the ob;ect o" his loe as a sign and

token o" kindliness inspired by a""ection, since he knos suchministry is "ree "rom all compulsion. hilst to the tyrant, the

con"idence that he is loed is 0uite "oreclosed. 'n the contrary,-47/

e kno "or certain that serice rendered through terror ill

stimulate as "ar as possible the ministrations o" a""ection. *nd it isa "act, that plots and conspiracies against despotic rulers are

o"tenest hatched by those ho most o" all pretend to loe them.-4A/

-4:/ (The 3innere Lnterhaltung3(# the oarismosE. C". ilton, (I. @.(1

ith thee conersing, $ "orget all time.

-44/ C". Ter. (*ndr.( iii. :. 6:, (amantium irae amoris

intergratiost.(

-4=/ (To make booty o".(

-4?/ 2or aptesthaiE @. M !. c". Ilat. (@as,( A4 *# *ristot. (H. *.(

. 4. 67# %p. Cor. ii. .

-47/ &eading auE. ($" e do kno anything it is this, that,( etc.

-4A/ 'r, (do o"tenest issue "rom treacherous make>beliee o" armest

"riendship.( C". Grote, (H. G.( i. 6AA# (Hell.( $. i. :?.

$$

To these arguments !imonides replied1 )es, but the topics you hae

named are to my thinking tri"les# drops, as it ere, in the ide

ocean. Ho many men, $ onder, hae $ seen mysel", men in the deepest

sense,-/ true men, ho choose to "are but ill in respect o" meats anddrinks and delicacies# ay, and hat is more, they oluntarily abstain

"rom seual pleasures. +oK it is in 0uite a di""erent sphere, hich $

ill name at once, that you so "ar transcend us priate citi


9/32

82rere9# id. (Onights,( 7# (Clouds,( A6:# so @atin (ir.( !ee

Holden ad loc.

-6/ (Ls lesser mortals.(

To all hich Hiero made anser1 That the ma;ority o" men, !imonides,should be deluded by the glamour o" a despotism in no respect

astonishes me, since it is the ery essence o" the crod, i" $ am not

mistaken, to rush ildly to con;ecture touching the happiness orretchedness o" people at "irst sight.

+o the nature o" a tyrrany is such1 it presents, nay "launts, a sho

o" costliest possessions un"olded to the general ga


10/32

citi sub;ected populations hether by "ree states(>>e.g. o" 'lynthus,

(Hell.( . ii. 6:, or *thens against her (sub;ect allies( during

the Iel. ar>>(or by despotic rules(>>Jason o" Iherae 8(Hell.(

$.9 *l. (ars aged by "ree states against "ree states, and ars aged by tyrants against enslaed peoples.(

-/ Does o en tais polesiE F (the citi


11/32

-:/ &eading analambanousinE, or, i" a"ter Cobet, etc.,

lambanousinE, transl. (hat brilliant honour, hat bright credit they assume.(

-4/ (To hae played his part in counsel.( !ee (*nab.( passim, and .

Taine, (%ssais de Criti0ue,( (Xenophon,( p. 6A.

-=/ @it. (they do not indulge in "alse additions, pretending to hae

put more enemies to death than actually "ell.(

-?/ C". (Hipparch,( iii. # (Cyrop.( $$$. iii. 6=# (Thuc.( i. 4.

But the tyrant, hen he "orebodes, or possibly perceies in actual"act, some opposition breing, and puts the suspects-7/ to the sord,

knos he ill not thereby promote the el"are o" the state

collectiely. The cold clear "act is, he ill hae "eer sub;ects to

rule oer.-A/ Ho can he sho a cheer"ul countenance5-/ ho magni"yhimsel" on his achieement5 'n the contrary, his desire is to lessen

the proportions o" hat has taken place, as "ar as may be. He ill

apologise "or hat he does, een in the doing o" it, letting it appear

that hat he has rought at least as innocent#-6/ so little does his

conduct seem noble een to himsel". *nd hen those he dreaded aresa"ely in their graes, he is not one hit more con"ident o" spirit,

but still more on his guard than hereto"ore. That is the kind o" ar

ith hich the tyrant is beset "rom day to day continually, as $ doproe.-6/

-7/ !ee Hold. 8crit. app.9# Hartman, op. cit. p. 6?.

-A/ C". (em.( $. ii. :A.

-/ C". (*nab.( $$. i. # (Hell.( $. i. ?.

-6/ (+ot o" malice prepense.(

-6/ 'r, (!uch then, as $ describe it, is the type o" ar,( etc.

$$$

Turn no and contemplate the sort o" "riendship hereo" it is gien to

tyrants to partake. *nd "irst, let us eamine ith ourseles and see

i" "riendship is truly a great boon to mortal man.

Ho "ares it ith the man ho is beloed o" "riends5 !ee ith hat

gladness his "riends and loers hail his adentK delight to do him

kindnessK long "or him hen he is absent "rom themK-/ and elcome him

most gladly on his returnK-6/ $n any good hich shall betide him theyre;oice together# or i" they see him oertaken by mis"ortune, they

rush to his assistance as one man.-:/

-/ &eading an ateE, or i" an apieE, transl. (hae yearning hearts hen he must leae them.(

-6/ !ee *nton &ubinstein, (Die usik and ihre eister,( p. A, (!ome

&emarks on Beethoen3s !onata 'p. A.(

-:/ C". (Cyrop.( $. i. 64 "or a repetition o" the sentiment and


12/32

phraseology.

+ayK it has not escaped the obseration o" states and goernments that

"riendship is the greatest boon, the seetest happiness hich men may

taste. *t any rate, the custom holds-4/ in many states (to slay the

adulterer( alone o" all (ith impunity,(-=/ "or this reason clearlythat such miscreants are held to be destroyers o" that "riendship-?/

hich binds the oman to the husband. !ince here by some untoard

chance a oman su""ers iolation o" her chastity,-7/ husbands do notthe less honour them, as "ar as that goes, proided true a""ection

still appear unsullied.-A/

-4/ @it. (many o" the states hae a la and custom to,( etc. C". (Iol. @ac.( ii. 4.

-=/ C". Ilat. (@as,( A74 C, (i" a man "ind his i"e su""ering

iolence he may kill the iolator and be guiltless in the eye o" the la.( Dem. (in *ristocr.( =:, ean tis apokteine en athlois

akon . . . e epi damarti, k.t.l. . . . touton eneka me pheugein

kteinantaE.

-?/ !ee @ys. (de caed %ratosth.( !. :6 "., outos, o andres, tous bia>ecept those that sell themseles openly, that is, harlots, ho go openly to those that hire them( 8Clough,

i. p. 9.

-7/ 'r, ("all a ictim to passion through some calamity,( (commit a breach o" chastity.( C". *ristot. (H. *.( $$. i. .

-A/ 'r, (i" true a""ection still retain its irgin purity.( *s to this

etraordinary passage, see Hartman, op. cit. p. 646 "oll.

!o soereign a good do $, "or my part, esteem it to be loed, that $

do erily beliee spontaneous blessings are outpoured "rom gods and

men on one so "aoured.

This is that choice possession hich, beyond all others, the monarch

is depried o".

But i" you re0uire "urther eidence that hat $ say is true, look at

the matter thus1 +o "riendship, $ presume, is sounder than that hich


13/32

binds parents to their children and children to their parents,

brothers and sisters to each other,-/ ies to husbands, comrade tocomrade.

-/ 'r, (brothers to brothers.(

$", then, you ill but thought"ully consider it, you ill discoer it

is the ordinary person ho is chie"ly blest in these relations.-/

hile o" tyrants, many hae been murderers o" their on children, manyby their children murdered. any brothers hae been murderers o" one

another in contest "or the cron#-/ many a monarch has been done to

death by the i"e o" his bosom,-6/ or een by his on "amiliar

"riend, by him o" hose a""ection he as proudest.-:/

-/ 'r, (that these more obious a""ections are the sanctities o"

priate li"e.(

-/ 'r, (hae caught at the throats o" brothers(# lit. (been slain

ith mutually>murderous hand.( C". Iind. 2r. :7# *esch. (!ept. c.

Theb.( :# (*g.( =7=, concerning %teocles and Iolynices.

-6/ !ee Grote, (H. G.( i. 6AA, ii. ?# (Hell.( $. i. :?# $socr. ('n the Ieace,( A6# Ilut. (Dem. Iol.( iii. 8Clough, . p. A9#

Tac. (Hist.( . A, about the "amily "euds o" the kings o" Judaea.

-:/ ($t as his on "amiliar "riend ho dealt the blo, the nearest

and dearest to his heart.(

Ho can you suppose, then, that being so hated by those hom naturepredisposes and la compels to loe him, the tyrant should be loed by

any liing soul beside5

$

*gain, ithout some moiety o" "aith and trust,-/ ho can a man not"eel to be de"rauded o" a mighty blessing5 'ne may ell ask1 hat

"elloship, hat conerse, hat society ould be agreeable ithout

con"idence5 hat intercourse beteen man and i"e be seet apart "rom

trust"ulness5 Ho should the ("aith"ul es0uire( hose "aith ismistrusted still be lie" and dear5-6/

-/ (Ho can he, hose "aith3s discredited, the moral bankrupt . . .(

-6/ 'r, (the trusty knight and sering>man.( C". (orte d3*rthur,(

i. =, Oing *rthur and !ir Bediere.

ell, then, o" this "rank con"idence in others the tyrant has thescantiest share.-:/ !eeing his li"e is such, he cannot een trust his

meats and drinks, but he must bid his sering>men be"ore the "east

begins, or eer the libation to the gods is poured,-4/ to taste the

iands, out o" sheer mistrust there may be mischie" lurking in the cupor platter.-=/

-:/ 'r, ("rom this . . . is almost absolutely debarred.(

-4/ ('r eer grace is said.(


14/32

-=/ C". (Cyrop.( $. iii. 4.

'nce more, the rest o" mankind "ind in their "atherland a treasure

orth all else beside. The citiguilty shallbe accounted pure.( !o that, by reason o" their "atherland,-A/ each

seeral citibearers.( C". Thuc. i. :# Herod. ii. ?A# ii. 67.

-7/ (Iushed so "ar the principle o" mutual sel">aid.(

-A/ (Thanks to the blessing o" a "atherland each citi

o""erings, "rom the temples and the market>place, speci"ying

eerything by hich he thought most e""ectually to restrain people "rom such a practice, still did not abolish the rule o" ;ustice,

but laid don the cases in hich it should be la"ul to kill, and

declared that the killer under such circumstances should be deemed

pure( 8C. &. Oennedy9.

-/ e.g. Harmodius and *ristogeiton. !ee Dem. loc. cit. :A1 (The

same reards that you gae to Harmodius and *ristogiton,(

concerning hom !imonides himsel" rote a otie couplet1

3% meg3 3*thenaioisi phoos geneth3 enik3 3*ristogeiton

3$pparkhon kteine kai 3*rmodios.E

But i" you imagine that the tyrant, because he has more possessions

than the priate person, does "or that reason derie greater pleasure

"rom them, this is not so either, !imonides, but it is ith tyrants as

ith athletes. Just as the athlete "eels no glo o" satis"action inasserting his superiority oer amateurs,-6/ but annoyance rather hen

he sustains de"eat at the hands o" any real antagonist# so, too, the

tyrant "inds little consolation in the "act-:/ that he is eidently

richer than the priate citi


15/32

ealth.

-6/ 'r, ($t gies no pleasure to the athlete to in ictories oer

amateurs.( !ee (em.( $$$. iii. 7.

-:/ 'r, (each time it is brought home to him that,( etc.

+or does the tyrant attain the ob;ect o" his heart3s desire more

0uickly than do humbler mortals theirs. 2or consider, hat are theirob;ects o" ambition5 The priate citi


16/32

pathetic "allacy.( *l. ($s not the man ho has it in his poer,

etc., "ar aboe being pitied5(

+o it is your tyrant ho is perpetually drien to ini0uitous

spoilation o" temples and human beings, through chronic need o" money

hereith to meet ineitable epenses, since he is "orced to "eed andsupport an army 8een in times o" peace9 no less than i" there ere

actual ar, or else he signs his on death>arrant.-6/

-6/ (* daily, hourly constraint is laid upon him to support an army

as in ar time, or>>rite his epitaphK(

But there is yet another sore a""liction to hich the tyrant isliable, !inmonides, hich $ ill name to you. $t is this. Tyrants no

less than ordinary mortals can distinguish merit. The orderly,-/ the

ise, the ;ust and upright, they "reely recognise# but instead o"

admiring them, they are a"raid o" them>>the courageous, lest they

should enture something "or the sake o" "reedom# the ise, lest theyinent some subtle mischie"#-6/ the ;ust and upright, lest the

multitude should take a "ancy to be led by them.

-/ The same epithets occur in *ristoph. (Ilut.( A1

ego gar on meirakion epeiles3 oti

os tous dikaious kai sophous kai kosmious monous badioimen.E

!tob. gies "or kasmiousE alkimousE.

-6/ 'r, ("or "ear o" machinations.( But the ord is suggestie o"

mechanical inentions also, like those o" *rchimedes in connection

ith a later Hiero 8see Ilut. (arcel.( . "oll.9# or o"

@ionardo, or o" ichael *ngelo 8!ymonds, (&enaissance in $taly,( (The 2ine *rts,( pp. :=, ::9.

*nd hen he has secretly and silently made aay ith all such people

through terror, hom has he to "all back upon to be o" use to him,sae only the un;ust, the incontinent, and the slaish>natured5-:/ '"

these, the un;ust can be trusted as sharing the tyrant3s terror lest

the cities should some day in their "reedom and lay strong hands upon

them# the incontinent, as satis"ied ith momentary license# and theslaish>natured, "or the simple reason that they hae not themseles

the slightest aspiration a"ter "reedom.-4/

-:/ 'r, (the dishonest, the lasciious, and the serile.(

-4/ (They hae no aspiration een to be "ree,( (they are content to

allo in the slough o" despond.( The adikoiE 8un;ust9 correspond

to the dikaioiE 8;ust9, akrateisE 8incontinent9 to the sophoiE 8ise9 8Breit. c". (em.( $$$. i. 4, sophian de kai sophrosunen

ou diori


17/32

other.

*nd "urther, een a tyrant cannot but be something o" a patriot>>a

loer o" that state, ithout hich he can neither hope "or sa"ety nor

prosperity. 'n the other hand, his tyrrany, the eigencies o" despotic

rule, compel him to incriminate his "atherland.-=/ To train hiscitiguard.

-=/ 'r, (depreciate the land hich gae him birth.( Holden c".

(Cyrop.( $$. ii. 66. !ee !turday, nay, "rom the moment $ became a tyrant, $ "indmysel" depried. $n those days $ consorted ith my "riends and

"ellos, to our mutual delectation#-6/ or, i" $ craed "or

0uietude,-:/ $ chose mysel" "or my companion. Gaily the hours "litted

at our drinking>parties, o"ttimes till e had droned such cares andtroubles as are common to the li"e o" man in @ethe3s bol#-4/ or

o"ttimes till e had steeped our souls in song and dance-=/ and

reelry# o"ttimes till the "lame o" passion kindled in the breasts o"

my companions and my on.-?/ But no, elladay, $ am depried o" thoseho took delight in me, because $ hae slaes instead o" "riends as my

companions# $ am robbed o" my once delight"ul intercourse ith them,

because $ discern no estige o" goodill toards me in their looks.

*nd as to the ine>cup and slumber>>these $ guard against, een as aman might guard against an ambuscade. Think onlyK to dread a crod, to

dread solitude, to dread the absence o" a guard, to dread the ery

guards that guard, to shrink "rom haing those about one3s sel"

unarmed, and yet to hate the sight o" armed attendants. Can youconceie a more troublesome circumstance5-7/ But that is not all. To

place more con"idence in "oreigners than in your "ello>citi


18/32

-:/ 'r, (hen $ sought tran0uility $ as my on companion.(

-4/ 'r, (in sheer "orget"ulness.(

-=/ 'r, (absorbed our souls in song and "estal cheer and dance.( C".

('d.( iii. 64A, 64, aiei d3 emin dais te phile kitharis te khoroi teE N eimata t3 eemoiba loetra te therma kau eunaiE, (and

dear to us eer is the ban0uet and the harp and the dance, and

changes o" raiment, and the arm bath, and loe and sleep( 8Butcher and @ang9.

-?/ &eading as ulg. epithumiasE. Breit. c". (em.( $$$. i. 7# Ilat.

(Ihaed.( ? %, (he has eaten and drunk and en;oyed the society o" his beloed( 8Joett9. !ee (!ymp.( the "inale# or i", a"ter eiske

and Cobet, euthumiasE, transl. (to the general hilarity o" mysel"

and the hole company( 8c". (Cyrop.( $. iii. 6, $. . 79, but

this is surely a bathos rhetorically.

-7/ 'r, (a orse perpleity.( !ee (Hell.( $$. iii. A.

2or terror, you kno, not only is a source o" pain indelling in the

breast itsel", but, eer in close attendance, shadoing the path,-A/becomes the destroyer o" all seet ;oys.

-A/ &eading sumparakolouthon lumeonE. !tob. gies sumparomarton lumanterE. 2or the sentiment c". (Cyrop.( $$$. i. 6=.

*nd i" you kno anything o" ar, !imonides, and ar3s alarms# i" it

as your "ortune eer to be posted close to the enemy3s lines,-/ tryto recall to mind hat sort o" meals you made at those times, ith

hat sort o" slumber you courted rest. Be assured, there are no pains

you then eperienced, no horrors to compare ith those that crod upon

the despot, ho sees or seems to see "ierce eyes o" enemies glare athim, not "ace to "ace alone, but "rom eery side.

-/ 'r, (in the an o" battle, opposite the hostile lines.(

He had spoken so "ar, hen !imonides took up the thread o" the

discourse, replying1 %cellently put. * part $ must admit, o" hat you

say# since ar is terrible. )et, Hiero, you "orget. hen e, at any

rate, are out campaigning, e hae a custom# e place sentinels at theoutposts, and hen the atch is set, e take our suppers and turn in

undauntedly.

*nd Hiero ansered1 )es, $ can ell beliee you, "or the las are thetrue outposts,-/ ho guard the sentinels, keeping their "ears alie

both "or themseles and in behal" o" you. hereas the tyrant hires his

guards "or pay like harest labourers.-/ +o o" all "unctions, all

abilities, none, $ presume, is more re0uired o" a guard than that o""aith"ulness# and yet one "aith"ul man is a commodity more hard to

"ind than scores o" orkmen "or any sort o" ork you like to name#-6/

and the more so, hen the guards in 0uestion are not "orthcoming

ecept "or money3s sake#-:/ and hen they hae it in their poer toget "ar more in "ar less time by murdering the despot than they can

hope to earn by lengthened serice in protecting him.

-/ 'r, (beyond the sentinels themseles is set the outpost o" the las, ho atch the atch.(


19/32

-/ 'r, (ten>day labourers in harest>time.(

-6/ 'r, (but to discoer one single "aith"ul man is "ar more

di""icult than scores o" labourers in any "ield o" ork you

please.(

-:/ 'r, (are merely hirelings "or "ilthy lucre3s sake.(

*nd as to that hich roused your eny>>our ability, as you call it, tobene"it our "riends most largely, and beyond all else, to triumph oer

our "oes>>here, again, matters are not as you suppose.

Ho, "or instance, can you hope to bene"it your "riends, hen you mayrest assured the ery "riend hom you hae made most your debtor ill

be the happiest to 0uit your sight as "ast as may be5 since nobody

beliees that anything a tyrant gies him is indeed his on, until he

is ell beyond the donor3s ;urisdiction.

!o much "or "riends, and as to enemies conersely. Ho can you say

(most poer o" triumphing oer our enemies,( hen eery tyrant knos

"ull ell they are all his enemies, eery man o" them, ho are

despotically ruled by him5 *nd to put the hole o" them to death or toimprison them is hardly possible# or ho ill be his sub;ects

presently5 +ot so, but knoing they are his enemies, he must per"orm

this deterous "eat1-4/ he must keep them at arm3s length, and yet becompelled to lean upon them.

-4/ @it. (he must at one and the same moment guard against them, and

yet be drien also to depend upon them.(

But be assured, !imonides, that hen a tyrant "ears any o" his

citi


20/32

streets.-:/ *ll present shall at all times magni"y you,-4/ and shall

pay homage to you both ith ords and deeds. Those, $ take it, areeer the kind o" things hich sub;ects do to please the monarch,-=/

and thus they treat each hero o" the moment, hom they strie to

honour.-?/

-/ @it. (that human beings ill abide all risks and undergo all pains

to clutch the bait.(

-6/ C". (Cyrop.( $$. iii. A# $$$. i. 6.

-:/ C". (em.( $$. iii. ?# (Cyrop.( $$. . 6.

-4/ gerairosiE, poetic. C". (Cyrop.( $$$. i. :# (Hell.( $. ii. ::#

(%con.( i. A# (Herod.( . ?7# Iind. ('.( iii. :, . # (+.( .

=# ('d.( i. 4:7, 44# ($l.( ii. :6# Ilat. (&ep.( 4?A D,

0uoting ($l.( ii. :6.

-=/ &eading tois turannoisE, or i" tous turannousE, a"ter Cobet,

(That is ho they treat croned heads.(

-?/ C". Tennyson, ('de on the Death o" the Duke o" ellington(1

ith honour, honour, honour to him,

%ternal honour to his name.

)es, Hiero, and herein precisely lies the di""erence beteen a man and

other animals, in this outstretching a"ter honour.-7/ !ince, it ould

seem, all liing creatures alike take pleasure in meats and drinks, insleep and seual ;oys. 'nly the loe o" honour is implanted neither in

unreasoning brutes-A/ nor uniersally in man. But they in hose hearts

the passion "or honour and "air "ame has "allen like a seed, these

unmistakably-/ are separated most idely "rom the brutes. These mayclaim to be called men,-/ not human beings merely. !o that, in my

poor ;udgment, it is but reasonable you should submit to bear the

pains and penalties o" royalty, since you are honoured "ar beyond all

other mortal men. *nd indeed no pleasure knon to man ould seem to benearer that o" gods than the delight-/ hich centres in proud

attributes.

-7/ 'r, (in this strong aspiration a"ter honour.( Holden aptly c". (!pectator,( +o. 4?71 (The loe o" praise is a passion deeply

"ied in the mind o" eery etraordinary person# and those ho are

most a""ected ith it seem most to partake o" that particle o" the

diinity hich distinguishes mankind "rom the in"erior creation.(

-A/ alogousE, i.e. (ithout speach and reason(# c". modern Greek o

alogosE F the horse 8sc. the animal par ecellence9. !ee

(Horsemanship,( iii. 4.

-/ edeE, (ipso "acto.(

-/ !ee (*nab.( $. ii. 4# 2rotscher ap. Breit. c". Cic. (ad 2am.( . 7. =, (ut et hominem te et irum esse meminisses.(

-/ 'r, (;oyance.(

To these arguments Hiero replied1 +ay, but, !imonides, the honours and

proud attributes bestoed on tyrants hae much in common ith their


21/32

loe>makings, as $ described them. @ike honours like loes, the pair

are o" a piece.

2or ;ust as the ministrations on "rom loeless hearts-6/ are "elt to

be deoid o" grace, and embraces "orcibly procured are seet no

longer, so the obse0uious cringings o" alarm are hardly honours. !inceho shall e assert that people ho are "orced to rise "rom their

seats do really rise to honour those hom they regard as male"actors5

or that these others ho step aside to let their betters pass them inthe street, desire thus to sho respect to miscreants5-:/ *nd as to

gi"ts, it is notorious, people commonly besto them largely upon those

they hate, and that too hen their "ears are graest, hoping to aert

impending eil. +ay, these are nothing more nor less than acts o"slaery, and they may "airly be set don as such.

-6/ 'r, (the compliance o" cold lips here loe is not reciprocated

is . . .(

-:/ 'r, (to rank in;ustice.(

But honours hae a ery di""erent origin,-4/ as di""erent to my mind

as are the sentiments to hich they gie epression. !ee ho, "orinstance, men o" common mould ill single out a man, ho is a man,-=/

they "eel, and competent to be their bene"actor# one "rom hom they

hope to reap rich blessings. His name lies upon their lips in praise.*s they ga


22/32

any monarch else $ eer heard o", haing once possessed the poer, did

eer o" his on "ree ill diest himsel" o" soereignty. Ho is that,Hiero5

-A/ C". (%con.( i. .

-/ 'r, (i" to monarchise and play the despot.(

2or one simple reason 8the tyrant ansered9, and herein lies thesupreme misery o" despotic poer# it is not possible een to be 0uit

o" it.-6/ Ho could the li"e o" any single tyrant su""ice to s0uare

the account5 Ho should he pay in "ull to the last "arthing all the

moneys o" all hom he has robbed5 ith hat chains laid upon him makere0uital to all those he has thrust into "elons3 0uarters5-6/ ho

pro""er lies enough to die in compensation o" the dead men he has

slain5 ho die a thousand deaths5

-6/ Holden aptly c". Ilut. (!ol.( 4, kalon men einai ten torannida

khorion, ouk ekhein de apobasinE, (it as true a tyrrany as a

ery "air spot, but it had no ay don "rom it( 8Clough, i. p.

A9.

-6/ 'r, (ho undergo in his on person the imprisonments he has

in"licted5( &eading antipaskhoiE, or i" antiparaskhoiE, transl.

(ho could he replace in his on person the eact number o" imprisonments hich he has in"licted on others5(

*h, noK !imonides 8he added9, i" to hang one3s sel" outright be eer

gain"ul to pour mortal soul, then, take my ord "or it, that is thetyrant3s remedy1 there3s none better suited-66/ to his case, since he

alone o" all men is in this dilemma, that neither to keep nor lay

aside his troubles pro"its him.

-66/ 'r, (nought more pro"itable to meet the case.( The author plays

on lusiteleiE according to his ont.

$$$

Here !imonides took up the thread o" the discourse-/ as "ollos1 That"or the moment, Hiero, you should be out o" heart regarding tyranny-6/

$ do not onder, since you hae a strong desire to be loed by human

beings, and you are persuaded that it is your o""ice hich balks the

realisation o" your dream.

-/ *l. (took up the speaker thus.(

-6/ ($n re"erence to despotic rule.(

+o, hoeer, $ am no less certain $ can proe to you that

goernment-:/ implies no obstacle to being loed, but rather holds the

adantage oer priate li"e so "ar. *nd hilst inestigating i" thisbe really so, let us not embarass the in0uiry by asking hether in

proportion to his greater poer the ruler is able to do kindness on a

grander scale. But put it thus1 To human beings, the one in humble

circumstances,-4/ the other a despotic ruler, per"orm a common act#hich o" these tain ill, under like conditions,-=/ in the larger

thanks5 $ ill begin ith the most tri"ling-?/ eamples# and "irst a


23/32

simple "riendly salutation, (Good day,( (Good eening,( dropped at

sight o" some one "rom the lips o" here a ruler, there a priateciti


24/32

man3s present.( 2or doremaE c". *ristot. (+. %.( $. i. 6,

(happiness . . . a "ree gi"t o" God to men.(

+ay, as it seems to me, an honour "rom the gods, a grace diine, is

shed about the path o" him the hero>ruler.-6/ +ot only does command

itsel" ennoble manhood, but e ga


25/32

action comes, and it is imperatie to epedite a "orce by land or sea,

at such a crisis it ill not do "or us to entrust the a""air to easy>goers.

-7/ 'r, (curb the oer>proud in sap and blood.(

2urther than that, the man ho is a tyrant must hae mercenaries, and

o" all the burdens hich the citi


26/32

principle.(

-?/ eminE. The author makes !imonides talk as an *thenian.

-7/ @it. (hen e ish our sacred choirs to compete.(

-A/ 'r, (magistrate(# at *thens the *rchon %ponymos. !ee Boeckh, (I.

%. *.( p. 4=4 "oll. *l. the athlethetaiE. !ee Iollu, iii. :#

c". *eschin. (c. Ctes.( :.

-/ 'r more correctly at *thens the choragoi F leaders o" the chorus.

-/ i.e. the choreutai.

-/ !c. the choro>didaskaloi, or chorus>masters.

-6/ ta antitupaE, (the repellent oberse,( (the seamy side.( C". Theogn. 644, ethos ekhon solion pistios antituponE. (Hell.( $.

iii. .

-:/ 'r, (ell then, hat reason is there hy other matters o"

political concern>>all other branches o" our ciic li"e, in "act>> should not be carried out on this same principle5(

*ll states as units are diided into tribes 8thulasE9, or regiments8morasE9, or companies 8lokhousE9, and there are o""icers

8arkhontesE9 appointed in command o" each diision.-4/

-4/ e.g. *ttica into ten phylae, @acedaemon into si morae, Thebes and *rgos into lochi. !ee *ristot. (Iol.( . A 8Joett, i. ??9#

(Hell.( $. i. :# $$. ii. 4.

ell then, suppose that some one ere to o""er pri


27/32

accustomed hitherto to be conducted on the principle o"

competition-/>>$ mean agriculture>>itsel" ould make enormousstrides, i" some one ere to o""er prididaskoi, and so mutatis mutandis o" the

hippic and gymnic.(

X

*nd Hiero replied1 Thus "ar you reason prettily, methinks, !imonides#


28/32

but about these mercenary troops hae you aught to say5 Can you

suggest a means to aoid the hatred o" hich they are the cause5 'rill you tell me that a ruler ho has on the a""ection o" his

sub;ects has no need "or body>guards5

+ay, in good sooth 8replied !imonides9, distinctly he ill need themnone the less. $ kno it is ith certain human beings as ith horses,

some trick o" the blood they hae, some inborn tendency# the more

their ants are satis"ied, the more their antonness ill out. ellthen, to sober and chastise ild spirits, there is nothing like the

terror o" your men>at>arms.-/ *nd as to gentler natures,-6/ $ do not

kno by hat means you could besto so many bene"its upon them as by

means o" mercenaries.

-/ @it. (spear>bearers(# the title gien to the body>guard o" kings

and tyrants.

-6/ @it. (the beauti"ul and good,( the kalois kagathoisE. !ee (%con.(

i. "oll.

@et me eplain1 )ou keep them, $ presume, in the "irst instance, "or

yoursel", as guards o" your on person. But "or masters, oners o"estates and others, to be done to death ith iolence by their on

slaes is no unheard>o" thing. !upposing, then, the "irst and "oremost

duty laid on mercenary troops ere this1 they are the body>guards o"the hole public, and bound as such to come to the assistance o" all

members o" the state alike, in case they shall detect some mischie"

breing-:/ 8and miscreants do spring up in the hearts o" states, as e

all kno9# $ say then, i" these mercenary troops ere under orders toact as guardians o" the citidoers#

the citi


29/32

-?/ 'r, (trained to act as one man.( !ee !turearning militia "or the protection

o" the state in the (Cyropaedia.( !ee esp. $$. . ? "oll.

*nd hat ill be the e""ect on the neighbour states conterminous ithyours5-A/ ill not this standing army lead them to desire peace beyond

all other things5 $n "act, a compact "orce like this, so organised,

ill proe most potent to presere the interests o" their "riends and

to damage those o" their opponents.

-A/ 'r, (that lie upon your borders,( as Thebes and egara ere (nigh>

bordering( to *thens. C". %ur. (&hes.( 46?# !oph. (2r.( :4.

*nd hen, "inally, the citi


30/32

The brainspiring, a poetical

ord hich appears only in this passage in prose 8Holden9. @. M !. c". Hom. ($l.(i. 4?, i. =A, o" persons# ('d.( i. ==6, o"

things. Iind. (Iyth.( i. 4# ($sth.( 7 8?9, :.

*nd no "or ays and means1 'n hich principle do you epect yourreenues to "lo more copiously>>by keeping your on priate

capital-4/ employed, or by means deised to make the resources o" the

entire state-=/ productie5

-4/ &eading idiaE, al. idiaE, F (your capital priately employed.(

-=/ @it. (o" all citi>$ mean the art o" breeding chariot>horses-?/>>hich ould

re"lect the greater lustre on you, that you personally-7/ should trainand send to the great "estal gatherings-A/ more chariots than any

Hellene else5 or rather that your state should boast more racehorse>

breeders than the rest o" states, that "rom !yracuse the largest

number should enter to contest the pristock to all mankind.-/

-/ 'r, (you ill be mocked and ;eered at past all precedence,( as

historically as the "ate o" Dionysus, :AA or :A4 B.C. 859# and

"or the possible connection beteen that incident and this

treatise see @ys. ('lymp.(# and Iro". Jebb3s remarks on the "ragment, (*tt. 'r.( i. p. 6: "oll. Grote, (H. G.( i. 4 "oll.#

(Ilato, iii. =77.

+o, noK $ tell you, Hiero, your battle"ield, your true arena is iththe champion presidents o" rial states, aboe hose lesser heads be

it your destiny to raise this state, o" hich you are the patron and


31/32

supreme head, to some unprecedented height o" "ortune, hich i" you

shall achiee, be certain you ill be approed ictorious in a contestthe noblest and the most stupendous in the orld.

!ince hat "ollos5 $n the "irst place, you ill by one si"t stroke

hae brought about the ery thing you hae set your heart on, you illhae on the a""ection o" your sub;ects. !econdly, you ill need no

herald to proclaim your ictory# not one man only, but all mankind,

shall hymn your irtue.

hereer you set "oot you shall be gahouses shall be coetensie ith

the garnered riches o" your "riends and loers.

There"ore be o" good cheer, Hiero# enrich your "riends, and you illthereby heap riches on yoursel". Build up and aggrandise your city,

"or in so doing you ill gird on poer like a garment, and in allies

"or her.-6/

-6/ !ome commentators suspect a lacuna at this point.

%steem your "atherland as your estate, the citi


32/32

you.

Do all these things, and, you may rest assured, it ill be yours to

on the "airest and most blessed possession knon to mortal man. )ou

shall be "ortunate and none shall eny you.-:/

-:/ *l. ($t shall be yours to be happy and yet to escape eny.( The

concluding sentence is gnomic in character and metrical in "orm.

!ee (Iol. @ac.( . .

%nd o" the Iro;ect Gutenberg %tet o" Hiero

Documents

Xenophon - Hiero