deemed a plausible cowardice; moderation was held a mere screen for unmanliness, and habitual circumspection systematic inaction. Frantic violence was ranked as the part of a man; caution,' in intrigue, was construed as a decent pretence for shirking action: the advocate of bloody measures was always trusted, the advocate of mercy was suspected. The author of a plot, if successful, was admired for his dexterity; if he detected another's designs, he was held cleverer still; whereas the man who could afford to dispense with either of these base expedients, was a traitor to his party—a wretch panic-stricken by his foes. 1 1 read ἀσφαλεία. LXX. And, in general, a man was applauded if he anticipated an enemy's impending blow, and if he hounded on one who stood aloof from faction. The ties of kindred, too, became less binding than those of party, because the latter was a readier instrument for unscrupulous daring; for such associations for mutual aid are not consistent with the established laws, but are formed in contravention of them in a spirit of selfish rapacity. Their mutual confidence, too, they ratified not so much by a religious bond as by their communion in crime: while they received the fair overtures of their adversaries with a keen eye to their actions, if they were the stronger party, and not in a spirit of generosity. Retaliation was dearer to them than precaution against attack: and oaths of reconciliation, if ever they chanced to be exchanged, were binding for the moment, in the absence of all other resources, when sworn to by either party, just so long as they derived no power from any other quarter. But, when opportunity offered, the man whose courage was the first to rally, wreaked his vengeance with the greater satisfaction, if he saw his enemy off his guard, owing to the confidence between them, than if all had been open; taking credit not only for the safety of the proceeding, but also for the exhibition of sagacity, as the advantage was fraudulently gained. For men in general find it easier to make dishonesty pass for cleverness than simplicity for honesty: so they blush for the one, and plume themselves on the other. The source of all these evils was the pursuit of power for selfish and ambitious objects; and the natural result, when men once embarked in political rivalry, was a furious partisanship. For the leading politicians of both parties in the states, while, in sympathy with the popular party cries, they espoused respectively the political equality of the people, and a tempered aristocracy, were turning the public interests which they pretended to serve into prizes of personal ambition; at the same time that, in their intense eagerness to get the better of their enemies by any means, they committed the greatest enormities both by way of aggression and reprisal; inflicting penalties still more atrocious, beyond the bounds of justice and of state expediency, with no limit but the arbitrary pleasure of the party aggrieved. 1 Aia, with the accus., often signifies the final cause. LXXI. And thus they were ready to satiate the animosity of the moment, in the struggle for ascendancy, either by an iniquitous vote of condemnation or by assassination. So that piety was in fashion with neither party: but those who were fortunate enough to dispatch some odious deed under fair pretence, enjoyed higher estimation; while the neutral class of the citizens, either because they stood aloof from the contest, or from jealousy of their immunity, constantly fell victims to both extremes. Thus every : description of villany was established in the Grecian community through the virulence of faction and sincerity, which is a main element in nobleness of nature, was laughed down and obliterated: while a jealous distrustful opposition to one another in political principles became very prevalent. For neither were promises sufficiently safe, nor oaths sufficiently terrible, to mediate between them and all being upon deliberation steeled into a conviction of the hopelessness of security, rather guarded against injury than were capable of feeling confidence. In most cases the men of coarser intellect triumphed : inasmuch as, through their alarm for their own deficiency, and for their enemies' ability, they advanced boldly to action, lest in arguments they should be defeated, and in conspiracies forestalled, by the versatile talent of their adversaries while the more subtle politicians, thinking in their arrogance they should be aware in time, and that there was no occasion for them to seize advantages by action which they could gain by policy, fell the easier victims as they were off their guard. : LXXII. When the Athenians came up to the bar, the impetuosity of their first charge overpowered the vessels posted by it, and they endeavoured to loosen the fastenings; but subsequently, the Syracusans and allies having borne down upon them from all sides, the engagement, which was obstinate and unlike any of the previous actions, was no longer limited to the bar, but ranged over the harbour. For the sailors on both sides displayed great eagerness for the attack, whenever the signal was given; and many were the counter-manoeuvres, and keen was the rivalry between the masters; while the marines exerted themselves, when ever one vessel engaged another, that the operations on deck might not fall short of other departments of the service. Indeed every one, whatever his post, made every effort to signalise himself as the best man. And, as a great number of ships were engaged in a narrow compass [for this was the largest fleet that ever fought in so narrow a space, since together they fell but little short of two hundred], the regular attacks were few, owing to the want of room to back water and to cut through the enemy's line: but chance collisions, just as one ship happened to run into another, either in flying from or attacking a second, were more frequent. While a vessel was bearing down for a charge, those on deck darted javelins, arrows and stones, in showers, against her; but, whenever they came to close quarters, the marines, fighting hand to hand, endeavoured to board each other's ships. In many cases, too, it happened, through the want of room, that vessels charged others on one side, while they were charged themselves on another, and that two and sometimes even more vessels were inextricably entangled with one, and the masters had to guard against some and to attack others, and this not in regular order, but confusedly and on many sides: while the resounding din from the concourse of vessels clashing together at once inspired dismay and prevented their hearing the boatswains' orders. For loud were the cheers and the cries raised by these officers on both sides, at once in the discharge of their duty, and to excite the animosity of the strife, calling on the Athenians to force their passage, and to struggle earnestly now, if ever, for their safe return to their country, and on the Syracusans and confederates to prevent their escape, in the name of honour, and to adorn their respective countries by a glorious victory. LXXIII. Moreover the admirals on either side, whenever they saw any captain backing water without necessity, called upon him by name and asked, if Athenians, whether they were retreating because they thought the land, their bitterest foe, a better friend than the sea which they had won by constant toil?' if Syracusans, whether they were flying, unpursued, from the flying Athenians, who, they knew for certain, were most anxious to escape by any means?' Terrible, meanwhile, was the agony of contending feelings sustained by the infantry of both armies on the shore, while the action was evenly balanced: the native forces being ambitious of adding to their glory, and the invaders apprehensive of still heavier calamity. For, as the fortunes of the Athenians were staked upon their ships, their alarm for the issue was unparalleled, and the inequality of the ground interrupted their view of the engagement. For, as the spectacle was near at hand, and they were not all looking to the same point at once, if any of them chanced to behold their friends victorious in any quarter, they would recover their spirits and begin to invoke the gods not to deprive them of safety; while those who had fixed their gaze upon the vanquished squadrons mingled lamentations with cries, and their minds were more deeply affected by their view of the engagement than those of the actual combatants. Others, too, gazing upon some equally sustained quarter of the action, their very bodies, in the extremity of their fear, moving in sympathy with their thoughts, owing to the protracted and indecisive nature of the conflict, were in a very miserable condition; for they were constantly within an ace of escape or destruction. Thus in one and the |