Isocrates, Nicocles or the Cyprians, George Norlin (Translator), 1

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[1] There are people who frown upon eloquence and censure men who study philosophy,¹ asserting that those who engage in such occupations do so, not for the sake of virtue, but for their own advantage. Now, I should be glad if those who take this position would tell me why they blame men who are ambitious to speak well, but applaud men who desire to act rightly; for if it is the pursuit of one’s own advantage which gives them offense, we shall find that more and greater advantages are gained from actions than from speech.

Nicocles or the Cyprians. Isocrates. George Norlin (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1928.

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Current edition Perseus

Nicocles or the Cyprians (English) (Isocrates, Vol. 1. Norlin, George, translator. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd., 1928 (printing).)

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Νικόκλης ἢ Κύπριοι Perseus (Isocrates, Vol. 1. Norlin, George, editor. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd., 1928 (printing).) — 1 focus

[1] εἰσί τινες οἳ δυσκόλως ἔχουσι πρὸς τοὺς λόγους καὶ διαμέμφονται τοὺς φιλοσοφοῦντας, καί φασιν αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἀρετῆς ἀλλὰ πλεονεξίας ἕνεκα ποιεῖσθαι τὰς τοιαύτας διατριβάς. ἡδέως ἂν οὖν πυθοίμην τῶν οὕτω διακειμένων, διὰ τί τοὺς μὲν εὖ λέγειν ἐπιθυμοῦντας ψέγουσι, τοὺς δʼ ὀρθῶς πράττειν βουλομένους ἐπαινοῦσιν· εἰ γὰρ αἱ πλεονεξίαι λυποῦσιν αὐτούς, πλείους καὶ μείζους ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἢ τῶν λόγων εὑρήσομεν γιγνομένας.

Notes on the current edition

Nicocles or the Cyprians

1. For Isocrates’ use of the word “philosophy” as covering what we mean by “culture” and his identification of “discourse” with the cultivated life see General Introduction, pp. xxiii ff.

Isocrates Nicocles or the Cyprians 1

George Norlin (Translator)

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