Isocrates, On the Peace, George Norlin (Translator), 58

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[58] For example, if the Thebans, after the battle which they won over the Lacedaemonians,¹ had contented themselves with liberating the Peloponnesus and making the other Hellenes independent² and had thenceforth pursued peace, while we continued to make such blunders, then neither could this man have asked such a question nor could we ourselves have failed to realize how much better moderation is than meddlesomeness.

On the Peace. Isocrates. George Norlin (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1928.

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Current edition Perseus

On the Peace (English) (Isocrates, Vol 2. Norlin, George, translator. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1929 (printing).)

Editions (1)

Περὶ εἰρήνης Perseus (Isocrates, Vol 2. Norlin, George, editor. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1929 (printing).) — 58 focus

[58] εἰ γὰρ μετὰ τὴν μάχην, ἣν ἐνίκησαν Θηβαῖοι Λακεδαιμονίους, ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ἐλευθερώσαντες τὴν Πελοπόννησον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους Ἕλληνας αὐτονόμους ποιήσαντες ἡσυχίαν εἶχον, ἡμεῖς δὲ τοιαῦτʼ ἐξημαρτάνομεν, οὔτʼ ἂν οὗτος ἔσχε ταύτην ποιήσασθαι τὴν ἐρώτησιν, ἡμεῖς τʼ ἂν ἔγνωμεν ὅσῳ κρεῖττόν ἐστι τὸ σωφρονεῖν τοῦ πολυπραγμονεῖν.

Notes on the current edition

On the Peace

1. The Battle of Leuctra, 371 B.C., the end of the Spartan supremacy and the beginning of the Theban hegemony, which lasted but nine years.

2. See Isoc. 5.53 ff.

Isocrates On the Peace 58

George Norlin (Translator)

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