Isocrates, On the Peace, George Norlin (Translator), 75

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[75] Now the polity as it was in the earlier time was as much better and stronger than that which obtained later as Aristides and Themistocles and Miltiades¹ were better men than Hyperbolus² and Cleophon³ and those who today harangue the people.⁴ And you will find that the people who then governed the state were not given over to slackness and poverty and empty hopes,⁵

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

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

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).) — 75 focus

[75] ἡ μὲν τοίνυν πολιτεία τοσούτω βελτίων ἦν καὶ κρείττων ἡ τότε τῆς ὕστερον καταστάσης, ὅσῳ περ Ἀριστείδης καὶ Θεμιστοκλῆς καὶ Μιλτιάδης ἄνδρες ἀμείνους ἦσαν Ὑπερβόλου καὶ Κλεοφῶντος καὶ τῶν νῦν δημηγορούντων· τὸν δὲ δῆμον εὑρήσετε τὸν τότε πολιτευόμενον οὐκ ἀργίας οὐδʼ ἀπορίας οὐδʼ ἐλπίδων κενῶν ὄντα μεστόν,

Notes on the current edition

On the Peace

1. Demosthenes ( Dem. 3.21 ff. ) compares Aristides and Pericles with the present-day orators who say to the people:“What are your desires; what shall I propose; how can I please you?”

2. Hyperbolus, successor to Cleon, the tanner. Aristophanes calls him πονηρός ( Aristoph. Peace 684 ); Thucydides, μοχθηρός ( Thuc. 8.73 ).

3. For Cleophon see Isoc. 8.13 , note.

4. Aristophon and Eubulus.

5. Cf.“hopes from the platform,” Dem. 4.45 .

Isocrates On the Peace 75

George Norlin (Translator)

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