Isocrates, Panathenaicus, George Norlin (Translator), 187

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[187] But I might apply this point also to the misfortune which befell the Spartans at Thermopylae , which all who have heard of it praise and admire more than the battles and victories which have been won over adversaries against whom wars ought never to have been waged,¹ albeit some are without scruple in extolling such successes, not realizing that nothing is either righteous or honorable which is not said or done with justice.²

Panathenaicus. Isocrates. George Norlin (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1928.

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Current edition Perseus

Panathenaicus (English) (IIsocrates, Vol 2. Norlin, George, translator. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1929 (printing).)

Editions (1)

Παναθηναικός Perseus (Isocrates, Vol 2. Norlin, George, editor. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1929 (printing).) — 187 focus

[187] ἔχοιμι δʼ ἂν τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ χρήσασθαι καὶ περὶ τῆς συμφορᾶς τῆς Σπαρτιάταις ἐν Θερμοπύλαις γενομένης, ἣν ἅπαντες ὅσοι περ ἀκηκόασιν ἐπαινοῦσι καὶ θαυμάζουσι μᾶλλον ἢ τὰς μάχας καὶ τὰς νίκας τὰς κρατησάσας μὲν τῶν ἐναντίων, πρὸς οὓς δʼ οὐκ ἐχρῆν γεγενημένας· ἃς εὐλογεῖν τινες τολμῶσι, κακῶς εἰδότες ὡς οὐδὲν οὔθʼ ὅσιον οὔτε καλόν ἐστι τῶν μὴ μετὰ δικαιοσύνης καὶ λεγομένων καὶ πραττομένων.

Notes on the current edition

Panathenaicus

1. Cf. Isoc. 5.148 ; Isoc. 4.90 ; Isoc. 6.99-100 .

2. The high moral tone here is, like the plea for absolute justice as a principle of foreign policy in the Peace, inconsistent with the “practical” doctrine of Isoc. 12.117-118 . See note on 118.

Isocrates Panathenaicus 187

George Norlin (Translator)

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