Demosthenes, For the People of Megalopolis, James Herbert Vince (Translator), 27

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[27] Now those who seem to argue most fairly demand of the Megalopolitans that they shall destroy the pillars¹ that record their treaty with the Thebans, if they are to be our trusted allies. But they reply that with them friendship is based, not on inscribed pillars, but on mutual advantage, and they count as their allies those who are their helpers. But, granting the fairness of these speakers, my own view is this. I say that we must at the same time call upon them to destroy the pillars and upon the Lacedaemonians to keep the peace. If they refuse—whichever of the two it may be—then at once we side with those who consent.

For the People of Megalopolis. Demosthenes. James Herbert Vince (Translator). London. 1930.

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Current edition Perseus

For the People of Megalopolis (English) (Demosthenes, Vol. I: Olynthiacs, Philippics, Minor Public Speeches, Speech Against Leptines, I-XVII, XX. Vince, J. H., translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1930 (printing).)

Editions (1)

ὑπὲρ Μεγαλοπολιτῶν Perseus (Demosthenes. Orationes, Vol. I. Butcher, S. H., editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1903.) — 27 focus

[27] λέγουσι τοίνυν οἱ μάλιστα δοκοῦντες δίκαια λέγειν ὡς δεῖ τὰς στήλας καθελεῖν αὐτοὺς τὰς πρὸς Θηβαίους, εἴπερ ἡμέτεροι βεβαίως ἔσονται σύμμαχοι. οἱ δέ φασι μὲν αὑτοῖς οὐ κ εἶναι στήλας, ἀλλὰ τὸ συμφέρον εἶναι τὸ ποιοῦν τὴν φιλίαν, τοὺς δὲ βοηθοῦντας ἑαυτοῖς, τούτους νομίζειν εἶναι συμμάχους. ἐγὼ δʼ, εἰ τὰ μάλιστʼ εἰσὶ τοιοῦτοι, ὡδί πως ἔχω. φημὶ δεῖν ἅμα τούτους ἀξιοῦν καθαιρεῖν τὰς στήλας καὶ Λακεδαιμονίους ἄγειν εἰρήνην, ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ʼθέλωσι ποιεῖν ὁπότεροι ταῦτα, τότʼ ἤδη μετὰ τῶν ἐθελόντων ἡμᾶς γίγνεσθαι.

Notes on the current edition

For the People of Megalopolis

1. The terms of an alliance were inscribed on a slab or pillar, set up in some public place, and to take down the pillar was symbolically to dissolve the alliance (cf. Dem. 20.37 ). The Arcadians are unwilling to risk a complete rupture with the Thebans.

Demosthenes For the People of Megalopolis 27

James Herbert Vince (Translator)

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