Lycurgus, Against Leocrates, ed. J. O. Burtt, 51

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[51] They had good reason for their conduct,¹ since you, Athenians, alone among Greeks know how to honor valiant men. In other cities, you will find, it is the athletes who have their statues in the market place, whereas in yours it is victorious generals and the slayers of the tyrants: men whose like it is hard to find though we search the whole of Greece for but a few, whereas the winners of contests for a wreath have come from many places and can easily be seen. It is then only right, since you pay the highest honors to your benefactors, that you should also punish with the utmost rigor those who dishonor and betray their country.

Against Leocrates. Lycurgus. ed. J. O. Burtt. London. 1954.

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Current edition Perseus

Against Leocrates (Greek) (Lycurgus. Minor Attic Orators, Vol. 2. Burtt, J. O., translator. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1954 (printing).)

Editions (1)

Κατὰ Λεωκράτους Perseus (Lycurgus. Minor Attic Orators, Vol. 2. Burtt, J. O., editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1954 (printing).) — 51 focus

[51] καὶ διʼ ἃ οὐκ ἀλόγως¹ ἐπετήδευον ἐπίστασθε, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, μόνοι τῶν Ἑλλήνων τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ἄνδρας τιμᾶν· εὑρήσετε δὲ παρὰ μὲν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς ἀθλητὰς ἀνακειμένους, παρʼ ὑμῖν δὲ στρατηγοὺς ἀγαθοὺς καὶ τοὺς τὸν τύραννον ἀποκτείναντας. καὶ τοιούτους μὲν ἄνδρας οὐδʼ ἐξ ἁπάσης τῆς Ἑλλάδος ὀλίγους εὑρεῖν ῥᾴδιον, τοὺς δὲ τοὺς στεφανίτας ἀγῶνας νενικηκότας εὐπετῶς πολλαχόθεν ἔστι γεγονότας ἰδεῖν. ὥσπερ τοίνυν τοῖς εὐεργέταις μεγίστας τιμὰς ἀπονέμετε, οὕτω δίκαιον² καὶ τοὺς τὴν πατρίδα καταισχύνοντας καὶ προδιδόντας ταῖς ἐσχάταις τιμωρίαις κολάζειν.

Notes on the current edition

Against Leocrates

1. The text of this passage has been suspected because (a) the words δι’ ἃ are difficult to understand; (b) there is no object for ἐπετήδευον. But (a) δι’ ἃ can be taken to refer to what follows in this sense: Moreover,— and here is the justification for their conduct,—you alone know, etc.; (b) although ἐπιτηδεύω normally takes an object, at least the present participle can be used absolutely. I have therefore ventured to leave the text as it stands.

Lycurgus Against Leocrates 51

ed. J. O. Burtt

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