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overflowing wealth of your possessions； your horses； excellent for
breed and mettle； the choice beauty of your arms； the exquisite finery
of your wives； the gorgeous palaces in which you dwell； and these；
too； furnished with the costliest works of art； add to which the
throng of your retainers； courtiers； followers； not in number only but
accomplishments a most princely retinue； and lastly； but not least of
all； in your supreme ability at once to afflict your foes and benefit
your friends。
＇1＇ Lit。 〃many among those reputed to be men。〃 Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 V。 v。 33；
〃Hell。〃 i。 24； 〃their hero〃； and below； viii。 3。 Aristoph。 〃Ach。〃
78； ｛oi barbaroi gar andras egountai monous｝ ｜ ｛tous pleista
dunamenous phagein te kai piein｝： 〃To the Barbarians 'tis the test
of manhood： there the great drinkers are the greatest men〃
（Frere）； id。 〃Knights；〃 179； 〃Clouds；〃 823； so Latin 〃vir。〃 See
Holden ad loc。
＇2＇ 〃Us lesser mortals。〃
To all which Hiero made answer： That the majority of men； Simonides；
should be deluded by the glamour of a despotism in no respect
astonishes me； since it is the very essence of the crowd； if I am not
mistaken； to rush wildly to conjecture touching the happiness or
wretchedness of people at first sight。
Now the nature of a tyrrany is such： it presents； nay flaunts； a show
of costliest possessions unfolded to the general gaze； which rivets
the attention；＇3＇ but the real troubles in the souls of monarchs it
keeps concealed in those hid chambers where lie stowed away the
happiness and the unhappiness of mankind。
＇3＇ There is some redundancy in the phraseology。
I repeat then； I little marvel that the multitude should be blinded in
this matter。 But that you others also； you who are held to see with
the mind's eye more clearly than with the eye of sense the mass of
circumstances；＇4＇ should share its ignorance； does indeed excite my
wonderment。 Now； I know it all too plainly from my own experience；
Simonides； and I assure you； the tyrant is one who has the smallest
share of life's blessings； whilst of its greater miseries he possesses
most。
＇4＇ Lit。 〃the majority of things〃； al。 〃the thousand details of a
thing。〃
For instance； if peace is held to be a mighty blessing to mankind；
then of peace despotic monarchs are scant sharers。 Or is war a curse？
If so； of this particular pest your monarch shares the largest moiety。
For； look you； the private citizen； unless his city…state should
chance to be engaged in some common war；＇5＇ is free to travel
wheresoe'er he chooses without fear of being done to death； whereas
the tyrant cannot stir without setting his foot on hostile territory。
At any rate； nothing will persuade him but he must go through life
armed； and on all occasions drag about with him armed satellites。 In
the next place； the private citizen； even during an expedition into
hostile territory；＇6＇ can comfort himself in the reflection that as
soon as he gets back home he will be safe from further peril。 Whereas
the tyrant knows precisely the reverse； as soon as he arrives in his
own city； he will find himself in the centre of hostility at once。 Or
let us suppose that an invading army； superior in force； is marching
against a city： however much the weaker population； whilst they are
still outside their walls； may feel the stress of danger； yet once
within their trenches one and all expect to find themselves in
absolute security。 But the tyrant is not out of danger； even when he
has passed the portals of his palace。 Nay！ there of all places most；
he feels； he must maintain the strictist watch。＇7＇ Again； to the
private citizen there will come eventually； either through truce or
terms of peace； respite from war； but for the tyrant； the day of peace
will never dawn。 What peace can he have with those over whom he
exercises his despotic sway？＇8＇ Nor have the terms of truce been yet
devised； on which the despotic ruler may rely with confidence。＇9＇
＇5＇ ｛koinon｝； i。e。 making demands upon the eneriges of all the
citizens in common； as opposed to the personal character of war as
conducted by a despot = 〃public；〃 〃patriotic；〃 〃national〃 war。 Al。
borne by the particular ｛polis｝ as member of a league； whether of
states united for the time being in a ｛summakhia｝； or permanently
in a confederacy = a 〃federal〃 war。
＇6＇ 〃Even if serving on a campaign in the enemy's country。〃
＇7＇ Or； 〃he has to exercise the utmost vigilance。〃
＇8＇ 〃With those who are 'absolutely governed；' not to say tyrannically
ruled。〃
＇9＇ Or； 〃which the tyrant may accept in faith and go his way
rejoicing。〃
Wars doubtless there are；＇10＇ wars waged by states and wars waged by
autocratic monarchs against those whom they have forcibly enslaved；
and in respect of these wars there is no hardship which any member of
the states at war＇11＇ can suffer but the tyrant will feel it also。
That is to say； both must alike be under arms； keep guard； run risks；
and whatever the pains of defeat may be； they are equally sustained by
both。 Up to this point there is no distinction。 The 〃bitters〃 are
equal。 But when we come to estimate the 〃sweets〃 derivable from
warfare between states；＇12＇ the parallel ceases。 The tyrant； if he
shared the pains before； no longer shares the pleasures now。 What
happens when a state has gained the mastery in battle over her
antagonist？ It would be hard （I take it） to describe the joy of that
occurrence： joy in the rout； joy in the pursuit； joy in the slaughter
of their enemies； and in what language shall I describe the exultation
of these warriors at their feats of arms？ With what assumption they
bind on their brows the glittering wreath of glory；＇13＇ with what
mirth and jollity congratulate themselves on having raised their city
to newer heights of fame。 Each several citizen claims to have shared
in the plan of the campaign；＇14＇ and to have slain the largest number。
Indeed it would be hard to find where false embellishment will not
creep in；＇15＇ the number stated to be the slain exceeding that of
those that actually perished。 So truly glorious a thing it seems to
them to have won a great victory。＇16＇
＇10＇ Lit。 〃and further； wars there are； waged against forcibly…
subjected populations whether by free states〃e。g。 of Olynthus；
〃Hell。〃 V。 ii。 23； or Athens against her 〃subject allies〃 during
the Pel。 war〃or by despotic rules〃Jason of Pherae （〃Hell。〃
VI。） Al。 〃wars waged by free states against free states； and wars
waged by tyrants against enslaved peoples。〃
＇11＇ Does ｛o en tais polesi｝ = 〃the citizen〃？ So some commentators； or
（sub。 ｛polemos｝） = 〃the war among states〃 （see Hartman； op。 cit。
p。 248）？ in which case transl。 〃all the hardships involved in
international war come home to the tyrant also。〃 The same
obscurity attaches to ｛oi en tais polesi｝ below （the commonly
adopted emend。 of the MS。 ｛oi sunontes polesi｝ = 〃the citizens；〃
or else = 〃international wars。〃
＇12＇ 〃The pleasures incidental to warfare between states〃； al。 〃the
sweets which citizens engaged in warfare as against rival states
can count upon。〃
＇13＇ Reading ｛analambanousin｝； or； if after Cobet； etc。；
｛lambanousin｝； transl。 〃what brilliant honour； what bright credit
they assume。〃
＇14＇ 〃To have played his part in counsel。〃 See 〃Anab。〃 passim； a