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And Hiero answered： Yes； I can well believe you； for the laws are the
true outposts；＇10＇ who guard the sentinels； keeping their fears alive
both for themselves and in behalf of you。 Whereas the tyrant hires his
guards for pay like harvest labourers。＇11＇ Now of all functions； all
abilities； none； I presume； is more required of a guard than that of
faithfulness； and yet one faithful man is a commodity more hard to
find than scores of workmen for any sort of work you like to name；＇12＇
and the more so； when the guards in question are not forthcoming
except for money's sake；＇13＇ and when they have it in their power to
get far more in far less time by murdering the despot than they can
hope to earn by lengthened service in protecting him。
＇10＇ Or； 〃beyond the sentinels themselves is set the outpost of the
laws； who watch the watch。〃
＇11＇ Or； 〃ten…day labourers in harvest…time。〃
＇12＇ Or； 〃but to discover one single faithful man is far more
difficult than scores of labourers in any field of work you
please。〃
＇13＇ Or； 〃are merely hirelings for filthy lucre's sake。〃
And as to that which roused your envyour ability； as you call it； to
benefit our friends most largely； and beyond all else； to triumph over
our foeshere； again； matters are not as you suppose。
How； for instance； can you hope to benefit your friends； when you may
rest assured the very friend whom you have made most your debtor will
be the happiest to quit your sight as fast as may be？ since nobody
believes that anything a tyrant gives him is indeed his own； until he
is well beyond the donor's jurisdiction。
So much for friends； and as to enemies conversely。 How can you say
〃most power of triumphing over our enemies；〃 when every tyrant knows
full well they are all his enemies； every man of them； who are
despotically ruled by him？ And to put the whole of them to death or to
imprison them is hardly possible； or who will be his subjects
presently？ Not so； but knowing they are his enemies； he must perform
this dexterous feat：＇14＇ he must keep them at arm's length； and yet be
compelled to lean upon them。
＇14＇ Lit。 〃he must at one and the same moment guard against them； and
yet be driven also to depend upon them。〃
But be assured； Simonides； that when a tyrant fears any of his
citizens； he is in a strait； it is ill work to see them living and ill
work to put them to the death。 Just as might happen with a horse； a
noble beast； but there is that in him makes one fear he will do some
mischief presently past curing。＇15＇ His very virtue makes it hard to
kill the creature； and yet to turn him to account alive is also hard；
so careful must one be； he does not choose the thick of danger to work
irreparable harm。 And this； further； doubtless holds of all goods and
chattels； which are at once a trouble and a benefit。 If painful to
their owners to possess； they are none the less a source of pain to
part with。
＇15＇ Lit。 〃good but fearful （i。e。 he makes one fear）； he will some day
do some desperate mischief。〃
VII
Now when he had heard these reasonings； Simonides replied： O Hiero；
there is a potent force； it would appear； the name of which is honour；
so attractive that human beings strain to grasp it；＇1＇ and in the
effort they will undergo all pains； endure all perils。 It would
further seem that even you； you tyrants； in spite of all that sea of
trouble which a tyranny involves； rush headlong in pursuit of it。 You
must be honoured。 All the world shall be your ministers； they shall
carry out your every injunction with unhestitating zeal。＇2＇ You shall
be the cynosure of neighbouring eyes； men shall rise from their seats
at your approach； they shall step aside to yield you passage in the
streets。＇3＇ All present shall at all times magnify you；＇4＇ and shall
pay homage to you both with words and deeds。 Those； I take it； are
ever the kind of things which subjects do to please the monarch；＇5＇
and thus they treat each hero of the moment； whom they strive to
honour。＇6＇
＇1＇ Lit。 〃that human beings will abide all risks and undergo all pains
to clutch the bait。〃
＇2＇ Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 II。 iii。 8； VIII。 i。 29。
＇3＇ Cf。 〃Mem。〃 II。 iii。 16； 〃Cyrop。〃 VII。 v。 20。
＇4＇ ｛gerairosi｝； poetic。 Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 VIII。 i。 39； 〃Hell。〃 I。 vii。 33；
〃Econ。〃 iv。 8； 〃Herod。〃 v。 67； Pind。 〃O。〃 iii。 3； v。 11； 〃N。〃 v。
15； 〃Od。〃 xiv。 437； 441； 〃Il。〃 vii。 321； Plat。 〃Rep。〃 468 D；
quoting 〃Il。〃 vii。 321。
＇5＇ Reading ｛tois turannois｝； or if ｛tous turannous｝； after Cobet；
〃That is how they treat crowned heads。〃
＇6＇ Cf。 Tennyson； 〃Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington〃：
With honour； honour； honour to him；
Eternal honour to his name。
Yes； Hiero； and herein precisely lies the difference between a man and
other animals； in this outstretching after honour。＇7＇ Since； it would
seem； all living creatures alike take pleasure in meats and drinks； in
sleep and sexual joys。 Only the love of honour is implanted neither in
unreasoning brutes＇8＇ nor universally in man。 But they in whose hearts
the passion for honour and fair fame has fallen like a seed； these
unmistakably＇9＇ are separated most widely from the brutes。 These may
claim to be called men；＇10＇ not human beings merely。 So that； in my
poor judgment； it is but reasonable you should submit to bear the
pains and penalties of royalty； since you are honoured far beyond all
other mortal men。 And indeed no pleasure known to man would seem to be
nearer that of gods than the delight＇11＇ which centres in proud
attributes。
＇7＇ Or； 〃in this strong aspiration after honour。〃 Holden aptly cf。
〃Spectator；〃 No。 467： 〃The love of praise is a passion deeply
fixed in the mind of every extraordinary person； and those who are
most affected with it seem most to partake of that particle of the
divinity which distinguishes mankind from the inferior creation。〃
＇8＇ ｛alogous｝； i。e。 〃without speach and reason〃； cf。 modern Greek ｛o
alogos｝ = the horse （sc。 the animal par excellence）。 See
〃Horsemanship；〃 viii。 14。
＇9＇ ｛ede｝； 〃ipso facto。〃
＇10＇ See 〃Anab。〃 I。 vii。 4； Frotscher ap。 Breit。 cf。 Cic。 〃ad Fam。〃 v。
17。 5； 〃ut et hominem te et virum esse meminisses。〃
＇11＇ Or； 〃joyance。〃
To these arguments Hiero replied： Nay； but； Simonides； the honours and
proud attributes bestowed on tyrants have much in common with their
love…makings； as I described them。 Like honours like loves； the pair
are of a piece。
For just as the ministrations won from loveless hearts＇12＇ are felt to
be devoid of grace； and embraces forcibly procured are sweet no
longer； so the obsequious cringings of alarm are hardly honours。 Since
how shall we assert that people who are forced to rise from their
seats do really rise to honour those whom they regard as malefactors？
or that these others who step aside to let their betters pass them in
the street； desire thus to show respect to miscreants？＇13＇ And as to
gifts； it is notorious； people commonly bestow them largely upon those
they hate； and that too when their fears are gravest； hoping to avert
impending evil。 Nay； these are nothing more nor less than acts of
slavery； and they may fairly be set down as such。
＇12＇ Or； 〃the compliance of cold lips where love is not reciprocated
is 。 。 。