[29]
And this is the very thing which has happened to our city; for we think that, if we sail the sea with many triremes and compel the various states to pay contributions1 and send representatives2 to Athens, we have accomplished something to the purpose. But in fact, we have been completely misled as to the truth; for of the hopes which we cherished not one has been fulfilled; on the contrary, we have reaped from them hatreds and wars and great expense. And this was to be expected;
1 In the Confederacy of Delos the quotas paid to Athens to support the league were termed φόροι, which, when Athens made it compulsory, came to have the invidious meaning “tribute moneys.” In the New Naval League, the term συντάξεις, contributions, was substituted. Cf. Isoc. 15.123 and Isoc. 7.2.
2 To the Common Council of the allies, τὸ κοινὸν συνέδριον τῶν συμμάχιων, which met in Athens.
Isocrates. Isocrates with an English Translation in three volumes, by George Norlin, Ph.D., LL.D. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1980.
The Annenberg CPB/Project provided support for entering this text.
Purchase a copy of this text (not necessarily the same edition) from Amazon.com
