[159]
I do not see how the mass of Athenians are benefited
by all the wealth that Meidias retains for private luxury and superfluous
display; I do see that his insolence, fostered by his wealth, affects many of us
ordinary folk. You ought not to show respect and admiration for such things on
every occasion, nor judge a man's public spirit by such tests as
these—whether he builds himself a splendid house or keeps many
maid-servants or handsome furniture, but whether his splendor and public spirit
are displayed in those things in which the majority of you can share. There you
will find Meidias absolutely wanting.
Demosthenes. Demosthenes with an English translation by A. T. Murray, Ph.D., LL.D. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1939.
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