st of the
citizens wished some one to give them an opportunity for reconsidering
the matter. An assembly was therefore at once called, and after much
expression of opinion upon both sides, Cleon, son of Cleaenetus, the
same who had carried the former motion of putting the Mitylenians to
death, the most violent man at Athens, and at that time by far the most
powerful with the commons, came forward again and spoke as follows:

"I have often before now been convinced that a democracy is incapable
of empire, and never more so than by your present change of mind in the
matter of Mitylene. Fears or plots being unknown to you in your daily
relations with each other, you feel just the same with regard to your
allies, and never reflect that the mistakes into which you may be led by
listening to their appeals, or by giving way to your own compassion, are
full of danger to yourselves, and bring you no thanks for your weakness
from your allies; entirely forgetting that your empire is a despotism
and your subjects disaffected conspirators, whose obedience is ensured
not by your suicidal concessions, but by the superiority given you by
your own strength and not their loyalty. The most alarming feature in
the case is the constant change of measures with which we appear to be
threatened, and our seeming ignorance of the fact that bad laws which
are never changed are better for a city than good ones that have no
authority; that unlearned loyalty is more serviceable than quick-witted
insubordination; and that ordinary men usually manage public affairs
better than their more gifted fellows. The latter are always wanting to
appear wiser than the laws, and to overrule every proposition brought
forward, thinking that they cannot show their wit in more important
matters, and by such behaviour too often ruin their country; while those
who mistrust their own cleverness are content to be less learned than
the laws, and less able to pick holes in the speech of a good speaker;
and being fair judges rather than rival athletes, generally conduct
affairs successfully. These we ought to imitate, instead of being led on
by cleverness and intellectual rivalry to advise your people against our
real opinions.

"For myself, I adhere to my former opinion, and wonder at those who have
proposed to reopen the case of the Mitylenians, and who are thus causing
a delay which is all in favour of the guilty, by making the sufferer
proceed against the offender with