41
Moreover, she has established her polity in general in such a spirit of welcome to strangersThucydides in Pericles’ funeral oration emphasizes the open hospitality of Athens to foreigners and strangers, Thuc. 2.39.1. and friendlinessThe word οἰκείως suggests μέτοικοι, the foreign residents, who numbered about one-third of the free population of Athens. to all men, that it adapts itself both to those who lack means and to those who wish to enjoy the means which they possess, and that it fails to be of service neither to those who are prosperous nor to those who are unfortunate in their own cities; nay, both classes find with us what they desire, the former the most delightful pastimes, the latter the securest refuge.
42
Again, since the different populations did not in any case possess a country that was self-sufficing, each lacking in some things and producing others in excess of their needs, and since they were greatly at a loss where they should dispose of their surplus and whence they should import what they lacked, in these difficulties also our city came to the rescue; for she established the Piraeus as a market in the center of Hellas—a market of such abundance that the articles which it is difficult to get, one here, one there, from the rest of the world, all these it is easy to procure from Athens.Thucydides states that all the products of the whole world found their way to Athens, ii. 38. 2.
